A Quarter-Term Report on the Premier League Teams
The English top flight has given us another season packed full of drama in 2014-15, and as we enter the festive period, the time has come to look back and evaluate the Premier League term so far.
A quarter of the way into this campaign, Chelsea remain the only side yet to be beaten and have built a head of steam at the table's summit that shows no sign of stopping any time soon.
At the other end of the standings, all three promoted parties have also shown some level of predictability and make up the relegation-zone contingent.
Matters will undoubtedly change tremendously before May's klaxon is sounded, but here we assess each Premier League outfit, taking into account the performances and standards shown after 11 games.
Grading Criteria
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The grades allocated to each side won't necessarily be directly held in correlation with their place in the table. For example, Liverpool will have hoped to be far higher than 11th at this point in the season, while Southampton would have snapped at the chance to be second in mid-November at campaign's start.
Thus some teams have excelled in exceeding expectations, others wallowing below them and some simply performing rather in line with any pre-season projections.
That's only half the criteria, however, as performance also plays a big role. Each club will receive recognition for consistently showing promise on the pitch, regardless of whether or not their points haul thus far necessarily reflects it.
In all, the larger clubs will inevitably be judged more harshly in their respective reports, but such is the pressure of featuring so highly among England's giants.
Arsenal
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Current Position: 6th
Grade: C-
It seems a neverending cycle of championship contention followed by ultimate disappointment is set to go on at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal have yet again struggled to meet the standards put ahead of them.
The signing of Alexis Sanchez over the summer has proven a masterstroke in its own right, but a failure to sign talent in those areas where it's most crucially needed remains an ongoing issue for Arsene Wenger.
After winning just four of their 11 games so far this season, the Frenchman's side will find it tougher than ever to clinch a top-four spot, with the race for Champions League places now at its tightest.
So severe has the disappointment been that calls for Wenger's sacking ring loudly, Matt Law and Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph recently writing that his tactics are under examination.
Following the FA Cup win of 2013-14, it was thought more was to come from a club finishing either third or fourth for the last nine terms in a row now. In reality, though, it's been below par from the Gunners, whose squad reserves have been exploited as shallow far too frequently.
Aston Villa
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Current Position: 16th
Grade: E+
Their grade may seem low for a club who managed to go their first four games of the campaign unbeaten, but since mid-September, Aston Villa have failed to find much sense of Premier League positively.
Paul Lambert's weakest area has come in attack, with the club even forced to cancel their October Goal of the Month competition, having failed to score any.
The Villans' record still stands at just one goal in their last seven league outings, and though the absence of star striker Christian Benteke may explain some of that drought, such reliance on one player doesn't absolve the team of their offensive sins.
September's 1-0 win at Anfield now feels far away, and should the Premier League new boys be able to find form, Villa will find themselves caught in another relegation scrap.
Burnley
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Current Position: 20th
Grade: E-
Sean Dyche was recently buoyed to see his Burnley team find their first win of the 2014-15 league season, and after 11 games, one might be right to suggest that (very) slowly, they're showing signs of progression.
Nevertheless, the gulf in class has been clear for all to see in Burnley's case. Their tally of seven points after 11 games isn't far off Derby County's haul of six after 10 outings in the infamous relegation term of 2007-08.
The Turf Moor club were stringent in their spending over the summer, and it's something of a shame to admit it's shown thus far.
One encouraging aspect from Dyche's men has been a knack for shutting opponents out, and three consecutive stalemates against Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Sunderland earlier in the season make up for almost half their points.
However, those performances also showed a lack of ambition with the ball. It might be more appropriate to blame that shortcoming on the squad's ability, but alas, the club is swiftly rediscovering how difficult it is to score goals in the Premier League, just six to their name so far.
Chelsea
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Current Position: 1st
Grade: A+
"Smooth sailing" might be the term used to most aptly describe a season for Jose Mourinho which, for the most part, has been a pleasure to watch for any Stamford Bridge supporter.
It's to be somewhat expected after a busy summer of transfer activity, new arrivals Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas doing precisely what was asked of them upon coming to west London.
Costa in particular has been a revelation considering the former Atletico Madrid man was unversed in the Premier League, and his 10 goals have helped the Blues in establishing a healthy lead at table's summit.
Nine wins in their first 11 games of the campaign make for comfortable reading as far as Mourinho is concerned, and even draws against Manchester City and Manchester United can't dampen Chelsea spirits.
No side has been as attractively efficient in their work this season, with Chelsea's star-studded line-up thriving against opposition big and small but most importantly clinching results by any means necessary.
Crystal Palace
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Current Position: 17th
Grade: E
The departure of Tony Pulis from the management seat so close to season's beginning was always going to make for a tough term, and the reappointment of Neil Warnock perhaps didn't show forward-thinking to some.
