Well you would have to say it’s weaker as Liverpool aside, all the top teams have regressed or are in transition or both. The clubs in the bottom half are awful in quality. Wolves and Leicester have joined the mix for regular European contenders but that’s about as far as it goes when it comes to extra quality in the league
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
It's a toughie as you say.
Worth bearing in mind though, that as we speak, Premier League clubs currently hold pretty much every major European/ International club trophy.
Champions League, UEFA Europa League, European Super Cup, World Club Championship.🙂
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
Spurs dumped out easily by a not great RB Leipzig side.
Chelsea barring a miracle easily dumped out by Bayern.
Liverpool while unlucky at times vs Atletico were well beaten in the end.
Arsenal knocked out of the EL by Olympiakos.
City still have to finish the job vs Real plus Wolves and United are still in the EL but let’s face it a large chunk of teams in that comp aren’t even PL standard.
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And yet about 15 months ago we had both European finals decided by English clubs. I really don't think leagues decline on some specific date, the day a new season starts, but gradually over time. I still think the league is very strong, and it's not going to surprise me to see an English team in both European finals this year
Could it be argued that European football has been weaker these last 2 seasons
Barcelona and Real in particular appearing to be in decline/transition
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 14 seconds ago
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And yet about 15 months ago we had both European finals decided by English clubs. I really don't think leagues decline on some specific date, the day a new season starts, but gradually over time. I still think the league is very strong, and it's not going to surprise me to see an English team in both European finals this year
----------------------------------------------------------------------
go and ask spurs fans if they think their team is better or worse than last season. or chelsea fans whether they were more optimistic at the beginning of this season or last season.
spurs have been in decline for 2-3 years now, their appearance in the CL final was a last hurrah for that team, and achieved in slightly flukey circumstances. and even their own fans would admit that they were the weakest CL finallists for decades.
comment by Roy's Keane (U11635)
posted 53 seconds ago
Could it be argued that European football has been weaker these last 2 seasons
Barcelona and Real in particular appearing to be in decline/transition
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That’s another argument. Juventus are not that great either and while Bayern look to have turned it around in the 2nd half of this season they weren’t great for a while. PSG flatter to deceive also.
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 49 seconds ago
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can be knocked out of Europe for performing badly over 90 minutes.
Takes a lot more to win a European competition.
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 3 seconds ago
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barcelona haven’t been great for a few years to be fair. I don’t think many are questioning the quality of the league on one Liverpool loss tbf more a combination of everything.
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 1 minute ago
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
erm, yes.
as others have alluded to in this article, it is highly arguable that both barca and madrid have teams that are weaker than most they have put out over the past 20 years.
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 45 seconds ago
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 49 seconds ago
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can be knocked out of Europe for performing badly over 90 minutes.
Takes a lot more to win a European competition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve always argued that the CL is a massive lottery and one moment can make or break you. It’s more the manner that the likes of Spurs and Chelsea got beat that suggests the lack of quality.
This is, by far, the weirdest season of top division football I have witnessed since engaging with the game back in '68.
And that was BEFORE covid-19.
No team appears to have been remotely bothered to be competitive.
Lacklustre, disinterested, disorganized, shambolic, unmotivated, boring, journeymen are the watchwords of this season.
There are teams in the EPL that clearly have squads peppered with incredible talent, CFC and MCFC for example, that have so under-achieved, under-performed and been under-motivated that the league winners are the weakest to have done so in the short EPL history.
To be honest i really hope it's either a 'blip' or the administration of the league introduces some measures to reignite competitiveness - as they did in the early 90s.
We really don't want to go back to the boring stuff that passed for football in the 80s - and it really looks that way at the moment. That's how serious the games organisers need to take things. Standing still is bad enough, but regression is a potential nightmare.
Progression is what our sport needs, and very soon, or the EPL will become even more humdrum than it currently is.
It's one of those debates where you can probably find stats to suit both arguments and so the truth is a sea of grey.
I think before this is seen as a dig at Liverpool, we'd all accept that they are hands down the best team in the league and a slightly stronger United, Chelsea etc. wouldn't change that.
Whether the league is weaker overall... I'm not convinced but it's an interesting discussion - particularly given that we have a genuine chance of 3rd place and we were utter sheite for more than half the season.
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 8 seconds ago
It's one of those debates where you can probably find stats to suit both arguments and so the truth is a sea of grey.
I think before this is seen as a dig at Liverpool, we'd all accept that they are hands down the best team in the league and a slightly stronger United, Chelsea etc. wouldn't change that.
