Everton are right now the best team but they might struggle to do any better. Where as Man City and Tottenham have the money which is what really matters. I think I'll go with Spurs.

I personnaly cannot see anyone braking into the top 4 for a very long time. Over the past few seasons teams such as Spurs and Everton have come close and actually finished 4th in the league but things have changed dramatically since then. Some of Arsenals kids have become excellent, some clever signings from Wenger and Arsenal look like they could of won or still win the Premier League. Liverpool havent had the best of seasons in the league, but they have money the Torres signing will be the first of many me thinks. If Liverpool bring in a few players aswell as Arsenal i think if a team where to break into the top 4 they would be involved in a title challenge. As i can see Arsenal bringing in a few players and again challenging for the Premier League crown, Aslong as Liverpool strengthen in the right areas and Rafa focusing his attention more on premier league games i think Liverpool have a very realistic challenge of being in a title race come the end of the season. So if the top 4 were in a title race then if anyone was to finish ahead of them they would also be in the title race. But looking at the main contenders i cannot see any of the teams coming close within the next 2-3 years ( Go on Spurs prove me wrong ).

If you look at the main contenders you can see the quality they possess but you can also see the glaring weaknesses.

Lets look at my club Spurs. Many would say why are they being considered when they are looking like finishing bottom half of the table. I think the reason is that we have come close over the past 2 years and looks like Ramos will be strengthenin in the summer.

Strengths

- Attacking quality is close to that of the top 4 in my opinon.
- Good manager who will demand a better season than last.

Weaknesses

- Defence is a shambles at the moment. Need a solid strong consistant back 4.
- Midfield doesnt create enough or break play up they allow the defenders to do that which often results in defenders being out of position which we often get punished for.
- All our Goalkeepers this season have looked very shakey.
- Wingers havent been putting in good enough quality crosses.

There are many more, just cant bothered listing them

Then if you look at the Club closest to loosing top 4 status this season. Liverpools strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

There are so many, things like usually solid at the back, Midfielders give great cover for the defenders, World class midfielder in Gerrard, World class striker in Torres who has his best years ahead of him. And the list goes on.

Weaknesses

There arent many glaring ones apart from

- Cant defend set peices at all.

As you can see a Club like Spurs have alot of work to do to catch up to the standard Liverpool ahve now and im sure with the signings Rafa will make Liverpool will be even stronger.

A prominant Liverpool weakness is their inability to roll over weaker opposition and the fact they only really have two quality options going forward; Gerrard or Torres.

Once we get two we usually hit teams for 3 or 4, though. Our major problem is getting the second goal against teams we should beat.

I'd say this season our weakness has actually been our defence... So many injuries there, with Arbeloa, Finnan and Aurelio being constantly in and out and Agger having a long-term injury. We've just not settled as a unit. I'd hope that that would be an anomaly that wouldn't transpire into next year's campaign though.

Don't really agree on your first point about the present top 4 positions being exclusive. I believe it only applies to the top two teams which are Man Utd & Chelsea. Don't see them losing their top two status in the next few seasons at least.

However, I see Arsenal and Pool being caught in the not too distant future. Now purely bcos they are getting weaker, but more like the other teams are getting stronger all the time. It used to be the usual suspects spending big in transfers but teams like Man City, Spurs, Villa and Everton etc.... are starting to compete as well. Games are getting tighter and tougher to call amongst all the teams mentioned above.

4th placed Pool has been spending big in the last few seasons but the gap between them and 5th place Everton are separated by only a few points this season. Prior to that, Arsenal only got 4th by beating Spurs to it in the very last game. So I say its Game ON for the remaining two CL slots!

Everton for me!!!!

I think the window of opportunity for others to break into the top 4 is closing fast, next season could be the last chance for someone else for a few seasons. That is assuming Arsenal or Liverpool dont implode or Abramovich doesnt have a run-in with Vladimir Putin. I think Arsenal and Liverpool will be much stronger in a couple of seasons, and if Newcastle get their act together with the resources they have, it will be very difficult for anyone else. I'm quite looking forward to seeing how well Ramos does in the transfer window at the end of the season, and I think this will answer the question of who has the best chance.

