The table makes Arbroath the bigger side: 3rd against 7th of 10 last season. Against the block the other keeps: Arbroath takes 1.43 points a game, Ayr United 0.80 -- the block form is Arbroath's.
Arbroath: 49 league matches in the bank, 13 from this season and the rest from last season. Ayr United: 48 league matches in the bank, 12 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
Arbroath -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 8th of 10 after 13 games, with 11 points. Last season it finished 3rd 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 13 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 8, drew 6, lost 7 of 21 -- 30 points of 63. At home against them: won 5 of 11. Away against them: won 3 of 10.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 3, lost 4 of 9 (1.00 a game); against the middle block won 8, drew 6, lost 7 of 21 (1.43 a game); against the bottom block won 5, drew 5, lost 4 of 14 (1.43 a game); against sides new to the division won 1, drew 1, lost 3 of 5 (0.80 a game).
Ayr United -- away
Where it stands
Stands 7th of 10 after 12 games, with 15 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 12 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 7 of 15 -- 12 points of 45. At home against them: won 2 of 8. 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 7 of 15 (0.80 a game); against the middle block won 6, drew 5, lost 6 of 17 (1.35 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).
Built 10:04 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.