Teams that got over 100 points in the second tier since the introduction of the Premier League: Newcastle (2010) - still in the Prem Reading (2006) - promoted to the top flight for the first time ever, survived for two seasons and have finished in the top 30 every year since, finishing below the play-off zone just twice (and very narrowly so this season just past). Fulham (2001) - had an incredible top flight run which has literally just ended. Sunderland (1999) - Finished 7th in their next two Prem seasons. Relegated in 2003 but, like Reading, have never finished outside the top 30 since (actually, a play-off defeat after finishing 3rd in the Championship was their worst season!) Interesting that they all survived at least two seasons. I think any of these scenarios would have to be considered a success after the last 10 years we've had!
Trying to read how a team did in the Championship to forecast their likely Premiership future is a flawed logic ... might even be argued that it merely demonstrates the relative strength of the Championship in that particular season ... Let's face it, it's all about how you adapt ... how / if you strengthen, and whether your 'successful' Championship squad can make the step up ... currently I'm more than happy how both of those aspects are progressing ... we are developing healthy competition for each position and we have a very promising bunch of young players not yet at the peak of their careers but showing every sign of getting better and better ... I know one thing, I'm far happier with the latter than I would be at acquiring a load of established Premiership players whose careers are decidedly on the wane ... ask yourselves this, would a raw quick talent like Vardy have troubled Rio Ferdinand eight years ago? ... not particularly ... but Rio would likely be embarrassed by Vardy's pace now ... as I've said on other threads, this is the most exciting squad we have had at Leicester for many a year ... yes I think it will be tough ... but also exciting ... and that's what I want from my football above all ... so I'll take whatever comes (win, lose or draw) as long as we stick to the same principles as last season.
is it a whole new ball game it could be argued that the teams promoted are in a far better position than those that just avoided relegation, since the team carries a winning mentality with them into the new season, players excited at the opportunities to perform against the best and the chances that could bring rather than players facing another season where they struggle, i believe we are better placed than some may believe.
It tells us that no club has ever got 100 points in the championship and gone on to be relegated from the Prem the following season. If we do this, we will create an unwanted precedent of being the first club to do so. It's as valid a piece of information on which to base a prediction on as comparing performances of recent Championship winning sides is, which many of our rivals seem to take pleasure in doing. Does that make both sources flawed? Perhaps, but if predictions were always 100% then the world wouldn't have gone into financial meltdown a few years ago and no-one would watch sport. There are many factors involved, some of which you've mentioned, but since no-one can foresee the future you can only have a opinion based on the past.
My opinion is based on the quality of our squad (or my estimation of it at least) not on past statistics ... none of the statistics quoted 'prove' anything ... Reading are record points holders for the Championship yet for me their squad was not as good as the Newcastle squad or ours or indeed the Swansea squad that went up a few years back ... of course it is all about opinions but I will always be influenced by flesh and blood over data ...
But high points total surely means high confidence... I will always be influenced by team spirit over flesh and blood over data ...
Neither past stats NOR the quality of our squad prove anything conclusively. How many sides that have been "too good to go down" have gone down? A few years ago, no side that was bottom of the Prem at Christmas had survived. Now two clubs have down that. Both of these factors are just guides rather than proof. Besides, they're not mutually exclusive. You can look at both these things and draw a summary - both, as it happens, point to positive times ahead. That doesn't mean it's going to happen, but the omens are good.
Well if you look at different points of last season people was saying that Crystal Palace and Sunderland was nailed on for relegation and they both survived. Palace survived very comfortably in the end
