Stating the bleeding obvious but

[Dave the OAP]

Look at the gap between the teams in 7th and 8th.

And then all the teams around the 40 points mark who have all been fighting like hell to stay in the prem.

We moan about the Scottish league being monkey tennis, but there is a hell of a gulf between the top 6 and everyone else.

Looking forward to being in the mix, but I think if anyone thinks it will be easy next year is deluding themselves....spuds have scored 13 goals away in their last two games!

Gonna be fun

 

[studio150]

Points difference between 1st and 5th

PL 18
SP 60


8th to 1st

PL 47
SP 65

Does it prove anything?

Probably that Celtic are effectively in a league of their own.

And in the PL there are 2 groups of competitive teams with a gap between the two which was bysted by Leicester but may not be for sometime

 

[Bry Nylon]

Premier League is incredibly mediocre outside of the top half dozen sides. Quite how it commands the TV money it does is beyond me

Look at the sides outside the top 7. Could be the Championship all day long.

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Ham
Leicester
Stoke
Crystal Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Hull
Middlesborough
Sunderland

 

[big nuts]

For competitiveness and entertainment the Championship is leagues above the Premier.

I'll miss the unpredictability and excitement of the Championship.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

For competitiveness and entertainment the Championship is leagues above the Premier.

I'll miss the unpredictability and excitement of the Championship.

Every game is a potential ambush. Bonkers division. Love it, but glad to be out.

 

[VAL1850]

Premier League is incredibly mediocre outside of the top half dozen sides. Quite how it commands the TV money it does is beyond me

Look at the sides outside the top 7. Could be the Championship all day long.

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Ham
Leicester
Stoke
Crystal Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Hull
Middlesborough
Sunderland

Was looking at this early on , still don't think there's enough team's/ games in the division , should be about the football and the fans, guess I'm still old school....

 

[afcb]

Just take the tonkings and move onto the next game....they'll happen and don't beat yourselves up over it. No disrespect but sometimes it can seem like suicide central on here - wait until Spurs rip you a new one, then Citeh ...its character building I guess but stay positive.

If you go in with low expectations every point is a bonus and trust me when you do turn over one of the touristy top 6 billionaire wankpot clubs its magic.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Just take the tonkings and move onto the next game....they'll happen and don't beat yourselves up over it. No disrespect but sometimes it can seem like suicide central on here - wait until Spurs rip you a new one, then Citeh ...its character building I guess but stay positive.

If you go in with low expectations every point is a bonus and trust me when you do turn over one of the touristy top 6 billionaire wankpot clubs its magic.

Totally agree....interesting to note that on a recent edition of Albion Roar one of the guests mentioned how he begrudgingly admired the attitude of the Bournemouth support in there first season in the PL ...they stayed positive despite bad results.....lesson to learn there

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Just take the tonkings and move onto the next game....they'll happen and don't beat yourselves up over it. No disrespect but sometimes it can seem like suicide central on here - wait until Spurs rip you a new one, then Citeh ...its character building I guess but stay positive.

If you go in with low expectations every point is a bonus and trust me when you do turn over one of the touristy top 6 billionaire wankpot clubs its magic.

Wise words indeed

 

[Cheshire Cat]

There will be lots of goals to watch - except not many will be ours

 

[Hillian1]

Look at the gap between the teams in 7th and 8th.

And then all the teams around the 40 points mark who have all been fighting like hell to stay in the prem.

We moan about the Scottish league being monkey tennis, but there is a hell of a gulf between the top 6 and everyone else.

Looking forward to being in the mix, but I think if anyone thinks it will be easy next year is deluding themselves....spuds have scored 13 goals away in their last two games!

Gonna be fun

Haven't seen a single post, not one, from anyone, thinking it will be easy.

So what is the point of this thread, apart from needing attention?

 

[trueblue]

Premier League is incredibly mediocre outside of the top half dozen sides. Quite how it commands the TV money it does is beyond me

Look at the sides outside the top 7. Could be the Championship all day long.

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Ham
Leicester
Stoke
Crystal Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Hull
Middlesborough
Sunderland

I'm not convinced being close and competitive makes the teams 'incredibly mediocre'. Hull and Middlesbrough wouldn't agree and we might not either next season. There's certainly a top 7 & the rest split but that seems to be exacerbated by too many teams downing tools as soon as they get anywhere near 40 points, satisfied the job is done.

 

[Turkey]

Premier League is incredibly mediocre outside of the top half dozen sides. Quite how it commands the TV money it does is beyond me

Look at the sides outside the top 7. Could be the Championship all day long.

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Ham
Leicester
Stoke
Crystal Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Hull
Middlesborough
Sunderland

Yes those sides wouldn't look out of place in the Championship but we shouldn't under estimate any of them (well Hull, Sunderland, Boro shouldnt be a problem ) as we wouldn't look out of place in the Championship either. Plus they're all ahead of us in their development and experience of the Premier League. Anyone who expects us to be ahead of sides because they're not traditionally big sides will be in for a rude awakening.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Yes those sides wouldn't look out of place in the Championship but we shouldn't under estimate any of them (well Hull, Sunderland, Boro shouldnt be a problem ) as we wouldn't look out of place in the Championship either. Plus they're all ahead of us in their development and experience of the Premier League. Anyone who expects us to be ahead of sides because they're not traditionally big sides will be in for a rude awakening.

My comment wasn't made in any regard to how we may or may not fare next season. And I haven't spoken to anyone who expects us to be ahead of sides because they're not traditionally big sides. Who would think that? It was just to point out that the PL - after the top 7 - is very uninspiring for what is the pinnacle of English football and broadcast around the globe.

Stoke vs. Hull?
Swansea vs. Bournemouth?
Watford vs. Burnley?

I am under no illusions that the addition of BHAFC does nothing to add to the 'glamour'... - except to Brighton fans.

 

[drew]

Look at the gap between the teams in 7th and 8th.

And then all the teams around the 40 points mark who have all been fighting like hell to stay in the prem.

We moan about the Scottish league being monkey tennis, but there is a hell of a gulf between the top 6 and everyone else.

Looking forward to being in the mix, but I think if anyone thinks it will be easy next year is deluding themselves....spuds have scored 13 goals away in their last two games!

Gonna be fun

Stating the bleeding obvious, that's 6 teams that are in with a shout at the title. How many other of the major European leagues can boast that? Over the last 5 years we've had 4 different teams as champions. Only 3 in Spain, 1 in Germany, 2 in France, 1 in Italy, and 2 in Portugal.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

Everton have got themselves into a mini league all of their own. The staggering gap is the 23 points between the sides above and below them.

 

[Bwian]

Every game is a potential ambush. Bonkers division. Love it, but glad to be out.

I'm glad to be out for Tony's sake-at least he might not have to fund The Albion for a year or two.

 

[Official Old Man]

Southampton
Bournemouth
West Brom
West Ham
Leicester
Stoke
Crystal Palace
Swansea
Burnley
Watford
Newcastle
Huddersfield/Reading

Take a good look at that table.
Who are you scared of at home?
Who cant we nick a point (or 3) off away?

 

[essexeagle]

Take a good look at that table.
Who are you scared of at home?
Who cant we nick a point (or 3) off away?

You are making a big mistake going by the club's name, rather than the players they have. Each of those teams have an abundance of players that are of a far higher quality than your club has. I think you have two, possibly three, players who are true Premier League quality.

 

[hart's shirt]

Each of those teams have an abundance of players that are of a far higher quality than your club has.

Well, that's just plain wrong.

Palace are in there for a start.