This season overall

[starting_11]

Has it been one of the softest PL campaigns ever?

Bournemouth sat in 11th on 38 points. Burnley in 7th. City ran away with this title. Three teams averaging less than 1 point per game.

I reckon 35 points would have keep you up this year.

Top 6 where most of the points usually go have been weak and it shows across the whole table.

Too many defensive teams now resulting in low scores/draws?

[ElectroClaret]

Not particularly defensive teams, but the PL has attracted the core of the worlds best defenders.
Goals in the main now have to be worked hard for.

As for the points, 34 would have kept us up last season, so if it is 35, not much difference.
This "40 points" mantra is meaningless now.

[Dyched]

The importance of just hanging in this league is so important now. The new clubs have freshened it up and ALL kept the manager. Not even an ounce of talk about them going even if they go down. City had half their points before they’d kicked off most weeks.

I think we are seeing a new phase in the PL. The likes of Swansea, Southampton were teams to look up at a few years back. They’ve started to struggle. PL ever presents WBA, Stoke, maybe even Palace struggling.

Newcastle have a new lease of life under Benitez. I see Burnley, Bournemouth and Brighton as being the new so called “established” midtable sides for the next 5 years.

[Sidney1st]

Nah, more like clubs have signed and overpaid to many average players, coupled with managers who're not up to the job.

Throw in City changing how it's done and there's the explanation.
Chelsea players can't be arsed it appears yet again, Arsenal in decline and it's made it an interesting season.

Everton went about it all wrong with there summer transfers which has been amusing.

[starting_11]

Yeha I agree. I don't think it's ever been 40 or not very often. It is a "benchmark though"

I guess one could argue that it's actually been the hardest PL season ever, with the top 6 (city excepted) struggling against teams like us. The money has definitely evened out the playing field a lot I think and it gives teams like us a chance to compete more.

Looking back to our first PL campaign I was full of hope but jesus... would ANY of that team get anywhere near our starting 11 these days? Couldn't think of a single player I'd have in the squad, shows how much the extra money means to us.

[Spijed]

Has it been one of the softest PL campaigns ever?

Bournemouth sat in 11th on 38 points. Burnley in 7th. City ran away with this title. Three teams averaging less than 1 point per game.

I reckon 35 points would have keep you up this year.

Top 6 where most of the points usually go have been weak and it shows across the whole table.

Too many defensive teams now resulting in low scores/draws?

You've just contradicted yourself.

If the top 6 have been week then you also can't have lower points elsewhere. There would be more points at the bottom end.

Btw, the top 6 are gaining the same points per game ratio that they normally do.

Only thing I can find so far is this:
https://statsbomb.com/2014/01/the-premi ... -position/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But I can't imagine it will have changed much by a point or two in five years

[ClaretMoffitt]

Yeha I agree. I don't think it's ever been 40 or not very often. It is a "benchmark though"

I guess one could argue that it's actually been the hardest PL season ever, with the top 6 (city excepted) struggling against teams like us. The money has definitely evened out the playing field a lot I think and it gives teams like us a chance to compete more.

Looking back to our first PL campaign I was full of hope but jesus... would ANY of that team get anywhere near our starting 11 these days? Couldn't think of a single player I'd have in the squad, shows how much the extra money means to us.

I've said on many occasions that team under Coyle was genuinely poor. If it wasn't for that initial burst of enthusiasm that carried us some wins early in the season we would have been totally embarrassed that season.

Not one player in that side would get in our team today. Minus possibly wade elliot.

[Paint it claret]

Robbie Blake for me before elliot