Revealed: the most-improved Premier League teams, and those in serious decline

The Premier League is a quarter of the way through, with each side having played 10 games each by Monday night. 

Now certain sides have picked up a head of steam, and grown into real forces this the new domestic season, while a few strong starters from last season have petered away this time round.

These are the teams to have most improved on last season’s first 10 games, and those that experienced serious decline since the start of last term.

Most Improved

3. Everton 

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 8

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 15

Points difference: +7

In truth Everton were so awful last year that their improvement under Marco Silva is a bit outsized numerically than it ought to be. Really, Everton are back to being a top 10 side, which they ought to be given their expenditure.

That’s the negative spin out of the way. Under Silva, Everton has looked a cohesive unit with more of an identity than last season, with players like Richarlison going some way with his four league goals and general play to justify a lofty transfer fee; Sigurdsson, played in his correct position, finally taking up the mantle as his club’s figurehead with five goals and an assist; and Walcott and Bernard rounding off a competent-looking attack with depth to the tune of Ademola Lookman, Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin among others.

Everton are generally that bit more solid, with a goal difference of +2 at the moment compared with last season’s -14 come May 2017.

2. Liverpool 

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 16

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 26

Points difference: +10

Jurgen Klopp’s side have started strongly in the league without necessarily reaching the sumptuous heights of late-17/18 season, which is a really impressive thing and something that should be taken as a positive by Reds fans.

Last term after 10 games Klopp’s team had 16 points, while this time around it’s 26. They currently sit top of the table with only Man City being regularly touted as more likely than them to win the title come May.

Liverpool are unbeaten in the league this term after 10 games, that includes games with Man City (0-0), Chelsea (1-1) and Tottenham (2-1).

The most telling stat? With the attack in similarly effective form, Liverpool have conceded just 4 goals thus far, while 38 goals were conceded last season in total. They are way ahead of the curve on that front, with the partnership between Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, the arrival of Alisson and the emergence of the youthful full-backs going some way to explaining that differential.

1. Bournemouth

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 7

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 20

Points difference: +13

Eddie Howe’s somehow got his men playing lights out, highly effective counter-attacking football this season. This time last year, the Cherries had 7 points, were 19th, and looked to in some danger of going down.

Fast forward this season, and Bournemouth have banished that particular funk, and have successfully implemented an entirely new style based around defending compactly and deeper than previous years, with an onus on counter-attacking at speed and with numbers.

This is despite the general perception being that Bournemouth want to play possession-based football. Over the last three seasons and the beginning of this, Howe’s men have played an average of 454.4, 451.4, 424.5, 409.3 passes per game per season, in order of chronology.

The team also has strong performers all over the park: Jefferson Lerma anchoring the midfield; Ryan Fraser and David Brooks working wonders on the wings and Calum Wilson using his pace to score five in 10, assisting four times.

Most In Decline

3. Southampton 

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 13

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 7

Points difference: -6

Southampton are currently 16th, with seven points after 10 games played. The most obvious problem facing Mark Hughes is the club’s lack of goalscoring forwards. Danny Ings is the leading light with four in 10, but after that, you have Shane Long, who has scored twice since the start of last season, with none thus far this.

His lack of the scorer’s touch was perhaps best exemplified by his crucial late miss against Newcastle at the weekend. Charlie Austin has one in nine. The list goes on like this. It’ll be difficult for the club to be anywhere other than near the bottom with potency like this.

2. Huddersfield

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 12

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 3

Points difference: -9

Huddersfield seem the most likely club to be relegated this season, with three points and general lack of quality in the team. Yet last term the Yorkshire club had 12 points and were remarkably buoyant in the division. Much like Southampton, except only worse, Huddersfield lack goals and a degree of quality needed to set up goals and take chances when they come.

1. Newcastle 

Points after 10 games in 17/18: 14

Points after 10 games in 18/19: 3

Points difference: -11

Rafa Benitez’s side have been pretty woeful this season, finding it nigh on impossible to pick up points with any regularity. With just three so far, the Geordies have 11 points fewer than they did time last year, when the manager was propelling his side up the table based largely on defensive astuteness.

That gatekeeping knack seems to have softened slightly – with the likes of Jamaal Lascelles going off the boil a bit – while like Huddersfield and Southampton, it’s unclear where all of the goals are going to come from, with Joselu the leading man at present, and he’s got two in nine.

 

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