The so called big six, now and in a couple of seasons

[ex_pat_magpie]

A couple of seasons ago there was probably no doubt that most would say, Manure, Citeh, Liverpool, Chelski, Arse-anal and Spuds.

Just look at the league table now and see how Manure and Spuds have slipped down and considering their financial problems will endure a very slow recovery. Both Citeh and Chelski have become easily beatable at times this season.

Their is a bit of turmoil at Liverpool, way above management level and a few contract problems to sort out amongst an ageing squad, and as we saw last game v Chelski the midfield replacing the first team regular starters were not up to standard.

That leaves Arsenal, ready to crumble needing to revamp their squad but reluctant to pay the high wages which the players on their purchase list demand.

This leads me to wonder, which clubs will be the constant big six in a couple of seasons time.

I would guess, ourselves, Liverpool and Chelski, who have the finances to recover, as well of course Citeh, provided that their coming penalties don't result in relegation, perhaps Villa and another from the better run out siders.

[Zippity]

Would be great if the old otrder changed, Pat.

What's frustrating is that either Spurs or Man U are likely to be in the Champions League next season with all the extra finance that comes with it.

[Jammy89]

I find it so gutting that it'll be one of those two. It feels so undeserved - I do get that it's deserved by winning Europa but still.

[Ragatino]

Would be great if the old otrder changed, Pat.

What's frustrating is that either Spurs or Man U are likely to be in the Champions League next season with all the extra finance that comes with it.

We know that Spurs have a chance of utterly bottling it in Norway. Only 2 goals up and Glimt are a genuine dark horse of European football these days.

Will Bilbao be able to find 3 goals and take it to pens at the swamp against the filth? Not sure but I live in hope our Basque cousin, the Spanish Geordies can find the steel and grit they need to cause an upset.

Keep the faith that both teams revert to type and completely bottle it at the crucial moment.

[toptoon]

Even if ManU dont make CL, they?re still a few sensible decisions away from challenging top 4 again because, and only because, of PSR. Theyd need to have several poor seasons like this one with no CL football, giving time for the plastics to fall away, their CL coefficient to fall and their appeal as an ?I support ManU? gloss to wear off.
Its the nature of the beast that is there to protect the high income clubs and is a huge kick in the nuts for sporting integrity and the beautiful game.

[Ragatino]

Even if ManU dont make CL, they?re still a few sensible decisions away from challenging top 4 again because, and only because, of PSR. Theyd need to have several poor seasons like this one with no CL football, giving time for the plastics to fall away, their CL coefficient to fall and their appeal as an ?I support ManU? gloss to wear off.
Its the nature of the beast that is there to protect the high income clubs and is a huge kick in the nuts for sporting integrity and the beautiful game.

I watch a lot of content when travelling. Man U fans are certain that they've about 8 players short of being competitive.

If they didn't have the revenue streams they'd bankrupt. They ?300m in player payments alone.

No one is gonna buy Casimero, he's on ?320,00 a week. Same with so many other players. Sociedad can't afford that Fraud Antony's transfer nor his salary.

Their entire squad has very little resale value.

Mainoo could go for ?40m but any talk of him being ?60-80+ is a joke, he's still trying to climb out of Miley's back pocket.

Rashford's attitude will cost them a massive transfer. He want's Barca, they have no money and don't need or want him. Wolves have made an offer of ?45m for Rashford. I recon he'll end up at Either Chelsea of Spurs.

He's always flattered to deceive, never thought he was world class. If he played for Norwich or Leicester he'd be a ?25m player.

[toptoon]

They have massive financial clout though. Any other club would be in trouble with the poor recruitment and management there. PSR was supposed to protect clubs against this but is clearly only preventing other clubs from closing the gap on the high income clubs while they flounder about. The biggest joke of all is the european co-efficient. ?I get more money than you for the same performance in Europe because my club has more history there.? I mean, WTF? Sounds like something the Brazilian government would make up.

