Manchester City H Build up Sun 13th 13.37 Sky Sports 1

[Shaggy]

I think the middle teams are significantly weaker this year.

But the numbers don't back that up. 7th place is 7 points better off this season, 8th and 9th both 4 points better off this season, 10th the same.

This season:

7. Manchester Utd 57pts
8. Southampton 48
9. Newcastle 46
10. Stoke 40

Last season:

7. Liverpool 50pts
8. West Brom 44
9. Swansea 41
10. Fulham 40

[G]

Some mischief on Mudds part I reckon. I think he just wanted you to do those numbers cos every other part of the league had its turn

[Shaggy]

Haha!

You're right. Serves me right for trying to do three things at once

Cunt Mudds

[The Birdman]

It's ok Shaggy I agree with you x

[captainfog]

I would be more interested in a comparison over the last 5 years than just comparing with last season. The other thing that would be interesting to see would be the number of points needed to be safe. Didn't it used to be around 40? Its in the mid 30s now.

[Muddled]

I wasn't being entirely serious, more a tad mischiveous.

I'm in the corner that believes the standard has gone up. Definitely more so than last year. Look at the number of games that have been drawn this season - that's where the point increases come from. Only two teams are in double digits. Such is the standard of the Premiership this year, we've seen teams pull off shock victories rather than play for a draw.

EDIT:

Some mischief on Mudds part I reckon. I think he just wanted you to do those numbers cos every other part of the league had its turn

Haha!

You're right. Serves me right for trying to do three things at once

Cunt Mudds

[captainfog]

Last season was probably a nadir in the league. I'll happily agree with that.

[Rigadon]

This thread Why does it matter if the Prem is stronger or weaker? And what's it got to do with Liverpool v City? I've probably completely missed the point

[Muddled]

I don't have Shaggy's stamina, so I only went back as far as 2010/11, but to give you some figures:

Draws in the Premier League by April.

2010/11 - 206
2011/12 - 174
2012/13 - 198
2013/14 - 138

[Shaggy]

This thread Why does it matter if the Prem is stronger or weaker? And what's it got to do with Liverpool v City? I've probably completely missed the point

It started when Dom said City under Pellegrini are no stronger than they were last season and it branched out from there.

[Roboklopp]

Surely points taken is largely irrelevant to the standard of the league as the teams are only competing against each other and therefore the same paradigm can be mapped against any league with the same number of players.

For example, if the Championship had 20 teams too, in theory the leagues could mirror each other exactly in terms of points distribution. Accordingly, if the overall level of the Premiership dropped from one year to the next, the same mirroring of points distribution could occur. It's simply a mathematical variable, not an indicator of quality.

Whilst I'm making no judgements on Shaggy's argument, I do think he has argued it very weakly - uncharacteristically so- and needs another basis if he is to succeed in concvincing anyone with his "facts."

[Reece]

Anyone else looking forward to our game against City? I know am. Wish someone would start a thread where we can discuss it.

[Leyton388]

The premier league this year could be like the SPL for all i care as long as we win the league.

[dom9]

This thread Why does it matter if the Prem is stronger or weaker? And what's it got to do with Liverpool v City? I've probably completely missed the point

It started when Dom said City under Pellegrini are no stronger than they were last season and it branched out from there.

I do love a good thread hijack.

Anyway, there are a finite number of games to play, and therefore a finite number of points to grab.

All the stats quoted so far mean that there have been fewer draws this season as Muddled has correctly pointed out. The comparative distribution of those points from one season to the next is not an accurate differentiator of quality in each period, it just illustrates the sequence of results within each sample period.

So there.

[Shaggy]

Surely points taken is largely irrelevant to the standard of the league as the teams are only competing against each other and therefore the same paradigm can be mapped against any league with the same number of players.

For example, if the Championship had 20 teams too, in theory the leagues could mirror each other exactly in terms of points distribution. Accordingly, if the overall level of the Premiership dropped from one year to the next, the same mirroring of points distribution could occur. It's simply a mathematical variable, not an indicator of quality.

Whilst I'm making no judgements on Shaggy's argument, I do think he has argued it very weakly - uncharacteristically so- and needs another basis if he is to succeed in concvincing anyone with his "facts."

Surely if the majority of teams have to attain a higher points total than they did the previous reason to reach any given position then it is more competitive and more difficult.