Bournemouth away I'd argue was technically tougher, but it's definitely a key test. Interestingly, we've play five top half and five bottom half so far.
Current average xGa per game is 1.21, compared with the 2018-2019 season average of 1.16. Average GA per game is currently 0.8 compared to 2018--19 of 1.24. So whereas in 2018--2019 we conceded more than our xGA, so far this season we are below xGA. With just 10 games played it is hard to say how much of this is down to better defending and how much to our opponents's poor finishing. So I'd say the jury is still out on how reliable your "sniff test" is. This, by the way, is a nice example of the role of stats (among other forms of hard evidence). We all like to think we have good judgement; how often do we hear this sort of thing: "I'm a season-ticket holder, I've seen every game at Carrow Road in the last 50 years, I know what I'm talking about and I'm telling you/I don't need stats to tell me ...... etc. etc."? It doesn't matter how many games one has "sniffed"; there is always the question: "Is your sniffing reliable?" You only have to consider the constant differences of opinion on here to realise that not everyone's "sniffing" can be trusted!
Good job we don't have Trump Rules because we're usually drawing or losing at 85 mins and if matches were declared at 80 we'd be in trouble!
