Norwich are top of this table. every one of their points cost £490,000 to win. this was the least of all the teams in the PL. the table is based on the cost of the players in the respective squads, not their market price. QPR's points tally cost them £2.66m each. we definitely got value for our dosh then.
If this could be verified may be a good way of policing financial fair play Could dock points for excessive costs would at least stop smaller clubs selling their future for one silly season
Here's the link to the table. Talk of 'buying your way to the title' - Man Citeh's average weekly wage per player was over £100k, ffs The days when clubs like Norwich, Blackburn, Villa, etc could compete on even terms with the "big six"- like the 1992/3 season, are clearly gone for good, which makes our recent finishes of 12th and 11th all the more creditable http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/spor...he_best_value_in_the_premier_league_1_2237484
I think the discrepancy between now and then is less than you think, Cromer. The gap was bridged then and can be bridged again, but we're probably at least a year away from that. WBA showed what can be done early in the season, but they couldn't sustain it. If City can add 4-5 quality players to an already strong squad, the gap can be closed over time.
It can be closed, but really, the target is Everton, and there's WBA, Swansea, West Ham and Southampton who are arguably better placed to make a push for that position. To go further than that is almost impossible without an incredibly rich owner.
I still think it can be bridged over time. I said WBA because they did it on team work and work ethic, and the shrewd loan of Lukaku. City finished four points behind them and I think we can improve on that!
I think within a 10-15 year period, the limit is Everton, as that's about the period it's taken them to get to where they are from being a newly promoted side. To achieve that any quicker, or to go any further, we need to be the smartest club in the league, and probably get lucky too. From then, you're in the position Everton are now in, where they really need to expand the stadium, or find external investment. The league is very tight though, and signings like Lukaku, Michu, or hopefully Van Wolfswinkel, are the type that can be the difference between mid-table/top-half pushes, or relegation battles.
To me it's a 'possible' rather than 'probable' outcome. A good start to the season, and then a consistent run after that (like WBA did last year) is essential. After that, City need to steer clear of serious injuries and have quality cover at every position so that rotation can be used so there isn't an end of year sag in stamina and form. I'm not saying it will happen, just that it could.
