Boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking about the importance of data and says the Blues have been getting “good returns and good numbers so far”.
The data side of football has become increasingly significant in recent seasons with McKenna a firm advocate.
"The data is important for ourselves and for most clubs that are this level and beyond now,” he said.
"We obviously measure loads on a daily basis, we measure match loads and have numbers and figures that we want to hit that we know is close to what the elite level.
"And the players are interested in it and they generally all want to give high outputs in games and show that they’re able to give more and more.
"In terms of our high-speed and our sprint distances and things like that, they’re important references for us, not the only indicator but one indicator, that we’re getting some of the things from a tactical point of view that we want on the pitch.
"Without going into too much detail or sharing too much inside information, we’ve seen some good returns and good numbers so far, and I think that’s probably been reflected on the eye by watching the intensity of some of the performances.
"It’s very important as a club that we’re able to back up what we see with our eye and what we feel with our intuition, that we’re able to back that up with numbers when possible.”
Was improving those numbers something he identified when he first took charge? "It’s something that is very important for me with the style of play that we want. I want us to play with a real intensity and I want us to be running all the time.
"It’s one of our key fundamental rules here that when the ball is in play, everyone has a role. Nobody is walking on the pitch and everyone is active, whether it’s in possession, out of possession or in transitions. Everyone is active and everyone has a role to play, and we’re running at all times.
"Obviously, we want to run with good intensity, we want to press high up the pitch and win the ball back quickly, and when we have the ball, we want penetration and when we win the ball, we want to be able to attack fast in big spaces.
"So, to do all of those things, you have to run hard and there is no hiding place from that, and it tends to be reflected in the numbers.
"So, not anything to do with what was done before, I didn’t spend a lot of time looking at the numbers or where the boys were at from that point of view before I arrived, I just made it clear that it’s an important facet for me and it’s something that I want to see reflected on the pitch.”
He added: "I think most footballers in my experience, in general, want to work hard and certainly the boys here do. They’re a hard working group and they want to go and put that on the pitch.
"I think the important thing is that the structure is good, that they feel like the running is to the benefit of the team, that they see the reason for it, it’s always for a purpose, and it’s always within our structure.
"Whether that’s in our defending, how we press and how we close spaces as a team or whether it’s on the ball in terms of our forward running and our penetrative runs or whether it’s on the transition and the demands to break out quickly.
"I think it’s important that players understand their roles, understand the structure of the team and when, why and what possibilities they have to run on the pitch.
"And I think so long as they have that then players enjoy working hard and they feel the benefit for the team, and they’re all willing to go and make that effort for the team.”