Saw this article which is quite complimentary to you chaps and thought I'd share. Feel free to rep me http://betting.betfair.com/football...sunderland-the-new-newcastle-120912-148.html? Andrew Atherley has been impressed by Sunderland's start to the season, he holds their manager in high esteem and reckons the Black Cats are value to pile more misery on Liverpool this Saturday... Sunderland, like neighbours Newcastle last season, could be surprise high achievers this season and they look capable of proving the point at home to Liverpool on Saturday. There are interesting parallels between Sunderland's form under Martin O'Neill and how Newcastle stood at this time last season. Like O'Neill now, Alan Pardew was starting his first full season as Newcastle boss having taken charge early the previous December and stabilised their results. Both managers had achieved flashes of even better form with good results against top-six sides, pointing to further improvement with a summer of preparation and squad-building behind them. O'Neill did even better than Pardew in his first part-season, with an average of 1.42 points per game (Pardew's was 1.23). Without any improvement in that points average, Sunderland would finish this season in the top half of the table. But the underlying form indicates Sunderland might be able to aim towards the top six. There was a big split in their form last season, which appears to have been caused by their FA Cup quarter-final exit against Everton in March. Prior to that, Sunderland had been flying under O'Neill with a Premier League points average of 1.81 per game. Afterwards, however, Sunderland were caught in the classic trap of a mid-table side with nothing tangible to play for and they appeared to ease off, failing to win in the eight Premier League games that followed their FA Cup exit. The late-season slump dragged down their points average and a return to their previous higher level would make them dangerous opponents for any team, as they lost only five of O'Neill's first 16 Premier League games. Having started with away draws at Arsenal and Swansea, Sunderland look just as solid this season and they have added quality in attack with the signings of Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson. On their form under O'Neill, and with the prospect of further improvement, Sunderland look big at 3.45 against Liverpool. Liverpool's players know as well as anyone how tough Sunderland have become under O'Neill, as they lost 1-0 at the Stadium of Light shortly before the Black Cats played that crunch FA Cup tie against Everton. That victory is part of a home league record of six wins, four draws and just two defeats for O'Neill's Sunderland (the two losses coming against Manchester United and Arsenal). Liverpool may well have to play like a potential top-four side to beat Sunderland and, given their sticky start under Brendan Rodgers, they look a considerable way from that standard at the moment. Liverpool, in fact, have lost eight out of 11 on the road in the Premier League in 2012. They won the other three but only against Wolves, Blackburn and Norwich (two of whom were relegated last season). Backing them at 2.34 against a potential top-half side looks risky. One option is Sunderland off 0 & +0.5 on the Asian handicap at 1.92, which offers insurance against Sunderland's high draw rate, but the win odds look worth chancing.
Where's the punchline? Joke article to say that Sunderland's form is similar to ours last season, correct me if I'm wrong but we are 2 games in? Does this mean West Brom are the new Man City?
You are of course correct. Sunderland were never lucky last season where as Newcastle's luck never faltered.
Yes because I picked the glaring faults in the article, I'm genuinely sat at home crying over it, my laptops all wet and everything. No sarcasm
oh no, the article isn't true, what will we do, what if the world thinks the article is fact, what if the author is colour blind and confuses black with red, et cetera, et cetera. it's an article on betfair, so i doubt they're expecting to win a pulitzer any time soon, but good to know you aren't easily upset by a piece of journalism that is looking at possible similarities between two teams in an attempt to get people to place bets (by it's very nature speculative, in case you didn't know) (scratch that, you should definitely go and put your mortgage on a 7-7 draw).
So what you did, is overlook the entire part which pointed out that MON & Pardew arrived at similar points in the season, then pointed out the points average? I believe that, and the pointer to 2 draws in tough away games, counts as an analysis. It's effectively a comparison over some 20 games or so, so it seems fair to me.
I'd sooner be rogered by a herd of rampant bull elephants than have any similarities to the filth. That said, with a forward line boasting AJ, Sessegnon, McClean, Fletcher and Larsson, I'd back us against anyone on our day.
I will throw my toys out the pram till the cows come home if artciles continue to compare NUFC to you scum
1/.....How the **** did you know i was a bull elephant. 2/....When do you want to make the appointment for