As such, the identity established under Pulis has been lost in part, and what was last season seen as a tough, stingy defence to play against has opened up under the new helmsman.
In only three of their 11 games have the Eagles managed to concede fewer than two goals, and only four times have they managed to bag two or more of their own, excelling neither with nor without the ball.
In retrospect, that change of management may come back to haunt co-chairman Steve Parish as the club's Selhurst Park fortitude appears to have gone amiss, most of their points this season coming away from home.
Everton
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Current Position: 10th
Grade: C
Goodison Park rejoiced after Roberto Martinez's first campaign as Everton boss, getting the club back into Europe with a fifth-place finish and starting his Toffees tale in bright manner.
It's often the case that maintaining those aspirations can be a chore, though, and Everton are seeing first-hand the added competition of the Europa League can prove bothersome for a packed schedule.
Three defeats in 11 games is far from terrible, however, and though the season was slow to start, Everton remain an underlying threat. Martinez's shift in tactics is evident, with attack becoming the club's biggest forte and a bigger goal for evolution in sight.
A lot of mistakes have been forced by Everton's own hand, however, as Squawka pointed out in Week 11:
"The only Premier League side to have made more defensive errors leading directly to a goal this season than Sunderland (5) are Everton (6).
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 9, 2014"
Some of Everton's five draws this term have been bitter pills to swallow, games the team will feel they could have won and only four points setting them apart from the top four as things stand.
One gets the impression the Toffees are on the cusp of something bigger, needing only the slightest boost in form to once again recapture their top-four contention after a mixed first quarter of highs and lows.
Hull City
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Current Position: 15th
Grade: D
Steve Bruce has managed to almost replicate Hull City's 2013-14 campaign one year on, the Tigers three points worse off at this stage of the season than they were in the last.
The KC Stadium hasn't been short of excitement, that much can be said. Hull have scored 13 goals, only two fewer than fifth-place Swansea City, and conceded 15, only three more than third-place Manchester City.
However, it's perhaps that notion of not excelling in one area nor the other that's perhaps been a drawback as well as a strength of theirs.
Owner Assem Allam showed some ambition over the summer to bring in the likes of Abel Hernandez, Mohamed Diame and Robert Snodgrass, each of whom has impressed in his own way.
The club has its core and some degree of promise; however, consistency has eluded the Tigers in the season's opening exchanges, a Jekyll-and-Hyde outfit of sorts thus far.
Leicester City
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Current Position: 18th
Grade: D-
It all began so promisingly for Leicester City, who to some extent lived up to their title as 2013-14 Championship winners with two wins and two draws in their first five Premier League fixtures of this term.
However, when Leonardo Ulloa's form in front of goal dropped, so too did the Foxes' success as a whole, and Nigel Pearson's side now see their place in the table far more akin to that of a promoted party.
That record has since been followed up by five losses and one draw, the side failing to score in all those defeats, perhaps showing complacency among a team stacked with players inexperienced in the top flight.
So far, it's been a season of two halves, and Leicester's squad is shallow enough that they need their best out consistently if they're to compete. Should Ulloa rediscover his goal stride, they might bounce back, but again relying so much on one player isn't a healthy attribute.
Liverpool
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Current Position: 11th
Grade: D-
Brendan Rodgers would always have difficulty leading Liverpool to the same success of last season's second-place finish, and with Champions League football back at Anfield, fans would have perhaps settled for top four.
But even that's looking unlikely after seeing the new-look Reds fall upon hard times sans Daniel Sturridge. It was bad enough losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona over the summer, but the absence of their other 2013-14 scoring hero has made for rough times on Merseyside.
The likes of Dejan Lovren, Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno and, most notably, Mario Balotelli have fallen under the bus as below-par signings in retrospect, despite hopes being high for Liverpool at campaign's beginning.
The attacking sheen has been lost, and with that, the club have fallen from their perch. In fact, their 14-goal haul is matched by 17th-place Crystal Palace, showing how impacting the losses in attack have been.
However, it's no excuse. Enough money has been spent on this side that others should be capable of plugging the holes or at least a change in tactics leading to different priorities and a new impetus in other areas.
It hasn't been the case thus far.
Manchester City
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Current Position: 3rd
Grade: B-
Two defeats in their first 11 games of the season leave Manchester City eight points adrift of leaders Chelsea, but Manuel Pellegrini won't discard his side's title defence just yet.
After all, at this stage of last season, City had suffered four defeats, only to stage a resurgence in their remaining 27 matches and top the pile in May.
In a way, the club's Champions League struggles may turn out to be a positive, and an early exit from Europe might allow the side to focus fully on domestic matters, where silverware looks a lot more hopeful.