[Ragatino]

They have massive financial clout though. Any other club would be in trouble with the poor recruitment and management there. PSR was supposed to protect clubs against this but is clearly only preventing other clubs from closing the gap on the high income clubs while they flounder about. The biggest joke of all is the European co-efficient. ?I get more money than you for the same performance in Europe because my club has more history there.? I mean, WTF? Sounds like something the Brazilian government would make up.

I think we all agree that the financial rules are a shame. Whether they were brought in with the best of intentions to genuinely ensure the financial security of teams or if they were merely a shady form of control to placate the likes of Real Madrid et al to stop them from breaking away from UEFA and starting their own closed league / sporting money laundry is irrelevant at this point. They're here to stay and we need to navigate the waters as best we can.

We're seeing that the wreckless spending of Europe's legacy clubs. Barcelona's financial situation is well documented. They've sold the next 10 yrs of TV rights - That's all the money that Barcelona will generate from TV revenue for the next decade to cover their outstanding debts. That's not put them in the clear. The Spotify stadium deal is also another short term fix which will have a much bigger impact long term.

Real Madrid should be investigated for 'Tapping up'. They are not paying for transfer fees anymore because they skint. They don't have money to spend. They couldn't afford MBappe but the deal went on and on for 2 seasons before he signed on a free.

They were tapping up Alfonso Davies from Bayern, Davies just signed a new contract in Feb which runs to 2030. However, the managed to get TAA out of Liverpool on a free. However, it points the fact that don't have money to spend and have exploiting their reputation to screw other clubs out of any transfer fee.

So the background is well understood. Back to the Prem 'Big 6'.

The above comments from you guys are bang on. What is becoming apparent is that the whole forced narrative of an 'Elite within an Elite'. The fact is that Liverpool where a joke before Klopp. They had a few moments but the were mid-table in the early years of the Prem.

Spurs... I think you all know my thoughts on them. The cleg on a cows backside. Credit to Levy for building the brand and using his business acumen to position them as part of this fabled Big 6, however, they're a complete irrelevance in reality. They're completely skint. They're paying off their stadium debt. They don't spend big on transfers and the rise of other teams is exposing them for the losers they are.

Chelsea's dodgy dealings will have to be investigated as some point. However, Master's crooks have their hands with their claims against Man City. They will lose that case and they'll probably have to resign en mas. The next regime will have to look into the practices of Chelsea. Their women's team sale for £100m? is insane. Absolute fraud. I truly believe if City weren't challenging the APT and facing the 115 then Chelsea would be sanctioned.

So rambling aside.

My point is that in the next 3-5 yrs there won't be a 'Big 6'. Well, there never was. However, as mentioned, with the rise of Villa, Us & Forest there are many other clubs that will be competing for the Champions League spots.

With a lot of clubs playing 'Money ball' Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and all being run well, trading well and making good money to facilitate their challenge for Europe the gap between the previous big spenders and the 'middle order' teams is much closer.

In that sense PSR is being successful. The crooks who concocted these rules to protect their status at the top are now suffering at the hands of their own scheme. Hoisted by their own petard .

The Premier League is the most competitive league on earth and will continue to be more and more competitive. More teams have come to the party.

With the influx of US owners looking to cash in and take their teams to the Champions League, they're spend and spend until the bubble bursts. They can't all compete, they can't all win titles and trophies. Only one team can be champion.

Great thing is that we are perfectly placed to take advantage of the situation. City Likewise. Our owners are not in it for the short term game or to make huge profits. Again this is why the US cartel of owners are doing everything possible to block us out and also force punishments on City.

To wrap up.

The top 6 will be go away and 10 clubs will fight for the top 4 positions. The longer the Filth, Spuds, and the others miss out on the European Revenues the better and the more likely they are to suffer financial sanctions.

[Nufcian]

I think it?s likely there won?t be a ?big 6? label for a few years.

