To win Premier League, Chelsea or Man United?

[User removed 4]

It all depends which chelsea side turn up at anfield on sunday, which drogba, , the one against stoke is the one im hoping for, he can look so disinterested sometimes, he is a bit of a sulker.

 

[Paxton Dazo]

Perfect scenario this weekend:

Chelsea/L'pool draw (pretty much gives United the League, and puts L'pool out of the Top Four race)
Villa/City draw (Puts Villa out of Top Four race)
Spurs win (Puts us 4 points clear, with 2 to play)

United to win the League with 6 points, Chelsea to get 4 more.

 

[Austrian Gull]

It's not getting smaller. People spout that same line every year. They did it when Everton finished fourth. They did it when Spurs nearly finished fourth. They did it this year when Man City were taken over. It will be the same teams competing at the top all the time Chelsea and Man United are run as they are (i.e. having money to strengthen a squad that is already far more complete than the teams below them). The only way anyone will get near them is if they 'do a Man City' and even then they will struggle to win it as Man City have demonstrated this year. And is that really a good thing? Having to spend hundreds of millions on players before you even have a remote chance of winning the league?

As you point out the problem is just as big in Spain - which is why comparing our league to theirs is a bit of a moot point - we should be aiming to better them comfortably. But even they have a better track record of having a more competitive top-flight than us. Your 25 points stat is irrelevant really isn't it? No-one from 3rd-8th is going to challenge for the title. Their battle for fourth place is tight as well, so it's not as though they have that over our league.

If you're going to make a comparison to a foreign league that we should be aiming to be like then compare it to the Bundesliga. They may only have 2 teams left competing for the title but every season for the last few years they have had different teams battling for top-spot and different teams winning the title. As an example of how competitive and open to swings it is, look at Wolfsburg - last years winners, this year they've spent most of their season around mid-table. Look at Schalke - eighth last year, gunning for the championship this year. That would never happen here and hasn't done for a very long time. We have a lot of work to do before we get a competitive league.

By far the most exciting and random of the major European leagues. It's fairly safe to presume that the pantomime villain, Bayern Munich, will challenge every year but the other contenders are sometimes completely unpredictable.

Back to the question in hand, probably Chelsea purely due to the marked difference in conduct and dignity of the two managers involved.

 

[beardosh]

I'm an idiot too. Think John Terry is the biggest tool around and them throwing the title away at this point will quite probably make him cry again which will be a double bonus as it will ease our drought worries!

 

[User removed 4]

.

Back to the question in hand, probably Chelsea purely due to the marked difference in conduct and dignity of the two managers involved.

That's a really good point actually, everybody seems to comment on the conduct of the players , whereas , ancelotti has conducted himself with markedly more class and dignity than ferguson.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Perfect scenario this weekend:

Chelsea/L'pool draw (pretty much gives United the League, and puts L'pool out of the Top Four race)
Villa/City draw (Puts Villa out of Top Four race)
Spurs win (Puts us 4 points clear, with 2 to play)

United to win the League with 6 points, Chelsea to get 4 more.

Anything but a man city win (if we win) please.... even that isnt that bad

 

[footychick]

I don't like either but would prefer it if Chelsea won.
Think they've got a harder match, in Liverpool though.

 

[Fran Hagarty]

I hate Chelsea with a passion. i dont like Man U either but they are the lesser of the two evils.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The sooner Man Utd overtake Liverpool's record of 18 titles the sooner Fergie will f*** off and the sooner the club will implode.

So, Man Utd for the title, please...

 

[HseagullsH]

It's not getting smaller. People spout that same line every year. They did it when Everton finished fourth. They did it when Spurs nearly finished fourth. They did it this year when Man City were taken over. It will be the same teams competing at the top all the time Chelsea and Man United are run as they are (i.e. having money to strengthen a squad that is already far more complete than the teams below them). The only way anyone will get near them is if they 'do a Man City' and even then they will struggle to win it as Man City have demonstrated this year. And is that really a good thing? Having to spend hundreds of millions on players before you even have a remote chance of winning the league?

As you point out the problem is just as big in Spain - which is why comparing our league to theirs is a bit of a moot point - we should be aiming to better them comfortably. But even they have a better track record of having a more competitive top-flight than us. Your 25 points stat is irrelevant really isn't it? No-one from 3rd-8th is going to challenge for the title. Their battle for fourth place is tight as well, so it's not as though they have that over our league.

If you're going to make a comparison to a foreign league that we should be aiming to be like then compare it to the Bundesliga. They may only have 2 teams left competing for the title but every season for the last few years they have had different teams battling for top-spot and different teams winning the title. As an example of how competitive and open to swings it is, look at Wolfsburg - last years winners, this year they've spent most of their season around mid-table. Look at Schalke - eighth last year, gunning for the championship this year. That would never happen here and hasn't done for a very long time. We have a lot of work to do before we get a competitive league.

I made a point that the premier league is not the only league to be dominated by who has the most money.

Money determines success all the way down the divisions... In most cases in England, you won't be succesful without spending a lot of money.

If we end up getting promoted next year, it will mainly be due to throwing as much cash as Tony Bloom possibly can at the squad/player staff. Will you be moaning then?



