Top 10 Leagues Right Now;

[cgf]

I mean, any team "can beat anyone on a good day". Ffs, Real Madrid just lost to Sheriff Tiraspol. Should we put the Transdniestrian league on the board? I don't want to wade too deep into this because I can't remember the last time I watched a Bundesliga game, but being "able" to beat any team is not a good metric, I'll leave it at that.

My point wasn't that they can get a one-off result if their opponent sucks it up, but that -- even though they are extremely inconsistent -- their top-end performances are a threat to anyone; even if those opponents bring their A-game.

When certain key pieces are fit & the collective is operating well, BVB is as dangerous as any team out there...it's their consistency that holds them back from the Bayern's of the world.

 

[Basement Cat]

MLS? What? I don't rate the Croatian football league all that high and I'd still put it over MLS. Dinamo would smack everyone there with ease.

Dinamo would run away with the league, Hajduk could contend for the league, and Osijek/Gorica/Rijeka could give anyone a run for their money. However, the bottom 4 or 5 of the league is below MLS quality. Just look at the transfer market values - not even half the value of the lowest MLS clubs. If MLS didn't have greater ambitions, they could lift the salary cap, have a few teams fold, and also have a league with 2 or 3 "super teams" and piss poor depth the rest of the way.

 

[Islay1989]

Dinamo would run away with the league, Hajduk could contend for the league, and Osijek/Gorica/Rijeka could give anyone a run for their money. However, the bottom 4 or 5 of the league is below MLS quality. Just look at the transfer market values - not even half the value of the lowest MLS clubs. If MLS didn't have greater ambitions, they could lift the salary cap, have a few teams fold, and also have a league with 2 or 3 "super teams" and piss poor depth the rest of the way.

Osijek and Rijeka are better than Hajduk, Osijek in particular. As for the bottom of the league, a lot of those teams have youngsters playing there on loan and the overall quality of competition is rising, with teams in the lower half regularly taking points from the big 4. Lokomotiva is full of Dinamo's youngsters, Slaven just sold an extremely talented kid to Bayern etc. Market values in general mean little when talking about minions from lower Euro leagues, those players often lack exposure, aren't marketed at all etc. MLS teams have a giant advantage there compared to let's say Slaven, but that doesn't make the end product there better.

 

[Basement Cat]

Osijek and Rijeka are better than Hajduk, Osijek in particular. As for the bottom of the league, a lot of those teams have youngsters playing there on loan and the overall quality of competition is rising, with teams in the lower half regularly taking points from the big 4. Lokomotiva is full of Dinamo's youngsters, Slaven just sold an extremely talented kid to Bayern etc. Market values in general mean little when talking about minions from lower Euro leagues, those players often lack exposure, aren't marketed at all etc. MLS teams have a giant advantage there compared to let's say Slaven, but that doesn't make the end product there better.

There are a lot of MLS youngsters being sold to strong European clubs as well. Seems like you are discounting that fact. And of course the bottom half clubs take some points off the big 4 - I don't doubt that MLS clubs could do the same over the course of the season, with the top third teams being able to do it consistently (save for Dinamo).

 

[Islay1989]

There are a lot of MLS youngsters being sold to strong European clubs as well. Seems like you are discounting that fact. And of course the bottom half clubs take some points off the big 4 - I don't doubt that MLS clubs could do the same over the course of the season, with the top third teams being able to do it consistently (save for Dinamo).

I'm not discounting that, I'm saying that the MLS and their lower-end teams are far more exposed in terms of viewership, marketing etc compared to their Croatian counterparts, which in turn drives their price up, with their price being the attribute you used to paint those teams as superiors.

Taking the points was simplifying it greatly, what I was trying to say is that Dinamo doesn't really have easy games where they can just pencil 3 points right away, other than Loko but ...

The narrative that the lower part of the table is filled with cans is not a true one, there's really just one bad team in the comp.

 

[Basement Cat]

I'm not discounting that, I'm saying that the MLS and their lower-end teams are far more exposed in terms of viewership, marketing etc compared to their Croatian counterparts, which in turn drives their price up, with their price being the attribute you used to paint those teams as superiors.

Taking the points was simplifying it greatly, what I was trying to say is that Dinamo doesn't really have easy games where they can just pencil 3 points right away, other than Loko but ...

The narrative that the lower part of the table is filled with cans is not a true one, there's really just one bad team in the comp.

I understand and I won't pretend to have watched any Croatian league matches outside of UCL and Europa - I fully admit that I am speaking from a position of ignorance. But looking at the gulf in market values (we're not talking a small amount) and the goals / assists leaders last season, I really struggle to believe that nearly every MLS team wouldn't be competitive in that league (by that I mean not be a lock to finish bottom 2), aside from Cincinnati and Austin currently. Pardon me if I am wrong - I appreciate your analysis here as it will hopefully expand my knowledge a bit.

 

[cgf]

I don't think the relegation race teams mean as much as the top tier or midtable sides. But that could just be me.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

MLS? What? I don't rate the Croatian football league all that high and I'd still put it over MLS. Dinamo would smack everyone there with ease.

No, they wouldn’t. You are significantly underrating MLS. It’s not as top heavy as leagues like Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, but the average team in MLS is as good as the average team in those leagues, and it’s worst teams are better than the worst teams in those countries first leagues.

If it’s not top 10, it’s close. It’s not that ridiculous for someone to name them.

 

[robertmac43]

No, they wouldn’t. You are significantly underrating MLS. It’s not as top heavy as leagues like Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, but the average team in MLS is as good as the average team in those leagues, and it’s worst teams are better than the worst teams in those countries first leagues.

If it’s not top 10, it’s close. It’s not that ridiculous for someone to name them.

