Is the Premier League still the best league in the World?

[liquid_football]

The best players are playing in Spain,no doubt about that.Germany is great because of the unpredictability,but they are still behind EPL and Primera in terms of overall player quality.England has a fantastic atmosphere,lots of derbies and even the teams at the bottom of the league are no cannon fodder.The Seria A is just miles behind the top 3

 

[THFC]

I saw a clip of the bundasliga the other day, and was amazed at the schoolboy defending, literally it was schoolboy. Shocking. But if goals are what you are defining as excitement then schoolboy defending will lead to goals. For me I would rather see people at the very top of their game, where a moment of brilliance decides a game rather than a man falling over his shoe laces.

 

[Hootnow]

I saw a clip of the bundasliga the other day, and was amazed at the schoolboy defending, literally it was schoolboy. Shocking. But if goals are what you are defining as excitement then schoolboy defending will lead to goals. For me I would rather see people at the very top of their game, where a moment of brilliance decides a game rather than a man falling over his shoe laces.

Do you think that every goal scored in the premier league is because of outstanding attacking play?

Did you watch our match against Chelsea last week?

 

[johnola]

There is a lot to admire about the bundesliga. It isn't unusual for one of the less fancied sides to put in a concerted title challenge.

 

[THFC]

Do you think that every goal scored in the premier league is because of outstanding attacking play?

Did you watch our match against Chelsea last week?

No and Yes

 

[Hootnow]

No and Yes

Well then, (just realised how patronising the first post could come across, sorry for that), surely you appreciate that the premier league is hardly a great league for defending at the moment? I don't think there's a great deal of difference in defending quality between the top 3 leagues.

 

[CoolburyClub]

It's the most hyped league in the world but a long way from the best. Most Premier League players have already hit the big time after signing their first big contract so will often stroll around the pitch with as minimal effort as possible and watching Emirates Marketing Project play Swansea reminded me why I hardly bother with football anymore.

Empty seats everywhere, atmosphere of a morgue and a super-rich Emirates Marketing Project side doing evrything they could do get through the game in cruise control and not strain themselves too much in case it does anything to hamper their performance where the real action is at the millionaire's row nightclub on a Saturday night.

Swansea had two options, go for broke and go for an equaliser or keep solid at the back and try and sneak an equaliser. In effect we were going to get either an unlikely draw (which Swansea very nearly nicked) or City strolling to a 2-3 goal victory on the break even though they all played like they would rather be anywhere else than a football pitch on a Saturday night.

The Premier League is dead. You only have to go to one of these soul eroding, flat as a pancake melodromes to see that. Just can't get over this concept of going to a game and sitting in silence.

Something very wrong about going to a pub at the Anfield Road end and seeing a a pub full of fans from Reading, Surrey and Norway but not ONE scouse accent in the whole pub. As the tourists left the pub to go to the game the scousers came in.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world. It's where football went to die. Chelsea lifting the Champs League was the nail on the coffin.

Support your local pub side, better still get off your backside and play for one, better than sitting on it in silence whilst over-zealous orange tango men measure your adrenalin levels just in case there's any danger of a bit of banter and fun breaking out.

"Ooh, that fan looks like he might get up from his seat and actually cheer raucously rather than applaud like at a cricket match the goal. Can't have that can we".

Surely if you are going to measure the greatest league in the world you have to take into consideration how pitiful the matchday experience has become in the Premier League. Even US sports have better atmospheres, singing "Go Bears" at the baseball or whatever the...

 

[THFC]

Well then, (just realised how patronising the first post could come across, sorry for that), surely you appreciate that the premier league is hardly a great league for defending at the moment? I don't think there's a great deal of difference in defending quality between the top 3 leagues.

Well if you watch all 3 equally as much then fair enough you can call it. I was commenting on when I saw clips of the bundasliga show and all I saw was shocking positioning of defenders, people who couldn't be fudged, who didn't bother tracking back, tripping over shoe laces etc. Maybe it was that match, and fair enough there were alot of goals but due to the schoolboy errors i.e basics. I couldn't help but think a mid table bundasliga team would get obliterated by a div 1 team here.

 

[CoolburyClub]

How many English Premier League sides have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League? We haven't even beaten a run of the mill Greek or Slovenian side yet let alone the Germans.

Since the beginning of the Premier League victims have been the only side to win the competetion.

The Germans have won it 4 times with 2 each for Schalke and Bayern Munich. They've also had more finalists since 1992.

People always talk about how strong the Premier League is but outside the top 3-4 most Premier League sides usually end up getting dumped out of Europe by the last 16 most seasons.

 

[THFC]

How many English Premier Leagie sides have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League? We haven't even beaten a run of the mill Greek or Slovenian side yet let alone the Germans.

