[Archived] Fascinating season

[thenodrog]

This season could be the most enthralling Prem season ever. imo Teams normally at the top are weaker and teams at the bottom are stronger than in past seasons. Prob for financial reasons but the top division is much better balanced than I've known it be for a long long time and it has to be for the better. I haven't done the maths and to be honest I wouldn't know how to but I doubt 40 points wiil guarantee safety and it might be that more than one team might be relegated with 40+ points.

[Mattyblue]

Without doubt.

The hacks that are blinded by the glamour clubs and believe they should be at the top every year are writing articles stating 'poorest PL ever?' etc etc, however for proper football fans this is exactly what we want.

I'm sure other posters will be on saying 'we need a strong LFC/United etc' do we? The Sky 4 have done massive harm to the competitiveness of English football over the last decade. Plus, the argument saying we want English teams doing well in Europe, hmmm not sure we do, but English teams are as dominant as ever in Europe so far this season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Re the 40 pts. It better be enough because I can't see Rovers getting more than that.

[thenodrog]

Re the 40 pts. It better be enough because I can't see Rovers getting more than that.

(15/13)*38 = 43.8. Would that be enough? It'll certainly result in much angst between now and May thats for sure.

[philipl]

(15/13)*38 = 43.8. Would that be enough? It'll certainly result in much angst between now and May thats for sure.

Interesting thread. Using that calculation, 50 points will seal 8th based on the current table and 18th will collect 38 points.

Of our 13 games, we have already faced Chelsea, Arsenal, City, Spurs and Liverpool whilst we have yet to play either West Ham or Wolves. By the law of averages we have probably got a point or two advantage over the clubs around us in the 6 games to half way in the season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

(15/13)*38 = 43.8. Would that be enough? It'll certainly result in much angst between now and May thats for sure.

I'd take 44 now if it was offered.

[tashor]

I wonder why at this moment you can get 12 to 1 on us going down..........

Must be a lot of poor Bookies...........

[Mr. E]

Maybe I'm just being "unrealistic", but for me having a successful season constitutes to challenging for greater things than simply "not getting relegated". Something which clearly not everyone here shares.

[Mattyblue]

Maybe I'm just being "unrealistic", but for me having a successful season constitutes to challenging for greater things than simply "not getting relegated". Something which clearly not everyone here shares.

If you have had a minus net spend for about 5 years and are outspent by almost every team in the league, then of course staying up is a success, especially when we know what relegation would entail for us.

Is it enough for me? Well I suppose it has to be at the moment, however 10th and a Cup Semi last season was more like it.

Maybe our expectations will soon be able to rise...

[philipl]

We have 15 points- 2 less and we'd be in 17th tied with Brum for 18th. 2 more and we'd be in 9th tied with Villa.

The doom and gloom is massively over done on here.

It is a crazy table and likely to remain so.

[Hughesy]

40 will be enough....West Ham, Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool & a few others might struggle to get there.

We will be fine - have faith!

[47er]

Interesting thread. Using that calculation, 50 points will seal 8th based on the current table and 18th will collect 38 points.

Of our 13 games, we have already faced Chelsea, Arsenal, City, Spurs and Liverpool whilst we have yet to play either West Ham or Wolves. By the law of averages we have probably got a point or two advantage over the clubs around us in the 6 games to half way in the season.

Also our goal difference isn't bad cos we haven't really been thrashed. Those 2 goals on Saturday could be invaluable.

[joey_big_nose]

Maybe I'm just being "unrealistic", but for me having a successful season constitutes to challenging for greater things than simply "not getting relegated". Something which clearly not everyone here shares.

With the players we have I would be happy to get 13th or above this year. It's about building for next year and the year after.

Looking at the squad and the youth players continuing to improve their quality (Hoilett and Jones, while I think the new formation could see Olsson make a few waves. It will also be interesting to see what Marrow, Blackman and Morris have to offer). We have good defenders (although far too many mistakes - Givet and Samba have made howlers in the last month). The key for us is getting a good targetman and a midfield creater, and sorting out our defensive organisation.

That's the target, and if we achieve it then going up the table is a reality. As it stands we are just too impotent going forward to really hope to get into the top eight at present.

[LeChuck]

40 points will easily be enough. If you calculated the points now as an average over a 38 game season, the bottom three would have under 40 points. Also teams with smaller squads will struggle when injuries/tiredness kicks in later on in the season.

It's definitely the most interest relegation fight for a long time though. Usually there is at least one club (usually two) that are nailed on to go down because they're so poor. I have a feeling Blackpool will fall off the pace around January mind.

[Tom]

40 will be enough....West Ham, Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool & a few others might struggle to get there.

We will be fine - have faith!

Often I like your positive outlook but this is nothing more than blind optimism right now.

We could very well be fine but at the moment not much seperates us from those teams.

[Rover Down Under]

Without doubt.

The hacks that are blinded by the glamour clubs and believe they should be at the top every year are writing articles stating 'poorest PL ever?' etc etc, however for proper football fans this is exactly what we want.

I'm sure other posters will be on saying 'we need a strong LFC/United etc' do we? The Sky 4 have done massive harm to the competitiveness of English football over the last decade. Plus, the argument saying we want English teams doing well in Europe, hmmm not sure we do, but English teams are as dominant as ever in Europe so far this season.

Very well said and in light of Sunderland thrashing the Champions, who looked lame at Ewood despite a lucky win, we will have to put up with more whingeing from the Southern based Big 4 media who, as you say, have completely ruined a once brilliant league in the short space of a decade.

