The Top Seven in the Premier League

[whitelion]

* Have a collective goal difference of +235 (The remaining 13 teams are all in negative goal difference)

* There is a 16 point gap between the 7th team Everton and the 8th team West Bromwich Albion

* The top seven only lost 18 games to teams eighth and below (Chelsea 1 Spurs 1 Man City 1 Man U 1 Arsenal 3 Everton 5 Liverpool 6)

There really is a breakaway league within the Premier League and shows the difference in class and how important it is to win games against teams outside the top seven.

Wonder if it will be the same next season.

 

[pasty]

More worryingly, there is "only" an 11 point difference between 8th place and relegated Hull

 

[whitelion]

More worryingly, there is "only" an 11 point difference between 8th place and relegated Hull

I noticed that too.

It really is a fine line between survival and failure.

 

[theboybilly]

Only one of those top 7 have ever been relegated from the Premier League too (Man City) and they blow the rest out of the water financially now. Other than 6 of those (Everton struggle at times) it's difficult to consider any club as established. One poor season can undo everything. Which is why I'm so pleased we have such a wise head or two running things for us.

 

[W.C.]

* There is a 16 point gap between the 7th team Everton and the 8th team West Bromwich Albion

Crivens!

 

[Sussex Nomad]

But it's still better than one team Scotland, Italy and Germany, and two team Spain.

 

[studio150]

But it's still better than one team Scotland, Italy and Germany, and two team Spain.

Scotland is silly this season. Celtic just 30 points ahead of 2nd and a better goal difference of 42 over 2nd.

 

[Berty23]

This time last year Leicester won the league. It irritates me that people say the top 7 is in a different class. Yes Leics was a freak but it happened.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

We are only one year away from Leicester. In some ways this year was a freak in that the top-seven were actually all good for a change.

having said that it looks a tough group to ever break into. You need a combination of past history, huge money, massive stadium and current success. The only teams that could realistically break into it are Newcastle, Leeds, West Ham, Villa and possibly Wednesday. It would be nice to see a new team come along, smash their way in and stay there, but when teams like Southampton get close they get all their assets stripped by the bigger clubs

 

[Petee]

Personally, I'd say it's a top 6. Everton have just had a good season after a couple of bad ones, mainly thanks to Koeman. If Lukaku goes, they'll struggle.

 

[Simster]

Personally, I'd say it's a top 6. Everton have just had a good season after a couple of bad ones, mainly thanks to Koeman. If Lukaku goes, they'll struggle.

Everton are in their own league! They don't really belong with the rest of us any more than they belong in the current top 6.

What annoys me more than the top 6 being miles better than anyone else is when they then don't show up in the Champions League.

 

[Raskolnikov]

But it's still better than one team Scotland, Italy and Germany, and two team Spain.

Germany is changing. It will be a two team dog fight between RBL and Bayern with a surprise card thrown in there every now and then

 

[Finchley Seagull]

This time last year Leicester won the league. It irritates me that people say the top 7 is in a different class. Yes Leics was a freak but it happened.

I think this is the reason the top seven have been so dominant this season. Leicester came top last season while Southampton came sixth and West Ham seventh. This pushed the big teams into action. Chelsea and Everton who finished outside the top seven changed their manager. Liverpool had changed mid season last season. The struggle last season focused those teams and ensured that the top seven would be set this season. While other teams can fight their way in, there are undoubtedly seven teams with bigger investment potential than the rest (with Everton being comfortably seventh of the lot) and, if they get it right each summer, it is hard for other teams to break in.

 

[Weststander]

It's the first season in such a long time where the 7th biggest spenders/wage bills/history, clubs, in the PL have taken those 7 slots.

Until this season, in recent years the likes of Stoke, Southampton and Leicester have got in and amongst that area, and most PL clubs have beaten some of the big boys in games (by setting up not to lose and grabbing a winner). This part equalisation appeared to result from:

1. The big clubs playing in Europe had knackered players come Saturday or Sunday, whereas managers such as Pulis/Koeman/Hughes had their 100% refreshed and prepared teams fired up for these games big time, and
2. The PL TV deals this decade have seen the likes of Stoke's broadcasting income rising from 45 to 100 million, meaning these clubs now compete for international level players.

But now it seems that normal service has been resumed, with the top 7 going on ever greater spending sprees and recruiting some of the best managers in the world.

In light of that, if we only ever achieve places 8 to 17, it will still be a great achivement.

 

[Weststander]

I think this is the reason the top seven have been so dominant this season. Leicester came top last season while Southampton came sixth and West Ham seventh. This pushed the big teams into action. Chelsea and Everton who finished outside the top seven changed their manager. Liverpool had changed mid season last season. The struggle last season focused those teams and ensured that the top seven would be set this season. While other teams can fight their way in, there are undoubtedly seven teams with bigger investment potential than the rest (with Everton being comfortably seventh of the lot) and, if they get it right each summer, it is hard for other teams to break in.

Good post.

 

[Bob!]

We are only one year away from Leicester. In some ways this year was a freak in that the top-seven were actually all good for a change.

having said that it looks a tough group to ever break into. You need a combination of past history, huge money, massive stadium and current success. The only teams that could realistically break into it are Newcastle, Leeds, West Ham, Villa and possibly Wednesday. It would be nice to see a new team come along, smash their way in and stay there, but when teams like Southampton get close they get all their assets stripped by the bigger clubs

Why do you need a History?

 

[Gully Forever]

Interesting to note Martin Perry mentioning submitting planning permission for a new outside TV studio.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Why do you need a History?

Because of name and international fanbase I suppose, meaning that income follows investment and players want to come and stay I mean why do Man City or Chelsea get millions thrown at them and become two of the biggest sides on the world, but it doesn't seem to work long-term at other clubs.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

I think this is the reason the top seven have been so dominant this season. Leicester came top last season while Southampton came sixth and West Ham seventh. This pushed the big teams into action. Chelsea and Everton who finished outside the top seven changed their manager. Liverpool had changed mid season last season. The struggle last season focused those teams and ensured that the top seven would be set this season. While other teams can fight their way in, there are undoubtedly seven teams with bigger investment potential than the rest (with Everton being comfortably seventh of the lot) and, if they get it right each summer, it is hard for other teams to break in.

This. The difference has been that all the top 7 have performed relatively strongly collectively, whilst other Clubs that might have been expected to disrupt them, Stoke, West Ham, West Brom, Palace even, just haven't been able to do so consistently enough against each other. West Brom in 8th and only 5 points above the magic 40!

 

[crookie]

Everton are in their own league! They don't really belong with the rest of us any more than they belong in the current top 6.

What annoys me more than the top 6 being miles better than anyone else is when they then don't show up in the Champions League.

My OH is an Everton fan, I think they have been in 7th place pretty much all season. No chance of Top 6, miles clear of 8th. Dull, dull, dull. Still, I'd take that for us next season !!