Are Chelsea that good or the rest that bad

They are bloody good, lets not kid ourselves, but I have yet to see a side who were quite as good as their hype, and that includes great Pool sides from the past. They had many teams beaten before the match started and I think it has been much the same with Chelsea. They owe a lot to their confidence and fitness but any team who can match them in those areas and are well organised as a 'team' is able to give them a game. Well managed Blackburn did last Saturday, and so did Wigan. Those two have much in common. They work bloody hard, play to their strengths and know what they are doing. Everton also matched them for effort.

Also true that Chelsea have hit the top at a time when the two main rivals, Man U and Arsenal are in a lull after changes and spending restrictions.

Its a bit too easy to put all this down to spending. They do have an advantage of being able to pull good players off the bench but they also tend to play the same first team much of the time and it is most often their fitness which impresses me. Lampards 157 consecutive league games speaks volumes for their methods (only 2 short of the record held by a goalkeeper, for god sake) and he hardly hides away in any match. No surprise that both Blackburn and Wigan seem to be amongst the hardest working and fittest teams in the Prem. They also both have dedicated ,hard nosed, no nonsense managers just like Chelsea. What good sides don't?

I don't understand this surprise at Wigan's position. Seems like allowing a name to get in he way of fact. They are decent side who have learned to play as a unit. So have Spurs it seems after years in the wilderness from being a fine team , and also a few other sides who have managed to gel quicker than the current Pool collection. Names mean little. I am old enough to remember times when teams like Burnley, Stoke. Blackpool, PNE and others were formidable, and we all know about Leeds.

I think the general Prem standard is as good as ever, probably a shade better than last year, if we can forget the decline of Arsenal and Man U. Chelsea have timed it well and are unlikely to come back to the field. It is up to the rest to get up to them. First match them in fitness, then in application. This will never be done by teams who use players too ready to drop their heads.

LC

LC