Whether the league is weaker overall... I'm not convinced but it's an interesting discussion - particularly given that we have a genuine chance of 3rd place and we were utter sheite for more than half the season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly and the fact that Watford and West Ham look likely to stay up despite being utter garbage most of the season.
Then again you can flip that and say they haven’t amassed many points as the opposition has been tougher.
There’s no real correct answer and it’s more down to opinion.
I’m going to look at some stats though.
______________
I'd look instead at United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. The first two are clearly rebuilding, while the last two started so poorly that their managers were sacked and now look, sadly, a bit of a mess. Apart from 15-16 when Leicester won it, I can't remember a season when four of the so-called "big six" were so clearly short of being title challengers. You could argue that this is offset somewhat by the likes of Leicester, Wolves and Sheffield United being a trickier proposition than "mid-tier" teams have been historically; I don't know.
Liverpool and City are clearly two of the best teams in Europe though. Liverpool won the CL last year and I wouldn't be surprised to see City win it this year. Even if we don't have a winner or finalist this year, the PL's standing in European competitions has been on the rise for the last three years or so, after a sort of fallow period.
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 minutes ago
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
some fans on here want it both ways, they want to spend 11 1/2 months of the year telling the bigger teams how sh!t they currently are - how the mighty are fallen etc. - and then 2 weeks a year arguing that the PL is as strong as it has ever been.
looking at the top 4, city in second have lost 9 times, and 2-4 in the table are likely to end up with c. 30 defeats between them. these are not unique stats, but they are both records over the past 20 years of the PL.
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 minutes ago
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
some fans on here want it both ways, they want to spend 11 1/2 months of the year telling the bigger teams how sh!t they currently are - how the mighty are fallen etc. - and then 2 weeks a year arguing that the PL is as strong as it has ever been.
looking at the top 4, city in second have lost 9 times, and 2-4 in the table are likely to end up with c. 30 defeats between them. these are not unique stats, but they are both records over the past 20 years of the PL.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not reading too much into City this season. For me they're still clearly a top team who could even end up winning the CL. A much better team than what they've shown in the league, as demonstrated by the last couple of seasons.
The league should become more competitive at the top next season. United and Chelsea will inevitably be better. I'm expecting the same from Arsenal. Not sure about Spurs. The divide between those top 2 teams and the rest will be shortened.
People often talk about the top 6 when having these discussions. They account for juat over a quarter of the total games so the strength of the other 14 teams is actually more significant to the strength of the league. I can't see how anyone can say those 14 are generally weaker than the average. The money the bottom places teams get absolutely shadows the money even top half teams used to get since the new tv deal a few years back. Most teams can afford to buy £20m+ players and therefore can compete for like 98% of the world's players (the top 6 and s fee others having a shot at the top 2% as well).
I accept the top teams haven't fired on all cylinders so it has been a fairly easy ride for us to the title but we have done it while breaking records so not like it's the only reason we've won. Plus as you said, city's final points tally will be a competitive amount so it hasn't been literally handed to us.
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not reading too much into City this season. For me they're still clearly a top team who could even end up winning the CL. A much better team than what they've shown in the league, as demonstrated by the last couple of seasons.
The league should become more competitive at the top next season. United and Chelsea will inevitably be better. I'm expecting the same from Arsenal. Not sure about Spurs. The divide between those top 2 teams and the rest will be shortened.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i do think city's sh!tness this season maybe colours our perceptions a bit too much, they have had a dreadful falling off - two 100 point seasons, this season they'll be at c. 80-85, more points dropped this season than the last two combined.
but i'd think that leaving them to one side, fans of all the other big clubs would say they are as weak now as they have been for years, or even decades (with the sole exception of a united fan now...if you'd polled us in november you'd obviously have received a very different answer)
Sign in if you want to comment
Is the PL weaker this season
Page 1 of 3
posted on 12/7/20
Well you would have to say it’s weaker as Liverpool aside, all the top teams have regressed or are in transition or both. The clubs in the bottom half are awful in quality. Wolves and Leicester have joined the mix for regular European contenders but that’s about as far as it goes when it comes to extra quality in the league
posted on 12/7/20
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
posted on 12/7/20
It's a toughie as you say.
Worth bearing in mind though, that as we speak, Premier League clubs currently hold pretty much every major European/ International club trophy.
Champions League, UEFA Europa League, European Super Cup, World Club Championship.🙂
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Really?
Spurs dumped out easily by a not great RB Leipzig side.
Chelsea barring a miracle easily dumped out by Bayern.
Liverpool while unlucky at times vs Atletico were well beaten in the end.
