GWT: English Premier League: 1/2/2016-1/3/2016

[Cassano]

Too many times this season City got away in this manner... The penalty against WBA, Swansea lucky, lucky goal, now too.

If Arsenal want to win the league they must concentrate on their job because no one will do it for them. The next two months will give some answers.

Arsenal were even more poor against a worse Newcastle side at home. Consider it a wash.

 

[Halladay]

Too many times this season City got away in this manner... The penalty against WBA, Swansea lucky, lucky goal, now too.

If Arsenal want to win the league they must concentrate on their job because no one will do it for them. The next two months will give some answers.

Having a player like Aguero allows you to play bad and win. Arsenal need to get over their usual February/March swoon.

 

[Corto]

Except that for all that money they still play crappy collective football.

So?

I said they were able to bring "some" quality players in, and if the top teams are weak, the usual mid table teams can beat them.
Odds are, the top teams will still carry most of the play.

Would you prefer Leicester and WHU to bend over and play "attacking football" in order so guys like Aquero can run around their CBs?

Nobody said these teams are suddenly favorites. But that the difference between the top clubs in EPL is much smaller these days than in Spain or Germany.
And yes, Arsenal and City aren't Real, Barca or Bayern, but they're not exactly food for those teams either.

 

[S E P H]

Get Guardiola on the phone. A roster like this should be in 1st place with a nice cushion since the EPL is so weak this season.

Not really...

- Their best players are starting to heavily regress.
- Their best players have been consistently injured.

Because of these two results, they have bought quite a bit lately and thus majority have been duds. Because they have been duds, they had to go out and spend more and more on talent.

- Garcia
- Balotelli
- Nastasic
- Rodwell
- Jovetic
- Negredo
- Navas
- Mangala

Are all players who they bought more than 15 million Euros at the time who have been complete busts. Though some are special circumstances like Jovetic who was great, but just couldn't stay healthy.

Also lets not forget,
- Fernandinho for 40 million
- Bony for 32 million
- de Bruyne for 74 million
- Sterling for 62 million
- Otamendi for 45 million

Don't get me wrong, all these players are solid, but some major LOL's in there in terms of humongous overpayments. De Bryne has been great, but will he ever become a 54 million pound player? He's probably the only one here who will ever come close to his transfer fee price tag. Otamendi has looked like a disaster so far, but it takes a couple years for a player to adjust to the EPL league, but he's already 27 years old, he's not ever going to become Kompany.

I would say that Man City are in the position they are not because Pellegrini is bad manager, but because Pellegrini has been horrible in terms of transferring. If Pep does come and claim the Man City job, that is the most crucial part he needs to accurately get right....not on the pitch, but on the telephone.

I'm not so sure. Klopp struggled with this type of team in the Bundesliga as well...it's just not as common. He might just have a hard time in general in the EPL unless he learns how to set up against this kind of team. We just about gave up 3 near identical goals this game.

Its not that Klopp is a bad manager, its just Liverpool doesn't have a very good team. I don't think Rodgers was as bad as people think he was here, but Liverpool did a pretty putrid job at the talent they bought from the Suarez money. Bought a lot of good young potential talented players who just haven't developed properly. Its like they went into FIFA 13 page and find the highest potential players and bought them.

 

[Halladay]

The top teams in England just dont have the midfield that they used to have and the other top teams in the world are so strong in that area.

 

[Ceremony]

Well, I suppose the confirmation is now in that Leicester won't be winning the league

I'm now fully behind Arsene swanning out in the ultimate glory with a European treble, laying the foundation for Guardiola to come on board replacing a revered old successful manager again, causing mass tears and hysteria among at least three of his new club's competitors

 

[Deficient Mode]

So?

I said they were able to bring "some" quality players in, and if the top teams are weak, the usual mid table teams can beat them.
Odds are, the top teams will still carry most of the play.

So the EPL is only more enjoyable if you enjoy football for the narratives and the drama of a close title race. Me? I enjoy football for the quality of the game played on the field, and it lags far behind the leagues I prefer to watch in that category (even if there are more talented players). City didn't carry the play today at all.

Would you prefer Leicester and WHU to bend over and play "attacking football" in order so guys like Aquero can run around their CBs?

Pretty severe fallacy here. Spanish clubs like Rayo and Celta Vigo show you can be a minnow and still play "champagne football" successfully.

Nobody said these teams are suddenly favorites. But that the difference between the top clubs in EPL is much smaller these days than in Spain or Germany.
And yes, Arsenal and City aren't Real, Barca or Bayern, but they're not exactly food for those teams either.

