The Premiership vs La Liga & the Trials of the English & Spanish national sides.

[marc71178]

Craig Moore is solid but the rest of the back-line is pretty poor.

Precisely why they're nowhere near being a good side.

 

[Tom Halsey]

He actually said 'other tham the likes of Man U, the gunners, Chelsea, Liverpool & Tottenham no other club has a better record i don't think.'

You're right, he did.

My apologies.

 

[roseboy64]

I'd say the Premiership. More competitive than La Liga. Where else can you find a team like Middlesbrough who'll beat Chelsea and lose to Charlton in consecutive matches.

 

[aussie]

Anyway Aussie you have forgot to mention the form of Sevilla (Jesus Navas and Dani Alaves will surely join much bigger clubs?), Osasuna and Zaragoza. The signing of Pablo Aimar looks to be a shrewd one.

Yea i missed them, Zaragoza more so look to have a strong outfit.

 

[aussie]

Precisely why they're nowhere near being a good side.

fair enough my youth..

 

[Craig]

Marc is 28? WTF?

Inzy award right here.

 

[Craig]

True, but now they're back to the former period.

They really should have won that one Premiership where they blew a 12 point lead but they've done nothing since really.

How do you throw away a 12 point lead? I mean seriously did they all smoke some illegal drugs beforehand or cloned their players with heroin addicts?

 

[Pedro Delgado]

No they bought Tino Asprilla.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I'd say the Premiership. More competitive than La Liga. Where else can you find a team like Middlesbrough who'll beat Chelsea and lose to Charlton in consecutive matches.

Last season Atletico Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at home...then fell 2-3 to Real Sociedad (who finished 17th) in the next round.

It's a bit impossible to call between England, Spain and Italy really. I still think Spain's ahead somewhat - Villarreal made the semis of the CL last year (through their fair share of luck and 0-0 draws, but still) and aren't even qualified for Europe this year. And there is the UEFA Cup final last year (Middlesbrough 0-4 Sevilla). Same with Italy really, Inter and Milan (and Juve before you-know-what) have great records in Europe but the fourth team is usually poor (Chievo got knocked out by Levski Sofia this year.)

So for me...

1) Spain
2) England
3) Italy
4) Germany (ahead of France due to competitiveness in league)
5) France (apart from Lyon they're pretty dire)

Now, why that top five is turned upside down with the national teams? No idea. I guess it's something to do with Spanish and English leagues being dominated by foreigners, while the German have their national players in starring roles for their club (although German papers usually salivate over the 39th-choice Brazilian that currently plays in their league).

 

[Cloete]

Last season Atletico Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at home...then fell 2-3 to Real Sociedad (who finished 17th) in the next round.

It's a bit impossible to call between England, Spain and Italy really. I still think Spain's ahead somewhat - Villarreal made the semis of the CL last year (through their fair share of luck and 0-0 draws, but still) and aren't even qualified for Europe this year. And there is the UEFA Cup final last year (Middlesbrough 0-4 Sevilla). Same with Italy really, Inter and Milan (and Juve before you-know-what) have great records in Europe but the fourth team is usually poor (Chievo got knocked out by Levski Sofia this year.)

So for me...

1) Spain
2) England
3) Italy
4) Germany (ahead of France due to competitiveness in league)
5) France (apart from Lyon they're pretty dire)

Now, why that top five is turned upside down with the national teams? No idea. I guess it's something to do with Spanish and English leagues being dominated by foreigners, while the German have their national players in starring roles for their club (although German papers usually salivate over the 39th-choice Brazilian that currently plays in their league).

1. Spain, my favourite league in the world and the best in the world IMO
2. England, very entertaining and high quality. just doesn't have the same technical level as Spain IMO
3. Italy Ahead of England before recent match fixings, though not as entertaining
4. Germany, Bayern are big obviously but there are a number of quality teams and a lot of brilliant players.
5. Holland, though you do get about 3-4 teams each year who are simply dire, the rest of the teams are very competitive and PSV, Ajax and AZ are all better than any French team other than Lyon
6. France
7. Russia, really come on in leaps and bounds and it's now an attractive option for players to go for big money and quality football. CSKA, Spartak, Torpedo and Lokomotiv are all quality teams. Interestingly you could probably put together a Moscow only league that would be of very high quality (the best of Russian football by a mile.)
8. Portugal
9. Turkey
10. Romania

European only of course. All subjective too.

 

[Tom Halsey]

How do you throw away a 12 point lead? I mean seriously did they all smoke some illegal drugs beforehand or cloned their players with heroin addicts?

They bottled it, simple as. Keegan was never a tactical mastermind, and with the defensive insecurity they always had there was always the potential for the wheels to fall off - which they did.

