Jus wondered what peoples thoughts were on the Premiership in light of Barca going through last night. The often self procalimed "best league in the world" might not actually have any teams in the quater finals of the Champions League. It's fair to say that Chelsea are head and shoulders are pretty much above everyone else at the moment in the prermiership. What does that say about the Premier League if the team who are "best" can't make it to the quater finals ?? It can be argued that the Special One isnt that special and he got his tactics completely wrong over the two legs. Granted they had a player sent off but to be fair Chelsea had the best part of one and a half games to win it after the sending off I don't think any league can boast a really strong all round league. However there are a core of 4-5 good teams in Spain, Italy and England and maybe two to three good teams in Holland, Germany etc. I just don't place the Premiership at the top of that list Discuss
The "best league" dosnt necessarily mean it has to have the "best team". I think when people say that the Premiership is the best, they are talking more about the style of football, and how competitive it is every week. Barca are a better team than Chelsea, that dosnt mean La Liga is higher in quality overall than the Premiership though does it?
OTOH, Liverpool did kinda go and win it last year It's a knockout competition which means an indiviidual piece of flair can be enough to progress to the next round, or a team with a very organised defence looking to poach a goal can do very well too which is quite different to the league format of grinding out results, changing tactics over the season to adapt to the different teams you play against and maintaining form over an entire season. Also injuries & suspensions have a much bigger effect on knockout games than they do in the league. After all though the Premiership still has 2 very good teams in the Champs league, who knows how far they might get?! I'd say it's definitely up there with the best, but I don't know how you'd define what the 'best' was really
Real Madrid - League Spain - Position No. 2 lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal - League English Premiership - Position no. 5 I dont think the premiership is a week[sic] league, just that Barca are a damn good team and beat Chelsea. its two matches it is far too little to suggest that either league is better or worse than the other.
I think Barca had the lucky break in the first leg with the sending off. Would of been alot different if that red card hadn't been shown IMO. *To add, so you can't really access the two leagues on this result. I think the Arsenal/R Madrid game is a good guide to the two leagues though
The Premiership is a lot weaker than Sky Sports would have you believe. Cut off the top 5 and you have a group of largely boring, inconsistant teams who can all be beaten. The best of the Premiership can still cut it at the highest level but if you took a poll of all the semi-finalists in the Euro Cup for the last 15 years, I'd be surprised if the EPL was any higher than 3rd.
As Josè pointed out, Barca have never beated Chelsea when its 11v11. That alone hardly proves that LaLiga is better. Plus, LaLiga isnt the best anyway according to Opta.
I dont know about 5 teams that can cut it in Europe. Definatelly 2 (Chelsea & Liverpool), and the other 3 (ManU, Arsenal & ???) are too inconsistant in Europe to really be classed as 'cutting it'.
I didn't actually say there are 5 teams that can cut it. It's a matter of perception anyway. I'd say 'cutting it' was getting good results against the cream of Europe and reaching the latter stages of the CL on a regular basis, but I don't have the expectation levels of, say, a Man Utd or AC Milan fan.
I could debate otherwise, but i cant be bothered. If you classed 'cutting it' what you say above, then for the last few seasons, only Chelsea could be classed as that. I wouldnt say that a ManU fan would have much expectations either. They've only won it twice.
From what i saw last night(first half mainly) Chelsea were poor, not up to their normal high standard. They looked poor in defence, midfield was hardly in the game and all drogba looked like contributing was giving away free kicks to barca. Barca were not at the top of their game either. I believe the premierships is a stronger league than most. Even if we only have a handful of teams who stand any chance of winning the league but isnt that true of nearly every league in Europe.
without saying premiership is weak The fact that england doesnt have the 4-5 core teams,as #1 said, is what make premiership the best league. Also the inconsistent teams take part in making the best league because if they were consisent then they would loose or win most of the times and the league was going to be predictable. Premiereship is indeed the best league even if it is weaker(imo it isnt) than other leagues
The 'perception' sentence related to it's following sentence, rather than the preceeding one. And, no, you couldn't debate it, because I didn't say it. Haven't Man Utd and Arsenal been regular Q-finalists for the last 10 or so years? Liverpool and Chelsea have done well, Leeds and Newcastle have had good runs.
Arsenal have been in 3 European finals in the last 12 years, Quarters twice, and various other stages of competitions
Yea but he also said that Liverpool didn't beat Chelsea last year because Luis Garcia's goal shouldn't have been given. So by his own arguement Barca beat Chelsea yesterday because Chelsea shouldn't have been awarded a penalty.
Arsenal Didnt score against UTD in 120 minutes in last years cup final but yet they still went home with the cup. Tenuous to say the least on behalf of JM
Chelsea losing to barcelona does not make the premiership a weak league. I'm not sure even how to measure a leagues strengths or weaknesses unless teams took part in more than one league.
Just to clarify a few things 1993-1994 Man Utd knocked out second round on away goals rule 1994-1995 Man Utd knocked out in group stage 1995-1996 Blackburn knocked out in group stage 1996-1997 Man Utd knocked out in semi finals 1997-1998 Man Utd knocked out in quarter final on away goals rule 1998-1999 Man Utd win Champions League 1999-2000 Arsenal knocked out in group stage Man Utd knocked out in Quarter Finals Chelsea knocked out in Quarter Finals 2000-2001 Arsenal knocked out in Quarter Finals Man Utd knocked out in Quarter Finals Leeds knocked out in Semi Finals 2001-2002 Arsenal knocked out second group stage Liverpool knocked out Quarter Final Man Utd knocked out Semi Final on away goals rule 2002-2003 Liverpool knocked out first group stage Newcastle knocked out second group stage Arsenal knocked out second group stage Man Utd knocked out in Quarter Final 2003-2004 Arsenal knocked out in Quarter Final Man Utd knocked out in Last 16 Knockout Round Chelsea knocked out in Semi Final 2004-2005 Arsenal knocked out in Last 16 Knockout Round Man Utd knocked out in Last 16 Knockout Round Chelsea knocked out in Semi Final Liverpool win the Champions League 2005-2006 Man Utd knocked out in Group Stage Chelsea knocked out in Last 16 Knockout Round Liverpool knocked out in Last 16 Knockout Round Arsenal..well done, to be continued....
we have the best league full stop. thats my opinion so you cant argue. Barca proved nothing except the special one aint very special. Prem and CL are tottally differnt, chelskis playing style does not suit it. it suits getting points regularly. Spanish legue is good, but I know what I would rather watch.
