Promoted sides doing far better than expected

[Spijed]

The promoted sides are making a far better fist of it than in the last two seasons so far.

[agreenwood]

Jinxed it again Spijed.

Bookmark this.

[ollieclarets8]

Wolves are terrible so you expected Leeds to win that one.

Leeds have had a far easier starting fixture list than us.

[Spijed]

When was the last time non of the promoted sides were in the bottom three after five matches?

[RVclaret]

When was the last time non of the promoted sides were in the bottom three after five matches?

17/18

[ElectroClaret]

Think most Clarets fans would have taken our current position at this stage in the season at the start.

Just got to keep it going.

[Commy]

We had the same number of points last time but a worse goal difference. We were higher up the league though. We had also just drawn 1-1 at Forest in our fifth game.

[CoolClaret]

We had the same number of points last time but a worse goal difference. We were higher up the league though. We had also just drawn 1-1 at Forest in our fifth game.

Last time it took us 7 matches to get to 4 points, then 14 matches to get to 7.

We were basically just making up the numbers - we were utter crap.

[Rileybobs]

Last time it took us 7 matches to get to 4 points, then 14 matches to get to 7.

We were basically just making up the numbers - we were utter crap.

Even had we lost in the dying stages again today, which I’m sure most were fearing, there was so much more to get behind. A group of players on the same wavelength with tremendous work rate, ability on and off the ball, and clearly a game plan.

[Bin Ont Turf]

We are bottom of that particular pile, although we should have two more points.

I like what I've seen so far though, and think we have at least a chance of staying up.

Burnley FC is forever.

[Commy]

Last time it took us 7 matches to get to 4 points, then 14 matches to get to 7.

We were basically just making up the numbers - we were utter crap.

Sorry, they put the Luton Town match in but I forgot that we played that later.

[CoolClaret]

Even had we lost in the dying stages again today, which I’m sure most were fearing, there was so much more to get behind. A group of players on the same wavelength with tremendous work rate, ability on and off the ball, and clearly a game plan.

Precisely that, building a bit of a siege atmosphere at times and as you say, giving us something to get behind.

Last time out was all about brand VK, whilst we all had to endure barely even competing in all but what, 10 games or so?

We just need to keep doing what we're doing, ignore the noise and lazy comments that will get thrown our way and just keep bloody battling. UTC.

[Bullabill]

We are bottom of that particular pile, although we should have two more points.

That's a Wilder claim than most.

[CaptainClaret]

Think a little bit of luck of the draw with timing/fixtures can make a big difference over the course of a season, e.g. if you get to play an out-of-sorts Wolves or West Ham at a time when confidence is low and prior to a change in form (normally due to a managerial change) then it gets points on the board and gives your own squad/fans a huge boost in belief.

Not to belittle the performances either of Sunderland or Leeds who have competitive squads (with some strong recruitment) and will both be relatively tough places for teams to visit. Credit to both sides.

[agreenwood]

Think a little bit of luck of the draw with timing/fixtures can make a big difference over the course of a season, e.g. if you get to play an out-of-sorts Wolves or West Ham at a time when confidence is low and prior to a change in form (normally due to a managerial change) then it gets points on the board and gives your own squad/fans a huge boost in belief.

Not to belittle the performances either of Sunderland or Leeds who have competitive squads (with some strong recruitment) and will both be relatively tough places for teams to visit. Credit to both sides.

Agree with this. It’s a shame we’ve not played against any of the crisis clubs so far.

I suspect both the current West Ham & Wolves managers might be different by the time we face them.

[Firthy]

Would be even better it it wasn't for two stupid penalties.

[Ric_C]

Teams we could potentially finish above:
Leeds, Sunderland, Brentford, Wolves, West Ham, Forest (not sure about Ange)

Teams who are weaker than last season:
Villa, Newcastle

I think the potential to pickup points is greater than last season, as a few of the bigger clubs are not as good.

[claretspice]

I'm not sure at present we are doing better than expected. I'd say that 4 points at this stage is about what you'd have been anticipating - and whilst is good to see us have a clear identity and be competitive, i expected that from a Parker team.

It certainly could be worse, because neither of the games we've taken points from have gone entirely our own way, but equally it could be better (given, in particular, that United have been no more than a mid table side over the past few years and we even managed a point there under Kompany.

[Conroy92]

My prediction at the start of this season (and we'll see if it still holds at the end of the season) would be that Sunderland and ourselves would stop up with Leeds being relegated.

There's a couple of teams in the prem who have been circling the drain for a while and have only been saved by extremely naive sides coming into the division.

[Woodleyclaret]

A point at City and an away win at Villa will set up up nicely for 3 points v DL

[Hibsclaret]

We’ve definitely been shafted with the fixtures for a number of reasons.

The two coming up with us have had fixtures far easier than ours. A good start enables you to get a strong foothold in the division and to give you confidence that you can compete, particularly with players new to the division. The other problem with playing difficult fixtures early is that you are not really playing the stronger teams after a tough trip in Europe when you may be slightly more likely to claim a scalp. Our games against Spurs and Liverpool are examples of this.

As much as you have to play everyone twice I’d rather have played Leeds or Sunderland’s first 7 games than ours given I would have been confident on getting way more than a point a game, perhaps even as many as 10 points. The pressure gets ramped up when you start slowly and, conversely, the confidence grows with picking up early points. There’s another example this week when we played Forest at relative strength compared to Sunderland playing them next week on the Saturday after a Wednesday trip to Betis.

[ollieclarets8]

We’ve definitely been shafted with the fixtures for a number of reasons.

The two coming up with us have had fixtures far easier than ours. A good start enables you to get a strong foothold in the division and to give you confidence that you can compete, particularly with players new to the division. The other problem with playing difficult fixtures early is that you are not really playing the stronger teams after a tough trip in Europe when you may be slightly more likely to claim a scalp. Our games against Spurs and Liverpool are examples of this.

As much as you have to play everyone twice I’d rather have played Leeds or Sunderland’s first 7 games than ours given I would have been confident on getting way more than a point a game, perhaps even as many as 10 points. The pressure gets ramped up when you start slowly and, conversely, the confidence grows with picking up early points. There’s another example this week when we played Forest at relative strength compared to Sunderland playing them next week on the Saturday after a Wednesday trip to Betis.

Sunderland's 6 starting fixtures:
West Ham, Burnley, Brentford, Palace, Villa, Forest,

Us:
Spurs, Sunderland, Man U, Liverpool, Forest, Man City.

On the flip side, we may still be outside the bottom 3 after the City game. You mentioned confidence - that could work with us once we've come out of that very difficult start and still have our head above the water.

[Elizabeth]

The teams that have had a dodgy start are exactly the ones you would have wanted to do so : Wolves, West Ham, Brentford. I'm happy at that as well as our very solid defensive start. Scoring 2 goals in five of our games is calming my worry that we might not score enough.
We are a team that is progressing on the field while it looks like there are question marks against the Managers of the 3 teams I've pinpointed.

[Hibsclaret]

There’s always a flip side but both the other teams have away points already whilst we are at Spurs, Old Trafford, Etihad and Villa, places where even 1 point is unlikely. Away points for a promoted team is massively important and nothing from those games puts far more pressure on to your home games.

[Elizabeth]

The teams that have had a dodgy start are exactly the ones you would have wanted to do so : Wolves, West Ham, Brentford. I'm happy at that as well as our very solid defensive start. Scoring 2 goals in five of our games is calming my worry that we might not score enough.
We are a team that is progressing on the field while it looks like there are question marks against the Managers of the 3 teams I've pinpointed.

Obviously meant two of our five games