English Premier League Power Poll: Week 7

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As the weeks roll by and the results pile up, the one certainty in the B/R English Premier League Power Poll remains the same.

Chelsea stand alone at the top.

The rest is a bit more murky, and that's where we come in. Which Manchester club should be second? What about Spurs and Arsenal?

Find out the answer to all those questions and more inside.

Click here for last week's rankings.

Click here for the Premier League table.

Methodology

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For these rankings, the voters cast their ballots based on the "power rankings" style.

That means voters ranked each club based on which teams they thought were the best, keeping in mind recent results and the league table.

Eight B/R personalities voted in this week's poll, and all the votes were counted on a points system. A first-place vote counted as 20 points, a second-place vote as 19 and so on.

 

Explanation of terms

Points: The total number of points the team received via our voters' rankings. A first-place vote counted as 20 points, a second-place vote as 19 and so on.

Last-place votes: The number of last-place votes the team received from our voters.

First-place votes: The number of first-place votes the team received from our voters.

Last week: The team's ranking in the previous poll.

Table: The team's position in the English Premier League table, along with current points total. Click here for the full table.

Results: The team's results since our last rankings.

Fixtures: The team's upcoming matches.

Meet the Voters

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Aliko Carter: B/R front-page editor. @AlikoCarter

John Greely: B/R front-page editor. @johnwgreely

Adam Hirshfield: B/R deputy editor. @ahirshfield

Dan Levy: B/R national lead writer. @DanLevyThinks

Brad Read: B/R world football newsletter. @ReadBrad

Sean Swaby: B/R featured columnist coordinator. @seanswaby

Will Tidey: B/R world football lead writer and editor. @willtidey

Michael Cummings: B/R world football lead writer and poll organizer. @MikeCummings37

20. Queens Park Rangers

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Points: 10

Last-place votes: 6

Last week: 20

Table: 20th, 2 points

Results: Lost 3-2 at West Brom

Fixtures: Home to Everton, Oct. 21

Another week, another loss. Can we expect another big signing in January? Or another manager?

Dan: I have a friend who is just starting to follow soccer. I'm begging him to start rooting for QPR. We all should be rooting for QPR. And no, I have no earthly idea why.

19. Norwich City

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Points: 15

Last-place votes: 2

Last week: 18

Table: 19th, 3 points

Results: Lost 4-1 at Chelsea

Fixtures: Home to Arsenal, Oct. 20

Norwich are one of three teams left that have yet to win. Wanna guess who the other two are?

18. Reading

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Points: 26

Last week: 19

Table: 18th, 3 points

Results: Drew 2-2 at Swansea

Fixtures: At Liverpool, Oct. 20

Reading were so close to that all-important first win, but the Royals let their 2-0 lead slip away at Swansea.

Not that the result was harsh. Both of Reading's goals came completely against the run of play, and Swansea dominated possession throughout.

17. Aston Villa

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Points: 37

Last week: 15

Table: 16th, 5 points

Results: Lost 2-0 at Spurs

Fixtures: At Fulham, Oct. 20

Maybe the whole issue of whether to play Christian Benteke at striker ahead of Darren Bent doesn't really matter. This team has scored twice in its last three games.

Dan: They might have been better served to get relegated last year. That way they could actually win a few matches this season.

16. Southampton

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Points: 39

Last week: 17

Table: 17th, 4 points

Results: Drew 2-2 home to Fulham

Fixtures: At West Ham, Oct. 20

Southampton are no longer in the relegation zone, but record signing Gaston Ramirez is set for a long injury layoff.

Adam: Though they're just a point out of the relegation zone, the Saints are tied for eighth in the EPL in goals scored with 12. Of course, they've allowed a league-high 20...but who's counting? This is a fun team to watch.

John: Four of the Saints' five losses have been to City, United, Arsenal and Everton. Sitting in 17th place isn't perfect, but don't write off this team just yet. I expect a mid-table push once the schedule eases up a bit.

15. Wigan Athletic

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Points: 46

Last week: 16

Table: 15th, 5 points

Results: Drew 2-2 home to Everton

Fixtures: At Swansea, Oct. 20

We've said it before, but it's still true. The inevitable relegation fight is looming.

Still, the Latics nearly pulled off a fine win against high-flying Everton. Nearly.

Dan: I saw Roberto Martinez doing TV for Sky Sports during halftime of the Barca-Real Madrid match. He is on TV so often, I wouldn't doubt if he's commentating on Wigan's matches by January.

14. Swansea City

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Points: 59

Last week: 14

Table: 11th, 8 points

Results: Drew 2-2 home to Reading

Fixtures: Home to Wigan, Oct. 20

There are two ways to look at Swansea's home draw with struggling Reading. On one hand, it could be seen as the latest in a string of disappointing results after a hot start.

Or it could be seen as a fine comeback from two goals behind.

Adam: Oh, you're not happy about being down this low? STOP LOOKING AT ME, SWANS!

