Sutton United and Aldershot Town finished near neighbours last season -- 19th and 20th of 24 -- so rank alone splits nothing here. Against the block the other keeps: Sutton United takes 1.67 points a game, Aldershot Town 1.30 -- the block form is Sutton United's.
Sutton United: 50 league matches in the bank, 14 from this season and the rest from last season. Aldershot Town: 50 league matches in the bank, 14 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step one is THE TABLE: rank against rank, and the blocks -- the table cut into a top, middle and bottom block, drawn from last season's final standings. The question is not just where each side stands but how it behaves against the company the other keeps: does it play to rank against the blocks above and below, or come apart?
The two sides
Sutton United -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 16th of 24 after 14 games, with 18 points. Last season it finished 19th of 24 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the bottom block (17th to 24th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 14 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the bottom block (17th to 24th). Against that block it has won 6, drew 7, lost 2 of 15 -- 25 points of 45. At home against them: won 3 of 8. Away against them: won 3 of 7.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 4, lost 8 of 14 (0.71 a game); against the middle block won 7, drew 3, lost 8 of 18 (1.33 a game); against the bottom block won 6, drew 7, lost 2 of 15 (1.67 a game); against sides new to the division won 0, drew 1, lost 2 of 3 (0.33 a game).
Aldershot Town -- away
Where it stands
Stands 13th of 24 after 14 games, with 18 points. Last season it finished 20th of 24 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the bottom block (17th to 24th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 14 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the bottom block (17th to 24th). Against that block it has won 3, drew 4, lost 3 of 10 -- 13 points of 30. At home against them: won 0 of 4. Away against them: won 3 of 6.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 1, lost 14 of 17 (0.41 a game); against the middle block won 8, drew 2, lost 9 of 19 (1.37 a game); against the bottom block won 3, drew 4, lost 3 of 10 (1.30 a game); against sides new to the division won 1, drew 1, lost 2 of 4 (1.00 a game).
Built 02:24 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.