It looks like there will be a Big 3 with Liverpool, Arsenal and City (depending on 115 charges it could be a Big 2) with a number of clubs? us, Villa, Chelsea, Man Utd, Spurs jockeying for a final CL spot? and with no one regularly in the CL that might stay the same way unless someone can force their way to being a dominant 4th team.

Next season there?s likely going to be a lower European co-efficient with likely so many teams in Europe? if we end up with 9 or 10 teams across the 3 competitions then points will be divided by 9 or 10? which looks like it would be okay from a Europa and Conference perspective, but if we have 6 teams in the CL then not all of them will make the final stages and do well in the group stage.

So maybe the Prem will yo-yo between having 4 and 5 spots, or 5 & 6 if the Europa stays as p!ss poor as it is in terms of standard.

This summer?s window is massive, we have to push the envelope, we have to make our tilt at being a club that can compete in Europe and compete to make 4th (or better), but the question of depth is the obvious worry? second striker, second right winger, and apart from the potential in Miley none of our midfield looks up to it. Hopefully the young lad from City is ready to step up, but I?m looking at the transfers that I think are a must these days and having a player that it first team ready in midfield is becoming more and more a must? we can?t play the same 3 every game with CL footy added, and we need someone ready from the start of next season to come in.

[Ragatino]

I think it?s likely there won?t be a ?big 6? label for a few years.

It looks like there will be a Big 3 with Liverpool, Arsenal and City (depending on 115 charges it could be a Big 2) with a number of clubs? us, Villa, Chelsea, Man Utd, Spurs jockeying for a final CL spot? and with no one regularly in the CL that might stay the same way unless someone can force their way to being a dominant 4th team.

Next season there?s likely going to be a lower European co-efficient with likely so many teams in Europe? if we end up with 9 or 10 teams across the 3 competitions then points will be divided by 9 or 10? which looks like it would be okay from a Europa and Conference perspective, but if we have 6 teams in the CL then not all of them will make the final stages and do well in the group stage.

So maybe the Prem will yo-yo between having 4 and 5 spots, or 5 & 6 if the Europa stays as p!ss poor as it is in terms of standard.

This summer?s window is massive, we have to push the envelope, we have to make our tilt at being a club that can compete in Europe and compete to make 4th (or better), but the question of depth is the obvious worry? second striker, second right winger, and apart from the potential in Miley none of our midfield looks up to it. Hopefully the young lad from City is ready to step up, but I?m looking at the transfers that I think are a must these days and having a player that it first team ready in midfield is becoming more and more a must? we can?t play the same 3 every game with CL footy added, and we need someone ready from the start of next season to come in.

I can't include Arsenal, a club that has won nothing in 5 seasons, thus far in any 'Big Club' conversation. City & Liverpool are winning clubs from a league perspective. Wining cups is great from our point of view and a great step on the road to becoming a title challenger.

Also, how long are Saliba, Saka & Rice gonna stay at a club that loses every season?

They don't pay the big wages, they live on their Wenger Reputation. "Specialists in Failure."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2-Pyf0d7hs - LB the City Podcast G nails it about them in his 50min break down of what a joke they are as a club.

Arsenal, the filth, Spudz, Chelsea are all in the mix with the rest of us for the UCL.

Villa, Forest, NUFC are on their shoulders.

Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth are all disruptors who regularly take points of the likes of Arsenal, the filth, Spudz, Chelsea.

Regarding your point about the 4-5 slots available the following years competition. Yes that will be the case. This summer is very important in terms of recruitment. However, every window is for us right now. We have money available and the commercials really need to be strengthened to allow the club to offer financially competitive packages.

Whilst we need to build for the future, tomorrow never comes. It's essential that we don't suffer like our previous foray into the UCL and bring in players that will improve the weak positions in our starting 11.

It's essential that we get a player better than Murphy at RW, better than Schar at RCB, a better goalkeeper than Pope.

The only position we need to strength that I don't expect a better player is at CF. Isak is pretty much as good as it gets. However, the striker needs to be better and more reliable than Wilson, more more experienced than Osula.

We need a goal scorer to take the load off Isaks legs from time to time.