Since the beginning of the Premier League victims have been the only side to win the competetion.

The Germans have won it 4 times with 2 each for Schalke and Bayern Munich. They've also had more finalists since 1992.

People always talk about how strong the Premier League is but outside the top 3-4 most Premier League sides usually end up getting dumped out of Europe by the last 16 most seasons.

I think you have to take a look at how seriously people in this country take the Uefa/Europa League - it's viewed as a second rate competition & the financial rewards are nominal. Until that changes you won't see the same motivation to win it from the PL clubs.

 

[CoolburyClub]

Financial awards are nominal? Doesn't stop Spanish sides from trying to win it, Italian sides or German sides from challenging.

The Europa League is one of only two big European trophies on offer and if anyone seriously thinks that Spurs are "too big for it" then you want to have a good hard look at our qualification record for the Champions League and think again.

But that would only be my answer if I took your answer seriously. I do not. When we have made serious efforts to do well in Europe whether we cared or not we have been found wanting. German sides, Dutch sides, Spanish sides you name it, it was only last season when we put out a B-team and to be honest I think it's all this 'big time Charlie' sense of entitlement at the Lane these days that is giving alot of our fans a sense of delusion.

Yeah, yeah, Thursday night, Channel 5 and all that but football is about winning trophies and the Europa is the next biggest trophy to win after the Champions League and the Premier League. That's the reality. We are never going to seriously challenge for the Champions League. That is a pipe dream for clubs who don't have to balance books to appease shareholders.

You can't seriously tell me that United weren't taking the competetion seriously last season. Or City? I think it's a patronising cop out to say "Oh we're not even trying but could win it at a drop of the hat if we cared". So we may as well not try at all, right? How convenient.

If players and fans don't care then they really should take a long hard look at themselves and take a reality check because I don't know about anyone else around here but as someone in their mid-30's I think alot more about the night we lifted the UEFA Cup at the Lane than the day we beat Emirates Marketing Project (or whoever it was that made it mathematically certain) to finish 4th the year we qualified for the Champs League.

I care and so should the players. And I can't understaind this condescending attitude to the competition. We're not Barcelona, we're not Madrid, we're not Man Utd.

Not many clubs are but other European teams actually compete in the Europa which is why there's a Europa League trophy on the shelves in Moscow but not in North London (since the beginning of the Premier League that is).

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

It's the most hyped league in the world but a long way from the best. Most Premier League players have already hit the big time after signing their first big contract so will often stroll around the pitch with as minimal effort as possible and watching Emirates Marketing Project play Swansea reminded me why I hardly bother with football anymore.

Empty seats everywhere, atmosphere of a morgue and a super-rich Emirates Marketing Project side doing evrything they could do get through the game in cruise control and not strain themselves too much in case it does anything to hamper their performance where the real action is at the millionaire's row nightclub on a Saturday night.

Swansea had two options, go for broke and go for an equaliser or keep solid at the back and try and sneak an equaliser. In effect we were going to get either an unlikely draw (which Swansea very nearly nicked) or City strolling to a 2-3 goal victory on the break even though they all played like they would rather be anywhere else than a football pitch on a Saturday night.

The Premier League is dead. You only have to go to one of these soul eroding, flat as a pancake melodromes to see that. Just can't get over this concept of going to a game and sitting in silence.

Something very wrong about going to a pub at the Anfield Road end and seeing a a pub full of fans from Reading, Surrey and Norway but not ONE scouse accent in the whole pub. As the tourists left the pub to go to the game the scousers came in.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world. It's where football went to die. Chelsea lifting the Champs League was the nail on the coffin.

Support your local pub side, better still get off your backside and play for one, better than sitting on it in silence whilst over-zealous orange tango men measure your adrenalin levels just in case there's any danger of a bit of banter and fun breaking out.

"Ooh, that fan looks like he might get up from his seat and actually cheer raucously rather than applaud like at a cricket match the goal. Can't have that can we".

Surely if you are going to measure the greatest league in the world you have to take into consideration how pitiful the matchday experience has become in the Premier League. Even US sports have better atmospheres, singing "Go Bears" at the baseball or whatever the...

Wow great post and i agree with absolutely all of it.=D>

 

[THFC]

They were great times, in the past yes, and the UEFA cup meant more. Now fast forward to the present, and the same things don't matter as much now as they once did, look at the FA cup for example, its not what it used to be. I am not saying it is right or wrong, just that is how it is. Gone are the days where you can drink with the players down the pub. They are now multi millionaire superstars many with egos to match.

 

[DubaiSpur]

It's the most hyped league in the world but a long way from the best. Most Premier League players have already hit the big time after signing their first big contract so will often stroll around the pitch with as minimal effort as possible and watching Emirates Marketing Project play Swansea reminded me why I hardly bother with football anymore.