Arsenal knocked out of the EL by Olympiakos.
City still have to finish the job vs Real plus Wolves and United are still in the EL but let’s face it a large chunk of teams in that comp aren’t even PL standard.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And yet about 15 months ago we had both European finals decided by English clubs. I really don't think leagues decline on some specific date, the day a new season starts, but gradually over time. I still think the league is very strong, and it's not going to surprise me to see an English team in both European finals this year
posted on 12/7/20
Could it be argued that European football has been weaker these last 2 seasons
Barcelona and Real in particular appearing to be in decline/transition
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 14 seconds ago
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten Mittons (U17162)
posted 3 minutes ago
I think when measuring the strength of a domestic league it's important to take note of the European cup comps too.
This year you can argue the league is strong as English teams are currently doing well in Europe also
----------------------------------------------------------------------
are they? we'll have one club (at best) in the CL quarters, whilst our runaway league leaders were beaten home and away by the 3rd best team in spain.
europa wolves and united have looked decent, whilst arsenal embarrassed themselves.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Paddy's Pub - Home of the original Kitten
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And yet about 15 months ago we had both European finals decided by English clubs. I really don't think leagues decline on some specific date, the day a new season starts, but gradually over time. I still think the league is very strong, and it's not going to surprise me to see an English team in both European finals this year
----------------------------------------------------------------------
go and ask spurs fans if they think their team is better or worse than last season. or chelsea fans whether they were more optimistic at the beginning of this season or last season.
spurs have been in decline for 2-3 years now, their appearance in the CL final was a last hurrah for that team, and achieved in slightly flukey circumstances. and even their own fans would admit that they were the weakest CL finallists for decades.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Roy's Keane (U11635)
posted 53 seconds ago
Could it be argued that European football has been weaker these last 2 seasons
Barcelona and Real in particular appearing to be in decline/transition
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That’s another argument. Juventus are not that great either and while Bayern look to have turned it around in the 2nd half of this season they weren’t great for a while. PSG flatter to deceive also.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
posted on 12/7/20
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 49 seconds ago
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can be knocked out of Europe for performing badly over 90 minutes.
Takes a lot more to win a European competition.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 3 seconds ago
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barcelona haven’t been great for a few years to be fair. I don’t think many are questioning the quality of the league on one Liverpool loss tbf more a combination of everything.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 1 minute ago
Barcelona were knocked out of the CL by Italys 3rd best team in 2018.
Did this result alone bring the quality of Barcelona, or that of La Liga as a whole into doubt?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
erm, yes.
as others have alluded to in this article, it is highly arguable that both barca and madrid have teams that are weaker than most they have put out over the past 20 years.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
posted 45 seconds ago
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 49 seconds ago
comment by jlou1978 (U15376)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool were beaten by Athletico.
So what, these things happen.
Plenty of great teams have been beaten by lesser lights in the CL, means nothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, it means something in relation to the claim that "English teams are currently doing well in Europe". i mean, it's literally the only way to prove or disprove that, no?
and i'm sure you'll take the same level-headed approach if/when united are knocked out of europe.
still, if being knocked out of europe means nothing, then presumably winning in europe means nothing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can be knocked out of Europe for performing badly over 90 minutes.
Takes a lot more to win a European competition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve always argued that the CL is a massive lottery and one moment can make or break you. It’s more the manner that the likes of Spurs and Chelsea got beat that suggests the lack of quality.
posted on 12/7/20
This is, by far, the weirdest season of top division football I have witnessed since engaging with the game back in '68.
And that was BEFORE covid-19.
No team appears to have been remotely bothered to be competitive.
Lacklustre, disinterested, disorganized, shambolic, unmotivated, boring, journeymen are the watchwords of this season.
There are teams in the EPL that clearly have squads peppered with incredible talent, CFC and MCFC for example, that have so under-achieved, under-performed and been under-motivated that the league winners are the weakest to have done so in the short EPL history.
To be honest i really hope it's either a 'blip' or the administration of the league introduces some measures to reignite competitiveness - as they did in the early 90s.
We really don't want to go back to the boring stuff that passed for football in the 80s - and it really looks that way at the moment. That's how serious the games organisers need to take things. Standing still is bad enough, but regression is a potential nightmare.
Progression is what our sport needs, and very soon, or the EPL will become even more humdrum than it currently is.
posted on 12/7/20
It's one of those debates where you can probably find stats to suit both arguments and so the truth is a sea of grey.
I think before this is seen as a dig at Liverpool, we'd all accept that they are hands down the best team in the league and a slightly stronger United, Chelsea etc. wouldn't change that.
