PPG watch...

[thebish]

This season - Coyle's Points-per-Game is currently 1.57

that'll do son!

[Bruce Rioja]

Oh, right. I was just about to ask you what interests you have in an American paint company?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

1.5ppg equates to 57 points, which was usually enough to trouble the European places under Allardyce. In the four seasons we finished top-eight, we got 53 (8th), 58 (6th), 56 (8th) and 56 (7th).

Most years, 7th is enough to qualify for the UEFA Cup via the league, although obviously it's at the mercy of Cup wins from teams outside the top four.

With a couple of dips in 2009 and 2002, the 7th-placed team's points total has been remarkably consistent - until last year, when Liverpool needed 63pts (8th-placed Everton got 61pts, then there was a big drop to Birmingham on 50pts.

I suppose we'll see this season whether that's evidence of the Big Four becoming a points-hoovering Big Eight, but at least that doubles the chances of someone having a poor season - and at the moment, Big Eight members Villa, Liverpool and Everton have had some wobbles.

2010: 63pts (Liverpool)
2009: 53pts (Fulham)
2008: 58pts (Blackburn, but Pompey & Spurs qualified via domestic cups so 5th-placed Everton were lowest UEFA on 65pts)
2007: 56pts (us)
2006: 58pts (Newcastle, but West Ham qualified as FA Cup finalists. Lowest UEFA: Blackburn, 6th, 63pts)
2005: 55pts (Boro)
2004: 57pts (Charlton, but Boro qualified via Lge Cup. Lowest UEFA: Newcastle, 5th, 56pts)
2003: 59pts (Everton, but lowest UEFA was Blackburn, 6th, 60pts)
2002: 53pts (West Ham, but lowest UEFA was Chelsea, 6th, 64pts)
2001: 57pts (Sunderland, but lowest UEFA was Chelsea, 6th, 61pts)