Myths of Premier League football.

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

Having read a lot of the post match chat in the last 3 or 4 weeks since we have not been playing 'sparkling football' and I have read a fair amount of bullshit disguised as 'facts' as to what we need to do to stay up.

A) We need a prolific goalscorer.
Hull City = Top league goalscorer has 3 goals
Crystal Palace = Top league goalscorer has 6 goals
West Ham = Top league goalscorer has 7 goals
West Brom = Top league goalscorer has 4 goals.

These 4 teams look pretty solid in staying up, and do not boast a 'prolific goalscorer.' How do you explain this? It really isn't about how many goals individuals score, if we can contribute all around the side (as we have the players to do) then we really do not need to add this mythical '20 goal a season' man whomever he may be.

 

B) These players are good in the championship, unlikely to make the step up.
If you look at teams that have been promoted from the championship in the last couple of years, alot of their core squad is still playing for them.
Southampton= When we saw Lambert play against us for Bristol Rovers did he look an England striker? Lallana? Fonte? Schniederlin? These were all good championship players and have made the step.
Swansea = Ashley Williams to me is very similar to Wes Morgan, and he has done okay, infact been linked with Arsenal. Routledge, Dyer, Britton etc the list goes on.
Palace = In the last few weeks I have seen a few folk saying Morgan and Was aren't good enough. Do you consider Damien Delaney and Danny Gabbidon a Premier League defence?

Apologies for this lengthy post, just think there is a alot of people over estimating the quality of the premier league. We beat Fulham already, gave Stoke a good game with a weakened team and battled well against Man City when they were flying. We need to have realistic expectations as fans, that being better than 3 other teams in the league is enough next season, and with one or two very little tweaks I'm fairly sure this will be done.

[kristianity77]

I agree with most of this.  From about 6th downwards every team is pretty much the same quality wise and they can all beat each other.  I believe the standard has massively dropped in the premiership over the past few years, particularly in the "also ran" teams.  

 

I don't really watch many premier league games but the few I have watched over the past few weeks, show that some of the teams are total dross.  And also, lets face it, we are never going to have a 20 goal a season striker in the premiership no matter what.  Anyone who can score that many is going to have a market value of what...25 million plus?  Thats a figure that is beyond our means and to be fair, beyond our current capability to attract.

 

If any of our strikers next season whoever they may be, get into double figures that would for me, be quite an achievement.  But as long as other players chip in with a few goals each (which I believe we are lucky to have a few of) then we should be fine in terms of scoring goals.

 

The problem I fear we will have as it stands right now with the team, is stopping other teams scoring.  But we all know that no matter what Pearson has said, the zing has slightly gone out of the side now we are promoted, there is no denying that.   I'm pretty sure had we not been promoted yet, we wouldn't have got a hiding from Brighton, and we might of edged this one tonight.  

[Aus Fox]

A good post, and I think our team now with one or two additions is good enough to take on the likes of Crystal Palace, west Brom, West Ham etc.

I think we need a little more strength in depth, we also need an organiser at the back, we seem to be in a muddle on set pieces and I think this is the biggest concern.

I would bring in an experienced premier league centre back as a priority.

[Big_Nige]

Totally agree, the bottom half of the prem is much of a muchness. We're not going to be playing the likes of Suarez and Hazard every week. It's the games against our rivals which will be vital. Anything from the so called big boys will be a bonus.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

The prolific goalscorer myth makes me laugh in any league. During the O'Neill years our top striker barely reached double figures. It's arguably more important to have goals that can come from anywhere in the team than leaning on one 20 goal a season player who might get injured.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

The top two teams in the Championship last season - Cardiff and Hull - managed to gain automatic promotion without a single player who reached 10 league goals.

 

The top scorers in the Championship this season - Ross McCormack (Leeds, 27) Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn, 24) and Troy Deeney (Watford, 21) - are in sides which are unlikely to make the play offs. 

