Is the prem still the best league?

[fortworthspur]

We were a trifle to Dortmund the other night - and they arent even the best team in Germany.

 

[fortworthspur]

if this should go to general football I apologize

 

[dynamoSpurs]

It's the most competitive, and arfuahkyb(especially this season), the most exciting in its unpredictability.

However, it's not the best in terms of quality or talent within it. That would go to either Germany or Spain.

 

[Flashspur]

I think it belongs in here. I know that English sides have not done well in the CL and Europa. I really think its been difficult due to the intensity of the PL. The PL is also more even then other leagues which means competition is fierce.

Look at Germany, its a two horse race between Bayern and Dortmund but most years its just Bayern and daylight behind the Bavarians. In Spain its Real and Barca with Atletico bravely making a showing occasionally against the odds. In Italy's Serie A its really been Juve with both Inter and Milan sliding in recent years. Mourinho was even scathing of Gaurdiola's move to Germany when he openly mocked him by saying he had made the 'safe' move to a league with only one champion team i.e. no real competiiton.

The pace of the PL is also different. It is intense and end to end for the most part and the season is like a Shakespearean tragedy unfolding from start to finish. Its survival of the fittest. Putting up with that and making Europe your focus as well, is not easy to do. I think all the PL sides struggle in Europe for that reason.

Let me put it to you another way dude. Let's invite Bayern, Real, Barca and Juve to play in the PL. Lets see how they survive in European competition then. I am sure the bruising encounters with WBA and Stoke on a cold winters night is going to be a lot harder for Real and Barca then a stroll down to Granada, or to Valencia to play Levante or a trip to Gijon to play Sporting. Seriously, three quarters of La Liga is populated by chump teams. Plus the PL season is a marathon race with no winter break. Its a race of attrition and only the strong survive.

Besides the CL is losing its shine. Its been boring for years. The same teams, the same old shite. Again and again. Where's the fricken' excitement? Do I want to see Bayern, Barca, Real and some other fucking Deloittes Top 15 side in the CL semi's again? For the fucking tenth year running? Give me a break man! The PL is where the money is for a reason. The footballs more entertaining, its dynamic, its brutal. The little guy can have a shot. The CL is becoming a side show for the elite to flash their wares. Its just a glorified fucking cup competition run by a bunch of corrupt ****'s like their cousins in FIFA, innit?

 

[yankspurs]

Yes. Easily. Isn't even remotely close. I dont judge a league by how the top teams do against the top teams from other leagues in the middle of the week right before an after an immensely competitive game. I judge a league based on quality, competitiveness, unpredictability, fan support and entertainment. The Premier League simply blows every league out of the water. In Germany and Spain, it's always the top teams murdering the bottom teams with an occasional close match or upset maybe once a season or 2. Italy has been okay but the fan support is kinda shit with empty stadia's galore there. The Prem is the only league where if your not at full throttle, you could lose. Bayern, Barca or Real could pay at quarter speed and destroy some teams in the leagues. It's what allows them to go 100% in CL and never lose a step in the league.

 

[Real_madyidd]

yankspurs is bang on.

 

[beats1]

Having two strong teams in a league doesn't reflect the quality of the league

As for England's performance in Europe, there several reason behind the poor performances:
Games - England plays more games than any other league so has less time to prepare for this match, you see some teams have a long winter break and have 1 month to prepare like the danish team

Money - for a Spanish teams its better to do better in Europe than their own league as they will get a lot more money, so they prioritise the league. People may say well an 8th placed spanish team like Bilbao did well in europa whilst our teams are struggling are overlooking they finished 8th because Europe was worth more to them. Proof of this is the fact that people like Munian and Llorente were rested after their europa success because they were too tired for the Spanish team as they were burnt out.

PL is too strong - 4 or 5 years ago the PL teams could afford to take their foot off the gas whilst they went all out in Europe however the PL has got too competitive and the teams are more focused on the PL. The United team of 2011 wasnt a great united team and the fact that they fabio, Giggs(in CM), Scholes(at 36) and Park Ji-Sung, it wasn't great yet it made the final. Now even Man City are watching their back to see if the chasing pack will catch up to them in fourth

Big teams have monopolised their leagues - Bayern are the bundesliga and make more money than everyone else that they can afford the best players and guarantee silverware, same for Barca, Real(might not win the league but they will always be fighting for a trophy), PSG and Juve. Signing for a PL club carries a lot of risk for a player now, that they perhaps wont be guaranteed success

Also against dortmund, imo wrongly we played a lot of rusty players like Chadli, Mason, Carroll and Onomah who have been injured(or not picked) and not been rotated much. Against Dortmund we played in to their hands by having no striker as we had no out ball and when the ball was kicked forward there was no striker to take the pressure off the defence. Not to mention they are also fresher and full strength

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

Yes. Easily. Isn't even remotely close. I dont judge a league by how the top teams do against the top teams from other leagues in the middle of the week right before an after an immensely competitive game. I judge a league based on quality, competitiveness, unpredictability, fan support and entertainment. The Premier League simply blows every league out of the water. In Germany and Spain, it's always the top teams murdering the bottom teams with an occasional close match or upset maybe once a season or 2. Italy has been okay but the fan support is kinda shit with empty stadia's galore there. The Prem is the only league where if your not at full throttle, you could lose. Bayern, Barca or Real could pay at quarter speed and destroy some teams in the leagues. It's what allows them to go 100% in CL and never lose a step in the league.

