Premier League report card - One year on
A year is an interesting benchmark to reflect on how much you've improved, or in some cases, got worse, so let's take a look at each of the 20 clubs in the English Premier League and see where they are in comparison to this exact point in time last year.
Looking at the table there (after 11 games), it really makes you appreciate what a job Paul Clement did at Swansea to keep them up, especially considering it wasn't until January he took over and by that point they were in an even worse state than the above.
Let's delve into this year and decide if each team has improved, got worse, or simply stayed the same.
20th (-4): Crystal Palace
Wins: 1 (-2) | Draws: 1 (-1) | Losses: 9 (+3) | GD: -18 (-15) | Points: 4 (-7)
To say they’ve had a torrid start to the season would be an understatement. Frank de Boer was sacked after just four league games, which, to simply put it, isn’t enough time for a manager to do what is required, especially for someone like de Boer who was trying to change the way that Palace played and that doesn’t happen overnight.
Hodgson hasn’t fared much better at all, in the seven games he’s taken charge of, he’s won one, drawn one and lost five. There were signs of improvements in their last game away at Spurs but they lacked that cutting edge which can make all the difference come the end of the season. Work cut out for Roy to keep them up.
19th (=): Swansea City
Wins: 2 (+1) | Draws: 2 | Losses: 7 (-1) | GD: -6 (+5) | Points: 8 (+3)
Not shifted in terms of league position from last season and the beginning of the 16/17 campaign had nothing to do with Clement as he only took over in January of this year, but it does have a familiar to feel to it. They seem to drop points where they shouldn’t be and that’ll be a worry for Clement.
One shining light for them, this year is loanee Tammy Abraham who has been called up to the England squad following his goalscoring exploits at the beginning of this season. Can he save them from the drop?
18th (-1): West Ham United
Wins: 2 (-1) | Draws: 3 (+1) | Losses: 6 (=) | GD: -12 (-3) | Points: 9 (-2)
Newly appointed David Moyes has certainly got his work cut out as he takes over a Hammers side in the bottom three. All is not lost though as this is a West Ham side that oozes quality from back to front and the position in the table is not a true reflection on that, however, if they continue to play the way they are, Moyes will be in for a long slog.
It could be argued that there were better people available than Moyes, but the decision has been made and whilst they should have enough to stay up, will the decision to appoint Moyes cost them in the long run?
17th (-4) AFC Bournemouth
Wins: 3 (=) | Draws: 1 (-2) | Losses: 7 (+2) | GD: -7 (-4) | Points: 10 (-2)
Bottom out of the three south coast clubs which will hurt Eddie Howe, but, like Everton, their issues seem to be beginning from the final third. Bournemouth love to play football which is easy on the eye, but one thinks they might need to come up with a plan B in case their passing game doesn’t work.
Despite that, one thing that is in their favour is the fact that they have survived before, something which the likes of Brighton and Huddersfield haven’t been through, so maybe, just maybe that could prove the difference come May.