Originally Posted by
lardy
The Champions League is like a cabal, now, yes. The PL title was for a while - around 2000, we were 90% sure Man Utd would win it and if they didn't it would be Arsenal. Now you're looking at four or five clubs with a genuine chance (not counting one-offs like Leicester). To go back to chris' post earlier, six or seven clubs ruling the roost is actually very competitive. I don't see that in any other big league.
But with each year that passes, it's the midtable teams who move further away from Championship level, clubs like West Brom, Stoke, Southampton, dare I say it Swansea. That's where the closed shop comes in.