However, I think if Abramovich had'nt have came along to Chelsea, Spurs could well have been playing Champions League football by now, and England is the only league with 4 top teams who could all win the title or win the CL every season, I am wondering how long it will stay like this. Eventually, one of the the top 4 will drop down to a slightly lower level, due to circumstances such as finances or ownership or squad transition.
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i hope im wrong but i think that the top four will stay the same for a few years. depending on the summer signings Newcastle have as good a chance as anyone else. for this to happen we need to buy a few great players, it wont be easy to get these but im sure keegan can work his magic. the same thing seems to happen every season for Newcastle. before the season starts we always talk up our chances of having a good season but by the new year the season is over. its about time this changed.
as for other teams challenging to break in the top four, i guess Everton have to be a team that has a chance. they have had a few sucessful seasons and they finished forth a few seasons back but i dont think they will do it again. as a team they dont score the amount of goals needed, they have realied on players like lescot to score valuable goals. hes not going to have another season like that. another thing is they dont seem to spen the money that is needed. one thing that Everton do have is a good manager. as for the likes of pompey and Blackburn, i personally cant see them doing any better next season. Spurs will get a few more places higher next season but as is the same with the toon, it will depend on the summer.

I think I pretty much agree with Jackpot_Jac there - I can't see the dynamics of the top 4 changing any time soon.

There will be the usual list of 5 or 6 pretenders, but the gap is still there - it is great to see Pompey and Everton give them a run for their money, but until such a challenge is maintained over several seasons I can't see much changing to be honest.

I think judging by the managers it will be Pompey,Rednap is just a little better in my eyes his buying decisions have been fantastic.Players that were once on the rubbish bin like James (best goalie in the prem this year)Sol fantastic this season.Kanu who was even top scorer at one time ,but is used intelligently as a bit part player that can still hold up the ball and make the defense worry a bit. His worst signings were Nugent and Utaka.Utaka had a good start but soon faded ,bt Nugent is championship level at best.I did question his reasononig for selling Benjani at first but Defoe's goal tally since joining them speaks for itself.

I think Spurs are still a work in progress and who goes and stays next season will tell us more ,i do think they have some decent new player to wacth out for next season in Hutton and O hara but i just don't see Berbatov staying with Spurs ,he just complains too much which tells me he's not happy there.

Liverpool will be very difficult to unseat actually,but it will be interesting.If Arsenal don't get more numbers in their squad they could be the ones being knocked out of their spot.

yea, what about Newcastle,

No chance.

It might happen in 5 years, and if Sven is still is Manchester City's coach it's gonna be City's time. Quite frankly I don't see any of them teams breaking through the top 4 barrier. They don't have the quality nor the coach. My bet goes for City, mainly because of Elano, Petrov (constantly improving) and the possible purchase of SWP.

i cant believe so many votes have gone to Spurs .....a Carling Cup trophy is not an indication of a sudden massive jump in Premier League position next season ...

We have a lot of Spurs fans on here then?

Yep. Last time Spurs were considered a "real" team was when they brought Klinsmann, now they're on par with Newcastle.

sounds like a right [beep!],
cant wait to finish in top 10 next season to prove people like him (that just hate all things Newcastle) wrong!
b@stards!!

We could break into the top10 this season. If we do make top4 next year. I can't see who will drop out. Arsenal look like they need to go buy a few players otherwise they will be stretched again.

The vote is going mostly for Spurs but after the performances this season, I can't see them getting a 4th place anytime soon unless they spend and spend big or should I say sell a few players and recoup some money and with their earnings buy some players and actually not spend a penny.

Welcome back monty


Moyes reckons he'll have it sorted in less than 6 years....

Imagine a top 4 which includes Newcastle and Everton, Spurs and Aston Villa. With Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal and Liverpool fighting for Uefa cup places. Then I wake up.

As much as I'd like that to happen, it never will.