We can look at Brighton & Hove Albion, who are making such a positive impression in their sixth season since promotion, and Brentford, impressing in their second. Both clubs are admired for the sophisticated approach they have taken over the long term — defying the odds not only by reaching the Premier League but by surviving and thriving, too, thanks to a sophisticated recruitment strategy, a distinct, modern playing style and a unified sense of purpose on and off the pitch.
But Southampton were once held up as the model of innovation and smart recruitment. So were Leicester, who won the Premier League in 2016 and, after a tricky comedown, re-emerged under Brendan Rodgers, winning the FA Cup and twice narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification. Both are now at serious risk of relegation, as are West Ham, who finished sixth and seventh in the previous two seasons.