The relative strength of the Premier League
- Thread starter Wumminator
- Start date
Yeah
Honestly though. Take out Messi with a long term injury and their squad looks ridiculously average. Can't believe Delefeo was starting for then

Bravo! Genuinely lol'd. Some posts do actually read like that in here.
Got some examples?
Not off hand, no. But don't worry I wasn't referring to Bundesliga part of the post
Some people go ridiculously overboard with their tactical "analysis".He must have a cracking agent. Their recent purchases highlights the good work done by agents behind the scenes (Deulofeu, Paulinho, Digne, André Gomes, Alcacer....)
There are players who undoubtedly do better in certain leagues and/or certain teams but it's still a rather pointless way to approach the discussion. There have been also several Spanish players I didn't rate much in Spain while playing for mid table teams but who later went to England to do a lot better or even be the stars of the team but that just tells me how good Spain is to produce players and how rich Premier league is to buy and overpay for all the good players in other leagues.
Not off hand, no. But don't worry I wasn't referring to Bundesliga part of the post
I didn't take it personal, I was just wondering, since I don't recall many of such posts.
Goat post, well said and I fully agree with every word.
Tonight of all nights I wish I wasn't right......
But feck me they were awful!
But feck me they were awful!
Bayern's domestic campaign seems like it'll be really challenging.
I think now they're doing better than Dortmund.
Except Liverpool, all the other PL clubs have made a brilliant start to the CL campaign. I don't know if any of our teams will win it, but atleast we won't be pushovers for the big European teams. I was sick of watching Arsenal every year qualifying to the round of 16 and then getting thrashed by any team they are paired against. I hope the PL clubs knock out a few of the heavyweights. We'll know more after the group stages. Looking forward to
Spurs VS Madrid
Chelsea VS Athletico and Roma
City VS Napoli
This is the first time after many years I feel the English teams will be able to truly challenge. Teams like Athletico and Juventus are nothing special. Barca and Bayern are not the same dominant sides any more. Only Madrid and now PSG look super strong. Some of the matches I'd love to watch in the knockout stages would be
United VS PSG
City VS Madrid
Chelsea VS Barca
Spurs VS Bayern
Liverpool VS Juventus
Spurs VS Madrid
Chelsea VS Athletico and Roma
City VS Napoli
This is the first time after many years I feel the English teams will be able to truly challenge. Teams like Athletico and Juventus are nothing special. Barca and Bayern are not the same dominant sides any more. Only Madrid and now PSG look super strong. Some of the matches I'd love to watch in the knockout stages would be
United VS PSG
City VS Madrid
Chelsea VS Barca
Spurs VS Bayern
Liverpool VS Juventus
So... is the premier league the new la liga? Top sides are destroying everyone else week after week, while Madrid is struggling every match day against the though opposition that is part of the bottom of la liga
Was thinking the same, there's been loads of hammerings already. Only difference is there's 6 or so decent teams in the PL as opposed to 3.
There are more than 3 recent sides in la liga. If you include the likes or Liverpool or Arsenal, might as well include Sevilla or Villarreal
http://www.skysports.com/football/n...e-europe-in-coming-years-says-guillem-balague
I've been saying that the PL's financial dominance will soon be reflected in footballing terms. I think there is a sway in that direction, but it will take a couple years to fully realise.
I've been saying that the PL's financial dominance will soon be reflected in footballing terms. I think there is a sway in that direction, but it will take a couple years to fully realise.
It's the first time in a long while that English teams are genuinely doing better in Europe than other leagues representation meaning Twiggy will be back here because it will suddenly stop being meaningless to look at European games.
True, with the exception of Everton who clearly didn't even try against Atalanta and Apollon.
Yes and Liverpool who did not try either.
I think I could say now that any of our top six sides would quite comfortably finish in the top three in any league in world football bar La Liga.
Would be interested to hear other people's opinion on that.
Would be interested to hear other people's opinion on that.
I think you are underestimating Serie A here. While I think Chelsea, United and City would comfortably be top 3 there, I don't think Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham would find it tough. Juventus are clearly better than them while Roma, Napoli, Milan and Inter are all good teams this season. The strength of Serie A is having basically six or seven teams capable of taking positions right behind Juve.
I think all of top 6 would be top 3 in Germany and France though.
Not necessarily. Look at Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and AC Milan (after spending a fortune) - they are all struggling to stay in the top 3 so far this season.
One problem that has accounted for so many defeats once English teams get through to the CL knockouts in recent years is a mental one. There's been a real inferiority complex, affecting the lineups and strategies and the way the players have actually performed.
The one that really sticks out for me is Mourinho's second-gen Chelsea side. They were, briefly, a ridiculously good, beautifully balanced side, but twice they set up against PSG (a much weaker PSG than the current one) as if they were playing Barca circa 2011. As a result, they never showed anything like what they were capable of, sneaking through the first time to be beaten more soundly than they should have been by Atletico, and going out with a whimper in the Ro16 the year after.
