'Bucked trend', what's that got to do with anything?
Your over complicating things
Your opening post reads,
'Easier games to come'
Yet the simplest fact is,
24 matches after your assertion we now have 33points/30games compared to the 6points/6games we had back then.
So I'll ask you to explain again.
What happened to those easier games?
Erm we got 27 points in 24 games, which is better than 6 points in 6 games. That simple enough for you?