Premier League: The table for 2023 shows just how bad Chelsea have been | OneFootball

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It is no secret that Chelsea have struggled for form ever since sacking Thomas Tuchel last season. Four managers have taken charge of the Stamford Bridge side since the German coach was let go, with each successive manager failing to excel and keep the Blues up at the top of the Premier League table.

Following a disappointing season where Graham Potter took charge for the most part, there was renewed optimism among supporters when Mauricio Pochettino was announced as the new coach. But even that appointment has failed to live up to expectations thus far. So far this season, Chelsea have just one victory to their name, have only scored five goals, and currently lie 14th in the table after a relatively easy start to the new season.

2023 really has been a year to forget for Todd Boehly and co, and things look even bleaker if you look at the Premier League table since January 1st. Sky Sports recently shared on Twitter what the English top flight would look like if the league started on New Year's Day, and it shows just how poor the west London club have been.

Only Everton worse off than Chelsea

It won’t come as a surprise to you that the bottom six clubs in the table are exclusively those teams who were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 season and those who were promoted from the Championship last year. Luton Town prop up the table, with just four games to their name and zero points to show from them.

Sheffield United and Burnley take 22nd and 23rd in the table, while it is Southampton, Leeds and Leicester who lie just above them, having played substantially more games mind you. However, the Foxes are only five points behind the team in 17th, despite having played five games less.

Out of all the teams to have played in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 Premier League seasons, though, there is not much to separate Everton and Chelsea at the foot of the table. It only goes to show how bad a year 2023 has been for the Blues that they are down there with teams tipped for relegation this campaign.

You really do have to wonder where they might have finished last year had Tuchel not taken charge of those opening matches of the season and picked up 10 points along the way. There is every chance they would be behind Everton in this Premier League table, who are the only team to amass fewer points this calendar year, having played two fewer games in 2023. Given the way Chelsea have started this season, that could still happen come December 31st.

Fortunately for Pochettino’s squad, Everton have failed to bounce back from a poor 22/23 season at the start of the present one. Dyche’s team have failed to win any of their five opening matches this season, picking up just a solitary point in a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United. If things continue on their current trajectory, they could be staring at relegation come May.

Manchester United and Newcastle drop down after poor starts

Bouncing up the table now to take a look at who fills the European spots, two teams who qualified for this season’s Champions League drop down the table for 2023, mainly because of their lacklustre starts to the new campaign.

Newcastle, despite looking impressive under Eddie Howe last season, have failed to excel in the new campaign despite making several signings. Currently 12th in the table, they have only won two out of five games, losing the other three to Brighton, Liverpool, and Manchester City. We’ll get to them all later.

That poor record sees the Magpies drop to seventh in the 2023 table, ahead of Tottenham Hotspur only on goal difference. Ange Postecoglou has made remarkable improvements since arriving in north London, and his 13 points accumulated in five games make up 30% of all Spurs’ points this year.

United, despite finishing third in the table last season on 75 points, have had a poor start to 23/24, with pressure increasing on players and Erik ten Hag. With just six points to their name so far this season, they fall behind three teams who finished just behind them last time out. The most alarming thing for them, however, is their poor goal difference compared to the other clubs around them. Only Tottenham and West Ham have a worse difference in 2023 than the Red Devils out of all the top 10 clubs.

Brighton, Aston Villa and Liverpool soar

The biggest changes in the table happen in the Champions League qualification spots, with fifth, fourth and third separated by just two points. Even United, despite their dreadful start to the new season, are only three points behind third place in 2023.

Brighton have been excellent under Roberto De Zerbi since he arrived last year, and there are not many teams more exciting than the Seagulls in 2023. Having qualified for the Europa League this season, they have maintained a fifth-place finish so far. Had they not lost to West Ham, though, they would have been clear of the two other teams mentioned in this list.

Villa have been one of the most improved teams in the division since Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in October last year, with a record of 20 wins from 35 games. 18 of those victories have come in the Premier League, and the improvements that the Spaniard has made are clear for all to see when looking at the league table for 2023. Had the Villans put him in charge sooner, there is every chance that they could have sneaked into a higher league position last season, especially as they qualify for the Champions League in this table.

And while much has been said about Liverpool’s poor performance in the English top flight last time out, their turnaround under Jurgen Klopp since the start of the year has been superb. Now the club with the longest unbeaten run in the league, the Reds look back to their best and have taken 13 points from five matches in 2023/24. If only they had not faltered so much earlier on in 2023.

Not even close at the top

Only two teams were going to top the table for 2023, but in the end, it wasn’t even close. In fact, Arsenal are closer to Liverpool and Aston Villa than they are to Man City, who are leagues ahead of the others.

The big reason for that is because of the Gunners’ collapse towards the back end of 2022/23. Having dominated teams and topped the league for much of the season, they dropped points in losses to Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Man City, while also drawing to West Ham and Southampton. Wins in three or four of those games should have fallen their way and had that happened, they would have ended last season as champions.

But the juggernaut that is Man City continues to impress, especially in 2023. Having tweaked his formation and tactics ever so slightly, Guardiola’s side recovered from a small dip in form in spectacular fashion. They have taken 68 points this calendar year from a possible 81, an unbelievable record which shows that they were worthy Premier League champions. They are the only team in the division with a perfect record so far this season, and it would be surprising if they didn’t collect 100 points this year alone.

You can view the full Premier League table for 2023 below. Be sure to let us know which teams you think might jump up or fall down the division before the year is out.