Breaking The Big Four

[papereyes]

Villa are having a fantastic season and are still grinding out wins. I think they must be good bets to edge Arsenal down out of the top 4.

But what about Everton as well. They've been playing without a striker for months and are still only 4 points off Arsenal and 9 off Chelsea. And this is where it gets interesting - Chelsea go into a bit more of a slump with Ray Wilkins in charge, Everton's new striker actually shows why he could be worth £19 million and suddenly you have 4 clubs fighting for 2 places.

Arsenal seem to be mentally broken this season despite the quality in their ranks.
Chelsea seem to be utterly unmotivated and underperforming
Villa are in a bit of a groove
Everton are also performing well - in spite of not having a striker - and now they've brought one in and, from the first game, he could a very useful addition.

If the latter two clubs gatecrashed the party, that would make this season one of my favourites in a very, very long time.

[Rex]

This season is generally a crazy situation in the premier. The tightest season yet, with many clubs at the wrong end of the table, some in difficulty at the top (Arsenal / Chelsea), and Villa who have been knocking at the door and are bucking the trend.

Interesting times.

[Thaumagurist*]

Manchester United winning the title for the third season in a row could make it not such a great season, but otherwise I'd agree it would be a great season if Villa and Everton end up in the top 4. Would be even better if Arsenal end up in 6th place or lower.

[papereyes]

Manchester United winning the title for the third season in a row could make it not such a great season

Why?

Am I the only one who finds that the post-Glazer united's success is actually one of the funniest little quirks of modern football?

[who are ya?]

Would love to see Villa get in there, although I think you can only genuinely say a club has broken the top 4 if they do it for more than one season. I think it's laregly thanks to Arsenal having a bit of a nightmare this season, Chelsea aswell if you don't include the start of their campaign. We'll see.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Certainly is interesting, but im not sure 3rd/4th spot will see a power shift. I think its next season where the 3rd/4th place teams have a much tougher CL qualifying draw. They will be paired against teams from Italy/Spain, etc. Part of UEFA's plans to get more different nations in the group stages.

I also think Chelsea Arsenal could probably handle a 1 year abscence. Bayern, Milan & Juve have all missed out but dont seem to have been hit too badly in the long run.

[Once were Biscuitmen]

Arsenal have a lot of stadium debt to service and failure to qualify for the CL could easily trigger a take-over.

Also Wenger does seem to be increasingly mental and if he jacks it in a player exodus of his protégés could really screw them.

[soggy biscuit]

Big 4 - Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal & Villa.

[Rex]

I really support the way Wenger is slowly building a team the old and honest way of bringing players on despite suffering the difficulties that entail. If they do not qualify for the Champions league this season it could prove disasterous for Wenger both financially and personally. Every team goes through peaks and troughs with having to rebuild a team as the older most established players move on. Being surrounded by Chelsea and Liverpool supporters at work i love listening to the divine right these supporters seen to display in winning the league. I'm almost willing Villa on to make a success of this season just to mix it up at the top.

Also i love having a gentle dig at the Newcastle supporter and a Spurs supporter

[Hoop Blah]

This season is generally a crazy situation in the premier. The tightest season yet, with many clubs at the wrong end of the table, some in difficulty at the top (Arsenal / Chelsea), and Villa who have been knocking at the door and are bucking the trend.

Interesting times.

How does the current top spot compare in terms of points gathered so far to previous seasons.

It feels like it's quite a low total leading the race at the moment because both Utd and Liverpool have dropped quite a lot of points in games you'd expect them to win.

I'll be very happy if Villa and/or Everton break into the top 4.

[cmonurz]

Comparison of 0-0s for the Big 4 from last season to this. More this season already, with a third of the season left. Don't know what to make of that really - are smaller teams getting better at 'parking the bus' and securing draws?

2007/08

United
vs Reading

Liverpool
vs Birmingham
(a) vs Blackburn
(a) vs Man City
(a) vs Chelsea

Chelsea
vs Blackburn
vs Fulham
vs Liverpool

Arsenal
(a) vs Portsmouth
(a) vs Wigan

Total = 10

2008/09

United
(a) vs Villa
(a) vs Tottenham

Liverpool
vs Stoke
vs Fulham
vs West Ham
(a) vs Stoke

Chelsea
vs Newcastle
(a) vs Everton
vs Hull

Arsenal
vs West Ham
(a) vs Tottenham

Total = 11

[papereyes]

Liverpool Villa was also 0-0

[FiNeRaIn]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

[Sun Tzu]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

mmm, looks like you may have missed a few things....

[FiNeRaIn]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

mmm, looks like you may have missed a few things....

Such as?

[TheMaraudingDog]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

mmm, looks like you may have missed a few things....

Such as?

Such as Everton breaking the big 4 a few seasons ago

[Sun Tzu]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

mmm, looks like you may have missed a few things....

Such as?

The league table might be a good place to start !

[FiNeRaIn]

They've really pushed on a lot since then haven't they. A squad litered with stars
They are 4 points off a woeful arsenal side. I see " breaking the top 4" as being consistently above them, not a one off fluke season.

[papereyes]

This " breaking the big four" question comes up ever season, first it was tottenham, then it was everton and now villa, get over it, its not going to happen.

I think the question in the past is "why?"

When Everton did do it, they failed to reach the CL group stages. So didn't get the money whereas Liverpool, who finished 5th, did.
Even if Villa this season don't make it, they now have the money behind them that it probably doesn't matter all that much.

A squad litered with stars

One of the reasons why I respect Everton is that they have a team with very few stars and have done consistently well under Moyes with such a set-up.

[rg6royal]

Villa will definately be up there come the end of the season. Not sure about Everton but they are looking very good even without a striker!