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Man City v Man Utd. 2 teams who will be rivals for us for the title next season









Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
Compare that shite to El Classico last weekend. Best league in the world my arse.
It's a good league because there are many good games to watch. That doesn't mean the top two teams (which would be Chelsea and Spurs, not the Manchester clubs) are as good as the top two La Liga teams. El Classico was excellent the other day.
 


Exile

Objective but passionate
Aug 10, 2014
2,367
They both headbutted each other but that little Argie **** went down like a sack of spuds. Pathetic, feel sorry for MF.

Absolute nonsense, IMO

Aguero played him, but that is absolutely no defence for Fellaini, who deserves no sympathy at all. Gets carded, then commits another cynical foul worth a yellow NINETEEN seconds later, then (gently) head-butts Aguero for getting in his face.

Moron.

(Fellaini, not [MENTION=3733]papajaff[/MENTION] )
 




gordonchas

New member
Jul 1, 2012
230
It's a good league because there are many good games to watch....

Would that were so. I'm surprised how few live televised Sky/BT matches I've bothered with and, of course, though it promised a lot, last night's offering was dross.

Where is the attraction to anyone not heavily committed to either club, of Burnley v West Brom?

The myth that the Premier League is more "competitive" than other leagues (notably Spain) continues, though. Despite the obvious fact that both Chelsea and Spurs are still some way behind both Real Madrid and Barcelona in quality, their records against teams outside the top six this season is illuminating.

Chelsea Pl 23 W 20 D 2 L 1
Spurs Pl 25 W 20 D 5 L 0

So between them they've won 40 of their 48 games against non-top 6 opponents and lost only one game (Chelsea at home to Palace).
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
The myth that the Premier League is more "competitive" than other leagues (notably Spain) continues, though.
It's not a myth. We've had 4 different winners in the last 4 years.

This was the final La Liga table last year:
1 Barcelona 91
2 Real Madrid 90
3 Atlético Madrid 88
4 Villarreal 64

That's 24 points between 3rd and 4th. Has our top division ever had a 24 point gap between two positions?

This was 2011 - 2012:
1 Real Madrid 100
2 Barcelona 91
3 Valencia 61

:lol: 30 ****ing points between 2nd and 3rd :lol:
Despite the obvious fact that both Chelsea and Spurs are still some way behind both Real Madrid and Barcelona in quality, their records against teams outside the top six this season is illuminating.
That's the Spurs that haven't won the league in over 50 years. So this season they've done well against teams outside the top 6, but it's clearly not always like that.
 


papajaff

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2005
3,968
Brighton
Absolute nonsense, IMO. Aguero played him...........................

Well if that is acceptable these days then thank heavens I'm not playing anymore. Yes Fellaini was daft but I hate seeing this play acting.

Aguero should hang his head in shame but he won't. Barton does the same pathetic thing against Lincoln but gets a totally different reaction.
 




Kinky Gerbil

Im The Scatman
NSC Patreon
Jul 16, 2003
57,846
hassocks
Yes but that was one of the two games worth watching in the Spanish league.


And all three of the Spurs/Chelsea games have been ten times better.

The EPL is miles more better than the Spanish league - Palace have beaten 1st/3rd/5th/7th this season as an example - how often does this happen in Spain?
 








gordonchas

New member
Jul 1, 2012
230
It's not a myth. We've had 4 different winners in the last 4 years.

This was the final La Liga table last year:
1 Barcelona 91
2 Real Madrid 90
3 Atlético Madrid 88
4 Villarreal 64

That's 24 points between 3rd and 4th. Has our top division ever had a 24 point gap between two positions?

I think you're missing the point. Nobody can surely deny that Barcelona and Real Madrid are way ahead of any EPL side at the moment. Their combined forward lines alone contain five players, any of whom if dropped into one of the top six in England would guarantee the title. So it's no surprise that they regularly finish a lot of points ahead of the rest.

However, just look at Chelsea and Spurs' records against the PL fodder this season again.

And, in terms of overall point, this season Barcelona currently lead that table with 78 points from 34 matches. Chelsea have 78 points from 33.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
I think you're missing the point.
One of us certainly is.
Nobody can surely deny that Barcelona and Real Madrid are way ahead of any EPL side at the moment.
Definitely.
But you said:
The myth that the Premier League is more "competitive" than other leagues (notably Spain) continues, though.
That's the point - their top couple of sides are way ahead of any of ours, but the rest are canon fodder. Their league is not as competitive as ours, but you say it is. Looks at the previous tables, it just isn't.

