Premier League 2015/16

[StarLord]

City for me is the living prove that the most useless spending of money is on individual defenders.
Defense is purely about tactics. City could spend 100m on Diego Godin, and even he would look lost in that non-existing defensive order.
Every Centerback duo above the respective value of 10-15m EUR is capable of building the best defense in the world if the defensive set-up of the whole team looks right. Spending 40m on some defender because he looked like a rock for Team XYZ is the most brainless thing anyone can do in football.

Agreed.

 

[Jair Ventura]

Today's match was evidence to me that the entire Premier league is sub par. City was shambolic while Arsenal, despite being impressive going forward was porous everywhere else. They literally could not retain possession or kill the game against City of all clubs. Midfield play was practically non existent between them and I'm still trying to figure out what either one of them were doing defensively. All things considered, neither club was particularly impressive. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Leicester City ends up winning the league.

We will see the EPL fall behind Serie A within the next two seasons in the UEFA coefficients.

 

[JamDav1982]

Today's match was evidence to me that the entire Premier league is sub par. City was shambolic while Arsenal, despite being impressive going forward was porous everywhere else. They literally could not retain possession or kill the game against City of all clubs. Midfield play was practically non existent between them and I'm still trying to figure out what either one of them were doing defensively. All things considered, neither club was particularly impressive. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Leicester City ends up winning the league.

We will see the EPL fall behind Serie A within the next two seasons in the UEFA coefficients.

EPL wont fall away behind Serie A at all

Tonights game was end to end with a lot of decent play from both sides.

You can lambast the likes of Man City all you like but they finished above Juve in their group and will go further than them in the CL.

Can understand these teams being seen as poor vs Barca or Bayern but Italian teams? No chance. EPL far stronger than Italian league.

 

[Jair Ventura]

EPL wont fall away behind Serie A at all

You say this as if it aren't a very real possibility. It is, and this while Serie A is recovering from their temporary fall from grace whereas the EPL looks worse by the season.

Tonights game was end to end with a lot of decent play from both sides.

"End to end", "back and forth" football is a less damning way to say the EPL is devoid of the type of midfield play that is key to the success of Europe's top clubs. Arsenal couldn't kill the game and allowed City, who was pathetic, back in it for this reason.

You can lambast the likes of Man City all you like but they finished above Juve in their group and will go further than them in the CL.

Juve with 2 wins, 0 losses in head to head matches against City. Juve with a UCL final to their credit in 2015, City? On the other hand, it is likely that no more than 1 EPL club will make it to the final 16. The league sucks.

Can understand these teams being seen as poor vs Barca or Bayern but Italian teams? No chance. EPL far stronger than Italian league.

That's comedic.

 

[JamDav1982]

Again you spout the 'head to head' rubbish about City and Juve.

As I said last time if thats the case there is a legitimate argument to say Malaga is better than Barca due to their head to head last season.

City so pathetic they topped a group containing the Italian champions despite missing their four best players for large parts.

Lets see Italian teams v EPL in quarter finals of CL then to see who is correct.

 

[Jair Ventura]

Again you spout the 'head to head' rubbish about City and Juve.

What's rubbish about Juve proving themselves stronger than City over two legs? How the top clubs from the competitions in question perform against one another seems relevant give your fantastical suggestion that one is "far stronger" than the other.

As I said last time if thats the case there is a legitimate argument to say Malaga is better than Barca due to their head to head last season.

Malaga beat Barca twice in the most important competition/matches of their respective seasons?

City so pathetic they topped a group containing the Italian champions despite missing their four best players for large parts.

City is so pathetic that practically any time they run into a club of a similar stature they're run off the park. This is consistent with them dropping two matches to what was a struggling Juve.

Lets see Italian teams v EPL in quarter finals of CL then to see who is correct.

This seems rather shite logic given the fact that even France sent more clubs through to last years quarters than England.

 

[JamDav1982]

What's rubbish about Juve proving themselves stronger than City over two legs? How the top clubs from the competitions in question perform against one another seems relevant give your fantastical suggestion that one is "far stronger" than the other.



Malaga beat Barca twice in the most important competition/matches of their respective seasons?



City is so pathetic that practically any time they run into a club of a similar stature they're run off the park.



This seems rather shite logic given the fact that even France sent more clubs through the last years quarters than England.

Winning against a team twice in the group stages or in the league does not prove they are the better team and despite you trying to elevate the importance of those two games they still had no say on who won group.

Must be hard for Juve to finish behind such a pathetic club missing their four best players eh?

Ok if Serie A is better than EPL just now can you tell me how this can be judged by the end of this season? What is your criteria?

