Power Rankings

The league never lies? A weekly look at who is making the real moves during the season!

1) Manchester City - Well maybe somebody has to keep the faith in Roberto Mancini’s men. There has been a lot said and even more written about the issues surrounding this club, but none have focused too much on the football. The reason for them topping this particular chart is as simple as 1, 2, 3; Ballotelli, Silva and Tevez. Nothing in this league compares.

2) Chelsea - Quite a setback in the last few weeks for the rolling machine that Ancelotti drives around in. Not so much in the results but more the look of the substitutes bench. The away games are when you may want to make the telling change to turn a game, they drew a stale one against Villa, could have been beaten by Blackburn and were turned around by Liverpool. Putting your best players on the bench doesn’t count as strength in depth.

3) Liverpool - Quite a move for the Reds. Sometimes it all just makes sense and Anfield may have just had its very own epiphany. A big thunderbolt has hit the Premier League this season, one that has the word ‘average’ written right through it. There is very little between the teams. Imagine putting a world class goalkeeper, midfielder and striker into the teams of Everton, Aston Villa or just a striker in the case of Tottenham. - they would be contenders.
Liverpool have the difference makers.

4) Arsenal - It was hard to find to see why this team was struggling. Then you find out that their commander in chief is suffering a media undercurrent that is certain to upset his no-fuss equilibrium. Maybe it is that they miss a focal point that no doubt Robin van Persie would provide. Still, being beaten at home by West Brom and Newcastle does nothing for your credentials.


5) Everton - A setback of sorts against a Blackpool side that they would no doubt have beaten 9 times out of 10. They just lack the cutting edge to take them into the top bracket. Replace Yakubu with a Torres and you may be seeing something special happening. Maybe Jack Rodwell could be that difference maker with the drive and ambition a young starlet can provide.

6) Manchester United - Perhaps a little low, but to be quite honest the edge from which United may be about to fall off of could see them sink fairly rapidly. It seems clear that Wayne Rooney has become unmanageable. For a manager who once flew to France to bring ‘home’ his star man Eric Cantona, Ferguson now tries to keep a straight face when telling all who will listen that Oregon is the best place for the 2010 model. That is the story.

7) Newcastle United - You can buy into this or you can dismiss them as the latest West Brom or whatever. Here, we have been drinking the Chris Hughton kool-aid for quite some time, some time before the ‘he doesn’t get enough credit’ lines have been written and re-written. To call them the Liam Gallagher of the Premier League in the preview to the North-East derby was in relation to the sibling rivalry. Now it has all gone rock and roll for this team. They are rolling right now with sneering Andy Carroll the best front -man in rock.

8) Tottenham Hotspur - You can only give what you see. Spurs have fought against fatigue and distraction like model professionals. Then they go and batter the European champions into submission. You cannot blame anybody for having the hangover from hell at the Reebok .... it just had to be the Reebok didn’t it. Like coming off a honeymoon in Barbados and arriving back to dredge the canals.

9) Bolton Wanderers - Perhaps the defeat against a resurgent Liverpool was not as bad as first feared. Bolton have a good thing going at the moment. It is so refreshing to see a player like Kevin Davies ignore the England call-up nonsense and continue to do the things that makes him successful. Lets hope Capello doesn’t ruin him.

10) West Bromwich Albion - There is no reason for The Baggies to lose the faith. They were beaten but were always in the mix against a powerful City side. Creating chances is the most important thing right now.

11) Sunderland - In the face of all that they have going for them, it is so hard to believe in The Black Cats. On the one hand this was a great response to the farce at Newcastle. Defeat would have sent a crisis cloud heading towards Wearside. Instead, they remain on course for a solid mid-table finish. Some may see consolidation in the Premier League as an achievement - that is understandable. Can’t help but think there is so much more to football life than that though.

12) Aston Villa - It won’t be long until Villa become the next in a line of clubs to be ‘in trouble’. Just like Liverpool and Everton and Newcastle and ... they will escape this nonsense. It is a worry that they cannot score as frequently as they once did. John Carew and Gerard Houllier was never a match made in Paris. Shame that Houllier likes his teams to pass the ball ... on the floor. They have so much going for them, mid-table and a cup final would be par for this season.

13) Blackburn - Cannot help but feel Sam Allardyce’s frustration. The league table will always look lob-sided against Blackburn unless they have hoovered up another routine home win. Amazing that a takeover battle has everyone at Liverpool in complete lockdown and with a book worth of excuses. At Blackburn they just have to get on with it. To Allardyce’s great credit, that is exactly what he does. Efficiently.

14) Fulham - Where would anybody want to put Fulham. Draws will kill you and they may just find themselves falling down the league and into the bottom three. They are sleepwalking into a relegation battle.

15) West Ham United - Everytime West Ham play it feels like they have won. Not because they have the media dancing to their tune like some, they just seem to outplay opponents on a regular basis. They have so much to like going forward. If Avram Grant could replicate the intensity he had during his Pompey cup run, they will shoot up the table.

16) Birmingham City - Starting to worry about The Blues. That home form that was their backbone is just showing signs of wobbling. You look at their team and think, ‘what a great manager’!

17) Stoke City - It is hard for Tony Pulis. The world is against them. Just because they break up games with little fouls and time-wasting to condense the game into a trade off of set-pieces and long throws doesn’t mean they should suffer at the hands of referees. Once theory is that the referees have become so bored by the way Pulis has his team set up that they glaze over when Stoke have the ball. Still, there are sympathisers for all manner of things in this world.

18) Blackpool - Their rotating midfield, their no-fear attitude, their willingness to play football along the ground at pace, their willingness to not give in to big salaries and big egos. Who do think they are? Germany. If there is any justice, Ian Holloway will lead this team to more and more success.

19) Wigan Athletic - Just when you think they are out, they suck you back in - Wigan are not even the Godfather of Wigan, still they stick to their principles. If Blackpool stay up they will quite rightly be given all the plaudits you could possibly offer. If Blackpool stay up they will have done what Wigan have been doing for years.

20) Wolverhampton Wanderers - It wasn’t great to see Mick McCarthy screaming like a fan at Karl Henry’s tackle in the closing minutes of the game at Old Trafford. Just when you had to admire Wolves’ confident approach you see McCarthy’s pointed celebration of a wild tackle that got the ball this time, then you are reminded of the 7-game ban that player should be serving as a result of ‘that’ tackle on Jordi Gomez ... and Joey Barton ... and John Heitinga... you get what you deserve.