The remarkable numbers behind Sunderland's superb early-season defensive record

Sunderland's clean sheet against Crewe Alexandra was their fifth of the League One campaign so far and that record is no coincidence.
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Speaking after the game, assistant manager Steve Parkin outlined how clean sheets are central to the management's tactical plan, and said that they had a group of players who 'really buy into' that philosophy.

While there have been some concerns in the final third at times, the collective defensive ethic from strikers to defenders has been impressive.

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To underline just how impressive, we've taken a closer look at some of the numbers behind that early-season record....

Bailey Wright makes a challenge at Swindon's County GroundBailey Wright makes a challenge at Swindon's County Ground
Bailey Wright makes a challenge at Swindon's County Ground

584

The season started alarmingly with Sunderland, a set piece poorly defended and an error from Lee Burge gifting Bristol Rovers a penalty.

In a summer when Jon McLaughlin, one of the performers of the previous two seasons, left the club, it was cause for concern.

Since then, though, Sunderland have gone 584 minutes without conceding in the league.

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This is despite the fact that almost 200 of these minutes were played with a reshuffled defence shorn of some of Parkinson's key players.

And while Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra may be promoted sides, they have proven over a long period of time that they pose an attacking threat and the latter have made a solid start to the season.

Burge has had little to do in terms of his shot-stopping, but Parkinson has been quick in recent weeks to praise both his concentration and the way he has done the basics without fuss when it comes to crosses, set pieces, and sweeping up danger off his line.

2.89

When you consider that, as we mentioned above, Sunderland conceded a penalty in the third minute of the campaign, the number of 2.89 is quite a remarkable one.

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It’s their expected-goals against tally for the six league games played so far.

Expected goals looks to measure each shooting opportunity for a side, based on numerous metrics such as the position on the pitch from where it is taken.

The number shows the extent to which they are denying their opponent good-quality opportunities.

Their average XGA for league game so fair is 0.48, a very impressive number.

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Yet in recent games the numbers are even more impressive. Charlton Athletic’s tally for the recent draw was 0.04, while Crewe Alexandra’s was a mere 0.02.

Comparing this metric to the rest of the division reflects well on the Black Cats.

The divisional average tally is 8.27, and the next best team are Peterborough United on 5.6. Doncaster Rovers, who it must be said have made an outstanding start with a tricky fixture list, sit third on 5.96.

Early pacesetters Hull City and Ipswich Town are further back, with a tally of 7.43 and 8.18.

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Of course, both those results are skewed by one display that looks like something of an aberration (Hull against Fleetwood, Ipswich against Doncaster), but it underlines how well Sunderland have done when they themselves have had a challenging start in terms of fixtures.

Thus far, they are defending in a way that means the opposition are having to produce something special to have any chance of scoring.

Maintain that, and the Black Cats will pick up points with regularity.

39

As you would expect from the data above, Sunderland have also conceded by far the fewest shots in the division so far this season.

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They've conceded 39, an average of just over six per game. Only a quarter of those have been on target.

MK Dons are the next best on 52, with Peteborough United on 60.

Hull City have conceded 68; Ipswich Town 76 (which is also the divisional average).

7.5

Luke O'Nien's exceptional whoscored.com average rating is testament to the consistency of his performances in the early part of the season.

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Lincoln City's Lewis Montsma, who has scored three goals, is the only defender in the division with a better average rating.

O'Nien's statistics are all the more impressive when you consider that his last two league appearances have come in an entirely new position on the left of the back three. In those games, he has registered excellent scores of 7.15 and 7.34.

Sunderland have two other players in the top-ten average rating for the season on whoscored.com.

Chris Maguire sits fourth, while Grant Leadbitter's excellent performances at the base of midfield mean he sits in ninth position as it stands.

64.9

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Denver Hume remains one of the best attacking defenders in the division, putting in dangerous crosses and drawing fouls by driving forward with the ball from deep.

This season, though, it has been heartening to see a significant improvement in the defensive side of his game.

He has been putting in some robust challenges and that is reflected in the fact that his defensive duel success % has jumped from 51.8 last season, to 64.9 for the current campaign so far.

68.18

Bailey Wright's Sunderland record is quite outstanding, with ten clean sheets in twelve appearances.

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Wright brings leadership and quality in the middle of the back three, and so it is no surprise that his aerial duel % of 68.18 puts him the division's top ten.

It's key to the Black Cats success. Their pressing game often forces the opposition defence to go long, and winning those loose balls enables Sunderland to attack again and turn up the pressure.

The Black Cats are yet to concede a shot from inside their own six-yard box, highlighting the protection they are offering Lee Burge in open play and their strength in defending from set-piece situations.

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