Is there an impossible gap between D2 and D1. The stats suggest yes. Can a top manager prove otherwise.
To not get instantly relegated the ETOT, the experimental ratings total in D1 is around 224.5
As you can see from the table below only AC Milan and Leverkeusen have a strong enough squad to survive more than one season. This sets up the dilema, get promotion get the sack next year..
In any case neither of these teams has had a great start.
Leverkeusen and AC Milan should be there or there abouts at the end of the season and in theory 1 / 2. Leverkeusen lack depth and have a shaky defence but in every other aspect have a great starting 11.
Milan are steady throughout and should be hard to break down by any team.
Ajax , Inter and Southampton are more or less AC Milan clones and except for Inter, none have had a great start , is there a shift to individual performance in the game dynamics or perhaps morale is more important.
Valencia should push for a higher place but goalkeeping has always been a weak point. Giroud has never really done the business for them and perhaps he should be sold on.
Everton have a well balanced side and depth which has set them off on the right course during the early part of the season.
At the wrong end the lower 4 teams dip below 220, each has an obvious exploitable fault. Sporting the keeper, Sunderland the midfield, Sampdoria the keeper and AS St Etienne the defence. Now there may be transfers coming in but Sunderland will stuggle for possession and that seems to count for so much .
| GK | DEF | MID | ATT | Top18 | Ave | ETOT | Epr | ||
| Leverkusen | 91.0 | 89.5 | 90.5 | 92.5 | 83.0 | 89.3 | 225.01 | 1 | |
| AC Milan | 90.0 | 90.3 | 90.5 | 90.5 | 88.0 | 89.9 | 224.79 | 2 | |
| Ajax | 90.0 | 90.0 | 90.3 | 90.5 | 87.0 | 89.6 | 224.27 | 3 | |
| Valencia CF | 89.0 | 89.8 | 91.0 | 90.0 | 86.0 | 89.2 | 224.10 | 4 | |
| Internazionale | 91.0 | 90.3 | 90.0 | 90.0 | 87.0 | 89.7 | 224.06 | 5 | |
| Southampton | 90.0 | 90.0 | 90.3 | 90.0 | 86.0 | 89.3 | 223.82 | 6 | |
| SL Benfica | 87.0 | 89.3 | 91.0 | 90.0 | 87.0 | 88.9 | 223.58 | 7 | |
| Everton | 89.0 | 89.5 | 90.5 | 89.5 | 87.0 | 89.1 | 223.30 | 8 | |
| Villarreal CF | 88.0 | 89.8 | 90.5 | 89.5 | 86.0 | 88.8 | 223.26 | 9 | |
| Genoa CFC | 89.0 | 89.3 | 88.3 | 91.5 | 85.0 | 88.6 | 222.36 | 10 | |
| Sevilla | 89.0 | 89.5 | 90.0 | 89.0 | 85.0 | 88.5 | 222.33 | 11 | |
| Sassuolo | 88.0 | 89.3 | 89.0 | 89.0 | 86.0 | 88.3 | 221.33 | 12 | |
| SC Internacional | 90.0 | 88.3 | 89.0 | 89.5 | 86.0 | 88.6 | 221.10 | 13 | |
| Zenit Saint Petersburg | 91.0 | 88.5 | 88.8 | 89.0 | 87.0 | 88.9 | 221.01 | 14 | |
| Celtic | 86.0 | 88.5 | 88.8 | 89.5 | 85.0 | 87.6 | 220.50 | 15 | |
| Hoffenheim | 88.0 | 89.5 | 87.5 | 88.5 | 86.0 | 87.9 | 220.01 | 16 | |
| Sporting CP | 87.0 | 88.0 | 88.3 | 89.5 | 86.0 | 87.8 | 219.98 | 17 | |
| Sunderland | 90.0 | 88.0 | 88.0 | 89.0 | 87.0 | 88.4 | 219.89 | 18 | |
| Sampdoria | 87.0 | 88.3 | 88.8 | 88.5 | 86.0 | 87.7 | 219.89 | 19 | |
| AS Saint-Etienne | 88.0 | 87.3 | 87.8 | 88.0 | 86.0 | 87.4 | 218.08 | 20 |
Top 100 