City are guilty of this too, although obviously as still relative newcomers to the CL big-time they have more of an excuse for that mentality. But by now they really should have accrued the arrogance to hold firm and stick to their guns against a 'scary' opponent. They have the most vaunted manager in world football, rightly or wrongly, who now seems to have got his tactics properly bedded-in, and an attack scoring for fun.
The one that really sticks out for me is Mourinho's second-gen Chelsea side. They were, briefly, a ridiculously good, beautifully balanced side, but twice they set up against PSG (a much weaker PSG than the current one) as if they were playing Barca circa 2011. As a result, they never showed anything like what they were capable of, sneaking through the first time to be beaten more soundly than they should have been by Atletico, and going out with a whimper in the Ro16 the year after.
City are guilty of this too, although obviously as still relative newcomers to the CL big-time they have more of an excuse for that mentality. But by now they really should have accrued the arrogance to hold firm and stick to their guns against a 'scary' opponent. They have the most vaunted manager in world football, rightly or wrongly, who now seems to have got his tactics properly bedded-in, and an attack scoring for fun.
I'm 25 but I feel 52 while writing this over and over, I may even stop signing in and come back next Spring: it is Sep 29, very early days, the trophies race and the hot games will start in March. The only reasonable approach until then is to amass points and stay in contention. Any assessment or prediction is hot air, even dangerous.
Disagree. In Spain, i think either manc, chelsea and spurs would finish top 4, liverpool or arsenal i'm not so sure they'd finish ahead of sevilla or valencia. In germany yes, they'd all finish top 3. In Italy, same thing as Spain. Best 4 finish top 3, 'pool and arsenal not sure. Both potentially can be better than Napoli, Roma, Sevilla or Valencia, but i'm not sure they are over 38 games. Too early to tell
As for the premier league's financial power finally paying off..truth is PL sides don't have a financial advantage over madrid, barcelona, PSG or even Bayern(who choose not to compete, but could). Not yet. As for the league as a whole, most clubs are still adamant in putting both feet in their mouths, until that changes the level of the mid-table PL club will stay the same as Spain and Italy. And if they finally manage to start using that money wisely, it will be to the detriment of the top 6 european ambitions
I think the overall strength of the prem is slightly over egged. This any one from 6 can win is a bit mealy mouth imo.
The last 2 league campaigns have barely registered one bona fide challenger to the eventual champions, Chelsea and Leicester basically romped it.
In safs time their was always 2 challengers at any one time, people are just getting carried away and including serial losers like Liverpool , spurs, and arsenal amongst the challengers. They aren't, until they prove otherwise.
I predict there will be an absolute maximum of 2 genuine challengers to the eventual winners this season.....just like it has been since forever.
The last 2 league campaigns have barely registered one bona fide challenger to the eventual champions, Chelsea and Leicester basically romped it.
In safs time their was always 2 challengers at any one time, people are just getting carried away and including serial losers like Liverpool , spurs, and arsenal amongst the challengers. They aren't, until they prove otherwise.
I predict there will be an absolute maximum of 2 genuine challengers to the eventual winners this season.....just like it has been since forever.
i wouldnt fancy any of the top 6 English teams to beat Psg, Real, Barca and Juve, in fact they would be underdogs against all of them in 2 legs
we don't have a top 6
I'm just afraid English teams and fans of English football might be left with egg on their face
I think the 'top 6' is a pretty unanimous thing amongst most fans. I will be amazed if for this season and even the foreseeable future if United, City, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal don't fill the top six places come the end of the season.we don't have a top 6
There really is only a top 3/4 for realistically. Arsenal and Liverpool have no chance of winning the league as far as I'm concerned. The top teams are stronger which is why they are now walking over teams. This is almost like the 04-10 PL era were we knew who the best teams will be.
With Pep, Conte and Klopp coming in the level has been raised similar to what Mou and Rafa did in when they came.
With Pep, Conte and Klopp coming in the level has been raised similar to what Mou and Rafa did in when they came.
Don't need to at all. It's been obvious for quite some time now so I'm happy just letting others discuss it for me.
Tottenham against Dortmund and Chelseas game in Madrid suggest that English teams are competitive on the highest level again.
This CL campaign is one of the most interesting ones for some years.
The big guns like Bayern and Real are struggling a bit, Barca having highs and lows, Paris still a bit of a dark horse and PL teams better than they have been over the past 5 years.
This CL campaign is one of the most interesting ones for some years.
The big guns like Bayern and Real are struggling a bit, Barca having highs and lows, Paris still a bit of a dark horse and PL teams better than they have been over the past 5 years.
I think its more at the start of the season its "anyone from 5 or 6 teams could win it", but as a season progresses things change. For example both chelsea and leicester had underwhelming starts but picked up and won their titles comfortably. But at the end of september not many were predicting them to win it.
Yes, it's the first time since Chelsea win in 2012 that English teams actually look close to the best European sides. There are about 10 teams that could win it this year rather than just the big 3 from Spain, Juve and Bayern.