 

For info: Ings (20) and Vokes (20) have 40 between them; Nugent (18) and Vardy (16) have 34 as do Derby's Martin (18) and Bryson (16 - superb for a midfielder).

[Jordan]

While we're on the topic of the "prolific goalscorer" "myth," I'd like to add that strikers are often overvalued. Leicester really do not need to spend £10m on a striker. Some of the worst business Leicester have done have involved strikers (Akinbiyi and Beckford). I wouldn't go as far as Cloughie and say that the center forward can always be replaced, but good teams will have possession and create chances, and in the long run, enough of those chances will lead to goals and success.

[Mark_from_USA]

Good post:  What is true about the Prem I think:

• We will need a top class keeper
• We will need to be able to make things happen with pace and counterattack because these lower tier teams are set up to frustrate big-time attacking players. Vardy, De Laet, and Schlupp can step up here.
• We will not be able to afford defensive lapses and we need to do better in the air.
• We will need quality to create chances. I'm pinning a lot of hopes on Drinkwater, Knockaert and Mahrez
• We will need to be clinical.  While we don't need a 10 million pound man perhaps, we need an clinical one who takes what comes to them. I don't suppose there is another Gary Lineker lurking in the academy?  Ings was master of this in the Championship this season.

[Haydos]

"You'll get more time on the ball than in the Championship."

[MooseBreath]

"442 isn't a premier league formation"

[leicesterisme]

Can't take anyone seriously who says the Premier League is a massive step up, especially if they watched Villa v Stoke a couple of weeks ago.

[Master Fox]

I can assure you we will finish above Villa if they stay up. They are an awful team.

I think people forget we have a huge advantage over most teams in the Prem with our biggest assets in Nige and Walsh. We'll be fine.

[Stadt]

As long as we get a CB that's quick and good in the air we'll be fine.

[Fox92]

You've touched on teams not scoring too many goals, but not conceding is just as important. Hull, for example, may have only scored 34 goals yet they've only conceded 40. On the other hand, Cardiff and Fulham have conceded 64 and 74 goals respectively. We need to sort our set pieces out; how many goals have we conceded from set piece this season? It can't be happening because they're "easy" goals to throw away. Yesterday, for instance, an opposition player shouldn't be scoring from the range with a header. We need to work on set pieces especially, but Nige will know this. It must frustrate him considering he's a former solid centre half.

 

I don't think it's a "massive" step up, as such. They're are teams in our division that could give certain Premier League teams a game. I mean, we've all seen how Aston Villa somehow survive every season. There might be times where we get beaten, the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, you just have to sit back and "enjoy" those games, those grounds and those players. It's the other 11 or 12 teams we need to take something from... Villa, Stoke, Palace, Hull, even Newcastle etc. As long as we get something from those games, especially at home, that's the important issue. And who knows maybe a good cup run!

[Stadt]

Hopefully we are decent away from home, away form keeps you up.

[chapero82]

Defence is the main priority next season for me, we are poor at set plays, and the likes of Benteke etc will have a field day

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

You've touched on teams not scoring too many goals, but not conceding is just as important. Hull, for example, may have only scored 34 goals yet they've only conceded 40. On the other hand, Cardiff and Fulham have conceded 64 and 74 goals respectively. We need to sort our set pieces out; how many goals have we conceded from set piece this season? It can't be happening because they're "easy" goals to throw away. Yesterday, for instance, an opposition player shouldn't be scoring from the range with a header. We need to work on set pieces especially, but Nige will know this. It must frustrate him considering he's a former solid centre half.

 

I don't think it's a "massive" step up, as such. They're are teams in our division that could give certain Premier League teams a game. I mean, we've all seen how Aston Villa somehow survive every season. There might be times where we get beaten, the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, you just have to sit back and "enjoy" those games, those grounds and those players. It's the other 11 or 12 teams we need to take something from... Villa, Stoke, Palace, Hull, even Newcastle etc. As long as we get something from those games, especially at home, that's the important issue. And who knows maybe a good cup run!

