When can you take the EPL table seriously?

[Tomo 21,681]

Didnt know where to put this so feel free to move it.

At what part of the season can you look at the premier league table and see a true reflection in the quality of the teams?

I was thinking this because in January before our trip to the stadium of light we were a mere 4 points off the Black cats, a win for Sunderland would have seen them enter February 1 point behind us and no disrespect to Sunderland but out of their whole squad id only have Gyan and El Mohammady anywhere near our team, fast forward 3 months were 2nd there 10th and there is a 26 point gap between the 2 teams.

Another example Man.Utd during 2001/2002, during December they were 9th in the table and even below West Ham, 11 points behind Liverpool having played a game more, but come April they were well and truly in the hunt for title and remained so until the 2nd to last game, Arsenal in the same season started slowly and lumbered to a 4-2 home defeat to Charlton but come the end won the double. Utd in 2002/2003 were 4th/5th during December/January they didnt look capable of winning the title but that all changed in March-May.

People say its November-December you can properly start looking at the league table to look at the strength of each teams and were there at, but to me that dont shine through until March possibly even April.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

They say December usually gives a good indication of who will be fighting for what. April is supposed to reaffirm those suggestions. April is really the make/break month for those fighting relegation & going for the title.

Last season was a similar story to this rule. As has this season, though Jan-April has been very interesting when it comes to the title + relegation fight.

[Jose M 140]

Cant wait to play United, now that we on form. Anyone rememer the form We were in when the united game got suspended for Snow?

[Kojo 4,676]

Cant wait to play United, now that we on form. Anyone rememer the form We were in when the united game got suspended for Snow?

That was when we were losing to teams like Arsenal and Birmingham.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The league doesn't show the quality of teams... I think it shows the quality of the manager more than anything. With West Ham's squad they should be comfortably mid-table, Blackpool should have been relegated in January, Liverpool have turned the corner under King Kenny and Sunderland should still be in the top ten.

[True_Blue 469]

Form of every team in the Premiership is very prone to changing.You can play well for half a season be in the top part of table then in the second part have a series of bad result and you get relegated (the usual top four is not included in these teams).In our bad period if we just had half of those bad results turned to wins we would top the table easy.

[Ollie 4,400]

i'd say after about 10 games you get a decent idea but definitely christmas when its half way through you will get an idea on who will challenge for top 6 and who will be in the bottom 6 (well, kind of).

[Cuba 11]

Love you, Cohen

Arsenal lost another 3 points! go home Gunners

We must remain 2nd at the least. Hope to move MU

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I'm more worried about City challenging us for second than Arsenal

[J.F. 1,484]

People will point out they've got to go to Old Trafford, but they went there last year at this stage and got the win - and there are already some parallels to the way they ended last season.

Come on !

[eldo 868]

You can't take it seriously when Arsenal are second.

[J.F. 1,484]

You can't take it seriously when Arsenal are second.

agree

OptaJoe on Twitter: "2 - Since losing to Birmingham in the League Cup final, Arsenal have won just 2 of 10 games (v L Orient & Blackpool). Slump."