Is the quality of the Premier League affecting us in Europe

[FA cup winners 2006]

The PL is always hailed as one of the best leagues in the world, but is it really. alot of teams in the PL seem to set up the same way, typical old fasioned 442 with speedy wingers and a big man up front, with the centre mids workman like and nothing special and i include united in this category.

so for us in PL matches, our centre mids never really get challenged or bothered that much and when they step up to a CL match they look like headless chickens chasing shadows.

In all our CL games we have given up to much space while we are marked tightly and tonight showed it perfectly. every time the ball went into Dzeko, Ramos sprinted out with him. in the first half i remember Alonso sprinting to keep up with silva and not letting hom even get a yard of space (i know this changed in the second half). where as with us, Ronaldo and Di Maria had so much space, we seemed happy to back off and let them have the ball, turn and come at us. this is defently a tactic as it has happened in all our games this season. You can get away with it in the PL as the other teams just do not have the quality to cause us too many problems.

Againist Ajax they tore us apart with their neat passing in midfield and we didnt have an answer and this is not a great ajax team but we couldnt handle them because we dont come up againist teams like this that much.

what is everyone elses opinion and if it is down to the quality of the PL, how do we change it

[Beefymcfc]

Without trying to hijack your topic,I think it's more about how the likes of Real Madrid play. Falling over, feigning injury and basically wasting time does not make our league any worse than any other. In fact, the speed of our league maybe a disadvantage, but I'drather see ours than any other.

I've even stopped watching the el Classico due to the behaviour.

[walmai]

Is it affecting Arsenal and their record of repeated qualification to the knock-out stages?

Appreciably, your draws have been harsher, but the quality of the Premier League hasn't hindered other of its clubs repeatedly getting to the quarters or further.

As it happens, the quality of the Prem may be spread a little thinner than normal.

You may have noticed we're seventh.

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

FA cup winners 2006, what's with your username? I've wanted to know for ages!

[FA cup winners 2006]

Without trying to hijack your topic,I think it's more about how the likes of Real Madrid play. Falling over, feigning injury and basically wasting time does not make our league any worse than any other. In fact, the speed of our league maybe a disadvantage, but I'drather see ours than any other.

I've even stopped watching the el Classico due to the behaviour.

I agree that the PL is exciting to watch but we never see the quality of passing from the lower teams in the PL that we see in foreign leagues. we had the quality to beat madrid tonight but it took a while to get up to top gear. againist ajax (in ajax) and dortmund we were totally outclassed.

The likes of Nasri, Yaya, Silva, Aguero and Tevez are all excellent passers of the ball but other european teams seem to be able to move it at a much quicker pace and more accurately then we do and i think thats down to the teams we come up againist in the PL.

[FA cup winners 2006]

FA cup winners 2006, what's with your username? I've wanted to know for ages!

ah i picked it when i signed up, was trying to be psychic and predict the following years winners but ended up getting the year wrong and now i cant change it.

stupid name i know but it came after a bet with a friend when we were out talking football and the more i was talking i was sure we were on for a cup the following season. i think it was around the time when pearce took over and we went on that run and i was so optimistic for the following season but as i said got the year wrong, regretted it about an hour after picking it

[FA cup winners 2006]

Is it affecting Arsenal and their record of repeated qualification to the knock-out stages?

Appreciably, your draws have been harsher, but the quality of the Premier League hasn't hindered other of its clubs repeatedly getting to the quarters or further.

As it happens, the quality of the Prem may be spread a little thinner than normal.

You may have noticed we're seventh.

No but it is affecting arsenal in the PL. Arsenal are one of the teams who are set up the european way but it affects their PL games.

[walmai]

Is it affecting Arsenal and their record of repeated qualification to the knock-out stages?

Appreciably, your draws have been harsher, but the quality of the Premier League hasn't hindered other of its clubs repeatedly getting to the quarters or further.

As it happens, the quality of the Prem may be spread a little thinner than normal.

You may have noticed we're seventh.

No but it is affecting arsenal in the PL. Arsenal are one of the teams who are set up the european way but it affects their PL games.

Interesting point. So we agree that its difficult to hone a team capable of fighting it on both fronts?

Its probably true to suggest that the 'golden' era of more than one Prem team repeatedly getting to the quarters of the CL and beyond peaked a few years back.

[Alioune DVToure]

ah i picked it when i signed up, was trying to be psychic and predict the following years winners but ended up getting the year wrong and now i cant change it.

stupid name i know but it came after a bet with a friend when we were out talking football and the more i was talking i was sure we were on for a cup the following season. i think it was around the time when pearce took over and we went on that run and i was so optimistic for the following season but as i said got the year wrong, regretted it about an hour after picking it

We'reGettingRonnie likes this.

[ross.mcfc]

I suggested the exact same last year and got torn a new one.

We have barely got out of first gear this season and are still unbeaten. We have not won a game in the CL.

I think the facts speak for themselves.

The top 3/4 teams are capable of winning the CL as Chelsea showed last year, but the rest of the league is diabolical. I remember ten years ago every team had at least one or two players that could really hurt you. Now I just look at the majority of teams and shrug my shoulders.

I due believe we are in a exceptionally tough group, but from what I have seen both Dortmund and Madrid are way ahead of anything we have had to play.

I recall Rangers when they had a fantastic side and could compete financially with anyone in Europe used to have a similar problem. It is very hard to up your game against top sides when you are proggramed to beat Raith and Falkirk week in week out.