Empty seats everywhere, atmosphere of a morgue and a super-rich Emirates Marketing Project side doing evrything they could do get through the game in cruise control and not strain themselves too much in case it does anything to hamper their performance where the real action is at the millionaire's row nightclub on a Saturday night.

Swansea had two options, go for broke and go for an equaliser or keep solid at the back and try and sneak an equaliser. In effect we were going to get either an unlikely draw (which Swansea very nearly nicked) or City strolling to a 2-3 goal victory on the break even though they all played like they would rather be anywhere else than a football pitch on a Saturday night.

The Premier League is dead. You only have to go to one of these soul eroding, flat as a pancake melodromes to see that. Just can't get over this concept of going to a game and sitting in silence.

Something very wrong about going to a pub at the Anfield Road end and seeing a a pub full of fans from Reading, Surrey and Norway but not ONE scouse accent in the whole pub. As the tourists left the pub to go to the game the scousers came in.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world. It's where football went to die. Chelsea lifting the Champs League was the nail on the coffin.

Support your local pub side, better still get off your backside and play for one, better than sitting on it in silence whilst over-zealous orange tango men measure your adrenalin levels just in case there's any danger of a bit of banter and fun breaking out.

"Ooh, that fan looks like he might get up from his seat and actually cheer raucously rather than applaud like at a cricket match the goal. Can't have that can we".

Surely if you are going to measure the greatest league in the world you have to take into consideration how pitiful the matchday experience has become in the Premier League. Even US sports have better atmospheres, singing "Go Bears" at the baseball or whatever the...

=D>

 

[Essex Yid]

While I agree with the negative points, I feel it is also important to point out that there are positives with modern era football too:

- The quality of the football is undoubtadly infinitely better these days. I know someone who has been going to Man United games for years, and he says that the things Ronaldo did on the ball make George Best look average. Sure, there is diving, bad sportmanship and general unpleasant characters, but in terms of actual quality the game has never been quicker, more skillful and generally entertaining.

- Atmospheres may be worse, but safety is better. While I'm not really in a position to compare, I can imagine going to football in the 80s could be a scary experience. You don't feel unsafe any more, and there can't be any doubt that this is a good thing.

- There is so much football to watch. OK, we all know the down-sides to this, but lets be honest here, who can honestly say they didn't enjoy Sky's Super Sunday this weekend, with Everton-victims and Man U-Chelsea providing two great games?

- There really is still a buzz, and as long as that is there I will still go to football. United away ranked as probably my favourite game I've ever attended, and while I still have occasional days like that, football is still worth watching.

So come on, it's not all doom and gloom. Football still has drama, excitement and moments of pure delirium. As long as trips to old fashioned, proper grounds like Goodison, Villa Park and Upton Park are still available, I'm still very much excited about football.

 

[Nutter-Naylor]

It's the most hyped league in the world but a long way from the best. Most Premier League players have already hit the big time after signing their first big contract so will often stroll around the pitch with as minimal effort as possible and watching Emirates Marketing Project play Swansea reminded me why I hardly bother with football anymore.

Empty seats everywhere, atmosphere of a morgue and a super-rich Emirates Marketing Project side doing evrything they could do get through the game in cruise control and not strain themselves too much in case it does anything to hamper their performance where the real action is at the millionaire's row nightclub on a Saturday night.

Swansea had two options, go for broke and go for an equaliser or keep solid at the back and try and sneak an equaliser. In effect we were going to get either an unlikely draw (which Swansea very nearly nicked) or City strolling to a 2-3 goal victory on the break even though they all played like they would rather be anywhere else than a football pitch on a Saturday night.

The Premier League is dead. You only have to go to one of these soul eroding, flat as a pancake melodromes to see that. Just can't get over this concept of going to a game and sitting in silence.

Something very wrong about going to a pub at the Anfield Road end and seeing a a pub full of fans from Reading, Surrey and Norway but not ONE scouse accent in the whole pub. As the tourists left the pub to go to the game the scousers came in.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world. It's where football went to die. Chelsea lifting the Champs League was the nail on the coffin.

Support your local pub side, better still get off your backside and play for one, better than sitting on it in silence whilst over-zealous orange tango men measure your adrenalin levels just in case there's any danger of a bit of banter and fun breaking out.

"Ooh, that fan looks like he might get up from his seat and actually cheer raucously rather than applaud like at a cricket match the goal. Can't have that can we".

Surely if you are going to measure the greatest league in the world you have to take into consideration how pitiful the matchday experience has become in the Premier League. Even US sports have better atmospheres, singing "Go Bears" at the baseball or whatever the...

