Opta graphic reveals shocking true extent of Sunderland underperformance this season

We all know that Sunderland have underperformed this season, but now Opta have devised to model that actually quantifies it.
Opta graphic reveals shocking true extent of Sunderland underperformance this season
Opta graphic reveals shocking true extent of Sunderland underperformance this season /

A revealing graphic from Opta has shown Sunderland to be one of the biggest underperforming teams in the Championship this season.

Sunderland are currently tenth position in the Championship, seven points adrift of the play-off positions after the disastrous experiment with Michael Beale.

However, according to an Opta game-outcome model based on expected goals (xG), they should be quite comfortably nestled into fifth position in the Championship.

That five places of underperformance is the joint third worst in the whole division, with only Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday (both seven places) above them in the table of shame.

The results of the Opta model will almost certainly bring the conversation back to Sunderland’s inability to sign a senior striker this season.

Opta - Sunderland underperforming
Opta

Despite months of looking, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and his recruitment team were only able to sign inexperienced centre forwards last summer and then failed to rectify that mistake in January.

The data certainly suggests that even had Sunderland been as clinical in front of goal as you would expect, never mind actually performed well, they would be right among the play-offs pack heading into the final 13 games of what has ultimately been a disappointing campaign. 

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Michael Graham
MICHAEL GRAHAM

Michael Graham is a professional sports writer with more than ten years of industry experience. After pursuing football writing by helping establish the Roker Report Sunderland AFC fansite, Michael moved to Planet Sport to cover football.  Michael has since worked on many of the sports sites within the Planet Sport network, including Football365, TEAMtalk and Planet Football before leaving to join 90min. As well as football, Michael is an accomplished tennis writer and has been regularly featured on Tennishead, TennisBuzz and Tennis365. It is football that is his first love, though, with Sunderland AFC his particular passion.  Contact: michael@buzzpublishing.co.uk