I do agree with this. In the premier league the likes of West Ham, Stoke etc will be very dangerous from set pieces and we can't afford to give them cheap goals like that. But i'm not sure signing 1 centre half will suddenly solve it like others have suggested. It's a mentality needed to go and attack the ball rather than actually being fantastic in the air.

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

The premier league is full of championship standard players

[Beliall]

i dont think the preier league has less quality than it used to, the championship has more quality though, and that why the step up isnt so great anymore

[ceredigion]

The biggest myth is that the Premier League is the best in the world. In all honesty I don't think it is. Half the teams which I'd call proper top-flight clubs, like Leeds, Wolves, Forest, Derby, Sheff Wed, Ipswich,  aren't even in it.

 

I'm always surprised that foreign football fans around the world are happy to fork out to watch matches like Fulham v Norwich or Hull v Stoke which could easily be 3rd Division matches, and were not so long ago.

[Col city fan]

Gonna have to go against the grain here again I'm afraid.

Anyone who thinks that playing against Hull, Villa, West Ham, West Brom and the such like, is akin to facing Burnley, Derby, Reading and even QPR this season is deluded IMO.

I'd agree with the bottom three or four.

Cardiff, Sunderland, Norwich this season are Championship standard teams. Their players are, in many examples, Championship standard players.

But that's about it. I'd far rather play Derby and Burnley every week than West Ham or Hull. No doubt about it for me, unless we are surprisingly good, our battle is to avoid relegation in the first season.

Again, hope I'm wrong but that's how I see it.

[Dr The Singh]

The female fans on the premiership are better looking and shag on first date!!

[Col city fan]

I agree with most of this. From about 6th downwards every team is pretty much the same quality wise and they can all beat each other. I believe the standard has massively dropped in the premiership over the past few years, particularly in the "also ran" teams.

I don't really watch many premier league games but the few I have watched over the past few weeks, show that some of the teams are total dross. And also, lets face it, we are never going to have a 20 goal a season striker in the premiership no matter what. Anyone who can score that many is going to have a market value of what...25 million plus? Thats a figure that is beyond our means and to be fair, beyond our current capability to attract.

If any of our strikers next season whoever they may be, get into double figures that would for me, be quite an achievement. But as long as other players chip in with a few goals each (which I believe we are lucky to have a few of) then we should be fine in terms of scoring goals.

The problem I fear we will have as it stands right now with the team, is stopping other teams scoring. But we all know that no matter what Pearson has said, the zing has slightly gone out of the side now we are promoted, there is no denying that. I'm pretty sure had we not been promoted yet, we wouldn't have got a hiding from Brighton, and we might of edged this one tonight.

Mate.. I'm not meaning to have a go, but look at the bloody table!

We have Man UTD on 57 points in 7th, and Sunderland are bottom with 25 points.

How can you say that 'from about 6th down they are all pretty much the same and can all beat each other). They clearly aren't!

UTD have more than TWICE the points of the Black Cats!

Yes there is a clear league of top sides.. but after this there are clearly better sides than those near the bottom. I'd say there were three mini leagues usually. Top, middle table obscurity, bottom four/five fighting.

[sylofox]

There was a rumour they are all dogs in Newcastle

[Manwell Pablo]

Deary me

 

The requirement of having at least one decent goalscoer to do well in any division is not a "myth" by using Hull and Cardiff as an example your using the exception to prove the rule. We have Nugent and Vardy sticking goals away, Burnley have Vokes and Ings, Southampton had Sharp and Lamber, West Ham had Vaz Ta, Norwich had Holt, QPR had Tarabt, Newcastle had Carrol and Nolan. When we won League One, we had Fryatt, If you want to get out of a division your going to need someone putting the goals away in most cases. Occasionally your going to get a team shares it's goals out between them, but that's luck, I don't think any manager is going to sit down and plan his season and not bother signing a decent goal scorer on the basis that "It'll be alright lads, we'll just score 5 goals each and then we don't need to worry about a decent frontman"