Now that we're over a third of the way into the season it seems like a good time to reflect on what we've achieved to date. Match / Predicted Points / Actual Points Arsenal (h) 1 point: Got 1 point Sunderland (a) 1 point: Got 3 points Fulham (h) 3 points: Got 3 points QPR (a) 3 points: Got 1 point Villa (a) 1 point: Got 1 point Blackburn (h) 3 points: Got 3 points Wolves (a) 1 point: Got 3 points Spurs (h) 1 point: Got 1 point Wigan (h) 3 points: Got 3 points Stoke (a) 0 points: Got 3 points Everton (h) 1 point: Got 3 points Man City (a) 0 points: Got 0 points Man Utd (a) 0 points: Got 1 point Chelsea (h) 1 point: Got 0 points So overall, I'd have hoped / predicted we'd have 19 points at this stage of the season. That would have left us 8th as things are in the PL (before today's games), But we have 26 points, so are +7 points on what I'd have been happy with / predicted at the start of the season. Before today's game I'd have hoped for 7 points from our next three games. But if we don't have Tiote, Taylor or Colo v Norwich then I can see us losing at Norwich. Hopefully they'll be back for the two home games before Xmas. If we beat Swansea and West Brom at home then it'll be a very happy Christmas with us sitting on 32 points (plus whatever we get at Norwich depending on the team). Verdict to date: Performed above expectations. Now as injuries start to mount up, and the departure of players to the ACoN we have to work hard in the next third of the season to build on what we've done so far. Today's defeat doesn't alter the fact that we've still got more points at this stage of the season than any of us would have hoped.
I can remember looking at the fixture list and saying we could realistically get 20 points from the first 10 games, and a jammy 4 points from the 4 after, I was 1 point off, but now looking at it, I don't see how I felt we would get so many points, I think we are doing brilliantly considering we didn't win any of the same 13 fixtures (minus QPR) last season