This time last year, our league record was as follows:
P 24, W 12, D 4, L 8, F 38, A 29, Pts 40, GD +9
Currently, our record reads:
P 24, W 11, D 9, L 4, F 38, A 26, Pts 42, GD +12
The results Malky Mackay and his team have managed to achieve so far this season are remarkable. After 24 games, the side has scored exactly the same number of goals as last year's team which featured the likes of Bellamy, Bothroyd and Chopra, while the defensive record is better this time around.
City have lost only four games so far this season, which is also remarkable (the figure was eight this time last year - nine if you include the Carling Cup defeat). There are those who have moaned about this season's side drawing too many matches, but the fact that they very rarely get beaten even when they are not playing particularly well is extremely encouraging.
Last year's Christmas holiday away games resulted in a 4-1 defeat at Watford and a 3-0 defeat at Bristol. I was at both of those matches and they were dreadful. This time around, we have drawn 1-1 at Watford and won 1-0 at Forest. Neither performance was particularly spectacular, but the results were so much better than those in the equivalent matches last season.
Let's hope for more of the same on Monday.
Dave Sugarman blogs at