Premier League 2013/14

[antonnn]

Didn't you guys say that about November? Always seem to imply that Arsenal are a disaster just waiting to collapse. They've been the best team in the country over the last 38 league games. They've shown consistency, they've passed their "tests".

That wasn't me, if Arsenal have a collapse I expect it to be toward the tail end of the season, I didn't say anything to do with Arsenal and November, it was other guys. For me the only thing I know about November when it comes to the EPL clubs is that Chelsea for some reason have an annual November collapse. We've found ourselves way behind the lead by the end of November of the past few seasons, this time around we've been more solid so I at least have higher hopes for us this time around.

Arsenal's toughest month yet is December, so as I said, it'll be a good test of their mettle for this season, especially the 3 consecutive games against Everton/City/Chelsea. They may have been good for the last 38 league games but there have only been 12 of this season, each season is different. Look at Southampton so far.

Probably the most excited I've been for an EPL season in a while, since by this stage for the past few seasons Chelsea's chances for the title had been virtually destroyed.

 

[Qonny]

Not true. The premier league has had 4 champions league finalists over the past 10 years. That trend will continue over the next 10 years. Contrast to two teams from Germany and one team from Spain.

The 6th team in the premier league won the champions league.

Yes, but I'm talking about right now. Does it matter what they have had? As of right now, the top teams in the premier league have been weak in comparison to other mentioned teams (except perhaps Arsenal).

And that 6th placed team that won the CL didn't exactly win it by playing godly football, did they? Besides, they got spanked by the 3rd placed team in the LaLiga last season.

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

We should sign Boruc to take over from Victor.

 

[Jenks]

Soldado heatmap from the City game.

 

[Ketoth]

must be the amount of times he had to kick off.

 

[Banana-Rama]

Yes, but I'm talking about right now. Does it matter what they have had? As of right now, the top teams in the premier league have been weak in comparison to other mentioned teams (except perhaps Arsenal).

And that 6th placed team that won the CL didn't exactly win it by playing godly football, did they? Besides, they got spanked by the 3rd placed team in the LaLiga last season.

your not telling us anything we don't already know, no-one is predicting the winner of this season's champions league to come from the premier league, but then no-one thought chelsea could do it in 2012 either, i am sure teams from the premier league will be contenders again in europe very soon, these things go in cycles...

 

[Qonny]

All I'm arguing for is that the premier league is behind the spanish, and perhaps also the german league. I'm not trying to tell you anything else really.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

But it isn't anything of the sort... Football is first about entertainment, and there is no league with more entertainment than the EPL; why the small teams win more doesn't actually matter, it's still a hilarious roller-coaster ride and is a lot funner to watch than Barca smacking everyone around every game. I'm certainly not mad that Barca smacks everyone around, and I am entertained by our players getting a lot of goals, but from a neutral perspective the unpredictability and last-ditch excitement offered by the EPL has to trump every other league in the world.

 

[Qonny]

But it isn't anything of the sort... Football is first about entertainment, and there is no league with more entertainment than the EPL; why the small teams win more doesn't actually matter, it's still a hilarious roller-coaster ride and is a lot funner to watch than Barca smacking everyone around every game. I'm certainly not mad that Barca smacks everyone around, and I am entertained by our players getting a lot of goals, but from a neutral perspective the unpredictability and last-ditch excitement offered by the EPL has to trump every other league in the world.

You're right, I should have pointed out that I didn't mean it in an entertainment point of view.

 

[Alik]

But it isn't anything of the sort... Football is first about entertainment, and there is no league with more entertainment than the EPL; why the small teams win more doesn't actually matter, it's still a hilarious roller-coaster ride and is a lot funner to watch than Barca smacking everyone around every game. I'm certainly not mad that Barca smacks everyone around, and I am entertained by our players getting a lot of goals, but from a neutral perspective the unpredictability and last-ditch excitement offered by the EPL has to trump every other league in the world.

Yeah I don't know... On the one hand, Barca thrashing teams in La Liga is no indication of how well they will do in the Champs League. On the other hand, the fact that BPL is competitive is less enjoyable in the knowledge that these teams would get beaten in the the champions league.