[City64]

Its done Celtic no harm and they play in a proper shite Scottish league .

What a stupid thread ! :)

[ross.mcfc]

Its done Celtic no harm and they play in a proper shite Scottish league .

What a stupid thread ! :)

Celtic have actually benefited from Rangers not being in the league, If you look at the table they are not that far ahead of the rest of the teams. They only hit the top last weekend. In a normal season they would already 10-15 points ahead of the chasing pack.

They can put all there eggs in the CL basket and play weakened teams at the weekend. A few loses here or there matters not a jot at the moment as Rangers arent there to capitalise. When they get knocked out of Europe, watch them win every game.

[Blue Since 76]

The premier league isn't the most technical in the world, but it's one I the beast to watch, partly due to the pace and partly because someone like Norwich can beat the team who were top of the table. You get a tough game in the PL most weeks - We didn't have a shot on target till we scored against Villa and, by that point, they could have had at least one.

However, the physicality of the PL and the number of games affects the CL performances. Look at Chelsea - tough game at West Brom, away to Juve then home to us. Not one game there you could rest players or take it easy.

If we want European success, maybe we new to drop to 16 or 18 teams, have a winter break to rest players for the run in and have refs who don't allow rugby. But I'd prefer 20 teams and if you're not man enough, you don't make it. If that affects the chances of English teams winning the CL, so be it.

[FA cup winners 2006]

Its done Celtic no harm and they play in a proper shite Scottish league .

What a stupid thread ! :)

Celtic playing well in europe this season is a blip and they wont progress much further.

from our point of view, there is something clearly a miss in europe. look at all the premier league teams from about 8th place down and their most influential players are wingers or strikers, where as in european leagues (spainish, german, italian, dutch, portugese) they all play a slower passing game with skillful midfielders who can get the ball down and play, their most important players are probably their centre midfielders. So for us playing in the PL we need to be wary of quick break away attacks, usually down the wings. it means our centre mids do not really get challenged with opposing players getting the ball down and passing around us, so when we come up againist teams like ajax, dortmund and madrid, they play a game that we are not used to and it takes us time to get up to speed.

Maybe this isnt and shouldnt have an influence on how we play in each match and maybe i am clutching at straws but i think there is something in it. Arsenal are probably the PL team most like a top european team and they challenge for the Cl but never really seriously challenge for the PL

[Slim]

You are aware the current European champions play in the same domestic league as us?

[City64]

Its done Celtic no harm and they play in a proper shite Scottish league .

What a stupid thread ! :)

Celtic have actually benefited from Rangers not being in the league, If you look at the table they are not that far ahead of the rest of the teams. They only hit the top last weekend. In a normal season they would already 10-15 points ahead of the chasing pack.

They can put all there eggs in the CL basket and play weakened teams at the weekend. A few loses here or there matters not a jot at the moment as Rangers arent there to capitalise. When they get knocked out of Europe, watch them win every game.

Agreed.

Dortmund also have started relatively slowly in there league campaign so did Bayern last season , taking nothing away from Chelsea but they had so much luck going on to win it it was unreal ! plus they struggled in the domestic campaign. I think the key is where does a club priotize ? can an ambitious club maintain top form ALL season ? its very difficult and we are learning quickly imho.

[City64]

Its done Celtic no harm and they play in a proper shite Scottish league .

What a stupid thread ! :)

Celtic have actually benefited from Rangers not being in the league, If you look at the table they are not that far ahead of the rest of the teams. They only hit the top last weekend. In a normal season they would already 10-15 points ahead of the chasing pack.

They can put all there eggs in the CL basket and play weakened teams at the weekend. A few loses here or there matters not a jot at the moment as Rangers arent there to capitalise. When they get knocked out of Europe, watch them win every game.

Agreed.

Dortmund also have started relatively slowly in there league campaign so did Bayern last season , taking nothing away from Chelsea but they had so much luck going on to win it it was unreal ! plus they struggled in the domestic campaign. I think the key is where does a club priotize ? can an ambitious club maintain top form ALL season ? its very difficult and we are learning quickly imho.

[FA cup winners 2006]

You are aware the current European champions play in the same domestic league as us?

come on, that cl win was one of the luckiest i have ever seen and fair play to chelsea for winning it but you cant honestly say they are one of the best teams in europe.

as i said it could be a stupid reason for us not doing well in europe but the types of teams you meet in each competition are so polar opposites you can see how it might be difficult for players. i know the quality is obviously completely different but when barca or dortmund or bayern play in their domestic league they are usually playing againist a team who are technically very good where as we are usually not

[Slim]

You are aware the current European champions play in the same domestic league as us?

come on, that cl win was one of the luckiest i have ever seen and fair play to chelsea for winning it but you cant honestly say they are one of the best teams in europe.

as i said it could be a stupid reason for us not doing well in europe but the types of teams you meet in each competition are so polar opposites you can see how it might be difficult for players. i know the quality is obviously completely different but when barca or dortmund or bayern play in their domestic league they are usually playing againist a team who are technically very good where as we are usually not

Winning is winning, do you think we were unworthy champions of england because we were lucky?

Liverpool and the filth have both won the champions league in the last 10 years as well, Arsenal have made two(?) finals and Chelsea have been in the knockout stages fairly consistently.

We didn't do well because we were in the group of death and a bit niave, no other reason.

[marvin]

Was not impressed with Ajax or Real Madrdid.

Had we not committed defensive suicide in our home games we would have qualified easily