Is the Prem league the weakest its ever been?

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

I know we are only in November but is this the weakest Prem League of all time?

The promoted teams from last season are all doing ok in the Prem without spending a fortune, and the teams relegated from the Prem to the Championship are just doing average. Besides possibly six or seven teams I dont think there is anything to fear for a team getting promoted, unlike a few years ago when a promoted team was guaranteed a season of struggle and a relegation dogfight.

Now is a great opportunity to get in the top flight and get established, West ham, Stoke, Wolves, Wigan, WBA, Blackburn, Bolton, Blackpool, Sunderland, Newcastle, Birmingham are all beatable and not a great deal better than Championship sides.

I feel it is a mediocre Prem league right now and one where a team with the right spirit ,determination and with a little money behind them could get in there and gain a firm foothold.

[StanSP]

I wouldn't say it was weaker.

It's just that the fear factor has gone from playing the bigger teams.

I think Newcastle and Sunderland are a great deal better than Champ sides though.

[Wymsey]

I wouldn't say it was weaker.

It's just that the fear factor has gone from playing the bigger teams.

I think Newcastle and Sunderland are a great deal better than Champ sides though.

And Stoke, don't forget them despite having Champship based players such as Walter's.

[The Doctor]

i don't think it's weaker, more the championship getting stronger and so the gap in quality getting smaller

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

i don't think it's weaker, more the championship getting stronger and so the gap in quality getting smaller

Yes thats a good point and another way of looking at it, either way it does not seem as daunting as it used to be. Newcastle being a good example, used to be a force, a team to be feared but no longer, still good mind, but not a Prem league force.

[sdb]

The top teams are weaker than in the past, and the lower teams are stronger. It's a tighter league which is great, the top talent is not as good i'd say, but it's still as exciting as before, and even more competitive. I'm enjoying it, altho the move towards 4-5-1 and basically a more 'don't lose' approach is spoiling the game a little.

[Durnerz]

I think in terms of class players in the Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool ranks its certainly weaker in comparison to years gone by however its making it more interesting seeing the young reveloution going on at spurs and the high spending dream team of Man City coming into the fold and upsetting the balance. At the bottom its just as entertaining and the romance of football still alive with Blackpools promotion. I'm thoroughly enjoying it rather than seeing 3 sides come up and go straight back down and 4 teams at the top handing out a pasting to everyone else.

[Jackirius]

I think the championship is getting alot stronger and English football as a whole is alot better than what it was.

[Guest ttfn]

No.

Hull, Burnley and Portsmouth were all dogshit last season; three of the worst Premier League sides ever.

Plus, no sides reached the Champions League semis.

So far this season, teams like Bolton have got much better, whilst 5th placed Spurs just trounced the champions of Europe 3-1.

[MC Prussian]

No, it's not.

It's by far more exciting than ever, because anyone can beat anyone. Up to this point, the top four/five teams have not really convinced in terms of consistency.

The rather regular patterns of season's past seem to be on the verge of breaking up - look at where Liverpool are finding themselves and how good Tottenham are doing right now.

But then again, we're still in the first half of this year's campaign, so there's still room for a Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United to come up with a seven-game, eight-game unbeaten run.

Maybe it's got to do with a more evenly spread out amount of skilled players.

Or with the fact that "minnows" like Blackpool have so far come up with some rather fresh football.

(Mind you, first seasons in the top flight usually tend to be surprisingly good)

[Mikey]

No, it's not.

It's by far more exciting than ever, because anyone can beat anyone. Up to this point, the top four/five teams have not really convinced in terms of consistency.

The rather regular patterns of season's past seem to be on the verge of breaking up - look at where Liverpool are finding themselves and how good Tottenham are doing right now.

But then again, we're still in the first half of this year's campaign, so there's still room for a Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United to come up with a seven-game, eight-game unbeaten run.

Maybe it's got to do with a more evenly spread out amount of skilled players.

Or with the fact that "minnows" like Blackpool have so far come up with some rather fresh football.

(Mind you, first seasons in the top flight usually tend to be surprisingly good)

Manchester United are on a 10 game unbeaten run atm and they're still 5 points off the top.

[Mack]

Teams are getting cleverer in cutting their cloth accordingly and applying tactics that achieve the results to stay in there.

Sadly this means a lot more horror tackles and endless waffle about referees decisions.