'The Big Four' - Merely stumbling, re-aligning or finished altogether?

Considering these turbulent times in the Premiership I’ve been asking myself, what is the future of ‘The Big Four’ as a concept? Are Liverpool simply the latest member of the gang to be merely suffering a bit of a wobble, or are we about to see a long-term realignment of what constitutes ‘The Big Four’, or going a step further, are we on the verge of witnessing the concept dying out entirely? (Would the cheering crowd please quieten down!)

Everton’s one season of defiance and a season or two of close calls for Arsenal aside, the group occupying the Premiership’s four Champions League spots has maintained a vice-like grip on them for quite a few years now. The runaway train of money pouring into the game from the Champions League seemed to have created, in England at least, a situation where it seemed that only a truly extraordinary set of circumstances occurring would be able to change things. However – one begs the question, is that happening now?

The world is the midst of the largest recession since the Great Depression, and for some clubs it seems as though it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Manchester United and Liverpool in particular, appear to be casting worried glances at the banks over the financial situation their new owners find themselves in.

United, so long the English game’s powerhouse financially as well as footballistically, have been haemorrhaging money since the Glazer’s take-over. After three consecutive league titles and a season as Kings of Europe, they sold the talismanic Ronaldo and re-invested little of the proceeds. Considering their somewhat stuttering form this season, as well as a squad which looks patchy in certain places, you find yourself asking – why is Ferguson talking down their chances of entering the market? Is there really no room for improvement in this United team? Will he have the money to replace players like Scholes, Giggs, Van der Sar and Ferdinand in the coming seasons?

What about Chelsea? Since the arrival of Abramovich they’ve turned the league upside-down, financially, and for the very least a time, footballistically too. He’s lost a considerable portion of his fortune but he is still an exceptionally wealthy individual, and easily capable of bankrolling the club. However, there are signs that his willingness to do so is dissipating. The days of Chelsea’s super-spending under Ranieri and Mourinho seem to have passed. They still spend money, but not in the same quantities. We still hear the big money Aguero stories – but for now they are just stories, ones that accompany others of contract disputes. There are also the other issues of aging key players and a pending transfer ban, although in truth it is difficult to foresee a scenario where Chelsea are not close to the peak of the English game any time soon. But with their merry-go-round of managers, will they dominate again?

Arsenal, thanks to a scrooge-like approach in the transfer and wage markets over the past five years, look comparatively healthy despite their heavy debt. However, they’ve got plenty of issues to deal with themselves. No titles and only one title challenge in recent years have created a situation where there is intense pressure on the club to produce, lest they suffer a repeat of the summer 2008 where key players depart and set the club back. There is also the question mark as to whether Wenger would spend the money, even if he had it. Arsenal have a young squad generally, but players like Gallas will need to be replaced sooner or later, as well as any others who might jump ship if things don’t go well in the next few months. This says nothing of there already being issues in the squad that need addressing, and Arsenal have already wavered close to the line twice in recent years.

Liverpool, well, what hasn’t been said about them this season? Hamstrung for money and with a squad that is suffering from a crisis in form, confidence, fitness and unity, out of this season’s Champion’s League and facing a real battle to qualify for it next season, they appear to be in a precarious position. Is it recoverable, and if it is – will it be a lasting recovery, or a temporary stay of execution until one of the pretenders becomes ready to take their place?

And what of the pretenders? Manchester City look well positioned. Possessing almost limitless financial pulling power, a talented, well-rounded and confident squad and a new manager with some pedigree, it looks like the traditional Big Four face a real fight on their hands to hold them off. There’s Aston Villa, whose solid if unspectacular progress has not gone unnoticed, and are a team blessed with a good owner and a stable management structure – something that shouldn’t be underestimated. Finally there’s Tottenham Hotspur, who have frequently flirted with usurping Arsenal in the group without ever quite getting there. However they’ve been performing strongly under Redknapp, have great financial power, an attractive home in London and an even more attractive one in the works, so they too seem worthy of consideration at the big table.

So I guess my question is, what do we think is going to happen? This season, next season, in five seasons? Will we still be talking about the usual four in Europe’s highest competition, or will there be one, two, three new members?

That's it from me. Apologies if what I've written is a load of hokum - it was 3am and I couldn't sleep. G'night!