When City are at their best, there's arguably no team boasting as much depth and capable of playing as attractively as they do. However, the mentality of certain players might be questioned at times, lacking in resolve and allowing the likes of QPR, Stoke City and West Ham to take points off them.
Those results are the ones that will decide their season, as Pellegrini's outfit have at least performed against any of the top-six contenders they've met this term.
By their own standards, City will say they've been below optimum already this season, but even that has proven to be overwhelming for stretches.
Manchester United
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Current Position: 7th
Grade: C+
While some teams have missed that one key talisman or scoring figure this term, Manchester United have had to deal with a long list of injury concerns, primarily in defence.
Fans have been fed endless statistics relating to how often the centre-back partnership has changed—according to the club's official Twitter account, the recent 1-0 win over Crystal Palace showed their eighth of the campaign:
"Our in-depth match feature focuses on #mufc's eighth different centre-back pairing this term: http://t.co/DuUc0SE6FZ pic.twitter.com/R8BjVOXMnY
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 8, 2014"
Louis van Gaal may have been expected by some to launch an instant revival at Old Trafford, and though a bad worker may blame his tools, it's pertinent that the Dutchman has struggled for tools in general at the back.
Still, the club are not where they'd like to be. Weekly evaluations of the Red Devils cite that there is a positivity growing around the direction in which they're heading, however.
The post-Sir Alex Ferguson era is still impacting the club, it would seem, as the squad itself remains the focus, multiple managers now struggling to put together the pieces.
All in all, one might say Van Gaal is displaying the signs of a team in recovery, but a more vicious streak is needed to improve their win ratio, currently standing at four from 11 games.
Newcastle United
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Current Position: 8th
Grade: C+
Perhaps no other club has evidenced a more mirrored campaign than Newcastle United, a team manager Alan Pardew has coaxed into four straight victories after failing to win any of their first seven games.
The mood at St. James' Park and the disposition toward Pardew himself has altered, and where there was once despair now sits cause for optimism.
The team have also conceded just one in their last five games across all competitions as the squad appear to have unearthed the elusive "click," summer signings such as Ayoze Perez and Daryl Janmaat starting to fit in with the ethos.
It also help that existing figureheads, players like Papiss Demba Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini, have come into steady veins of form, but even that can't mask the shortcomings of an awful start just yet.
Queens Park Rangers
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Current Position: 19th
Grade: E
Queens Park Rangers put a certain pressure on themselves to perform at this level by investing in their squad as they do. There are clubs who have long been a part of the Premier League fraternity who would love to have Tony Fernandes' spending power.
As a result, we might expect more from the west Londoners, who sit lodged among the bottom three after suffering seven defeats already, failing as of yet to put two successive results together.
It's a case of different season, same issues at Loftus Road to some extent. The talent may be there, but Harry Redknapp's team lack a code among their men, and complaints of a lack in desire to represent the badge may still be well-placed.
With only two clean sheets to their name, it's clear defence might be the first area addressed in January, but the truth is that all areas are sub-par when taking into account the tens of millions spent this past summer and those of years gone by.
Southampton
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Current Position: 2nd
Grade: A+
Second only to Chelsea after 11 matches and with every neutral in England adoring the project developing at St. Mary's Stadium, it's fair to say Southampton are the shock package of 2014-15.
Ronald Koeman has picked the Saints up from the squad losses seen over the summer and instead of lingering on those departed stars has come upon new bastions of equal or better worth.
Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic, Sadio Mane, Fraser Forster and Ryan Bertrand have slipped seamlessly into the Dutchman's side, who have not only done terrifically to earn 25 points from a possible 33 but have looked good doing it.
What's more, their five goals conceded is the stingiest tally of any in the English top flight and less than half of what leaders Chelsea have managed.
History might dictate that this hype will come to a close at some point; logic would say it's inevitable given Southampton's size in relation to others. Koeman doesn't strike as the type to genuinely believe that, though, and the dream of European football is very much alive in his first term, the best example of a team operating well above their means.
Stoke City
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Current Position: 9th
Grade: B-
It's difficult to get a fix on Stoke City; this is a side that, in the Mark Hughes era, continue to shift toward a more threatening style of play but yet appear to shoot themselves in the foot at times.
An opening-day defeat at home to Aston Villa was perhaps the best example of this, but fans of the club might argue players have settled since then and things are improving.
That remains just one of two home losses this season, and claiming results against the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham, West Ham and Swansea City also gives cause for joy at the Britannia.
The Potters have yet to manage three results in a row, however, tending to follow one or two impressive displays up with one that would bring them back to ground.
Another way of looking at that would be to say Stoke have yet to register back-to-back losses, a far more positive viewpoint.
That would seem a resolvable issue, though, and Hughes can't be overly criticised for transforming club expectations, their current top-half stature something to be praised.