Arsenal and City aren't as good as Atletico or Dortmund right now either. I would give Arsenal or City a very small chance of beating Bayern or Barca in a two-leg CL fixture, even though both of them beat Bayern in the CL in recent history. The parity has as much to do with the top clubs slipping as it does with more talented players on midtable clubs. Just like in Serie A this year.

 

[Deficient Mode]

I'm not so sure. Klopp struggled with this type of team in the Bundesliga as well...it's just not as common. He might just have a hard time in general in the EPL unless he learns how to set up against this kind of team. We just about gave up 3 near identical goals this game.

There are plenty of teams that parked the bus on Klopp in Dortmund. He only really struggled in the last year. Not to say the team was ever really sophisticated in possession, but they were better than most gave them credit for, and they scored the goals to win matches while conceding very few.

The personnel needs to change.

 

[Cassano]

I wouldn't say Dortmund are better than a fully healthy Arsenal/City squad, no arguments with A. Madrid though whatsoever.

 

[Bakayoko Ono]

Thought for a second Pirlo was playing for Liverpool, but it was just Joe Allen.

 

[Deficient Mode]

The top teams in England just dont have the midfield that they used to have and the other top teams in the world are so strong in that area.

There are a lot of talented midfielders in the EPL, and again, even the midtable teams have them. The teams don't play compactly defensively (I don't mean parking the bus) and they are poorly structured offensively in midfield as well.

I wouldn't say Dortmund are better than a fully healthy Arsenal/City squad, no arguments with A. Madrid though whatsoever.

It's close on talent but the way Dortmund play is far superior. Dortmund's offense is very much on par with Barca, Bayern, and Madrid, and they only had 3-4 matches in the first half where they weren't clicking. City and Arsenal are far less consistent. Dortmund aren't quite a perfect team, either, but neither are Atletico.

 

[Edo]

Bayern Munich would obviously wipe the floor with everybody in the EPL, but Dortmund would be a smidge below City/Arsenal. The Bundesliga doesn't have the depth that the EPL does. There are situations in Germany were the top teams are guaranteed wins going against weak sides. In England, there's Aston Villa. Even Sunderland are half decent. German fans continue to be a little crazy when rating their league. Look at some of the squads in Germany, they're championshipish.

Atletico are probably the 4th best team in the world tied with PSG.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Bayern Munich would obviously wipe the floor with everybody in the EPL, but Dortmund would be a smidge below City/Arsenal. The Bundesliga doesn't have the depth that the EPL does. There are situations in Germany were the top teams are guaranteed wins going against weak sides. In England, there's Aston Villa. Even Sunderland are half decent. German fans continue to be a little crazy when rating their league. Look at some of the squads in Germany, they're championshipish.

Yawn. Fallacies, trolling, and the stuff they tell you in the ads.

Until the EPL and its fans stop pretending it's the Best League in the World©, they'll never change anything in their football culture and continue to fall further behind.

 

[Edo]

Yawn. Fallacies, trolling, and the stuff they tell you in the ads.

Until the EPL and its fans stop pretending it's the Best League in the World©, they'll never change anything in their football culture and continue to fall further behind.

None of us are saying that it's better than La Liga. We're just saying that it's better than the Bundesliga, a view that should be unanimous amongst everybody. Germany doesn't have the quality that it once had. Exclude Munich/Dortmund, and there isn't a single world class player in that league.

It just is what it is.

The English FA shoot themselves in the foot with it's stupid scheduling and insanity having 2 domestic cups running. Too many games to afford their top teams the opportunity to rest their players. We just saw the majority of the teams play 2 games within 48 hours.

 

[Cassano]

It's close on talent but the way Dortmund play is far superior. Dortmund's offense is very much on par with Barca, Bayern, and Madrid, and they only had 3-4 matches in the first half where they weren't clicking. City and Arsenal are far less consistent. Dortmund aren't quite a perfect team, either, but neither are Atletico.

No arguments on playing style, but IMO City is more talented and I think Arsenal have a deeper squad when they're healthy.

The parity in the EPL this season is ludicrous.

Bayern Munich would obviously wipe the floor with everybody in the EPL, but Dortmund would be a smidge below City/Arsenal. The Bundesliga doesn't have the depth that the EPL does. There are situations in Germany were the top teams are guaranteed wins going against weak sides. In England, there's Aston Villa. Even Sunderland are half decent. German fans continue to be a little crazy when rating their league. Look at some of the squads in Germany, they're championshipish.

Atletico are probably the 4th best team in the world tied with PSG.

