The table makes Partick Thistle the bigger side: 2nd against 7th of 10 last season. Against the block the other keeps: Ayr United takes 0.86 points a game, Partick Thistle 2.00 -- the block form is Partick Thistle's.
Ayr United: 46 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season. Partick Thistle: 45 league matches in the bank, 9 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
Ayr United -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 7th of 10 after 10 games, with 12 points. Last season it finished 7th of 10 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the middle block (4th to 7th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 10 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the top block (1st to 3rd). Against that block it has won 2, drew 6, lost 6 of 14 -- 12 points of 42. At home against them: won 2 of 7. Away against them: won 0 of 7.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 6, lost 6 of 14 (0.86 a game); against the middle block won 5, drew 5, lost 6 of 16 (1.25 a game); against the bottom block won 3, drew 7, lost 3 of 13 (1.23 a game); against sides new to the division won 1, drew 0, lost 2 of 3 (1.00 a game).
Partick Thistle -- away
Where it stands
Stands 3rd of 10 after 9 games, with 18 points. Last season it finished 2nd of 10 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the top block (1st to 3rd). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 9 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the middle block (4th to 7th). Against that block it has won 10, drew 8, lost 1 of 19 -- 38 points of 57. At home against them: won 7 of 11. Away against them: won 3 of 8.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 5, lost 2 of 9 (1.22 a game); against the middle block won 10, drew 8, lost 1 of 19 (2.00 a game); against the bottom block won 8, drew 4, lost 1 of 13 (2.15 a game); against sides new to the division won 2, drew 1, lost 1 of 4 (1.75 a game).
Built 22:01 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.