Whether the league is weaker overall... I'm not convinced but it's an interesting discussion - particularly given that we have a genuine chance of 3rd place and we were utter sheite for more than half the season.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 8 seconds ago
It's one of those debates where you can probably find stats to suit both arguments and so the truth is a sea of grey.
I think before this is seen as a dig at Liverpool, we'd all accept that they are hands down the best team in the league and a slightly stronger United, Chelsea etc. wouldn't change that.
Whether the league is weaker overall... I'm not convinced but it's an interesting discussion - particularly given that we have a genuine chance of 3rd place and we were utter sheite for more than half the season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly and the fact that Watford and West Ham look likely to stay up despite being utter garbage most of the season.
Then again you can flip that and say they haven’t amassed many points as the opposition has been tougher.
There’s no real correct answer and it’s more down to opinion.
posted on 12/7/20
I’m going to look at some stats though.
______________
I'd look instead at United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. The first two are clearly rebuilding, while the last two started so poorly that their managers were sacked and now look, sadly, a bit of a mess. Apart from 15-16 when Leicester won it, I can't remember a season when four of the so-called "big six" were so clearly short of being title challengers. You could argue that this is offset somewhat by the likes of Leicester, Wolves and Sheffield United being a trickier proposition than "mid-tier" teams have been historically; I don't know.
Liverpool and City are clearly two of the best teams in Europe though. Liverpool won the CL last year and I wouldn't be surprised to see City win it this year. Even if we don't have a winner or finalist this year, the PL's standing in European competitions has been on the rise for the last three years or so, after a sort of fallow period.
posted on 12/7/20
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 minutes ago
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
some fans on here want it both ways, they want to spend 11 1/2 months of the year telling the bigger teams how sh!t they currently are - how the mighty are fallen etc. - and then 2 weeks a year arguing that the PL is as strong as it has ever been.
looking at the top 4, city in second have lost 9 times, and 2-4 in the table are likely to end up with c. 30 defeats between them. these are not unique stats, but they are both records over the past 20 years of the PL.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 minutes ago
Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United have all dropped off in recent times. Man United especially look like regaining some momentum, but the facts are clear that the competition is lower between the top teams this season. This has helped let in Leicester and some of the other lesser teams, not to detract from the great jobs they've been doing of course.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
some fans on here want it both ways, they want to spend 11 1/2 months of the year telling the bigger teams how sh!t they currently are - how the mighty are fallen etc. - and then 2 weeks a year arguing that the PL is as strong as it has ever been.
looking at the top 4, city in second have lost 9 times, and 2-4 in the table are likely to end up with c. 30 defeats between them. these are not unique stats, but they are both records over the past 20 years of the PL.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not reading too much into City this season. For me they're still clearly a top team who could even end up winning the CL. A much better team than what they've shown in the league, as demonstrated by the last couple of seasons.
The league should become more competitive at the top next season. United and Chelsea will inevitably be better. I'm expecting the same from Arsenal. Not sure about Spurs. The divide between those top 2 teams and the rest will be shortened.
posted on 12/7/20
People often talk about the top 6 when having these discussions. They account for juat over a quarter of the total games so the strength of the other 14 teams is actually more significant to the strength of the league. I can't see how anyone can say those 14 are generally weaker than the average. The money the bottom places teams get absolutely shadows the money even top half teams used to get since the new tv deal a few years back. Most teams can afford to buy £20m+ players and therefore can compete for like 98% of the world's players (the top 6 and s fee others having a shot at the top 2% as well).
I accept the top teams haven't fired on all cylinders so it has been a fairly easy ride for us to the title but we have done it while breaking records so not like it's the only reason we've won. Plus as you said, city's final points tally will be a competitive amount so it hasn't been literally handed to us.
posted on 12/7/20
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
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I'm not reading too much into City this season. For me they're still clearly a top team who could even end up winning the CL. A much better team than what they've shown in the league, as demonstrated by the last couple of seasons.
The league should become more competitive at the top next season. United and Chelsea will inevitably be better. I'm expecting the same from Arsenal. Not sure about Spurs. The divide between those top 2 teams and the rest will be shortened.
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i do think city's sh!tness this season maybe colours our perceptions a bit too much, they have had a dreadful falling off - two 100 point seasons, this season they'll be at c. 80-85, more points dropped this season than the last two combined.
but i'd think that leaving them to one side, fans of all the other big clubs would say they are as weak now as they have been for years, or even decades (with the sole exception of a united fan now...if you'd polled us in november you'd obviously have received a very different answer)
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