A sensible discussion (if possible) about the Premier League and La Liga
I've wanted to raise a sensible debate in recently about these two leagues. I'm not really fussed about which is better than which, I accept it's all going to be about preference. However
why does everyone write off La Liga as a 2-horse race and claim the Premier League to be so open anyone can win it? There are so many inconsistencies in the arguments I hear put forth
Arsenal are the 3rd best team in the PL, yet their recent record against the top 2 in all competitions reads P11 W0 D1 L10 F5 A23. how is that any more competitive than Villareal/Valencia/Atletico Madrid/Sevilla's v Real and Barca?
People talk about the points gap between the top two in Spain and the rest, but 60/70-odd points is a respectable total for 3rd-6th place teams. the problem is that the other two just happen to be much better. if Barca were in the Premier League, they would probably still be comfortably winning 90% of their games, and if Messi and Ronaldo were both playing for Man U and Chelsea, then there'd be a massive gap to the nearest teams also.
There are so many other points I could raise, but I'd like to hear people's responses first. Like I said, I know it's more about preference than anything else, and there's no right or wrong answer, but based on most people's perceptions of La Liga over here, how is the Premier League THAT much different?
why does everyone write off La Liga as a 2-horse race and claim the Premier League to be so open anyone can win it? There are so many inconsistencies in the arguments I hear put forth
Arsenal are the 3rd best team in the PL, yet their recent record against the top 2 in all competitions reads P11 W0 D1 L10 F5 A23. how is that any more competitive than Villareal/Valencia/Atletico Madrid/Sevilla's v Real and Barca?
People talk about the points gap between the top two in Spain and the rest, but 60/70-odd points is a respectable total for 3rd-6th place teams. the problem is that the other two just happen to be much better. if Barca were in the Premier League, they would probably still be comfortably winning 90% of their games, and if Messi and Ronaldo were both playing for Man U and Chelsea, then there'd be a massive gap to the nearest teams also.
There are so many other points I could raise, but I'd like to hear people's responses first. Like I said, I know it's more about preference than anything else, and there's no right or wrong answer, but based on most people's perceptions of La Liga over here, how is the Premier League THAT much different?
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I saw more misplaced passes tonight in the first 5 mins than I see Barca make in 90 mins. If any english side draw's barca in the CL they are getting spanked.
The gap in quality between the barca v real game and Utd v arsenal was quite huge.
In La Liga the top two moving further away from others and in the PL the teams are getting closer, as the Valencia chairmen said in the summer "La Liga is the new SPL".
Thats only because the top teams have got worse. I could argue that celtic and rangers have dropped more points in recent years but thats only cos they have got worse not that the SPL has got any better.
Barca would walk the EPL just as much as they do La Liga
Wrong. Plenty teams try and press them but they dont require space to play there game. Get as tight as u want they can still pass the ball around u as they have supreme technique.
Also the key to there game is they dont give there opposition time on the ball. They press and hunt in packs its just the opposition are not as good technically so cant keep the ball under pressure. Arsenal usually can keep the ball and have the majority of posession but when they played barcelona they crumbled and kept giving it away.
Barca would get a complete culture shock playing in the PL, I'm not saying they cant win it but they certainly wouldnt win it like in Spain, nowhere near, lower Spanish teams can only dream of the money that lower pl teams get due to the poorer distribution of cash in LL.
considering two of Barca's strengths are their ability to retain possession under pressure, and their ability to win it back very quickly, I don't see why not being given as much time on the ball (if that is indeed true) would prevent them from being able to play their game
Why do people think all spanish sides just sit back and let them play. They do try and pressure them but its not easy. They move the ball so quickly and due to the off the ball movement they just drag players into positions they dont want to go to. It doesnt matter what league you play in when you can play like that.
They dont get the same week in week out as they would in the PL and injuries would almost certainly become a factor over a season, I dont see the same sort of tackles flying in LL as I do in the PL for a start.
I also notice no-one mentions the decisions that also went against Barca, in both legs for that matter
the idea that they don't tackle in Spain is a bit of a myth really. look at the "tackle" Messi received not too long ago for example
http://barcelona.theoffside.com/files/2010/09/UjfalusiMessi.jpg
http://img228.imageshack.us/i/164727211t.jpg/
I'm not going to pretend he's getting those every week, but it makes a nonsense of the claims that everything in Spain is just tippy-toed, and no-one gets physical
let's change tack a bit. how are the second tier of PL teams over here any better than those in La Liga overall?
Not sure what sky has to do with it unless you are trying to insinuate I am of the sky generation, simple fact I'm not and I prefered football before the PL.
Barcelona were robbed of a place in the final.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jta12s1hQJA
I agree with all of this. it's not just England though, money seems to have corrupted football just about everywhere
Nearly every league in Europe has been affected by this, some more so than others, but this is still a very serious problem, whereever you look.