Watching Liverpool have a very anidine 0-0 draw with Stoke City made me realise how mediocre the premiership is this year with knowone really dominating. If league leaders Liverpool had beaten Stoke City, Hull, West Ham, and Fulham at home as expected then they would have virtually won the league by now, however they failed to beat any of them. I just hope the standard improves in the second half.

I find it more interesting if there is a more open field with no obvious early winner. The "Big Four" have dominated long enough. Time for someone else to show their worth.

I think apart from Ronaldo and Rooney when they bother the Premier League is very poor. It is actually the best in the World ( We dominate Europe and Man Utd won easily the World Club Title ) but apart from the top 6 clubs none of the others really offer any challenge.

Clubs like Stoke treat the games against the Big 4 like Cup Matches and so can sometimes get results that their position and ability does not reflect. So you cant read too much into those sorts of games.

It will be the same top 4 this season - like last season - and the season before - and repeat until one of those clubs loses its finance.

Aston Villa can disturb the top 4 this year. They are having a fery good season. Hull City started off well but lost control and will possibly linger in mid table, but it's still not beyond them to come back into contention.

Rooney has suffered burn out and is no where near the talent he used to be. Ronaldo relies on free kicks, and he isn't scoring with many of those lately.

This Premiership season reminds me of the end of Steve Davis's reign in snooker. Once people realised he could be beaten they stopped being intimidated and began to believe they could beat him.

I think this season will still see one of the usual "Big 4" at the top, but next season may see several changes. Man City should have found their feet, and other teams are seeing more investment and are attracting top talent.

Competitions become boring when there is no competition.

I love seeing the under dog doing well and Hull, with no stars or expense, would be real giant killers.

I've always had a lot of time for Martin O'Neill who is a good commentator, great manager and seems a decent human being.

Good though the Big 4 may be, they are also rather boring.

Just had a lovely e-mail from Rob Stringer who came over for Christmas to support his beloved Luton.

English football was much more exciting in the 70's when the Big 4 were joined by the likes of Derby, Forest, Leeds, Villa and Ipswich ,who were all major forces at times.

There will still be the odd season when one team may break into the top four, as Villa may do this season, but I don't see any large scale change to the status quo for the foreseeable future.

As an aside, it has just occurred to me that Derby have beaten more Premiership teams this season than they did last, when they were actually in it!

spoke to GARETH ICKE ( son of David ) last night who was playing the Camden Barfly - he had been at the game on Wednesday and was still croaking. He is a big Derby fan. I reckon Nigel will get them back to the Premier League.

As for Villa - they may just finish ahead of Arsenal though it will be close. The Top 3 are pulling away and Man Utd look nailed on for the title.