Liverpool's loss to Chelsea yesterday confirmed something that has been brewing all season: the era of the "top four" is at an end. Whoever it is that claims the fourth spot, this season has signalled a newly competitive Premier League.
City's investment kept teams who needed to strengthen or replenish (such as United and Liverpool) from entering the 'distorted market', whilst teams who had been slowly benefiting from steady development like Villa and Tottenham were left to consolidate. Leaving a top seven (or if Everton hadn't started so slowly, a top eight) who are fiercely competitive.
The only team that has risen above these (despite City's success against them this season) has been Chelsea and they would make worthy champions. Otherwise, the "top four", as was, are no longer expected to win all their fixtures home and away, as some would've had it in previous seasons.
So, fairly magnanimously, congratulations to all the teams - City, Villa and Tottenham - for getting in amongst the top four and breathing new life into the Premier League competition.
Presumably Liverpool will come back stronger next season, under new management or under new investment, but you can feel the power moving, or at least dispersing, in the Premier League and it should make for more interesting seasons to come.
well,united and liverpool made history with english core and they made money from their success.It took a SAF to build united to its current strenghts,not like pouring money from middle east which will fickle down at some point.History will repeat itself.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, how naive are you? United are where they are today due to massive investment from shareholders (alot from overseas) - hence in the end they've been sold to the Americans, cause they bought the shares - get it?! If someone from the middle east wanted to buy United now, you'd be idiotic not to want to be taken over. Saying that, it's not upto you, it's upto the shareholders - the Glazers. Oh and where are you from anyway, Korea? Norway? Ghana? Definately not Manchester!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - what about Ronaldo, Berbatov, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Van der Saar, Valencia, Anderson, Park etc etc ? United are no more English at their core than City or any other team in the PL. You make me sick merely wanting to preserve the status quo.
ReplyDeleteUnited's money has come from their repeated qualification to the CL. What's the matter, are you afraid of competition ?
This year has been by far the most exciting PL campaign for over 10 years so get used to it.
"not like pouring money from middle east which will fickle down at some point."
ReplyDeleteThat makes no sense whatsoever. Do you know what 'fickle' means?
United were lucky to be the top team just as Sky TV, the Prem and Champs league came along with all their money which meant they could buy continued success when they may otherwise have dropped down the table and someone else taken their place.
ReplyDeleteUnited have had more than a good run but face it, the only way is down now. First and second in the prem will be City and Chelsea. United with their money problems will be left to scrap it out for third and forth with Spurs, Villa, Liverpool and if you don't make it into the top four it will be the begining of the end.