Maths of the Day - January

Appletonometer

Because we only deal with league games in Maths of the Day, the January figures only cover three games; Notts County, Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth - two epic away wins and a lacklustre defeat at the end of a monumental week. 

Still, the rolling 46 game graph - the Appletonometer - continues to show an upward trend and actually tipped over the 80 point mark for the first time. Put that in perspective - if Oxford United last season were in a league with Oxford United who has played the last year, there would be 20 points difference between the two teams. If that shows anything, it's how much the club has been transformed.

Five game form

Our current form is difficult to assess. If you count the cup games we've lost three in four and the last three at home. But, it's not really fair to assess our form when we're playing teams in divisions above us. 

So, discounting cup games, our form has actually spiked upwards to a level which would typically win you the title. The big question is, now the cup games are out the way, can we sustain it?

Run rate

Overall, we're still sitting right on the run rate that would typically win you the title. I say typically, because Northampton are on a run of form which blows all this out of the water. Nine wins in ten is, like Leicester challenging for the title, something you can't account for when it comes to predicting the future.

All is not lost in that respect, however, if we win our game in hand and the game against Northampton on the 16th, we'll be four points behind. One of the things about extraordinary form is that at some point things will return to being more ordinary; if the Cobblers do wobble, then we're in a good position to pounce.