 

[Jenks]

The trouble with City is that they don't have the legs in the middle or a coherent pressing strategy. With Silva behind the striker and Toure in midfield they basically have one midfielder to do all the running. I know he scored tonight, but honestly if I were Pellegrini I would start dropping Toure in the big games.

 

[Catalan Fan]

I just don't understand when people argue about the leagues.I honestly don't get it.

Does it really matter which league is best ? I just find it pointless arguing which league is stronger/better.It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Anyways, as things stand I fancy Arsenal for PL.Hope plucky Leicester can make top 4, but it's a big ask.

 

[Jair Ventura]

Winning against a team twice in the group stages or in the league does not prove they are the better team and despite you trying to elevate the importance of those two games they still had no say on who won group.

Juve beats 2-0 while being the reining champion of Serie A for 4 seasons and coming off a year where they reached a UCL final. The added context only swings the pendulum more heavily in Juventus favor.

Must be hard for Juve to finish behind such a pathetic club missing their four best players eh?

They beat City twice and have historically been the stronger club in Europe. I'm sure they'll manage one way or the other.

Ok if Serie A is better than EPL just now can you tell me how this can be judged by the end of this season? What is your criteria?

Serie A has been stronger than the EPL for the majority of football's history(modern). This is nothing new, and can be measured by each countries respective successes in Europe.

 

[Jair Ventura]

I just don't understand when people argue about the leagues.I honestly don't get it.

Does it really matter which league is best ? I just find it pointless arguing which league is stronger/better.It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Anyways, as things stand I fancy Arsenal for PL.Hope plucky Leicester can make top 4, but it's a big ask.

Football is a competitive sport across various lines; country, club, & individual. Naturally, banter & comparison discussions will be present in this context.

 

[JamDav1982]

Juve beats 2-0 while being the reining champion of Serie A for 4 seasons and coming off a year where they reached a UCL final. The added context only swings the pendulum more heavily in Juventus favor.



They beat City twice and have historically been the stronger club in Europe. I'm sure they'll manage one way or the other.



Serie A has been stronger than the EPL for the majority of football's history(modern). This is nothing new, and can be measured by each countries respective successes in Europe.

How can we measure the current standards of the leagues? Coeffiecients where EPL is ahead of Italy? Yip.

I like how you avoided answering that by trying to make out historically Italy is better so that is case closed when it has no relevance.

BATE beat Roma over 'two legs' guess that means they are better?

Again I will ask....what criteria will you set for this season to show which is better league? I dont care about history of last 100 years. Recent history and coefficients show EPL as better. So what will happen for Serie A to over take them?

Will the country with most teams in CL last 8 be strongest? Why not last 16 where already more EPL teams two of whom won their groups and the other second to Bayern Munich.

 

[Jair Ventura]

How can we measure the current standards of the leagues? Coeffiecients where EPL is ahead of Italy? Yip.

You should take a look at them. Serie A is but 3 points(roughly) behind the EPL but are losing their porous 11/12 season where the EPL finished with a 4pt advantage going into next season. In which case, if the EPL doesn't have a solid showing in Europe this season it's likely that the EPL will fall behind Serie A come 2017.

I like how you avoided answering that by trying to make out historically Italy is better so that is case closed when it has no relevance.

Huh?

BATE beat Roma over 'two legs' guess that means they are better?

It means Roma sucks in Europe.

Again I will ask....what criteria will you set for this season to show which is better league? I dont care about history of last 100 years. Recent history and coefficients show EPL as better. So what will happen for Serie A to over take them?

I don't know what you're confused about? The Italians play better football and have stronger clubs than the English. This can be measured a number of ways, but many people point to either trophies won and or performances in Europe. In recent history, as in last season, the Italians finished with a 6pt advantage.

Will the country with most teams in CL last 8 be strongest? Why not last 16 where already more EPL teams two of whom won their groups and the other second to Bayern Munich.

I can hardly understand what you're trying to say and you're the Brit.

 

[JamDav1982]

So coefficient is the bench mark....where EPL teams have been ahead of Italy for at least the last 8/9 years overall.

You think Italy will overtake EPL? I think they wont.

As for trophies won...both have 12 European Cups/CLs historically

Last team to win it of the two was an EPL team. A shit one at that.

 

[Jair Ventura]

So coefficient is the bench mark....where EPL teams have been ahead of Italy for at least the last 8/9 years overall.

Sure, if you want it to be.

You think Italy will overtake EPL? I think they wont.

As for trophies won...both have 12 European Cups/CLs historically

There's more trophies than the CL:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UEFA_club_competition_winners

Italy has 48 to England's 39.

Last team to win it of the two was an EPL team. A shit one at that.

The Italians have as many UCL's this decade and more last decade.