However, just look at Chelsea and Spurs' records against the PL fodder this season again.
But Spurs don't usually do so well, their results this season are more of a one off. And Chelsea finished 10th last year. When was the last time Madrid or Barca finished 10th?

And, in terms of overall point, this season Barcelona currently lead that table with 78 points from 34 matches. Chelsea have 78 points from 33.
There are regularly gaps of over 20 points between clubs in La Liga, and that doesn't happen here. They have the best two teams, our league is more competitive. Them's the facts.
 


gordonchas

New member
Jul 1, 2012
230
One of us certainly is.

I'm going to concede to you because I phrased that first post badly.

My contention is that the PL is nowhere near as competitive as many people like to believe. That usually leads to a comparison with other leagues to prove the PL's superiority in this regard.

However, outside the top six (plus Everton) the level is utterly mundane. I chose the records of Chelsea and Spurs against the other 14 sides as they're the best two sides, but Manchester United have only 1 defeat this season outside the top six, and Manchester City only have 2 (one of which was at Everton).

In the case of Spain I can hardly deny that it's very hard indeed for any other team to challenge the gargantuan institutions that are Madrid and Barcelona at the top, the question is whether the rest can make themselves competitive. The usual closeness of the rest usually backs up that they are, and the fact that the big two in Spain have dropped as many points this season as Chelsea and Spurs proves it.
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
My contention is that the PL is nowhere near as competitive as many people like to believe.
Well we had a long period where the top 4 were always the same (Manu U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool), with Spurs usually 5th, so it could definitely have been better. Man City and Spurs are now well in that mix, so it's a top 6. I'm sure some other leagues are at least as competitive, but I don't think La Liga is a good example, I'd think that's the worst.

However, outside the top six (plus Everton) the level is utterly mundane.
Maybe, I don't know how mid table teams would do vs mid table from abroad.

The usual closeness of the rest usually backs up that they are, and the fact that the big two in Spain have dropped as many points this season as Chelsea and Spurs proves it.
I've just checked the final tables of the last several years - in every single year, the winner of La Liga has had more points than the winner of the PL - sometime a lot more.
 


Doc Lynam

I hate the Daily Mail
Jun 19, 2011
7,186
Spanish league is like the Scottish but on steroids! Most of the money centralised around the two main cities in the Spanish case!
 


Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Aug 25, 2011
63,401
Withdean area
Well we had a long period where the top 4 were always the same (Manu U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool), with Spurs usually 5th, so it could definitely have been better. Man City and Spurs are now well in that mix, so it's a top 6. I'm sure some other leagues are at least as competitive, but I don't think La Liga is a good example, I'd think that's the worst.

Maybe, I don't know how mid table teams would do vs mid table from abroad.

I've just checked the final tables of the last several years - in every single year, the winner of La Liga has had more points than the winner of the PL - sometime a lot more.

Charlie Adam of Stoke on 5live last night, rather arrogantly in my opionion, clearly stated that all PL teams from WBA downwards were better than all La Liga teams outside of Real/Barca/AM.

I'm not so sure about that.

Just randomly picking say home and away ties of:
Sevilla vs Stoke
Athletico Bilbao vs WBA
Malaga vs Burnley

Who would win?

It's true that Real and Barca normally destroy all before them as they have 20 world class player or the level just below that. But I think the most of the rest of La Liga have very technical, talented players from across South America and Europe, with great coaches and good support.

Adam was guessing.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
Charlie Adam of Stoke on 5live last night, rather arrogantly in my opionion, clearly stated that all PL teams from WBA downwards were better than all La Liga teams outside of Real/Barca/AM.

I'm not so sure about that.
Well I'm not up to date, but traditionally there are quite a few good teams in Spain. The top few are so good though, and perhaps the bottom half aren't great, so there's a fairly big gap IMO.

Just randomly picking say home and away ties of:
Sevilla vs Stoke
Athletico Bilbao vs WBA
Malaga vs Burnley

Who would win?
Spain.
 




Kinky Gerbil

Im The Scatman
NSC Patreon
Jul 16, 2003
57,846
hassocks
Charlie Adam of Stoke on 5live last night, rather arrogantly in my opionion, clearly stated that all PL teams from WBA downwards were better than all La Liga teams outside of Real/Barca/AM.

I'm not so sure about that.

Just randomly picking say home and away ties of:
Sevilla vs Stoke
Athletico Bilbao vs WBA
Malaga vs Burnley

Who would win?

It's true that Real and Barca normally destroy all before them as they have 20 world class player or the level just below that. But I think the most of the rest of La Liga have very technical, talented players from across South America and Europe, with great coaches and good support.

Adam was guessing.



Leicester beat Sevilla/Drew with Athletico Madrid.
 





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