to put a different spin on it:
1. Man City P12 W11 D1 L0 GS: 40, GC: 7, GD: +33, Pts: 34.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 26, GC: 11, GD: +15, Pts: 22.
So we are 12 points better off compared to the same fixtures last season, and 18 goals better off on goal difference. Note: Brighton away has been subbed in for Boro away as Boro finished 19th in PL and Brighton finished 2nd. I'll be doing that throughout so Newcastle will replace Sunderland, Brighton replace Boro and Huddersfield replace Hull.
2. Man Utd P12 W8 D2 L2 GS: 27, GC: 6, GD: +21, Pts: 26.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W6 D5 L1 GS: 17, GC: 10, GD: +7, Pts: 23.
So the Rags are only 3 points better off, showing that they've only really done as they did last year, which perhaps shows the calibre of the opposition. They've stopped drawing so many games, which gives them 2 extra wins, but the trade off is the loss at Huddersfield which costs them an extra 3 points. Clearly a bit better than they were, but it's not a remarkable turnaround like ours.
3. Chelsea P12 W8 D1 L3 GS: 23, GC: 10, GD: +13, Pts: 25.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W11 D0 L1 GS: 31, GC: 9, GD: +22, Pts: 33.
So Chelsea have had a large drop-off from last season. They mullered the opposition in the same fixtures last time, and have faced no newly promoted sides so it's a direct comparison. The big positive was winning at Spurs, where they lost last season, but 3 poor home results (losses to us and Burnley and draw to Arsenal) and a defeat at Palace has left them with ground to make up.
4. Spurs Pld 12 W7 D2 L3 GS: 20, GC: 9, GD: +11, Pts: 23.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 24, GC: 7, GD: +17, Pts: 22.
So bizarrely, where you would think Spurs are actually doing worse this season and writing themselves out of the title race, you can actually see they struggled a bit in these fixtures last season and this was likely where they lost the title then too. Spurs results have fluctuated more compared to last season, they won at West Ham after losing last year, and beat Liverpool and Everton after draws last season. However, they've also lost at home to Chelsea (which they won), and lost to Arsenal where they drew, and drawn to Burnley and Swansea which they won last season. So Spurs have really underachieved in that set of fixtures 2 seasons in a row.
5. Liverpool Pld 12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 24, GC: 17, GD: +7, Pts: 22.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W5 D5 L2 GS: 21, GC: 12, GD: +9, Pts: 20.
Liverpool another weird one, 2 points better off than last season despite looking like they're struggling. Loss to us the big result change, but they've picked up wins over Burnley, Leicester and Southampton which they slipped up in last season. They went on a really good run in some of their other fixtures last season so if they managed that again they could swiftly move up the table. They had a bad show in this set of fixtures last year, and have only done slightly better but they're still lurking.
6. Arsenal Pld 12 W7 D1 L4 GS: 22, GC: 16, GD: +6, Pts: 22.
Same Fixtures* - 16/17: P12 W6 D2 L4 GS: 20, GC: 16, GD: +4, Pts: 20.
Arsenal much like Liverpool are slightly better off than last season where they really struggled in those games. Big results at Chelsea and today against Spurs boost their record, but losses to Stoke and Watford have kept them back so far.
So to summarise, if you replace the relegated teams from last season with the corresponding promoted teams, the league tables for exactly the same matches played are:
Last Season:
1. Chelsea P12 W11 D0 L1 GS: 31, GC: 9, GD: +22, Pts: 33.
2. Man Utd P12 W6 D5 L1 GS: 17, GC: 10, GD: +7, Pts: 23.
3. Spurs P12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 24, GC: 7, GD: +17, Pts: 22.
4. Man City P12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 26, GC: 11, GD: +15, Pts: 22.
5. Liverpool P12 W5 D5 L2 GS: 21, GC: 12, GD: +9, Pts: 20.
6. Arsenal P12 W6 D2 L4 GS: 20, GC: 16, GD: +4, Pts: 20.
This Season:
1. Man City P12 W11 D1 L0 GS: 40, GC: 7, GD: +33, Pts: 34.
2. Man Utd P12 W8 D2 L2 GS: 27, GC: 6, GD: +21, Pts: 26.
3. Chelsea P12 W8 D1 L3 GS: 23, GC: 10, GD: +13, Pts: 25.
4. Spurs P12 W7 D2 L3 GS: 20, GC: 9, GD: +11, Pts: 23.
5. Liverpool P12 W6 D4 L2 GS: 24, GC: 17, GD: +7, Pts: 22.
6. Arsenal P12 W7 D1 L4 GS: 22, GC: 16, GD: +6, Pts: 22.
So we've made some very valuable gains in the first third of the season, now we have to keep it up.