Sunderland
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Current Position: 14th
Grade: C
A four-game unbeaten streak, the utterly abysmal feeling of an 8-0 defeat and Santiago Vergini's contender for the worst own goal scored in the history of ever, per the Irish Times's Ken Early. Sunderland's 2014-15 has had a bit of everything:
"another view of vergini's rocket https://t.co/YGz4vKQQ8O
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) October 18, 2014"
The Black Cats have lost just three games, an encouraging enough record by all means. Follow that statistic up with the fact they've managed only two wins, though, and it puts matters into perspective.
Some of the club's six draws have been frustrating, others somewhat fortunate, and as such it's hard to ascertain what Gus Poyet can hope for this season.
The slightest dip in form and it appears the northeast outfit could tail toward the bottom three again, the most minor of boosts and a top-half finish may yet become attainable.
Cutting out their own errors is a priority. Blunders in defence must be stopped in order to give the midfield heart, and there is a core of player under Poyet's command who could produce much bigger things.
In summary, though, it's been fairly average by all accounts, with no great cause to get ahead of one's self but establishing a safe enough net to not feel downtrodden, either.
Swansea City
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Current Position: 5th
Grade: B
Once again the only Welsh outfit operating under the Premier League banner, Swansea City are proving a bother to their English peers and once again storming the division's upper echelon after a mixed bag of results thus far.
Winning their first three outings of 2014-15, the Swans then had their wings clipped in failing to win any of their following five, only to now come upon another unbeaten streak, this one currently three matches deep.
The most recent of those was a stellar 2-1 turnaround at home to Arsenal, which manager Garry Monk was all too happy to rejoice in afterwards:
"Incredibly proud of the team today. A real squad effort. Jack army did the team proud as well. Enjoy your night. #swans
— Garry Monk (@GarryMonk16) November 9, 2014"
After a victory like that, it's difficult to see where draws against Sunderland and Newcastle came from, but the only thing the club will care about is that they've since reacted well to that temporary lull in results.
Creating chances has been a concern at the Liberty Stadium, Squawka showing that Swansea have managed to construct 76 opportunities this term, only Aston Villa (69) doing worse.
At least they appear to be taking those chances, however, three of their five wins this campaign coming by margins of just one goal.
Tottenham Hotspur
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Current Position: 12th
Grade: E
Two weeks into the season and spirits were high at White Hart Lane, Tottenham clinching two wins from two and flying high among the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City at the time.
It swiftly became clear that a 1-0 win over a West Ham team taking time to find its groove and a thrashing of QPR weren't as impressive as first thought, however, and things have deteriorated since then.
Mauricio Pochettino has done well to revive some players' fortunes on the individual level, notably giving Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela a renewed sense of importance, while Harry Kane's growth has been pleasing to watch.
But on the team scale, it's been a disappointment to see just two more wins in the nine outings since those opening triumphs, Spurs now in 12th and with any hopes of Europe seemingly done and dusted.
In a way, the poor recruitment of 2013 still haunts Pochettino, similar to that of how Van Gaal may rue the investments made at Old Trafford in years prior to his arrival.
It's only half the tale, though, and suffering defeats in games they'd be rightfully expected to win—West Brom, Stoke City, Newcastle, all at home—have been allowed to pass them by.
West Bromwich Albion
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Current Position: 13th
Grade: C
Had you asked West Brom's supporters whether or not they would accept four defeats and 13th place after 11 games, you'd have been likely to receive a 50-50 divide in yes or no answers.
That would be the most apt way of detailing a season of averages at the Hawthorns, and Alan Irvine can't be criticised too heavily for at least establishing some consistency in his first Premier League managerial post.
The Baggies have claimed their share of scalps; draws against Southampton and Manchester United will be cherished, whereas sharing spoils with Sunderland and Crystal Palace might be seen as missed opportunities.
West Brom are at least yet to lose to a team currently below them in the table, which can often be the margins upon which a relegation race is decided.
In the race for growth and development, however, West Brom may feel their aspirations should fall beyond mere survival.
West Ham United
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Current Position: 4th
Grade: A
If there were an award for most improved attacking team this season, West Ham would be odds-on favourites at this point.
Just a quarter of the way through 2014-15 and already the Hammers have bagged 19 goals, despite managing just 40 in the entirety of last season, a number they're on course to eclipse by some margin.
That improvement has been largely due to the acquisitions of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia, reliable attackers who have long been awaited at Upton Park and are quickly repaying Sam Allardyce's faith.
It also helps that Stewart Downing has come upon arguably the best form of his career to date, so impressive that it's earned him a recall to the England squad.
Eleven games in and West Ham have five wins and three draws to take fourth place as things stand. As the likes of Southampton and Swansea may also find, it may be hard to maintain, but as of yet, attack is proving the best form of defence for Allardyce's improving prospects.