13. Sunderland

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Points: 68

Last week: 11

Table: 13th, 7 points

Results: Lost 3-0 at Man City

Fixtures: Home to Newcastle, Oct. 21

On the bright side, Sunderland didn't draw again, nor did the Black Cats rely on Steven Fletcher for their goals.

Oh, wait...

12. Liverpool

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Points: 71

Last week: 13

Table: 14th, 6 points

Results: Drew 0-0 home to Stoke

Fixtures: Home to Reading, Oct. 20

The momentum from the thumping of Norwich City is gone. Can Brendan Rodgers create some momentum?

Adam: I'm one of the few people who seems to enjoy the Being: Liverpool show, but this team is still hard to watch on the pitch. How long can their mediocre play continue?

11. Stoke City

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Points: 81

Last week: 12

Table: 12th, 8 points

Results: Drew 0-0 at Liverpool

Fixtures: At Manchester United, Oct. 20

Funny how a scoreless draw can kill one team's momentum (Liverpool), but can fuel another's (uh, Stoke).

Oh, and Robert Huth is a lucky, lucky boy.

10. Newcastle United

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Points: 86

Last week: 9

Table: 10th, 9 points

Results: Lost 3-0 home to Man United

Fixtures: At Sunderland, Oct. 21

Last year's home game against Manchester United ended 3-0 as well—except, well, you know.

John: Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League last year. They then kicked off the new campaign by beating Tottenham. Since that opener, their only win is 1-0 at home to Norwich. What on Earth is happening there?

9. West Ham United

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Points: 94

Last week: 7 (tie)

Table: 8th, 11 points

Results: Lost 3-1 home to Arsenal

Fixtures: Home to Southampton, Oct. 20

Flying high a week ago, West Ham fell back a bit after a tough home loss to London rivals Arsenal.

8. Fulham

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Points: 96

Last week: 10

Table: 9th, 10 points

Results: Drew 2-2 at Southampton

Fixtures: Home to Aston Villa, Oct. 20

Fulham's matchup with Southampton promised goals and delivered four. We were kinda hoping for even more.

7. West Bromwich Albion

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Points: 112

Last week: 7 (tie)

Table: 6th, 14 points

Results: Won 3-2 home to QPR

Fixtures: Home to Man City, Oct. 20

West Brom received all eight seventh-place votes for a "perfect" seventh-place score of 112 points.

Have the Baggies found their spot in the table?

6. Arsenal

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Points: 125

Last week: 6

Table: 7th, 12 points

Results: Won 3-1 at West Ham

Fixtures: At Norwich, Oct. 20

Arsenal recorded a morale-boosting 3-1 win away to West Ham...and stayed in the same spot in our poll.

Is that because none of the teams ahead of them lost? Or is it because our voters aren't overly impressed with Arsene Wenger's team?

5. Tottenham Hotspur

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Points: 129

Last week: 5

Table: 5th, 14 points

Results: Won 2-0 home to Aston Villa

Fixtures: Home to Chelsea, Oct. 20

After yet another win, there's a lot to like in the white half of North London.

John: Since three disappointing results to open the season, Spurs have won four straight, including two on the road. This calls for an AVB fist pump!

4. Everton

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Points: 132

Last week: 2

Table: 4th, 14 points

Results: Drew 2-2 at Wigan

Fixtures: At QPR, Oct. 21

So, a 2-2 draw at Wigan, eh? That's not the beginning of the end, right? End of the beginning?

John: Everton's most impressive win since beating United in the opener is...Swansea? The only top-half squad the Toffees have played since was a match vs. West Brom, which they lost 2-0. Just sayin'.

Dan: Has the fall begun already? If they can just get to January. Just...get...to...January...

3. Manchester City

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Points: 145

Last week: 3

Table: 3rd, 15 points

Results: Won 3-0 home to Sunderland

Fixtures: At West Brom, Oct. 20

Over the weekend Manchester City finally recorded their first clean sheet of the season. After whipping Sunderland 3-0, Roberto Mancini's men are third in the table and looking scary.

2. Manchester United

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Points: 149

Last week: 4

Table: 2nd, 15 points

Results: Won 3-0 at Newcastle

Fixtures: Home to Stoke, Oct. 20

It's been a bit all-or-nothing this season for Manchester United, who have looked solid (well, mostly) in their five wins and rather underwhelming in their two defeats.

This much is sure: Those opening 15 minutes against Newcastle were breathtaking. And Wayne Rooney sure does look good in that playmaker role.

Dan: At some point, those two losses are going to come back to haunt them.

1. Chelsea

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Points: 160

First-place votes: 8

Last week: 1

Table: 1st, 19 points

Weeks at No. 1: 6 (updated for Oct. 10)

Results: Won 4-1 home to Norwich

Fixtures: At Spurs, Oct. 20

Chelsea won again over the weekend and once again came in as a unanimous first-place selection in our power poll.

A stern test awaits after international week as the Blues visit white-hot Tottenham.

John: Chelsea looked like Barcelona against Norwich this week, but then again so did Liverpool last week. Still, no reason to bump the Blues from the top spot.

 

Follow @MikeCummings37