ToffeeWeb - Season 2010-11

The Mail Bag

Worst Premier League Ever?

So, after Saturday's results, we are 3 points off relegation, yet, if we beat Bolton, we are in 8th... and, if we win our other game in hand, then we are only 3 points off 6th place.

Out of 25 games, we have won just 6, yet we have also lost the same number of games as Chelsea ? one less than 3rd place Man City and three less than Liverpool.

As such, my question is, is this the worst Premier League in memory?

Chris Leyland, Formby Posted 13/02/2011 at 00:38:12

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Dee Gidwani
1 Posted 13/02/2011 at 03:56:29

Report abuse

Worst ??

More competitive, and in general great for the league... everyone is fighting for something.

However, for Everton, if a few of those draws were wins, we would be fighting for a Champions League spot!! Huge chance blown this season!

Alex Kociuba
2 Posted 13/02/2011 at 04:04:32

Report abuse

It's the Premier League's best ever. But could result in it being our worst. Gloomy days ahead.

Michael Kenrick
3 Posted 13/02/2011 at 02:54:30

Report abuse

Why worst?

It's more competitive... yet it's the usual suspects front and centre. Yes, Man Utd are running away with it while not playing particularly well... perhaps that does make it "worst".

On the other hand, they were in danger of equalling Arsenal's incredible unbeaten record from a few years back. So that would be a good thing (in the Moyes Book of Defending).. right?

It all depends on your perspective. It is what it is: anyone should be able to beat anyone else on the day... isn't that a good thing? (Trouble is, it's not really true... or the table points spread would be even flatter.)

So there's no one or two obvious relegation candidates either ? how does that correlate with "worst"? Surely that means the poorer clubs are actually doing better than one might expect.

I know this for a fact: it's the worst Everton season in the Premier League for many a long year... and that's they only thing that really matters. Just when we fully expected to witness the best.

But guess what? We are not a club in decline. We are still making progress... (Yeah, right)

Brian Waring
4 Posted 13/02/2011 at 10:13:19

Report abuse

Chris, let's be thankful it's the way it is, things could be a lot worse for us than they already are.

Dan Brierley
5 Posted 13/02/2011 at 11:04:07

Report abuse

It's certainly been the most interesting for a long time. 9 points separating 8th from bottom. A gap has opened up between 6th and 5th, but with 13 games to go, it's hard to call anything.

To be honest, I think the middle/lower sides have advanced this season, with the perennial stronger teams not making much progress. Anybody that can put together a run of 3 winning games will find themselves right up near the top end.

Nevertheless, this has been a poor season by our standards. But the reality of that is, previous wins by a one-goal margin have become draws. Nobody has drawn more games than us, with only the top four losing less than us. This is not solely down to tactical problems from the manager, but more down to finishing the chances we have created.

How many games have we won by a wonder goal? None that I recall. Top sides have players with that ability, at the moment I don't think we have that. The attacking football that we CAN play was there for all to see against Blackpool. The problem we face, is how to break down teams that put 9 or 10 players behind the ball.

I think most of the goals we have conceded this season have been on the break, and another big chunk have come from unlucky situations, where the ball just bounces in the right place for the opposition, or we end up scoring an own goal!

The way to get out of this is simple for me. We need a striker that can put away chances at a high ratio, and a midfielder capable of scoring long-range goals. I honestly don't see the flanks as so much of a problem because we create enough chances to win games, we just don't convert enough of those chances.

Mike Oates
6 Posted 13/02/2011 at 12:11:05

Report abuse

I think it's terrific, most competitive ever and it shows the real value of going all out for a win and 3 points rather than resting on a draw and getting only 1 point.

Also highlights that you just must win at home ? look at why Utd are well clear ? won 13 out of 14 home games.

David Hallwood
7 Posted 13/02/2011 at 12:11:07

Report abuse

I'm with De#1, we've all had time to digest the financial results and the realist in me realises that it wasn't possible to add to the squad, but the other part of me wants to howl in frustration, because the addition of 2-3 quality players would've made all the difference.

BTW, slightly off piste, conspiracy theory No1#: Open talks with Fellaini now; obviously he rejects the first offer, and then the club can come out and say that they don't want another Pienaar situation on their hands... and he gets sold in the summer to pay the gas bill.

Tom Hughes
8 Posted 13/02/2011 at 12:51:15

Report abuse

One worry is, any kind of bad run in the final straight could see us drop into real trouble. Daft thing is, I feel that we can outplay ANY team in this league, shame we can't so readily hurt them. Let's hope we can get that elusive run of wins (as opposed to draws) to climb that league.

Declan Brown
9 Posted 13/02/2011 at 13:12:33

Report abuse

I seen that league table last night and saw we could be 8th today if we win.

Based on how our season has gone so far it beggars belief that the season could be so bad that when you win your 7th game of the season in mid February you are 8th.

At least it's wide open for a change, it keeps the interest, fretting and agonising going for everyone!

Sky can tell tell us it's the best league in the world, but come the summer I'm seriously thinking of cancelling the sports channels!

Bren Connor
10 Posted 13/02/2011 at 14:30:01

Report abuse

Chris, sounds like you should start following the Spanish or Scottish league if you want a clear cut non-competitive competition with a script written from the beginning of the season.

Apart from ourselves being erratic and pretty rubbish for most of the season, the league itself has been one of the best for years.

Tony McNulty
11 Posted 13/02/2011 at 14:43:15

Report abuse

Normally by this stage of the season you can certanaly pick one, and probably two, of the teams that are going down. When you have Wolves (who I think will go down ? and good riddance, can't stand listening to McCarthy droning on) at the bottom beating the top sides, then anything can happen.

We actually have games in hand and these are home games which ought to give us points. But it would be great to win today. I shall be glued to the electronic nipple. See you on the live feed.

Tom Bowers
12 Posted 13/02/2011 at 17:57:56

Report abuse

It is a poorer standard team wise this season. Some teams have improved with big money signings, such as Spurs and City, but many others are struggling to be consistant.

Everton are the prime example; Cannot get 2 wins in a row. Another poor performance today against another poor team.

We are now 3 points away from the drop zone and the transfer window comes back to haunt us. Moyes still prefers the big amateur Anichebe to a goalscorer ?Beckford. Why, begs the question?

Yakubu scored another fine goal yesterday but Moyes doesn't rate him. Why?

I say it again: Moyes has lost the plot.

Tom Bowers
13 Posted 13/02/2011 at 18:43:50

Report abuse

This season could still prove to be a catastrophe for Everton. The position is very precarious from a points perspective. Mark my words, we are little better than Wolves, West Brom or West Ham (if better at all) ? just check our results against them. So why must we think we are any more deserving about staying up than them?

The remaining games are now absolutely critical for all the teams in the lower third as they are all so close pointswise and sadly Everton are now part of the struggle. We couldn't even manage another lousy draw today.

We managed 25 attempts on goal last week and only 9 today.

We as fans have been let down far too long by this regime and changes have to come because it is evident now that Moyes and Kenwright cannot do it.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.