Overachievers/underachievers: 2011-2012 EPL

 After compiling a cumulative Premiership table over the past twenty years, one comment suggested an alternative method of comparing lasting football league performance.  It suggested comparing club-by-club seasonal performance against their average league position (ALP).  As history only provides a certain precedent, the we can also use multiple time periods: say, five, ten or twenty years. This also serves as a reference point for season 2011-12: did your team outperform, meet or fail to live up to expectation?

The following table lists the 2011-12 Premier League clubs by final league position and compares it with their average league position over both 20 years and five years.  Performance arrows suggest how well the club's past season achievements compare to their recent and mid-term history.

Club (by league position)	ALP 1993-2012		ALP 2008-2012
Manchester City	16.7	˄	5.6	˄
Manchester United	1.6	˅	1.4	-
Arsenal	3.6	˄	3.4	-
Tottenham Hotspur	9.9	˄	6.4	˄
Newcastle United	9.0	˄	13.6	˄
Chelsea	5.1	˅	2.8	˅
Everton	10.9	˄	6.4	˅
Liverpool	4.6	˅	5.4	˅
Fulham	31.7	˄	10.6	˄
West Bromwich Albion	26.9	˄	16.8	˄
Swansea City	58.5	˄	26.8	˄˄
Norwich City	27.6	˄	31.6	˄˄
Sunderland	20.3	˄	13.4	˄
Stoke City	32.4	˄	14.4	-
Wigan Athletic	42.0	˄	14.4	˅
Aston Villa	8.8	˅	8.6	˅
Queens Park Rangers	30.8	˄	27.2	˄
Bolton Wanderers	19	˄	15	˅
Blackburn Rovers	11.7	˅	13.2	˅
Wolverhampton Wanderers	26.3	˄	20	-

*Some context: the only club to even approach Manchester United's 20-year form is Bayern Munich, who in the two decades to 2012 boasted an ALP of 1.9.  They also won three fewer league titles (9) than the Red Devils (12).  During the same period, Barcelona won 9 Liga titles with an ALP of 2.15; rivals Real Madrid won 7 titles with ALP 2.35 while A.C. Milan managed only 5 titles and ALP 3.4.  Love or hate them, their consistency is admirable.*