[Albion] Premier League 21-22/9/24

[Flounce]

Not denying there's some wishful thinking in that "could be a good gay" thing.

How very Brighton of you

 

[Han Solo]

How very Brighton of you

Not sure what happened there

 

[dazzer6666]

But its increasingly boring, and increasingly uneven.

Five years ago, the "40 point to stay up" was somewhat real. With the current development we're soon going to say "30 points will keep you up". Its pathetic.

Not too many years ago, if Palace or anyone would have gone 5 without a win in the beginning, people would think "oh its going to be really tough for them to stay up". Today you need to have a lobotomy to even think about three out of Everton, Ipswich, Leicester, Southampton and Wolves ending up above them.

The Championship needs to get stronger, with more "big teams"/"big brands", and the Premier League needs to be more (!) based on TV money to become more competitive. If 16-18 teams share the TV money rather than the 20 as it stands, Champions League money becomes a slightly smaller factor than it is now.

Of course the REAL solution to the issue is different distribution of wealth (less money to the PL and more to the EFL), but I'm trying to be realistic here.

Average to stay up over the last 28 years is 36……..

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Great pass by Lallana for Southampton’s goal

Thought I'd misheard when 5 Live briefly mentioned him yesterday. I thought he'd hung up his boots and gone there in a backroom capacity.

 

[Han Solo]

Average to stay up over the last 28 years is 36……..

Yup. And last year 27 would have been enough and not long ago 29. I'll look at the numbers over time some day but I definitely think the gap has increased a fair bit.

Today we can talk about "The Big 8" - Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City/United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool. None of these teams could get relegated with the money, competence and squads they have. There's 0% chance of it happening. Twenty years ago that was just Arsenal and Manchester United and maybe Liverpool.

Then you have the "could get relegated if pigs start flying" lot in us, West Ham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Palace. Arguably Nottingham through some good transfer windows are now also at the level where they can't get relegated. Was surprised by their sensible summer business.

Then there's MASSIVE gap to the zombies that are Everton and Wolves and the three newcomers.

Because of the "top 15" being so strong and pulling ahead a lot in very recent years, they need to sign entire teams (like Nottingham did) to have a chance to stay up. If two more clubs find a way to use resources as well as many in the lower tiers of the "top 15". The financial gap between PL and Championship is always growing so imho within a short future the 3 newcomers will always get relegated.

The "weakness" (they are fantastic of course but the standards are exceptional) of these teams is mainly to the benefit of the "big 8". The situation from last season, when a bunch of teams - including us - had nothing to play for by early March, is utterly shit and people will get tired of it eventually. Just ask Palace fans.

 

[keaton]

Think its extremely difficult to see if that's just inside or just outside from the position of the ref.

He should be able to see the Brentford player is stood on the line. And that at least one contact is a foot away from the goal to that.

 

[Javeaseagull]

Just seen the teams. Man City have got this, surprise,surprise!

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Tossard starts, Ben White on the bench.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Tossard starts, Ben White on the bench.

I don't care who wins, as long as it's not Arsenal

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Get in.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Just goes to show that even the best of them have days.

 

[Javeaseagull]

Gotta say this is better than I expected

 

[BBassic]

Have City fans adopted that European habit of whistling whenever the opposition have the ball?

As if there wasn't enough reason to dislike the wankers, they've gone and done that.

 

[Javeaseagull]

Kin ell

 

[oldboyroy]

Arsenal giving city a lesson

 

[BBassic]

'av that you tossers

 

[Marty McFly]

Trossard off!

Enjoyable game this. Still hate both teams, mind you.

 

[BBassic]

Ahahaha, piss off Tross

 

[AmexRuislip]

Trossard

 

[pigmanovich]

Day’s looking better now