Of course, United played our part (or more to the point, Cantona and Schmeichel played their part, never more evident than at St. James' Park in March).

 

[BoyBrumby]

Last season Atletico Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at home...then fell 2-3 to Real Sociedad (who finished 17th) in the next round.

It's a bit impossible to call between England, Spain and Italy really. I still think Spain's ahead somewhat - Villarreal made the semis of the CL last year (through their fair share of luck and 0-0 draws, but still) and aren't even qualified for Europe this year. And there is the UEFA Cup final last year (Middlesbrough 0-4 Sevilla). Same with Italy really, Inter and Milan (and Juve before you-know-what) have great records in Europe but the fourth team is usually poor (Chievo got knocked out by Levski Sofia this year.)

So for me...

1) Spain
2) England
3) Italy
4) Germany (ahead of France due to competitiveness in league)
5) France (apart from Lyon they're pretty dire)

Now, why that top five is turned upside down with the national teams? No idea. I guess it's something to do with Spanish and English leagues being dominated by foreigners, while the German have their national players in starring roles for their club (although German papers usually salivate over the 39th-choice Brazilian that currently plays in their league).

Fair point &, of course, we're doubly screwed as our top players don't actually go out of the Prem now as a general rule. Those that do soon scuttle back.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Fair point &, of course, we're doubly screwed as our top players don't actually go out of the Prem now as a general rule. Those that do soon scuttle back.

Have they ever? OK, there was early 90s when Gazza and Platt played in Italy, but I've always seen English footballers as extremely reluctant to ply their trade on the Continent (with an honourable exception to Viking FK legend Gary Goodchild). Probably because they're paid more in England, but it's interesting how little they move around.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Have they ever? OK, there was early 90s when Gazza and Platt played in Italy, but I've always seen English footballers as extremely reluctant to ply their trade on the Continent (with an honourable exception to Viking FK legend Gary Goodchild). Probably because they're paid more in England, but it's interesting how little they move around.

Bit of a minor spate of 'em going Italian in the early-mid 80s: Trev Fancis, Paul Rideout, Mark Hateley, Luther Blissit, Ray Wilkins, Paul Elliott, Gordon Cowans plus other Brits/Micks like Souness, Joe Jordan & Chippy Brady.

Pretty much a money thing then I suspect, so now they don't have to bother with the Prem paying top dollar.

 

[Matteh]

Have they ever? OK, there was early 90s when Gazza and Platt played in Italy, but I've always seen English footballers as extremely reluctant to ply their trade on the Continent (with an honourable exception to Viking FK legend Gary Goodchild). Probably because they're paid more in England, but it's interesting how little they move around.

Gazza, Platt, Ince, Woodgate, Owen, Beckham i think (off the top of my head) are the only major ones that have since i got into football. I don't count Hargreaves as his nationality is all over the place.

Then there's other people like Daniele Dichio and Lee Sharpe who played in Italy for a little while, but basically moved back within a season.

 

[marc71178]

No they bought Tino Asprilla.

Same thing isn't it?!

 

[aussie]

1. Spain, my favourite league in the world and the best in the world IMO
2. England, very entertaining and high quality. just doesn't have the same technical level as Spain IMO
3. Italy Ahead of England before recent match fixings, though not as entertaining
4. Germany, Bayern are big obviously but there are a number of quality teams and a lot of brilliant players.
5. Holland, though you do get about 3-4 teams each year who are simply dire, the rest of the teams are very competitive and PSV, Ajax and AZ are all better than any French team other than Lyon
6. France
7. Russia, really come on in leaps and bounds and it's now an attractive option for players to go for big money and quality football. CSKA, Spartak, Torpedo and Lokomotiv are all quality teams. Interestingly you could probably put together a Moscow only league that would be of very high quality (the best of Russian football by a mile.)
8. Portugal
9. Turkey
10. Romania

European only of course. All subjective too.

Portugal seem a bit low to me, now nil about the Russian league but i would think Portugal are ahead of them, after all Porto did win the CL not so long ago.

 

[Matteh]

Portugal seem a bit low to me, now nil about the Russian league but i would think Portugal are ahead of them, after all Porto did win the CL not so long ago.

Isn't like Scotland(although Hearts are doing well atm) though where basically it's between 2 clubs (Benfica and Porto)?

 

[Craig]

Sporting Lisboa might have something to say about that.

As for Spain I have always thought of it as the regional differences have been a factor - I mean I doubt there is one Catalan or Basque out there who considers themselves Spanish first ahead of what region they are from. You only have to do a read up on wikipedia and type in 'Franco' and you will leaarn everything.

 

[Craig]

No they bought Tino Asprilla.

Yeah but still that is incredible.