My point is, if I want to watch truly competitive matches at a high level, I'd watch the Champions League. The Albanian league, for example, might be just as competitive as the BPL (for all I know). That doesn't mean it is better than La Liga, simply because the standard of the teams involved is lower.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Then do you mean the quality of the teams? Because that's disputable as well; lower-level Spanish and perhaps German teams (haven't watched a lot of German football so don't know about the weaker teams) undoubtedly play higher quality football, but who would actually win is a different matter entirely. English teams have to cope with the likes of Mata, Silva and Cazorla when they come up against them in the league, so the unknown Spanish players who play for those smaller teams probably wouldn't hurt them too terribly much. As for the top of the table, the top three in La Liga and in the Bundesliga is better than in the EPL, but the next seven or so teams have to be better in the Premier League; City, United, Southampton and Everton are a different class from the teams in their respective positions. And all the teams in the EPL have a lot of room for improvement, with Southampton and perhaps Arsenal (new players still need to gel but they're overall fine) the only exceptions. United's midfield is poor, Chelsea haven't "clicked" yet, City can only win at home and could improve their defense, Spurs have no idea what they're doing, Liverpool are looking for improving left back and midfield... Meanwhile, Bayern is pretty much set, Barca only needs a new CB, Madrid have a pretty strong core of players... The top teams in La Liga and Bundesliga just aren't transitioning as much as the English teams are, and that does wonders for their temporary form but doesn't indicate their overall strength.

 

[Banana-Rama]

All I'm arguing for is that the premier league is behind the spanish, and perhaps also the german league. I'm not trying to tell you anything else really.

in spain it is only really barcelona that stand head and shoulders above, i don't view real madrid or atletico as teams that the top sides in the premier league can't compete with or beat in a champions league tie, and the two games that arsenal played against dortmund were very even, so really you are only arguing that those leagues are better based on the strength of two teams, barcelona and bayern. for excitement and entertainment value, its the premier league all day long for me, watching barca and madrid hammer teams 5 or 6 nil every week, nah not for me thanks...

 

[Qonny]

in spain it is only really barcelona that stand head and shoulders above, i don't view real madrid or atletico as teams that the top sides in the premier league can't compete with or beat in a champions league tie, and the two games that arsenal played against dortmund were very even, so really you are only arguing that those leagues are better based on the strength of two teams, barcelona and bayern. for excitement and entertainment value, its the premier league all day long for me, watching barca and madrid hammer teams 5 or 6 nil every week, nah not for me thanks...

I don't like people putting words in my mouth. Besides, that is quite the opposite of what I think. What I'm saying is that the overall quality of the tems is better in the LaLiga than in the Premier league. I don't watch the german league, so I'll just leave that one out.
I do believe that most mid-table spanish teams are better than most mid-table english teams, I really do.

 

[Banana-Rama]

I don't like people putting words in my mouth. Besides, that is quite the opposite of what I think. What I'm saying is that the overall quality of the tems is better in the LaLiga than in the Premier league. I don't watch the german league, so I'll just leave that one out.
I do believe that most mid-table spanish teams are better than most mid-table english teams, I really do.

i don't know much about the strength of mid table spanish teams to be honest so i am not going to argue about that, the clashes between the top 3 teams in spain are the only ones i view as worth watching to be honest, the top 3 against any of the other sides in that division are horribly one sided. credit to atletico for becoming a good team tho, at least the league has a bit more to offer then just el clasico now...

 

[AnfieldEd]

I don't like people putting words in my mouth. Besides, that is quite the opposite of what I think. What I'm saying is that the overall quality of the tems is better in the LaLiga than in the Premier league. I don't watch the german league, so I'll just leave that one out.
I do believe that most mid-table spanish teams are better than most mid-table english teams, I really do.

Disagree strongly. The mid table teams in la liga are incredibly weak.

For me Mid table is from 7th to 14th. Above 7th is challenging for european places and below 14th is fighting not to get into relegation. Thus Getafe, Sevilla, Espanyol, Elche, Valencia, Granada, Levante, Malaga. Against Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Swansea, WBA, Villa, Hull, Stoke.

Objectively I find it hard to say that those La Liga clubs are stronger. Take away the weakest two from the pack. Elche, Granada and Hull and Stoke and it's even stronger objectively in favour of the premier league.

So I struggle to how you can get that view point I really do.

I am not discussing technique and skill here because La Liga is of course of technically superior but into terms of league strength and competitiveness I find it very hard to see how you get your point of view.