English Teams in Europe

[Lucas]

Absolutely smashing it this season of that there can be no doubt.

3 teams in the quarters of the Champions League, with potentially 3 teams in the quarters of the Europa League to follow (Although nothing is a given)

Credit where it's due, the Premier League has received criticism (rightfully) in the past for how our English teams have performed in Europe and domestically we have praised the likes of La Liga especially for their teams performances in Europe.

However, surely there is no doubt we currently have the strongest domestic league (as daft as it sounds with City romping to glory) across Europe?

Bayern are the big danger in the Champions League and rightly so but they are out on their own in Germany. Ok, Dortmund with Haaland are there, but you wouldn't see them progressing against many of the quarter finalists with their overall ability. Absolutely nothing doing for German sides in the Europa.

PSG flying the French flag as always but all the other French teams have bombed out early in both Competitions. No point even discussing Ligue 1.

The Spanish sides are on their arse. Atletico are top of La Liga and they have been dumped out with minimal fuss by the Premier League's 4th best side currently. Barca out early yet again. Real only a matter of time before they are toppled when they meet a decent side, no one realistically fancies them.

As for Europa League, Granada and Villarreal carry the Spanish hopes, they usually like this competition to be fair, but I don't think any of the English sides would be gutted to draw them.

And then there's Italy. No representative in the Champions League, hopes laying on Roma and Milan in the Europa. Again, not a lot to write home about.

I know it's not cool or the done thing to praise the quality of the Premier League but surely we do have to give credit here to our sides this season, especially with minimal breaks.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Yeah, they used to be pretty dogshit, but that said, for a long period post Ferguson united, pre Klopp liverpool, I'd have said most teams in the premier league weren't up in that top 4 standard. And City have never got it done in the CL. 

Next season especially with Tuchel having a transfer window and united starting to believe it could be really interesting. 

[Spike]

29 minutes ago, Lucas said:

.

I know it's not cool or the done thing to praise the quality of the Premier League but surely we do have to give credit here to our sides this season, especially with minimal breaks.

I don’t know about that, it is easily the most ass kissed league in the world.

[Danny]

I’m not sure we’re best based on our quality but more so a general lack of it all around Europe, England included.

The argument against Atletico is a poor one, City have dominated England and at the same time been knocked out by opponents of much lower quality. Atletico finished third last season on a fairly low 70 points and knocked out Liverpool.

And if you’re really using Europe to analyse results you need to do it over a number of years, last season there was only one English side in the Q/Fs of the CL. There were two French, Spanish and German. The season before was good with an all English final and 4 English sides in the Q/Fs. Season before there was 3 Spanish Q/Fs with a Spanish winner, so it’s really not consistent at all.

I also agree with @Spike, globally the Premier League is the most watched league, when I was in Aus/NZ it was everywhere, Casinos were packed at midnight watching all the games. Really don’t think it’s uncool to praise the Prem, much the opposite 

[Danny]

Also agree with @Devil-Dick Willie that prior to Klopp’s dominance the league was naff post Ferguson, we had Pep’s City but that was just one team. No competition...even with Klopp’s Liverpool the league has been saturated for a while and is still feeling the effects of it. The fact that Leicester won the league speaks wonders for the excitement of the league but doesn’t say much for the overall quality 

[Danny]

Also you cannot use Dortmund to try and lower the view on German achievement but use City and Chelsea to raise the view on English achievement. They’re virtually the same in this competition with little to seperate them.

[Danny]

4th post on a row and I baptise this thread incorrect 

[Happy Blue]

We finally have a decent defence and a fully fit team, this could well be our year if Pep doesn't try any daft line ups and formations again like last year   ..just play our normal game and we have a good chance

[Cicero]

Been saying for ages the standard of football has dropped. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

11 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Been saying for ages the standard of football has dropped. 

Defending is definitely declining, but I think that's because the speed and athleticism of attackers has never been higher. 

[Spike]

40 minutes ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

Defending is definitely declining, but I think that's because the speed and athleticism of attackers has never been higher. 

Defending isn't declining, it is changing. Defending isn't about defending any more to say the least, it's about ball retention and starting attacking moves.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

8 minutes ago, Spike said:

Defending isn't declining, it is changing. Defending isn't about defending any more to say the least, it's about ball retention and starting attacking moves.

And attacking is about pressing off the ball and then exploding forward in numbers with quick ball movement. ect ect. Defenders still suck bro. 

[Spike]

1 minute ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

And attacking is about pressing off the ball and then exploding forward in numbers with quick ball movement. ect ect. Defenders still suck bro. 

they don't suck if they are doing their jobs kiddo

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Come to think of it. 
Defenders are now being prized for pace, and passing/ball retention ability
Attackers are prized for pressing.
More players than ever are playing multi positionally. 

Are defenders, midfielders and forwards all in the juvenile years of the death of specialization and the birth of footballers just sort of becoming... well, just footballers. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Just now, Spike said:

they don't suck if they are doing their jobs kiddo

And they aren't doing their jobs homo 

[Spike]

Just now, Devil-Dick Willie said:

And they aren't doing their jobs homo 

yeah they are shitwit

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, Cicero said:

Been saying for ages the standard of football has dropped. 

I've come to the thinking it's something along these lines.

[Michael]

As some have said, if you want to look at European performances as the benchmark as to how strong teams from a certain country are, then you have to look at their performances over more than just 1 season. If we just focus on one season, then I don't hear people shouting out about the superiority of the French teams, seeing as Lyon reached the semi-finals of the CL last season and PSG reached the final. 

[Cicero]

You have to look back at Hiddink in 2009 being the last time went went far in European competition playing intelligent football. 

[Dan+]

15 hours ago, Michael said:

As some have said, if you want to look at European performances as the benchmark as to how strong teams from a certain country are, then you have to look at their performances over more than just 1 season. If we just focus on one season, then I don't hear people shouting out about the superiority of the French teams, seeing as Lyon reached the semi-finals of the CL last season and PSG reached the final. 

Coefficient is a quite good measure really. It's just a shame that they have made the top 4 leagues a bit of a closed shop.

[Smiley Culture]

English clubs strength off the pitch and then subsequently on the pitch is the driving force between them and much of Europe. TV money, sponsorship and having the ownership models we do here is why we’re seeing better players and better teams here in comparison to the historically “big” clubs on the continent. We’re even seeing mid-table Premier League clubs able to throw relatively big money around and even turn down bids from clubs where £30-40m transfer fees aren’t as altering to that clubs outlook as they were 10-15 years ago. 

English clubs should be reaching the latter stages of the Champions League and certainly should be in the Europa League, on paper at least, given the financial power clubs have here. 

In some ways, we’re at fault for the drop in competition in Europe.