I'm not arguing about the Bundesliga. That is much better in terms of interest but all I said was this year has certainly been more interesting and there looks to finally be a few teams capable of breaking that top 4 divide.

 

[Colossal Squid]

BUT is it not the case in League 2 that clubs are forced to spend within their means?

This sort of attitude would work equally as well in League 1 and the Championship and beyond that surely the Premiership has to fall...

Consider that in League One we have Southampton with a points deduction and above us Palace have had points docked too.

It would appear to me that the signs are pointing to clubs spending within their means, and if we benefit from that because we have a wealthy chairman then who is going to complain?

Let's be honest, we're owed a bit of luck

 

[Keeping The Dream Alive.]

I made a point that the premier league is not the only league to be dominated by who has the most money.

Money determines success all the way down the divisions... In most cases in England, you won't be succesful without spending a lot of money.

If we end up getting promoted next year, it will mainly be due to throwing as much cash as Tony Bloom possibly can at the squad/player staff. Will you be moaning then?



I'm not arguing about the Bundesliga. That is much better in terms of interest but all I said was this year has certainly been more interesting and there looks to finally be a few teams capable of breaking that top 4 divide.

Your point was that because the gap is supposedly 'getting smaller' there should be more teams competing for the title. My point was that this won't be the case, as history and the need for money shows. I know that you need money to be successful these days - that's why I said it in my first post! I disagree that it's the same all the way down the leagues, though, as plenty of 'lesser-off' teams have gained promotions.

Moaning?! What am I moaning about?! Read what I said FFS! I was pointing out that it's not getting more competitive for the title, and to have any chance of top-flight success you need bundles of cash. I'll be more than happy if Bloom spends wisely this summer, because we‘ll be doing it within our means. It'll be a bit different to how Man City spend though! That's the way football is - all I was saying is, is it good that your only chance of winning the league is to spend hundreds of millions of pounds? Not in my opinion...

And the reason I brought the Bundesliga into it was to offer another comparison like you did with La Liga. You compared our league with theirs to make ours look more competitive by speaking about the 'divide'. I compared it with the Bundesliga to show how I think it should be here.

Ultimately there is going to be a new team finishing fourth this year, and I fully welcome it! But there is no way on this planet that Villa or Spurs will push for the title, and it's unlikely City will unless they spend big again.

It's a sad indictment of the game that people (not accusing you of doing this) consider someone other than Liverpool finishing fourth a major achievement for the league.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Your point was that because the gap is supposedly 'getting smaller' there should be more teams competing for the title. My point was that this won't be the case, as history and the need for money shows. I know that you need money to be successful these days - that's why I said it in my first post! I disagree that it's the same all the way down the leagues, though, as plenty of 'lesser-off' teams have gained promotions.

Moaning?! What am I moaning about?! Read what I said FFS! I was pointing out that it's not getting more competitive for the title, and to have any chance of top-flight success you need bundles of cash. I'll be more than happy if Bloom spends wisely this summer, because we‘ll be doing it within our means. It'll be a bit different to how Man City spend though! That's the way football is - all I was saying is, is it good that your only chance of winning the league is to spend hundreds of millions of pounds? Not in my opinion...

And the reason I brought the Bundesliga into it was to offer another comparison like you did with La Liga. You compared our league with theirs to make ours look more competitive by speaking about the 'divide'. I compared it with the Bundesliga to show how I think it should be here.

Ultimately there is going to be a new team finishing fourth this year, and I fully welcome it! But there is no way on this planet that Villa or Spurs will push for the title, and it's unlikely City will unless they spend big again.

It's a sad indictment of the game that people (not accusing you of doing this) consider someone other than Liverpool finishing fourth a major achievement for the league.[/QUOT

I disagree, it is the same all the way down the leagues. Look at the 3 league winners, Notts County, Norwich and Newcastle, they all spent the most money. then look at the runners up Rochdale, Millwall/Leeds/Swindon and West Brom. They all spent alot or have big wage bills to keep the better players.


Even if you take the League 1 play offs at present and you throw in Huddersfield and Southampton they spent alot as well.

Your right that teams like Bmuff do get promoted but you are talking about teams challenging for the title and this hardly happens.

Call me deluded but I honestly think spurs could challenge for the title next season IF we have Modric and Lennon fit all season and we learn to close games out and win against lesser teams at home

2-0 up against Eveton - drew 2-2 - 2 points dropped
lost at home to stoke and hull - 6 points
drew with hull at home - 2


That would put us on 74 points and 6 behind chelsea with a game in hand.

 

[Thimble Keegan]

I hate both teams so (and Man U marginally more so) and up until a few weeks ago I was hoping Arsenal would snatch it. Now with the situation as it is I find myself having to side with Chelsea for the only real fact that I cannot stand the idea of a team winning 4 consecutive titles...It makes our league look like Scotland. It goes against the grain wanting Chelski to win but there really is no choice and what with hoping Chelski ruin Pompey in the FA Cup Final this means I actually want them to do the double...God, I feel unclean!

But as already been stated above the best league is by far the German one, they have so many positives over ours it is frightening.

Anyway, all this is irrelevant as it is all about Cr***a* P***** getting relegated on Sunday.

Albion, Wednesday & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Littlehampton BHA