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It's certainly been a different start to the season for Sunderland compared to last year, when they flew out of the traps on their Premier League return and went months without a home league defeat.
This time around they sit bottom of the pile with four points from seven games. Things were always going to be tough with the additional load of European football to contend with, something Sunderland haven't experienced in over 50 years.
The performance at Bournemouth on Sunday, fresh from an away Europa league clash in Portugal, was littered with mistakes and individual errors.
It led to defender Nordi Mukiele suggesting post-match that the team had become "arrogant". That felt like the wrong choice of words from the Frenchman. I don't detect that mindset, but without doubt the schedule, both mentally and physically, is having an effect.
There was a feeling from within the club that those exertions of European football would be challenging this season, and that is playing out in the results.
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