This is definitely an exciting season and if we stay up and do well it would be nice to receive some deserved attention. We used to get slated mercilessly for being "big spending Blackburn" that "bought" the title (although how anyone can consider a $15m Championship winning squad "big spending" is beyond me). How about "no spending Blackburn" or "few resources Blackburn beaten by club with 93m debt and 150m of players"? It would really put things into perspective if every game on MoTD and every newspaper report listed each clubs net spending and debt at the beginning - are you reading this Nicko?

[tashor]

Maybe I'm just being "unrealistic", but for me having a successful season constitutes to challenging for greater things than simply "not getting relegated". Something which clearly not everyone here shares.

Wrong...............

[jim mk2]

Very well said and in light of Sunderland thrashing the Champions, who looked lame at Ewood despite a lucky win, we will have to put up with more whingeing from the Southern based Big 4 media who, as you say, have completely ruined a once brilliant league in the short space of a decade.

The competitiveness (or lack of it) of the Premier League has been created by Sky money and the advent of the Champions League which has concentrated all the money and power in a select few clubs - hardly the fault of the "southern-based Big 4 media".

The press is naturally biased towards London clubs because it is based there - I remember in the 1960s the London press waging a campaign to keep Haynes in the England team at the expense of Duggie. The London press forced out Ronnie Clayton as England captain and of course were hostile to Rovers when we won the title in 1995.

My objection is in the way matches are now reported - I haven't seen all the papers but I can bet the coverage will be devoted to Chelsea's failings rather than a celebration of Sunderland's win, ie the story will be written from a Chelsea supporter's point of view. It was the same when West Brom won at Arsenal - the match reports in the Monday papers focused on Arsenal and poor old Albion who had pulled off a great win were hardly mentioned at all.

This is a result of course of the closure of national newspaper production facilities in Manchester in the 1980s when papers were able to editionalise football coverage on a regional basis. A case of old technology (hot metal) being better than new.

[JMillZz]

The competitiveness (or lack of it) of the Premier League has been created by Sky money and the advent of the Champions League which has concentrated all the money and power in a select few clubs - hardly the fault of the "southern-based Big 4 media".

The press is naturally biased towards London clubs because it is based there - I remember in the 1960s the London press waging a campaign to keep Haynes in the England team at the expense of Duggie. The London press forced out Ronnie Clayton as England captain and of course were hostile to Rovers when we won the title in 1995.

My objection is in the way matches are now reported - I haven't seen all the papers but I can bet the coverage will be devoted to Chelsea's failings rather than a celebration of Sunderland's win, ie the story will be written from a Chelsea supporter's point of view. It was the same when West Brom won at Arsenal - the match reports in the Monday papers focused on Arsenal and poor old Albion who had pulled off a great win were hardly mentioned at all.

This is a result of course of the closure of national newspaper production facilities in Manchester in the 1980s when papers were able to editionalise football coverage on a regional basis. A case of old technology (hot metal) being better than new.

Very good and interesting post.

[Mattyblue]

On footy I often agree with you jim!

However, it is not just a London bias- United and Liverpool too, then I suppose that is just the press catering for the masses of glory hunting fans those clubs attract.

The press seems to believe that the failings of such clubs is an issue of national importance and we should feel their pain.

[m1st]

40 will be enough....West Ham, Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool & a few others might struggle to get there.

We will be fine - have faith!

Hear, hear!

Before each new season, some mates and I have a "Tipping" competition including our three candidates for relegation to Division 2-really. This year, I think we all predicted Blackpool [whose bubble must surely burst soon] permed with any two of the three "W"s. So far, I've not seen anything to make me think we've got it wrong.

We'll be all right; and then, next season, hopefully we'll be in a more competitive environment, financially.

[Rover Down Under]

The competitiveness (or lack of it) of the Premier League has been created by Sky money

Partially, yes, but Sky money was has been around since '92 and the situation was pretty good (ie. fair) for a few years. There is also the input of Abramovich and Sheikh whoever. I think the major issue though is the fact that these clubs have been allowed to accumulate massive debt with almost no (as yet) consequences. Portsmouth showed last season what happens when smaller clubs try what the big clubs have gotten away with for years. If we "bought" the title then the Big 4 have certainly "borrowed" their success in the last decade - and not yet paid for it. Unfortunately, as Mattyblue points out the press have made the Big 4 so untouchable on and off the pitch that they will always be too "big" to go bust. We need a Lehmann Brothers scenario in the Premier League in order to return to some semblance of normality and fairness and we so nearly, nearly had it with Liverpool until another stupid Yank stepped in to continue the farce.

[RIML]

Nelsen - A fascinating league

[Mattyblue]

Another interesting weekend, we often get 'best league in the world' and all that rollocks rammed down our throat, but this season is is actually shaping up that way.

Personally, I am enjoying the PL more than I have in years.

[67splitscreen]

Very strange we all seem to be enjoying the league more than in the last few years, are the teams stronger weaker, or just inconsistent.

The top clubs don't seem to be hitting the heights of previous seasons, the bottom three seem pretty much on a par (excluding points deductions) and the points spread between the two sectors is pretty much the same.

In the middle sector, from 18-5th the greatest margin has been ten points last season with eight either side of that

A look at the tables after fourteen games for the last three seasons.

Everton v Sunderland tonight, but it's not going to make any real difference.

Will the big boys regain their consistency and normal viewing be resumed with the newly promoted clubs bubbles bursting????, the latter we have all come to expect, could this be the season the mould is broken.