I get the sense a lot of people think the MLS is the same league it was 10-15 years ago. It has taken some major steps in overall quality over the past half-decade or so and continues to grow.

 

[Evilo]

But it's the most important one if you want to make a ranking and compare leagues to eachother. If L1 teams (besides PSG) get results in Europe, I'll have no problem bumping them to a higher place up the rankings. I won't do it yet, because they haven't.
La Liga is getting worse, and more boring, but as long as they get results in Europe, like the 7nd ranked team winning the Europa League against the EPL vice-champions, I would still rank them as 2nd best league.

Ranking leagues outside of the top 5 is harder for me though. Plenty of leagues have a huge drop off after 1 or 2 teams (Netherlands with Ajax, Austria with Salzburg, Portugal with Benfica and Porto and now Sporting). Belgian league for instance is way more competitive than those leagues, but I don't know if it's better overall.

So when the 8th ranked team in L1 is arguably the better team away at la Liga's current 2nd ranked team, is it good enough?

 

[Brunkmeister]

So when the 8th ranked team in L1 is arguably the better team away at la Liga's current 2nd ranked team, is it good enough?

You still fail to understand it’s results that counts.

 

[Evilo]

You still fail to understand it’s results that counts.

You fail to see that the 8th L1 team drawing away at 2nd Liga team is a result?
Seriously?

 

[Brunkmeister]

You fail to see that the 8th L1 team drawing away at 2nd Liga team is a result?
Seriously?

If you’re the better team in a game it is always a failure not winning it. It’s about winning games. Not being the better team and have nothing to show for it.

 

[Islay1989]

No, they wouldn’t. You are significantly underrating MLS. It’s not as top heavy as leagues like Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, but the average team in MLS is as good as the average team in those leagues, and it’s worst teams are better than the worst teams in those countries first leagues.

If it’s not top 10, it’s close. It’s not that ridiculous for someone to name them.

Yeah, I'm sure the team that made the Europa League QFs last season playing the likes of Majer, Petkovic, Livakovic, Ivanusec, Gvardiol etc would have trouble wrecking MLS.

 

[luiginb]

how is austrian bundesliga better than premiership and russian league?

I've been watching the scottish league quite a lot lately (Hagi's kid plays there) and I'm convinced Salzburg could easily beat a best of team combined of Rangers and Celtic.

 

[Lambo]

1. PL
2. Bundesliga
3. La Liga
4. Serie A

5. Lique 1

6. Eredivisie
7. Serie A(BRA)
8. Liga NOS
9. Primera Division(ARG)
10. Premjer Liga(RUS)

 

[Rob]

EFL? Not a chance. Probably on par with MLS.

That is harsh.

 

[Savi]

So when the 8th ranked team in L1 is arguably the better team away at la Liga's current 2nd ranked team, is it good enough?

Not really, it's also only a group game, neither team I think played their best line-up and Sociedad isn't the 2nd best team in Spain anyway.
French teams are going to have to make a deep run into several tournaments, if they are as talented as you claim they are then that should be no problem

 

[robertmac43]

EPL, yes.

EFL? Not a chance. Probably on par with MLS.

Are we talking about the championship or EFL league 2?

The Championship is far and away better than the MLS.

 

[bluesfan94]

So when the 8th ranked team in L1 is arguably the better team away at la Liga's current 2nd ranked team, is it good enough?

Isn't the counterpoint that PSG lost to Club Brugge and Marseille has drawn to Lokomotiv and Galatasaray and Lille lost to Salzburg?

 

[S E P H]

LOL, did a read a post above saying that MLS and Championship are on the same level? That legitimately made me laugh out loud. That has to be one of the worst takes I've read on here in a long time if that poster meant it as so.

I've been watching the scottish league quite a lot lately (Hagi's kid plays there) and I'm convinced Salzburg could easily beat a best of team combined of Rangers and Celtic.

Pretty much, if there are two leagues which are disgustingly bad to the amount of international success or just overall hype it has to be the Scottish league and Portuguese league. Both get taken to the cleaners in domestic European competitions.

 

[Evilo]

If you’re the better team in a game it is always a failure not winning it. It’s about winning games. Not being the better team and have nothing to show for it.

Nothing to show for it?
Tying away is having something to show for it.

Weird I have to explain that.

 

[Evilo]

Isn't the counterpoint that PSG lost to Club Brugge and Marseille has drawn to Lokomotiv and Galatasaray and Lille lost to Salzburg?

No, it's no the counterpoint since it is actually my point.

And just FYI, PSG didn't lose at Brugges. Leipzig lost to Brugges. So in some's logic here, the belgian league > Buli.

 

[Evilo]

Not really, it's also only a group game, neither team I think played their best line-up and Sociedad isn't the 2nd best team in Spain anyway.
French teams are going to have to make a deep run into several tournaments, if they are as talented as you claim they are then that should be no problem

So only talented teams make good runs?
Sheriff is looking likelier to have a deep run than Leipzig so far. Does that mean the macedonian league is better than the Buli?

 

[Islay1989]

So only talented teams make good runs?
Sheriff is looking likelier to have a deep run than Leipzig so far. Does that mean the macedonian league is better than the Buli?

Moldova, not Macedonia. Sheriff is one of those teams people who don't follow early qualifying rounds of CL and EL aren't really aware of, but they always show good stuff playing there. They even qualified for a few Europa League group stages as far back as 10 years ago and they never looked out of place, they managed to beat Twente there, drew AZ, drew against Dynamo Kyiv, managed to oust Dinamo Zagreb in qualifiers in 2015 IIRC, now they've ousted two teams that did well in Europe last season in Zvezda and Dinamo etc. They are a decent team, but woefully underrated because of where they are coming from.