This -- the first time I've agreed with the generally tedious @yankspurs.

 

[fortworthspur]

I dont know the answer. I appreciate the comments.

 

[dondo]

The top teams in Germany, and Spain are better than any team in England by quite a distance but our league is much more competitive as the teams in mid table and at the bottom are slightly better than the teams in mid table and at the bottom of Europe other big leagues but you have to factor in how competitive our league would be if we had a barca or Real Madrid in it

 

[tonester]

I totally agree with all of the above. That's why I don't get all the hype surrounding Guardiola. He'll have a proper job on his hands dominating the Premier League next season, even with all of City's resources.

I also think it goes beyond the Premier League in terms of competition. Just look at how tight the Championship is - Last year it was a fantastic finale with about eight teams battling it out for the promotion spots. You just don't get the kind of support and passion in the lower divisions elsewhere in Europe.

 

[DiscoD1882]

Didn't Dortmund have a Christmas break? In that time we probably played 8 games. I think the Europe thing is skewed massively in favour of our continental buddies. But league wise we have the best league in the the world. And this season. Far from being the worst season for quality has been one of the best as far as I am concerned.

 

[Ironskullll]

I think it belongs in here. I know that English sides have not done well in the CL and Europa. I really think its been difficult due to the intensity of the PL. The PL is also more even then other leagues which means competition is fierce.

Look at Germany, its a two horse race between Bayern and Dortmund but most years its just Bayern and daylight behind the Bavarians. In Spain its Real and Barca with Atletico bravely making a showing occasionally against the odds. In Italy's Serie A its really been Juve with both Inter and Milan sliding in recent years. Mourinho was even scathing of Gaurdiola's move to Germany when he openly mocked him by saying he had made the 'safe' move to a league with only one champion team i.e. no real competiiton.

The pace of the PL is also different. It is intense and end to end for the most part and the season is like a Shakespearean tragedy unfolding from start to finish. Its survival of the fittest. Putting up with that and making Europe your focus as well, is not easy to do. I think all the PL sides struggle in Europe for that reason.

Let me put it to you another way dude. Let's invite Bayern, Real, Barca and Juve to play in the PL. Lets see how they survive in European competition then. I am sure the bruising encounters with WBA and Stoke on a cold winters night is going to be a lot harder for Real and Barca then a stroll down to Granada, or to Valencia to play Levante or a trip to Gijon to play Sporting. Seriously, three quarters of La Liga is populated by chump teams. Plus the PL season is a marathon race with no winter break. Its a race of attrition and only the strong survive.

Besides the CL is losing its shine. Its been boring for years. The same teams, the same old shite. Again and again. Where's the fricken' excitement? Do I want to see Bayern, Barca, Real and some other fucking Deloittes Top 15 side in the CL semi's again? For the fucking tenth year running? Give me a break man! The PL is where the money is for a reason. The footballs more entertaining, its dynamic, its brutal. The little guy can have a shot. The CL is becoming a side show for the elite to flash their wares. Its just a glorified fucking cup competition run by a bunch of corrupt ****'s like their cousins in FIFA, innit?

Wholly agree. I also think that if Leicester were playing in the German or Spanish leagues this year they'd still be doing extremely well.

 

[riggi]

Can he do it on a rainy Monday night in Stoke

 

[tobi]

I don't think there is a league that can be definitely called the best but I'd agree that the EPL is the most competitive (top 10).

I can't comment on Seria A and the Bundesliga because I haven't watched either consistently for two seasons ( BT).

The style of footbal played by most in the EPL is ugly and I prefer La Liga in this regard.

 

[Shadydan]

When was it the best league in the first place?

 

[spurs mental]

In terms of quality, no.

But competitiveness and excitement absolutely yes.

 

[Lemon]

It's the most competitive, and arfuahkyb(especially this season), the most exciting in its unpredictability.

However, it's not the best in terms of quality or talent within it. That would go to either Germany or Spain.

That my friend is a googlewack, which you just created, but I may now break by quoting you (sorry!)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=arfuahkyb

 

[Damian99]

When was it the best league in the first place?

Runs a close second to the Scottish Premier league

 

[oskathegobshite]

Yes. Easily. Isn't even remotely close. I dont judge a league by how the top teams do against the top teams from other leagues in the middle of the week right before an after an immensely competitive game. I judge a league based on quality, competitiveness, unpredictability, fan support and entertainment. The Premier League simply blows every league out of the water. In Germany and Spain, it's always the top teams murdering the bottom teams with an occasional close match or upset maybe once a season or 2. Italy has been okay but the fan support is kinda shit with empty stadia's galore there. The Prem is the only league where if your not at full throttle, you could lose. Bayern, Barca or Real could pay at quarter speed and destroy some teams in the leagues. It's what allows them to go 100% in CL and never lose a step in the league.

Couldn't agree more