FANS COMMENT

The Big Four and the Mini-League

I'd like to question the views of those who say we should be satisfied to be top of the second mini-league within the Premiership, or views to that effect. Those who see the Big Four as an impenetrable boys' club.

I agree that those four teams are ahead of the others in wealth (only Newcastle and Spurs can come close to competing), ability to draw in world-class players, European pedigree and media coverage. What I disagree with is the belief that somehow we can't get in amongst them in the league.

Look back at the past three seasons (including this one). 04-05: Everton broke up the big four with Bolton not far behind. 05-06: a dodgy curry denies Spurs a place in the Champion's League. 06-07: Bolton blow their chance to capitalise on an Arsenal collapse, taking Everton's hopes with them.

Ok so only Everton have actually succeeeded in those three years, but the stories hardly tell tales of four clubs soaring high above the rest. The Big Four are a media and financial invention and they are far from impenetrable. Whilst Spurs and Everton continually improve their squads, can anyone say Liverpool or Arsenal are really any better than they were five years ago?

Many have pointed out that we really only have ourselves to blame for not being in the top four this season. Similarly in 04-05 you may have forgotten we collapsed in the second half of the season after Gravesen left. Prior to that, we were hanging about 2nd and 3rd. Hardly the stuff of plucky losers mixing it with their betters.

I would agree that surpassing Chelsea and Man Utd are at this time out of our reach. Yet Chelsea's success is based on an unsustainable operational defecit. If Abramovich leaves they will be forced to sell and sell big. As for Liverpool and Arsenal, I don't see either of their squads as signficantly in excess of either our's or Spurs'. Take Gerrard out of Liverpool and I honestly believe they are no better than us man-for-man AND we have a better 'team'. Arsenal are coached by a man who can only play one way, it's a pretty way, but it means, if you find a way round it, you can do it everytime. Witness ourselves and Bolton consistently achieving good results against them.

So let's drop this mythologising of the fabled Big Four. They are there to be taken down. They deserve to be taken down because the reality is that although they have the attributes of an oligrachy in terms of media and finance, in footballing terms it's a skillful piece of misdirection to fool us into believing they're better than us.

And I mean better in a 'class' sense; somehow they're portrayed as the aristocracy to our serfs. With the help of G14 they aim to secure this class structure. Anyone fancy being terrified? Read the entireity of the G14 website. It's like a handbook to arrogance and dictatorship. Think Blair's obsessed with securing his legacy? He's got nothing on the self-appointed big boys of football. I say football, but of course there's very little football discussed on G14, it's about securing their financial position not their footballing one.

THAT, right there, is where we come in. They are not above, they are not inately superior and they have no divine right to play in the Champion's League. Anyone who buys into this belief in mini-leagues, best of the rest, drastic drops in quality outside the top four, impenetrable positions or any of that nonsense... You are simply perpetuating the myth! In footballing terms, they are one single small step ahead of us.

I firmly believe that ourselves and Spurs are highly capable of turning it into a 'big six' within a couple of seasons and Bolton are capable of coming along for the ride.

So let's hear none of this rubbish about fifth being the best we can hope for. In my view, the best we can realistically hope for from next season is to finish third and Spurs finish fourth and then get together with the Spurs fans to celebrate humiliating our arrogant neighbours by exposing the fallacy of their dominance. And you know what? IT'S POSSIBLE!

Responses:

Excellent, John. Well said, Sir!
Michael Kenrick

Total balderdash. Whilst people continue to believe this and pay their money week in week out, sadly nothing will change. The Big 4 are far and away ahead of everyone else and the gap is getting wider. Everton getting 4th two years ago was a wonderful fluke vividly exposed in Bucharest which will happen very infrequently for us or anyone else. I'm just pleased that one Chairman has had the courage to break the silence on this issue and push for change.
Geoff

I agree with you, John, but only up to a point. As Everton have already proved, it is possible to crack the top four and displace one of the supposed "untouchables" from the Champions League qualification places, but the real obstacle is being able to do it consistently so as to break the stanglehold that the Premiership's G-14 members have on the domestic game's top honours.

The pressure of European qualification on us was a major factor in the fact that we couldn't follow up the 4th-placed finish with entry to Europe again the following season. The Big Four's financial resources mean they will always be able buy strength in depth to carry them through simultaneous domestic and Continental campaigns. Sure, having the cash to splash on the best players is no guarantee of success, but being able to buy enough of them is the key.

Until the likes of us, Bolton and Spurs are able to match those resources more closely, the gulf between the Big Four and the "Mini League" will remain as wide as it feels today.
Lyndon

We owe it to ourselves as Blues to break into this so called 'Big Four.' Remember how 'Big' the RS were in the 70s? Well it didn't last and Man U or Chelsea won't always be top. Look at Arsenal's position compared to when they went unbeaten all season. Other teams will come and go. At the start of every season I dream of being champions. I witnessed it not too many seasons ago and I believe it will come. A little more consitency at home would have yielded six more points this season (Wigan, 'Boro & Man City) and given our neighbours something to worry (and moan on any football phone in) about. Nil Satis and all that, it really means something, 'Nothing But Fifth is Good Enough' just doesn't work for me.
Simon Jones

I agree. While Man Utd and Chelsea have beaten us this season, we've bested both Liverpool and Arsenal. And let's not forget Chelsea only just beat us in the dying minutes of a game where we were the equal of them for long periods. This leaves only United as the only team that have really outplayed us this season, and the way they've played this season they've outplayed nearly everybody! We've also been robbed of at least 10 points on bad decisions regarding AJ's penalty claims, which would put us above Liverpool, challenging for 3rd no less. So let's forget this myth about the big 4; we're more than the equal of Arsenal and Liverpool, so roll on next season when we can show them who's really a top 4 team in more than just wealth!
Scott Eaton

 

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