You should post more often mate.

This season i have been to WBA, Norwich, Villa & Lazio (with tickets booked for Maribor, WHU & Swansea - so far)

I have also been to 2 Lewes games, a Spurs mid-week U19 game & a Spurs Ladies away game.

I can categorically state with hand on heart that i had more fun at the latter 4 than the first 4 (& with a net outlay of twenty eight quid).

 

[CoolburyClub]

Swap Christiano Ronaldo for Hoddle, Waddle or Gazza though and we could all say similar things.

For a long time Beckham was the idol of English football simply because he had the ability to cross a ball, something considered a standard pre-requisite for getting into even the boy scouts side once upon a time. As for taking a free kick

And as for the difference in intensity we keep hearing about well Hoddle played to a high standard well into the mid-90's and Ruud Hullit and the likes of Michel Platini, Maradona and Marco Van Basten were a different class technically to most players around now. Of course it is more of an athletically motivated game now s less talented sides need to be muscular and fit to spoil and keep their side from getting exposed. But but technically the players are less gifted.

There is no modern equivalent to Maradona. No English equivalent to Waddle, Gazza or Hoddle and even John Barnes was a better player than Beckham. And what's more we could afford to go and see them. Ryan Giggs began playing in the early 90's and is still paying today in his late 30's?

If we have come such a long way since then then what on Earth is he still doing on a football pitch and playing for one of the Premier League's top 2 contenders (and yeah he may not feature as much now but even last season was an eye opener).

The things John Barnes did on a ball made Beckham look average, let alone Chris Waddle. Steven Gerrard or Gazza? Jermaine Defoe or Gary Lineker? Ronaldo or Maradona?

I think you've swallowed one too many marketing promos. You're paying for the same game at aridiculously inflated cost. The game was safe in the 90's and the Taylor report stipulated that a price of a ticket should rise with inflaton at around the same rate as a cinema ticket.

That hasn't happned. All that has happened is football has been turned into a maketing gimmick to make fans believe what they are watching was superior. In Spurs case especially, that simply isn't true. We haven't won a major trophy since 1991. And we haven't finished 3rd since 1989.

 

[ArcspacE]

We haven't won a major trophy since 1991.

You just argued in the other thread few seconds ago you miss the good ol' days when a defeat to Coventry in the League Cup 3rd round was a heartbreak.

Are you now dismissing it as a Mickey Mouse tin pot?

 

[CoolburyClub]

Well we did go into decline since 1991 that's just a fact of life. Winning the League Cup aganst Chelsea was probably the best of it we had in the 00's but we all know the FA Cup to Spurs fans means more, it would be silly to pretend otherwise.

It always has to me even though winning a League Cup gets you into Europe all the same. You have a point I can see what you're saying but the FA Cup will always mean that bit more than the League Cup but then alot of fans can't even be bothered with that these days.

 

[metalgear]

It's the most hyped league in the world but a long way from the best. Most Premier League players have already hit the big time after signing their first big contract so will often stroll around the pitch with as minimal effort as possible and watching Emirates Marketing Project play Swansea reminded me why I hardly bother with football anymore.

Empty seats everywhere, atmosphere of a morgue and a super-rich Emirates Marketing Project side doing evrything they could do get through the game in cruise control and not strain themselves too much in case it does anything to hamper their performance where the real action is at the millionaire's row nightclub on a Saturday night.

Swansea had two options, go for broke and go for an equaliser or keep solid at the back and try and sneak an equaliser. In effect we were going to get either an unlikely draw (which Swansea very nearly nicked) or City strolling to a 2-3 goal victory on the break even though they all played like they would rather be anywhere else than a football pitch on a Saturday night.

The Premier League is dead. You only have to go to one of these soul eroding, flat as a pancake melodromes to see that. Just can't get over this concept of going to a game and sitting in silence.

Something very wrong about going to a pub at the Anfield Road end and seeing a a pub full of fans from Reading, Surrey and Norway but not ONE scouse accent in the whole pub. As the tourists left the pub to go to the game the scousers came in.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world. It's where football went to die. Chelsea lifting the Champs League was the nail on the coffin.

Support your local pub side, better still get off your backside and play for one, better than sitting on it in silence whilst over-zealous orange tango men measure your adrenalin levels just in case there's any danger of a bit of banter and fun breaking out.

"Ooh, that fan looks like he might get up from his seat and actually cheer raucously rather than applaud like at a cricket match the goal. Can't have that can we".

Surely if you are going to measure the greatest league in the world you have to take into consideration how pitiful the matchday experience has become in the Premier League. Even US sports have better atmospheres, singing "Go Bears" at the baseball or whatever the...

+1 for an interesting post