None of us are saying that it's better than La Liga. We're just saying that it's better than the Bundesliga, a view that should be unanimous amongst everybody. Germany doesn't have the quality that it once had. Exclude Munich/Dortmund, and there isn't a single world class player in that league.

It just is what it is.

The English FA shoot themselves in the foot with it's stupid scheduling and insanity having 2 domestic cups running. Too many games to afford their top teams the opportunity to rest their players. We just saw the majority of the teams play 2 games within 48 hours.

I actually agree entirely word for word with each of these posts. Well done.

 

[YNWA14]

I think you're underestimating the German league.

 

[Edo]

I think you're underestimating the German league.

Aside from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the other clubs just can't draw in talent. Who was the Bundesliga's biggest signing aside from those teams? A United outcast?

Talent aside, the teams are playing some really boring games. There was a period where the league was deep, and they've gone into a phase where it's top heavy at the moment. Watch some of the games, and look at some of the stats. Dortmund-Munich blow everybody up while the other 16 teams just grind out results.

Half of teams in Germany would be in a regulation fight in England. Not really sure what's so absurd about saying that either. It just is what it is.

 

[Power Man]

Dortmund would easily beat Arsenal or City

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Why do these discussions always turn into comparing other leagues/****-ing on the Prem? You think people go into KHL threads just to bash the league and say the NHL is better?

 

[Power Man]

I think the worst KHL team would destroy the Dallas Stars tbh

 

[Deficient Mode]

None of us are saying that it's better than La Liga. We're just saying that it's better than the Bundesliga, a view that should be unanimous amongst everybody. Germany doesn't have the quality that it once had. Exclude Munich/Dortmund, and there isn't a single world class player in that league.

It just is what it is.

The English FA shoot themselves in the foot with it's stupid scheduling and insanity having 2 domestic cups running. Too many games to afford their top teams the opportunity to rest their players. We just saw the majority of the teams play 2 games within 48 hours.

The Bundesliga's quality has improved tremendously over the last ten years. But anyway, my point wasn't about the Bundesliga. It was about the Premier League. I'm not interested in saying that the Bundesliga is better than than the Premier League. My criticism was just about the Premier League. If it were better than the Bundesliga in my view, I would happily admit it.

IMO there are definitely world class caliber talents on teams other than Dortmund and Bayern. The tag "world class" has a lot to do with the recognition of a player's abilities from the general public rather than how talented the player actually is.

Chicharito may have been the most successful signing in the Bundesliga. So what? Just because he didn't stick at United somehow invalidates his performances for Leverkusen?

No arguments on playing style, but IMO City is more talented and I think Arsenal have a deeper squad when they're healthy.

The parity in the EPL this season is ludicrous.

Well it's not just about entertainment or playing style. Dortmund were able to crack just about any parked bus/opposing defense consistently in the first half of this season. Arsenal and City weren't able to do that, and that was why they dropped more points, not because the quality of their opposition was somehow far higher.

The number of points to go around is the same in every season, and you can spin the gaps in the table either way depending on your agenda. "The bad teams are so good" if there is relative parity, "the good teams are so good" if there is relative disparity.

I'm not sure Arsenal have a better bench than Dortmund, but it's largely irrelevant when Tuchel is so much better at periodizing training to reduce injuries than Wenger. Dortmund have had very few new injuries under Tuchel, whereas Wenger continues to be just as oblivious to preventing injuries as always.

I don't see City as clearly superior talent-wise to Dortmund, either. Whatever.

 

[Peen]

*looks at chelsea lineup*

for the first time since mourinho has returned, I will choose sleep.

 

[Bon Esprit]

Aside from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the other clubs just can't draw in talent. Who was the Bundesliga's biggest signing aside from those teams? A United outcast?

Talent aside, the teams are playing some really boring games. There was a period where the league was deep, and they've gone into a phase where it's top heavy at the moment. Watch some of the games, and look at some of the stats. Dortmund-Munich blow everybody up while the other 16 teams just grind out results.

Half of teams in Germany would be in a regulation fight in England. Not really sure what's so absurd about saying that either. It just is what it is.

Some of what you are saying is true. But please keep in mind what below average clubs like Stoke can spent and what comparable Bundesliga clubs have in their bank account.
You have owners, we have not. And I'm glad we don't have the EPL system. Plus the EPL has this tv deal.
I'm not jealous by any means. As long as Bayern and Dortmund are top clubs in Europe I can deal with that.
And from time to time Wolfsburg or Gladbach are trolling.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Chelsea look good

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Holy **** Willian

EDIT: Now 3-0 away!