Whisper it quietly, however individuals are beginning to discover us. After weeks of going below the radar, bookies classing us as underdogs and pundits underestimating us, the win over Wolves has made lots of people sit up and take discover.
I do know many people would’ve most popular to proceed to take a seat below the radar and quietly accumulate factors whereas no person notices, however we’re beginning to put a reasonably spectacular a collectively.
Commercial
After eight video games within the Premier League, we sit in seventh place with fourteen factors and a aim distinction of +3. Equal on factors with Spurs and Chelsea and a degree behind final season’s champions, Liverpool, we’re 9 factors above the drop zone and have accrued extra factors in eight video games than Southampton did all final season — and we’re 5 factors above the Mags!
We have been truly favourites to win the sport on Saturday with the bookies, and Sky Sports activities’ crew of the weekend contained virtually all of our defence — Omar Alderete, Nordi Mukiele and Trai Hume, plus Noah Sadiki.
Radio phone-in exhibits are mischievously asking Sunderland followers in the event that they’ve acquired their passports prepared, and whereas it’s true, the entire groups we’ve performed this season are beneath us within the desk, as there are solely six locations above us and we’ve solely performed eight video games, it’s not too stunning.
Commercial
Added to the truth that there’s one other moderately unlikely occupant of the higher echelons in Bournemouth, it’s no shock that 4 out of our subsequent seven video games are towards groups above us within the league.
There’s no denying that we need to be the place we’re. Now we have the second finest defence within the league, second solely to league leaders Arsenal, and have solely conceded six targets to this point this season. In distinction, Arsenal have solely let in three and Manchester Metropolis have additionally solely relinquished six.
As I predicted final week, the Mags succumbed at Brighton and their followers are muttering about their performances.
Our defence has been magnificent. Through the summer time, the preliminary outlay was on midfielders and we have been all saying we would have liked to handle the defence, however I believe we are able to say that field was effectively and actually ticked.
Commercial
Mukiele was a revelation on Saturday and it’s the best way our midfielders additionally put in a shift to assist out the defence, with Enzo Le Fée and Chemsdine Talbi overlaying on the again in addition to contributing to our targets.
The summer time recruitment was excellent and the gamers introduced in have slotted into the system completely. Régis Le Bris has to take a number of credit score for this — how on earth did we discover him after so little expertise?
It have to be killing those that have been crucial of the mannequin at how extremely profitable it’s proved to be to this point.
In fact, the litmus take a look at would be the subsequent few video games, however I’m not scared. Carry them on, I say. See if you may get previous Mukiele, Alderete, Ballard and Hume.