Comments on: The Sweeper: Has the Recession Finally Caught Up the Big Four? http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/27/the-sweeper-has-the-recession-finally-caught-up-the-big-four/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:48:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Arthur Smith http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/27/the-sweeper-has-the-recession-finally-caught-up-the-big-four/comment-page-1/#comment-20997 Arthur Smith Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:50:53 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5912#comment-20997 during the height of the economic recession, our online and offline business in the US have suffered some major drop in sales. now our sales are getting slowly back to normal. during the height of the economic recession, our online and offline business in the US have suffered some major drop in sales. now our sales are getting slowly back to normal.

]]> By: Tim Vickerman http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/27/the-sweeper-has-the-recession-finally-caught-up-the-big-four/comment-page-1/#comment-18767 Tim Vickerman Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:36:49 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5912#comment-18767 Even the one club with the ability to buy players with little fear of debt interest payments, Manchester City, have fired their manager after an “unsatisfactory” sixth place finish before Christmas. Umm...don't think 6th place midway through the season quite qualifies as a 'finish'. Much in the same way that there's no such thing as a 'half-time result' or 'latest result' when 'score' is meant. Linguistic pedantry aside, there is nothing exceptional going on at the top of the Premier League this season. There may have been a few more defeats than normal but there are also fewer draws than usual so that actual points total per game is little different to previous seasons. As the article points out, the current top 3 are all members of the current 'Big Four' and look set to retain those spots with ease, having just seen Arsenal's 3-0 dismantling of Aston Villa. I believe it is fair to say the top sides in The Premier League are weaker than before but only in comparison with the other heavyweight European clubs. I wouldn't expect to see 3 Premier League teams in the Champions League semis this season mostly due to the strength of Barcelona and Real Madrid. The only hope of a fly in the ointment is that at least one of Villa, Spurs or Man City can snatch the 4th place away from a Liverpool side that have been dreadful yet still have a more than decent chance of salvaging their season with the last Champions League spot. They would then need to progress and get the additional Champions League revenues Everton failed to in 2005/06. Even the one club with the ability to buy players with little fear of debt interest payments, Manchester City, have fired their manager after an “unsatisfactory” sixth place finish before Christmas.

Umm…don’t think 6th place midway through the season quite qualifies as a ‘finish’. Much in the same way that there’s no such thing as a ‘half-time result’ or ‘latest result’ when ‘score’ is meant.

Linguistic pedantry aside, there is nothing exceptional going on at the top of the Premier League this season. There may have been a few more defeats than normal but there are also fewer draws than usual so that actual points total per game is little different to previous seasons. As the article points out, the current top 3 are all members of the current ‘Big Four’ and look set to retain those spots with ease, having just seen Arsenal’s 3-0 dismantling of Aston Villa. I believe it is fair to say the top sides in The Premier League are weaker than before but only in comparison with the other heavyweight European clubs. I wouldn’t expect to see 3 Premier League teams in the Champions League semis this season mostly due to the strength of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The only hope of a fly in the ointment is that at least one of Villa, Spurs or Man City can snatch the 4th place away from a Liverpool side that have been dreadful yet still have a more than decent chance of salvaging their season with the last Champions League spot. They would then need to progress and get the additional Champions League revenues Everton failed to in 2005/06.

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