Interesting article here, with a graph showing the points gained versus the position in the table of the team being played. Seemed Sunderland this season was one of two teams - the other being Chelsea - who picked up more points against teams in the top half of the table than the lower half. Now I know it can be said that every team was above us as we were rooted firmly to the bottom of the table for 9/10 of the season. Interesting to look at the other teams aswell, Crystal Palace for example - and see that when Pulis came in, he got them taking points off of the teams in the bottom half of the table which saw their rise up the rankings. The 3 relegated teams didnt take points off of teams either end of the table on a consistent basis. If Sunderland couldn't play and pick up teams against the big boys, then we would surely have been relegated, because we were picking up points off of the bottom teams alot less frequently than the 3 relegated teams... by what looks like a large gap. Gus needs to get the team picking up points from those in the bottom half of the table. Palace did it, and they finished very comfortably mid table and Pulis looks like he could win MotY for his efforts. On a side note, look at Utd. Could smash the bottom teams, but failed to really pick up any points off of the title chasers. Not usre if this table has been posted before, but it is an interesting look at our season, and helps explain why we made it out by the skin of our balls. http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/05...a-lost-the-title-and-why-sunderland-survived/
It is interesting that only the top 6 got more points against the top half than we did. It must come down to the fact that when we are playing a top team we are much more switched on and concentrating their jobs but also probably feel a lot less pressure as these are games we are not necessarily expected to win - whereas in the games against the teams around us the pressure to win must make players try to do things that they otherwise would not which has lead to us giving away sloppy goals. It's only recently against Cardiff and WBA when this has not been the case. If we could replicate the intensity in all games next season then a top half finish is well within our reach.
