I was mooching around the various Villa related sites this evening, exactly the same as I always do and came across a comment that Villa were in the bottom five when it came to Premier League club’s spending during Paul Lambert’s reign as our glorious manager.
I couldn’t resist questioning this, so looked into it for my own satisfaction.
The table below is what I’ve worked out, with the figures having come courtesy of http://www.transferleague.co.uk/
Now, I’m not 100% convinced the figures are entirely accurate, as they have Christian Benteke down as having cost £10 million, which I don’t think is correct.
But if you assume similar errors apply to all the other clubs and average out, I think it’s fair to say that the previous comment I mentioned was incorrect.
The table makes for some fascinating reading.
Take Spurs, for example. That’s a classic case of what you get if you seriously invest in the right way.
There are a few provisos though.
I’ve rounded up the odd numbers, merely to save me typing so much.
Some clubs have already spent in this window and others are yet to do so.
And I may have made mistakes.
But I doubt these figures are far off the mark, overall.
Food for thought and somewhat puts paid to the fact that Lambert has had no money to spend, in my opinion.
And we’re quite simply under-performing, if you use this as a benchmark.
All figures are NET spends.
CLUB 14/15 13/14 12/13 TOTAL AVERAGE
1 Man Utd 113.2 66.7 51.1 231 77
2 Chelsea 16.1 49.3 72 137.4 45.8
3 Man City 24 89.8 14 127.8 42.6
4 Liverpool 44.1 20.3 41.3 105.7 35.2
5 Arsenal 53.8 32.5 8.6 94.9 31.6
6 West Ham 25.75 25 18.25 69 23
7 Hull 22.5 24.4 4.1 51 17
8 QPR 19 -5.5 36 49.5 16.5
9 VILLA 5.75 16.5 23.7 45.95 15.3
10 Sunderland 11.9 7.4 18.35 37.65 12.5
11 Southampton -34.7 35.75 32.7 33.75 11.25
12 Stoke -0.1 2 21.1 23 7.66
13 Swansea 7.05 20.1 -6.45 20.6 6.8
14 Newcastle 25 -19.1 13.5 19.4 6.5
15 Palace 9.5 26 -17.1 18.33 6.11
16 Everton 36.5 -16.5 -1.8 18.2 6.06
17 WBA 13.1 2.29 0 15.3 5.1
18 Leicester 11 -0.25 3.45 14.2 4.73
19 Burnley 6.5 -3.6 -5.2 -2.3 -0.75
20 Spurs -1.25 -9.8 -1.3 -12.35 -4.1