This weekends other Prem Games 8-9 Nov

[zandvoort blue]

the end of the old guard....the established top 4 is well and truly history.

Was wondering if the state of last years top 7 is an indication of the quality of the league or it's lack of quality.

Not decided.

Probably a bit of both. None of the top teams, including Chelsea, are as good as in previous seasons and the lower teams are not cannon fodder like in the past.

There is not such a big gap between top and bottom now, probably due to the new TV deals giving teams much more money which had a greater effect on teams with lower budgets than those at the top who already had lots of money, imo.

And it`s what make`s the Premier League the best to watch at the moment. Since the demise of Liverpool and latterly the Rags it means the predictability has gone. A team at the bottom can take points off a team at the top. The days of the same old top 4 have now gone and the league is better for it.

 

[cleavers]

the end of the old guard....the established top 4 is well and truly history.

Was wondering if the state of last years top 7 is an indication of the quality of the league or it's lack of quality.

Not decided.

I think its a sign the rest are improving, rather than the old guard collapsing, its a side show that continues to give some relief to our own poor situation, and I never thought I'd ever describe lowly third as a "situation".

 

[M18CTID]

the end of the old guard....the established top 4 is well and truly history.

Was wondering if the state of last years top 7 is an indication of the quality of the league or it's lack of quality.

Not decided.

Probably a bit of both. None of the top teams, including Chelsea, are as good as in previous seasons and the lower teams are not cannon fodder like in the past.

There is not such a big gap between top and bottom now, probably due to the new TV deals giving teams much more money which had a greater effect on teams with lower budgets than those at the top who already had lots of money, imo.

Also, I think a lot of these clubs now have far better scouting networks - Wenger used to steal a march on everyone else when bringing little-known players over here who then made an impact but he doesn't have the monopoly on that anymore and most other clubs have wised up and bridged that gap. To quote just a few examples, witness all the good players Newcastle have recruited in recent seasons, Sakho and Valencia at West Ham, Pelle at Saints, and this Montero guy at Swansea who gave Chambers the runaround today. Of those that I've named I'd only heard of Valencia before he signed and that was only because he caught the eye in the World Cup.

 

[cleavers]

Also, I think a lot of these clubs now have far better scouting networks - Wenger used to steal a march on everyone else when bringing little-known players over here who then made an impact but he doesn't have the monopoly on that anymore and most other clubs have wised up and bridged that gap. To quote just a few examples, witness all the good players Newcastle have recruited in recent seasons, Sakho and Valencia at West Ham, Pelle at Saints, and this Montero guy at Swansea who gave Chambers the runaround today. Of those that I've named I'd only heard of Valencia before he signed and that was only because he caught the eye in the World Cup.

Ours could do with catching up imho, we still seem to over pay for older players.

 

[bluemcr]

How we need a player like Montero ripping a full back and getting a cross in. A bargain.

 

[unexpected item]

Was wondering if the state of last years top 7 is an indication of the quality of the league or it's lack of quality.

Not decided.

Probably a bit of both. None of the top teams, including Chelsea, are as good as in previous seasons and the lower teams are not cannon fodder like in the past.

There is not such a big gap between top and bottom now, probably due to the new TV deals giving teams much more money which had a greater effect on teams with lower budgets than those at the top who already had lots of money, imo.

And it`s what make`s the Premier League the best to watch at the moment. Since the demise of Liverpool and latterly the Rags it means the predictability has gone. A team at the bottom can take points off a team at the top. The days of the same old top 4 have now gone and the league is better for it.

It could be argued that we, City, have been the catalyst in changing the league by breaking up the traditional Sky4. The big players we bought, Sergio, Yaya, Spanish Dave, Edin, Nasri etc are with us, rather than making rags, dippers etc stronger. I often say to fans of other clubs that the Sheikh has made the prem more open and any team can have a decent shot at a top four finish these days, rather than year after year of the same 4 dominating the league and creaming off the best players.

 

[supercrystal7]

the end of the old guard....the established top 4 is well and truly history.

Was wondering if the state of last years top 7 is an indication of the quality of the league or it's lack of quality.

Not decided.

lack of quality, although I do expect us and chelsea to break clear. rags too if they can get in top 4 this season

When you put it together with the poor performances in the CL, then I think there is no doubt there is a lack of quality. The bottom teams are no better. This is not the best Palace team I have seen. Better Palace teams have failed to get promoted. The top teams are weak, because the lack of top quality English players. No surprise that when we had the golden generation we saw the best age of the Premiership from 2004-2009.

Just watching matches can see the decline in quality.

 

[goaterslip1998]

Arsehole whinger get that down ya .Imagine the rags and gunners both failing to qualify

 

[fredmont]

How we need a player like Montero ripping a full back and getting a cross in. A bargain.

I'm sure Navas could do the same if he put his mind to it. Pace and skill wasted at the moment , no idea as to why.

 

[adrianr]

the end of the old guard....the established top 4 is well and truly history.

Lets not jump the gun. I fully expect Chelsea, Arsenal and ourselves to be in the top 4 by the end of the season, with most likely the rags bringing up the rear. That would be a far cry from well and truly history.

A few mid table clubs may be capitalizing on complacency now but it wont last. Once the initial splurge of the TV money has gone and everything has settled down the CL money and extra commercial revenue will win out. It will be more cemented before you even know it.