AFTER seven games of the season, all three newly-promoted teams find themselves safely nestled in mid-table, with tenth-placed Swansea City sandwiched in between ninth-placed Norwich City and 11th-placed QPR.
It is of course, quite a common occurrence for top tier newcomers, fuelled by early season optimism and momentum, to propel themselves towards the upper reaches of the league table. At the same stage last season West Bromwich Albion were riding high in sixth place, with Blackpool three places below them.
By the same token, a collapse in the second half of the season is a common theme amongst promoted clubs. Last season, relegated Blackpool won just three of their last 19 games, compared to seven in the first half of the season. Similarly, Hull City’s Premier League survival-securing side of 2008/09 won seven of their first 19 games, but only emerged victorious once in the second half of that season.
Whilst there is no template for prolonging a club’s tenure in the Premier League, there are a number of key factors which certainly make survival easier. The gulf in quality between the Premier League and Championship makes all facets of the game harder for promoted sides, but it is the ability to score goals and register prolifically that frequently eludes newly-promoted forwards.
Even at this embryonic stage of the season, it is possible to suggest that Norwich, QPR and Swansea could struggle to find the net on a frequent enough basis. Swansea, who took five games to break their Premier League duck, have averaged 0.86 goals per game so far. The statistic is even bleaker for QPR, who have managed just 0.71 goals per game this season. With seven goals in seven games, Norwich appear best equipped of the three to achieve survival.
A closer look at the three clubs’ results reveal that no recognised forward at either club has managed more than one league strike so far this term. Scott Sinclair, ostensibly a wide player, tops the scoring chart amongst the promoted sides with two goals in seven outings, whilst line-leaders Leroy Lita, Danny Graham, DJ Campbell, Grant Holt and Steve Morison have all managed one solitary strike each.
The acquisition of players with Premier League experience is frequently cited as a necessity, with this mantra particularly applicable to the forward department. Prior to the start of this season, four of Norwich’s five recognised forwards had had no Premier League experience whatsoever – indeed the injured James Vaughan is the only member of the quintet who has featured in the top flight before, with 47 appearances and seven goals for former club Everton.