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“If there are not three worse teams than us in the league this season, I will shoot myself in the head.” (Guardian)
The bold and somewhat alarming verdict of Swansea City captain, Garry Monk. His confidence however appears justified, as few can question the growing trend of promoted clubs enjoying successful maiden campaigns in the Premier League.
In fact two of the three promoted clubs have avoided relegation in each of the past three seasons. The likes of Stoke, Newcastle and West Brom have all emerged from the Championship and dug their heels firmly in the hallowed turf of the Premier League. The time-honoured assumption on the terraces that ‘teams go up only to come straight back down’ finds itself under threat, especially when just once (1997-98) have all three promoted teams endured relegation.
Last year Ian Holloway’s Blackpool gained countless admirers as they proved it is possible to compete in the top flight by fighting fire with fire. This imperfect recipe for avoiding the drop has been tweaked and fine-tuned by the present-day surprise candidates Norwich and Swansea. Both teams play without fear, taking the game to their opponents and in doing so shifting all the pressure and anxiety off their own shoulders. They’ve both transformed their stadiums into the clichéd fortress and helped prove to many that the gulf in quality between the two divisions isn’t as vast as you might think.
Brendan Rodgers is a devoted disciple of the ’keep ball’ philosophy inaugurated by his predecessors Paulo Sousa and Roberto Martinez. The Swans play with the viewpoint that if you have possession then the opposition can’t score, although Brighton did their best to disprove this fact in their recent FA Cup clash with Liverpool. Norwich on the other hand play with real width and an attacking flair that Kenny Dalglish is still trying to implement at Liverpool. They are spearheaded by strikers Holt and Morrison, who are capable of battering even the most resilient of defences into submission.
A successful stint in the Premier League seems to revolve around maintaining the core squad that helped inspire promotion. No longer is there a firm belief that you have to spend big to survive, instead managers are seeking to build on strong foundations and punish any team that reveals even a hint of complacency.
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Queen Park Rangers have endured contrasting fortunes since their return to the Premier League. An influx of seasoned professionals were intended to starve off the threat of relegation but a combination of negative tactics, inconsistent player performances and unrest in the boardroom have left the R’s languishing just a point above the drop zone.
The outright refusal of promoted clubs to descend back down from their origins has meant the Championship is now inundated with names who boast a long-standing history in the top flight. The likes of Leeds and Leicester are finding it increasingly difficult to forge a promotion charge and have even suffered stints in League One since their exit from the Premier League. Just 6 of this seasons 24 clubs have never set foot in the Premier League, which gives you a real sense of the tradition, stature and expectations of the growing number of clubs desperate to win promotion. As the financial rewards for earning place in the top flight increase year on year it serves to fuel the levels of motivation and desire, which is why the Championship is now seen as an exciting, feisty spectacle.
The superior levels of wealth invested in the Premier League has enabled clubs the freedom to flex their financial muscle. Squads are now littered with talent from across the globe and the multi-million pound youth academies. With each new achievement comes further expectation, and this overwhelming feeling of pressure has created a cut-throat nature at the heart of football. New signings are given little time to impress, managers even less so, which has seen many drop down into the Championship in an attempt to relaunch their career.
The Premier League is undergoing a transition, a revival in my eyes, with the established order entering a state of flux. Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are currently frolicking in amongst the fabled ‘top 4’, with cracks beginning to appear in the once dominant forces of Arsenal and Chelsea. Everton and Fulham seem incapable of progressing without significant investment whilst Premier League veterans Blackburn and Aston Villa find themselves on a slippery slope. However, these changes are not the sign of diminishing quality, the unpredictable nature of this unforgiving league is what makes it truly entertaining.
Once upon a time it was the promoted sides who were asked all the questions, are you prepared? Have you earned the right to be here? But nowadays, the new kids on the block are asking all the questions and the Premier League elite are struggling to find the answers.
Is the Premier League predictable? Will Cardiff become the next team to lose their top flight virginity? Share your thoughts on Twitter @theunusedsub
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