The table makes Hibernian the bigger side: 5th against 9th of 12 last season. Against the block the other keeps: Aberdeen takes 0.89 points a game, Hibernian 1.80 -- the block form is Hibernian's.
Aberdeen: 49 league matches in the bank, 11 from this season and the rest from last season. Hibernian: 49 league matches in the bank, 11 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
Aberdeen -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 10th of 12 after 11 games, with 11 points. Last season it finished 9th of 12 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the bottom block (9th to 12th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 11 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the middle block (5th to 8th). Against that block it has won 4, drew 4, lost 10 of 18 -- 16 points of 54. At home against them: won 3 of 9. Away against them: won 1 of 9.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 3, drew 1, lost 12 of 16 (0.62 a game); against the middle block won 4, drew 4, lost 10 of 18 (0.89 a game); against the bottom block won 7, drew 4, lost 3 of 14 (1.79 a game); against sides new to the division won 0, drew 0, lost 1 of 1 (0.00 a game).
Hibernian -- away
Where it stands
Stands 12th of 12 after 11 games, with 8 points. Last season it finished 5th of 12 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the middle block (5th to 8th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 11 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the bottom block (9th to 12th). Against that block it has won 7, drew 6, lost 2 of 15 -- 27 points of 45. At home against them: won 4 of 9. Away against them: won 3 of 6.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 4, drew 4, lost 12 of 20 (0.80 a game); against the middle block won 6, drew 4, lost 3 of 13 (1.69 a game); against the bottom block won 7, drew 6, lost 2 of 15 (1.80 a game); against sides new to the division won 0, drew 0, lost 1 of 1 (0.00 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.