Quality in the Premier League

[Monkey Man]

I know we're only a week or two into the action and it's too early to make real judgements on teams, but is anyone else pleasantly surprised at the lack of Premier League quality that's been on show at times?

I watched Burnley and Swansea yesterday and both sides looked pretty poor at home. The Stoke v WBA game last week was very mediocre. Apparently Watford weren't that impressive when we played them. I've yet to see Bournemouth or West Ham but the fact they have started so badly suggests they must be just as lacklustre or indeed worse. Palace will improve when Zaha is back but aren't building on the foundations of what they started to achieve at the end of last season.

All of which makes me quietly confident that at least three sides will be below us come May. I was worried we'd be outclassed.

 

[dazzer6666]

We'll be outclassed by some of the top 6 at times but other that that we can hold our own............agree some of the stuff on show has been less than scary. Lots of winnable games.

 

[Steve Foster]

Long way to go & we don't have too much strength in depth - saying that, so far I have been pleasantly surprised that we can hold our own. Now just need that win on Friday night, for some breathing space ................

 

[clarkey]

We were on top at Watford before the red card, and Saturday was really pretty comfortable until they scored.

Were points on Saturday where I thought this could be a game against a Norwich/Leeds/Sheff Weds type team from last season, rather than an unbeaten Prem team with a very successful transfer window behind them. Think it shows how far we've come as much as anything.

 

[beorhthelm]

maybe the quality has increased in the Championship so the gap has narrowed?

 

[Monkey Man]

maybe the quality has increased in the Championship so the gap has narrowed?

Could well be the case. I've heard a few players and pundits say similar things but as someone who has rarely watched Premier League matches unless they involve the bigger clubs I assumed the quality level was higher all the way through. I guess if you look at some of the players who have been regulars for, say, Bournemouth or Burnley, they are the kinds of players we've seen at the Amex with Championship clubs over the past six years, yet they have helped keep their sides in the Prem.

Current mood: hopeful.

 

[Petee]

The gap has always been narrower than people make out. With our squad last season, I was confident of staying up in this league considering the bottom half teams. With the signings we have made and some teams looking worse than expected, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up mid table.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The gap has always been narrower than people make out. With our squad last season, I was confident of staying up in this league considering the bottom half teams. With the signings we have made and some teams looking worse than expected, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up mid table.

The gap is still a near average £40m spend for promoted clubs in the summer let us not forget. I think it has been a noticeable step up in quality, ball retention, full backs much more able and involved, ball being moved quicker, and collective movement more fluid. Championship tactics can be a bit formulaic, as an example, for an hour yesterday I don't think Ryan took a goal kick long once, and yet we pretty much always went long in the Championship. Chris has noticeably changed his tactics with Saturday a bit of, dare I say it, a masterclass in dealing with a side he knew wouldn't be that bothered about ball retention themselves, and would likely sit back a bit and soak up pressure. We built and built as the game went on and I really felt a lot of preparation had gone into that game Saturday. Long way to go, but loved the football so far (noting I didn't travel to Leicester...).

 

[ozzygull]

maybe the quality has increased in the Championship so the gap has narrowed?

I think you are correct, it used to be rare that a quality premier league player would drop down to the championship, unless he was completely at the end of his career. But I remember Cardiff signed Craig Bellamy to help them to get promoted. There was also Kevin Nolan who was persuaded by Fat Sam to join West Ham to become a hero there and to help get them back to the Premier League.

I think over last few season there has been a lot of players of that quality dropping down in the hope of promotion back to the top and a reboot of their career. The money being spent in the Championship is eye watering compared to the season we started in the Amex. As the prize of promotion to the premier league increased so has the money being spent to get there. Of the teams that drop down, how many of those three go straight back up? We seen it, I don't think some of the premier league pundits have a clue.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

We'll be outclassed by some of the top 6 at times

I'm willing to bet there are games when we'll not be at the races and be outclassed by some of the (perceived) weaker teams too. That's what happens when you get these sides that have been up there in the PL for years, no matter how mediocre they are capable of appearing.

So long as we can show some bottle and win enough to give ourselves a decent chance of staying up, I'm prepared to accept the inevitable odd pasting

 

[dazzer6666]

I'm willing to be there are games when we'll not be at the races and be outclassed by some of the (perceived) weaker teams too. That's what happens when you get these sides that have been up there in the PL for years, no matter how mediocre they are capable of appearing.

So long as we can show some bottle and win enough to give ourselves a decent chance of staying up, I'm prepared to accept the inevitable odd pasting

Spot on......equally there'll be times where we'll hold our own against someone we expected a pasting against. Our defence is a massive point in our favour - confident most of the time they'll stop a pasting anyway. Our CB pairing is not far off being up there with the best in the division based on the games I've watched so far.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Spot on......equally there'll be times where we'll hold our own against someone we expected a pasting against. Our defence is a massive point in our favour - confident most of the time they'll stop a pasting anyway. Our CB pairing is not far off being up there with the best in the division based on the games I've watched so far.

Which is why things like suspensions and injuries will have as big a part to play as who we are up against

 

[dazzer6666]

Which is why things like suspensions and injuries will have as big a part to play as who we are up against

Too true. Good job WBA's goal went in otherwise we'd have lost Duffy for a straight red

 

[Bob'n'weave]

Spot on......equally there'll be times where we'll hold our own against someone we expected a pasting against. Our defence is a massive point in our favour - confident most of the time they'll stop a pasting anyway. Our CB pairing is not far off being up there with the best in the division based on the games I've watched so far.

This.

We can hold our own in this div. Neither of our two losses have been walkovers and we dispatched an established 'also ran' PL club on Sat, could have been 5-1. We are a tough team to break down and now have some talent/speed in middle and up front. Binmouth must be shitting it.

 

[studio150]

There is still a difference between the top of Premier League and ourselves. There were a few times on Saturday, where Knockaert was in a wide open space, and a top team would have seen the pass and pinged it over to him. Also the top strikers will make better runs, which when combined with the greater vision of midfield players ensures they create more and better chances for the team.
Just think Vicente and Bridge in tandem.

For the lower half of the Premier League, all teams are very well organised and difficult to breakdown. This means that the first goal becomes important.

In terms of being short on depth, this will not be as important as the Championship, outside of long term injuries. This is due to fewer games (8 less) and in the main the absence of midweek games, so players generally have a week to recover and prepare for the next game, and won't have a month of Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday.

However as we all know injuries to Murray and Hemed at the same time and we will struggle, regardless of how well the team plays