I’ve been having a look on the Premier League desk this Monday morning.
Not simply basking within the glow of the place that win in opposition to Arsenal along with Villa and Liverpool underperforming yesterday places us, but additionally to grasp whether or not, with 11 video games on the board, we’re underachieving or in any other case.
This time final season, we had received 4, drawn six and misplaced solely as soon as, with a complete of eighteen factors from eleven video games. This time round, while we’ve registered three defeats, our six wins and two attracts imply that we’re two factors higher off on the similar stage of the season.
When it comes to aim distinction, we had +9 after eleven video games final season, this time round it’s +16 and though we’ve conceded two extra, on the flipside Newcastle United have scored a colossal 9 extra from these first eleven video games.
In relative phrases, we stand in precisely the identical place i.e. sixth, however our factors tally is 2 nearer to the staff in pole place.
All effectively and good, however this was the cut-off date final season the place our kind actually took off, so I started to think about whether or not our begin to this season had been any harder than that of our closest rivals. With away video games at Man Metropolis and Brighton and residential video games in opposition to Arsenal, Liverpool and Villa, it actually feels prefer it. Actually, of our nearest rivals, solely Brighton have to date confronted 5 of the highest eight with all of the others having performed solely 4 of the present prime eight.
Taking a look at this lot, I devised a easy methodology to check my idea that our begin has been extra onerous, and I used to be proved appropriate.
Should you word at present’s place within the Premier League desk of everybody the highest eight has encountered to date, sum up these positions after which divide by eleven (the variety of video games performed) then it’s attention-grabbing to see that the typical place of everybody Newcastle United have performed to date, is ninth.
Over a 38 recreation season, the typical is after all eleven. So, after eleven video games, we’ve performed on common, groups within the Premier League which are two locations larger than what you encounter over a full season. Our common can also be the best of the highest eight groups, being one place larger than the typical Brighton and Man Utd have performed (which is tenth), two larger than Liverpool and Arsenal (eleventh) and three larger than Man Metropolis, Spurs and Villa (twelfth).
I consider this factors to what all of us have been considering, Newcastle United have had a a lot tougher begin to the marketing campaign than our nearest rivals. It’s hanging that Brighton and Man Utd, with the following highest common, each sit beneath us within the desk and that the darlings of the media Villa, have had, together with Man Metropolis and Spurs, the simpler of begins.
Subsequent up are eighteenth positioned Bournemouth, earlier than we play thirteenth positioned Chelsea instantly after the worldwide break. On the identical weekend, Man Metropolis face Liverpool on the Etihad and Villa journey to Spurs. Man Metropolis then play Spurs the next week.
My level?
While we have to proceed our unbeaten run and begin to convert away attracts into wins, I consider that our subsequent few fixtures present the chance to just do that. The outdated adage, the league desk by no means lies is barely true on the finish of the season, so for anybody panicking elven video games in, my recommendation is, don’t. HTL.
