This time final 12 months, Sunderland have been dreaming of promotion to the Premier League after going high of the Championship desk by beating Luton City.
Quick ahead 12 months and the to maneuver to inside two factors of leaders Arsenal within the Premier League desk.
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To explain Sunderland’s begin merely as a dream could be to do it a disservice.
With 17 factors from 9 matches, they haven’t solely bucked the current pattern of newly promoted sides struggling within the Premier League however they’ve defied critics that accused them of constructing too many signings.
So, how have the Black Cats finished it?
‘No one anticipated Sunderland to start out this nicely’
To place Sunderland’s begin into context, it is price remembering how the Black Cats defied expectations to achieve the top-flight once more.
Regis le Bris’ facet completed 24 factors behind Burnley and Leeds within the computerized promotion spots and managed simply 58 targets of their 46 video games.
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They required an injury-time winner to edge previous Coventry within the play-off semi-finals and so they have been clear underdogs going into the ultimate at Wembley in opposition to Sheffield United, who completed 14 factors forward of the Black Cats.
However Sunderland confirmed their resilience once more, coming from behind within the ultimate and scoring one other injury-time winner via Tom Watson to regain top-flight standing for the primary time in eight years.
It makes this season’s begin all of the extra spectacular.
The 17 factors Sunderland have collected from their 9 matches up to now is the Black Cats’ equal greatest begin within the Premier League, matching the tally from the 1999-00 season.
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Solely 5 newly promoted groups have earned extra factors from their opening 9 matches than Sunderland have managed this season.
All 5 of these groups, in addition to Sunderland in 2000, managed to outlive relegation.
“Anybody who’s trustworthy sufficient will say that they by no means anticipated Sunderland to start out this nicely, so full credit score to them,” Michael Carrick informed BBC Radio 5 Stay after the win at Chelsea.
“The quantity of factors they’ve collected already has given them an unbelievable begin and that is one thing they’ll need to construct on.
“They regarded fairly comfy and calm for lengthy durations, but in addition regarded harmful. They only stored that perception to get the win.
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“It is a textbook away win at an, arguably, greater staff.”
‘We endure collectively’
Maybe probably the most stunning component of Sunderland’s begin – past their factors tally – is that they’ve managed to embed so many new signings after promotion.
The membership spent £161m on 15 new gamers – a document degree of spending for a promoted facet.
The season earlier than, the three promoted sides – Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich – spent a mixed £276.5m however they returned to the Championship with the bottom mixed factors complete of relegated sides in Premier League historical past.
Primarily, spending large isn’t any assure of survival.
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It makes Sunderland’s begin much more of an outlier, with the Black Cats difficult perceptions about making too many adjustments to a squad which have earned promotion.
“It is an unbelievable begin and one which’s been nicely earned,” former Watford captain Troy Deeney informed Ultimate Rating.
“Most groups after they come up keep on with the gamers that bought them up however Sunderland have been ruthless.
“They modified the goalkeeper and kind of each single participant and stated ‘we are going to attempt to keep up’, and to be second on this second in time, not solely will they’ve perception they’ll keep up however they will assume, ‘do you reckon we are able to get within the high 10?’.
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“Should you stated that a few months in the past Sunderland followers would inform you you are loopy.”
Signing so many gamers may have disrupted the concord of the dressing room, leaving the gamers that helped the membership again into the highest flight resenting those who have are available in and brought their place.
However, on this proof up to now, it has been the alternative.
“We constructed our identification via pre-season and earlier than,” stated Le Bris after the victory at Stamford Bridge.
“The togetherness, the power to defend and endure collectively. We struggled a bit to search out the appropriate stability in possession however we have been good on the ball, discovered areas and tried to press excessive when doable then in a deep block as within the center they’ll punish you.
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“We did nicely and I’m actually happy with the squad and workers, the starters and finishers as a result of the substitutes have been essential once more. We labored onerous and performed good soccer.”
The struggling that Le Bris talks about is illustrated by the Black Cats’ off-the-ball work.
They’ve averaged 42.5% possession of their 9 matches this season – solely Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham have a decrease common.
However, regardless of spending a lot time with out the ball, solely Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis have conceded fewer targets than Sunderland.
That claims Le Bris has bought his facet organised and dedicated with out the ball, and the numbers again it up.
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Sunderland’s 53.3% duel success is the second greatest within the division behind Manchester Metropolis.
Talismanic Xhaka leads the best way
Of Sunderland’s summer time recruits, none has been extra influential than Granit Xhaka.
The previous Arsenal captain raised eyebrows when he determined to depart Bayer Leverkusen for the north east in the summertime.
There have been even query marks whether or not the 33-year-old may nonetheless lower it within the Premier League, having left for Germany in 2023.
However he has confounded the critics in spectacular fashion.
The Swiss ranks first for assists (three), possibilities created (11), profitable passes (397), passes into the field (49), touches (629), duels received (56) and possession received (43).