End Of The Big 4 Stranglehold

[coxhoedave]

Ever since 2004 when the rules were amended to allow the top 4 English clubs to compete in the Champions league, the same big four clubs have competed. Only in 2005 when Everton finished in fourth was the top four strangle hold broken. However fifth placed Liverpool still competed in the Champions League as holders.

Is it all about to change?

Given the weak pound and the 50% higher tax bracket, a football club run on any sort of commercially viable basis is going to struggle to afford the real superstars of world football ahead of the likes of Real Madrid & Barcelona.

With this in mind it would be interesting to see how one of these clubs would fare if they failed to qualify for the Champions League and face life without the benefit of the huge amount of cash generated in the competition.

At the moment the most fragile of the top 4 must be Liverpool. They were a very poor second best against Sunderland last week and the fact the goal should have been disallowed shouldn't mask the fact.

Man City, having spent a net total of £98 million in the last transfer window is the obvious candidate to break into the exclusive club but Spurs and Villa also look strong. Sunderland are maybe another one to watch albeit in the coming seasons, if they can hold on to Steve Bruce and of course continues to benefit from Ellis Short's millions. They were the second biggest net spenders in the last window so it's maybe not as daft as a lot of non Mackems think!

Whoever it is it should be a welcome change for the majority of non big four supporters.

[Jimjim]

Villa, no, I see them fading same as last year. Spurs probably not, though they will play entertaining football like they usually do. Man City would easily be the best bet. If it happens this year, I guess at this exact moment it would look like Arsenal or Liverpool. I think it will happen eventually, and certainly could be this year.

Too far to go to really know who it would be if any. It certainly is a much more competitive league this season, though, which I think most fans can appreciate and makes it a bit more interesting.

Edited October 21, 2009 by Jimjim