cjslcfc Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 Before I get started on my main point I do believe that we need a few more additions to strengthen our squad and help us to cope with the rigours of the Premier League. However, I just wanted to do a bit of quick research on teams in the past 20 or so years who exceeded 100 points in the second tier and how they did in the Premier League the next season. For example, I wanted to see what sort of signings they made, how much "Premier League experience" their players had, whether they came up with a relatively young and inexperienced side or not etc.... Here are my results: Newcastle United 2009/10 (102 points) Position in Premier League the next season = 12th Transfers in: James Perch (£1.5m), Dan Gosling, Sol Campbell, Cheick Tiote (£3.5m), Yven Moyo, Ben Arfa (loan then perm) (£7m overall) and Shefki Kuqi General squad: Considering they were relegated in 2008/09 most of their squad had some experience of the Premier League e.g Jose Enrique (bought 2007), Joey Barton (man city), Coloccini (bought 2008), Gutierrez (bought 2008) etc... Cheick Tiote turned out to be a great signing for that price but still prior to this had no experience of the league and had been playing in Dutch Eredivisie Overall: Added to the squad but not massively. Could argue that they had a relatively experienced squad for a new PL team. However, they comfortably stayed up. Reading 2005/06 (106 Points) Position in the Premier League the next season = 8th! Transfers in: Sam Sodje (£350,000), Seol Ki-Hyeon (£1.5m), Ulises De la cruz, Peter Mate (loan), Alan Bennett (undisc), Mikkel Andersen (undisc), Greg Halford (undisc), Michael Duberry (undisc), Andre Bikey (£1m) General squad: This was Reading's first season in the PL and as such, even with their signings, their squad was mainly full of "unknowns" who had little experience of the PL - e.g. Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Dave Kitson, Stephen Hunt, Nicky Shorey, Steve Sidwell etc... Overall: V little changes to the squad and a team full of unproven players. Yet, they took the league by storm finishing in the top half. Fulham 2000/01 (101 Points) Position in Premier League the next season = 13th Transfers in: Edwin Van Der Sar (about £7m), Abdeslam Ouaddou (£2m), Steed Malbranque (£5m), Jon Harley (£3.5m), Sylvain Legwinski (£3.3m), Steve Marlet (£11.5m) General squad: Also their first time in the Premier League. Splashed a lot more cash than most and made signings from abroad who had good experience in their relative top leagues but none in the EPL. Players such as Zat Knight, Louis Saha, Luis Boa Morte, Steve Finnan etc... in the squad but none of these had really played much PL football. Overall: A few more expensive signings and a solid finish. Sunderland 1998/99 (102 points) Position in PL next season = 7th Transfers in: Carsten Fredgaard (£1.7m), Steve Bould (£500,000), Thomas Helmer, Stefan Schwartz (£4m), Kevin Kilbane (£2.5m) General Squad: Again v few additions and pretty much the same squad with a certain Kevin Phillips involved. Overall: Highest finish out of the lot and didn't have as much experience as perhaps other teams. So, having gone through these you may be wondering what my point is. Well, first of all it's that there is no set way to survive in the Premier League. All four teams did similar to us in storming the second tier and breaking the 100 point barrier. Most made a few signings but only Fulham really splashed a lot of money. Newcastle seemingly already had the experienced squad but Reading and Fulham you could argue had very little Premier League experience prior to the season. Secondly, Premier League players can be made not bought. Just because they haven't tasted the PL yet doesn't mean they aren't good enough to challenge. Our squad is fairly young and has a lot of potential and excitement in it. Players like Saha, Kevin Phillips, Shane Long, Steve Finnan, Luis Boa Morte, Andy Carroll, Kevin Doyle, Steve Sidwell, Cheick Tiote etc.. all had little experience of the league and made the step up easily. Thirdly, teams who break the 100 points barrier in the second tier are clearly very good teams. The lowest finish of these teams is 13th! I know it's a small sample but that's because getting over 100 points is a ridiculously hard task to achieve and is only done by those teams who clearly have talented players. You don't achieve it with a team solely full of hard-working and honest players. There has to be some talent there. Finally, a lack of signings is not indicative of us having a poor season. Granted, there are a lot of unknowns with our squad and we may lack the "Premier League experience" which makes some think we will struggle but I honestly reckon we will be fine. I would like to see 2 or 3 more signings in defence and centre midfield to shore up the squad but apart from that I do think we have some very good players at the club. History suggests our team is more than capable of making the step up with only a few signings.
bovril Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 See I read that and - ever the pessimistic City fan - I think "well sooner or later one of the 100 point teams will get relegated....."
Captain... Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 Good post, I really like the sentiment, Premiership players can be made as well as bought. Very well put.
kingcarr21 Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 See I read that and - ever the pessimistic City fan - I think "well sooner or later one of the 100 point teams will get relegated....." and typical it would be trend setting leicester that would be the first. Im sure i always notice things like teams that havent won in ages always end up beating us.
bovril Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 and typical it would be trend setting leicester that would be the first. Im sure i always notice things like teams that havent won in ages always end up beating us. I imagine every football fan outside the top 4-5 think the same thing!
Fox92 Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 No such thing as "Premier League experience". Said it before, and still stand by it. Ok, a club might need a few experienced players but overall you don't need a team/a lot of "Premier League players" to survive in the division. I can give many, many examples.
cjslcfc Posted 4 August 2014 Author Posted 4 August 2014 No such thing as "Premier League experience". Said it before, and still stand by it. Ok, a club might need a few experienced players but overall you don't need a team/a lot of "Premier League players" to survive in the division. I can give many, many examples. That's why it's written as "Premier League experience". I believe it is a ridiculous notion that if a player or players haven't played in the league before then you write them and their team off. Who's to say players such as Knockaert, Drinkwater, James, De Laet, Vardy, Mahrez, Moore, Schmeichel etc... won't be stars in the Premier League?!
Guest ttfn Posted 4 August 2014 Posted 4 August 2014 Who's to say players such as Knockaert, Drinkwater, James, De Laet, Vardy, Mahrez, Moore, Schmeichel etc... won't be stars in the Premier League?! Yeah but Shaka Hislop and Stevie Nicol have never heard of them so we've got no chance.
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