Each year without fail, I would look straight to the April fixtures to assess if we could stay up. Then there was the magnificent 1998/99 season... 2nd bottom on 1st May and then Dellhurst Park....
'Toughness' is surely a difficult thing to assess. For example is it tougher if all twenty teams are of equal ability, or if there are ten crap teams and ten excellent? This forum's two favourite things; Saints winning, and a cheeky pun.
Well apparently based on position of opponents we have the easiest first three games, however it never works like that. I think that despite the increasing fees the Premier League quality wise is average. The big teams have strengthened and have massive squads which should just keep them ahead of the rest, but aside from Chelsea all of them have poor defences. Everton, Stoke and Swansea I expect to be the chasers and us just behind due to our European exploits. I think Watford are going to be hit or miss and you feel that Leicester, Bournemouth and Aston Villa will be struggling too. I fear for Villa this year.
Something like this: 1 Chelsea 2 Man U 3 Arsenal 4 Man C 5 Liverpool 6 Tottenham 7 Everton 8 Stoke 9 Swansea 10 Southampton 11 West Ham 12 Crystal Palace 13 West Brom 14 Newcastle 15 Norwich 16 Sunderland 17 Leicester 18 Aston Villa 19 Bournemouth 20 Watford
Top 6 pretty much settled. Southampton, Swansea, Stoke, WHU and Everton to fight for 'best of the rest' trophy. Aston Villa, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Liecester, Watford and Norwich to fight relegation, others destined to mid table obscurity. That's my cynical view, hopefully won't be as boring as that.
- Watford, Norwich, and Leicester for the drop. - West Brom the dark horse. - Chelsea won't be champions.
I think it's naturual to assume that everyone else's signings are all upgrades and that ours aren't. I suspect every supporter of every club thinks something similar. Vin
I feel a team that has been near the top for a number of years is going to crash (Liverpool or Tottenham or City if Aguera is in any way injured) Also think a team that did well last season securing a mid table finish will get relegated.
After watching this first weekend, I do not know about toughest Premier league ever... But definitely way tougher than last year. Smaller clubs using "moneyball" analysis and spending smarter. Man U got Schneiderlin who will be huge for them. Arse have always been kind of smart.
If you can take anything from one weekend, results suggest that you can take points off the big clubs (which we knew anyway). And clubs lower down the league (even those freshly promoted) can turn it on in any game. Too early to say, but as always Saints will need to be on their toes.
Last season couple of smaller clubs started strongly, only to drift away mid season. It's too early to make a judgement. But I do believe that the difference between top6 club and the rest of the league has decreased when clubs like Swansea, WHU and Palace have top players like Ayew, Payet and Cabaye. Top clubs have a small margin for improvement, while these players improve these 'smaller club' quite a lot.
I actually thought it was better for the league when it was just us threatening the top guys... not sure I like it now a few others are trying to step up
Talking of Morgan, how horrible was it seeing him in a Man Utd shirt? I really think he should have gone to Arsenal. Everything about them would have suited him better. He is a great player but I have my doubts that he'll be a great Man U player.
