With Dylan Burgess Why the Premier League is the best league in the world. Joshua Worrall makes an interesting case for the English top tier to be considered as the leading force in European Football. The best supporters, the best games, the best clubs and the best all round package- the Premier League has it all for me. How titles can go to 90+ minutes on the final day of the season, with BOTH Manchester clubs affected is pure magic- and how a 2-0 lead can be wiped out within minutes shows what a competitive, strong league it really is, with no team prepared to back down. I know many critics would say Liverpools dramatic rise from Europa League contenders to potential title winners is a downfall- showing that a United team who won it last year by 20 points are in fact a lucky outfit who capitalised on other teams failures and relied on RVPs 25 goals to win the trophy. But, in actual fact, Liverpool deserve monumental credit and more than just a mention for the way in which they have rebuilt the club from its worst period in recent memory, and now deservedly stand on the cusp of reclaiming a trophy that has been absent from their cabinet for far, far too long. Those who say money dictates success, ask yourself this: Man City have spent over £100m on world class individuals this season, as they bid to buy their way into Europes elite, yet still find themselves chasing a leading pack of Liverpool and Chelsea, and one or two big injuries have vastly derailed their campaign. In a manner that only the Premier League promotes and acknowledges, Liverpool kept their existing stars, and added Iago Aspas, Simon Mignolet, Ibrahim Sakho and Luis Alberto, not to mention Victor Moses on loan, for no where near the ridiculous spending of Man City. They worked their magic last season by signing Coutinho and Sturridge for a combined fee of £20m, knowing they could reach their peak if given regular game time and opportunities at Anfield. Raheem Sterling and John Flanagan have come into the team like they have never been absent, have shown the composure, class, temperament and desire of established International stars (they are only teenagers) and now look dead certs for the World Cup (Oh yeah, theres no chance of England winning it is there? Perhaps yes, given this assessment) Pure class from Brendan Rodgers and his scouts. In Spain however, it is the direct opposite. Real Madrid and Barcelona hold all the cards, get almost all of the TV money (in the Premier League it is split in the right way- equally amongst all 20 clubs) and spend, spend, spend on everybody elses best players to make them even stronger than the mid divison below them on the table. The argument could sway in favour of La Liga though, if you consider the calibre of world stars who currently ply their trade in Spain. Take the skilful, one of a kind genius that is Lionel Messi, and United old boy, and my choice for the Ballon Dor Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair have amassed a supreme amount of goals between them, possess qualities that only the very best have in their weaponry, and have consistently proven the difference when crunch games come around. However, from an alternate perspective, Ronaldo managed 42 goals in his best Premier League campaign for the Red Devils, compared with over 50 in his most lethal season in Spain, perhaps showing that the resilience of lower teams in the Premier League is superior to those abroad- take Stoke Citys fighting spirit and Crystal Palaces never say die attitude as two examples of this. Gareth Bale is another outstanding talent abroad, but those who argue that all the very best British Footballers go to the likes of Spain because it is a better league could not be further from the truth. Yes, Bale would have been daft not to sign for a club as massive as Real Madrid, in the same way as Spurs would have been fools not to take the record fee for him, but Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry have not followed suit, as they believe they have a better opportunity to further their careers, experience high intensity and unpredictable football, and ultimately give something back to the clubs they supported as kids, or those whose fans adore them. There is nothing like experiencing adulation in your own country from the working class men who pay a fortune to come and watch you every week. England supporters suggest their homegrown players are not good enough for the world stage, but it is not the individual that is the problem, merely how they respond when they get together. Cameraraderie is poor and infighting arises simply because the leading stars are used to competing with one another rather than fighting for the same objective, as the World Cup demands. Spain, on the other hand can call upon 95% of their talent pool from TWO giant clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and not the TEN, ELEVEN OR TWELVE here in Britain. Hence, their team spirit, knowledge of each others game and a familarity with how they set up in big games. You cannot argue with the fact that Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas will be more likely to perform together for Spain under pressure as they can work with one another and realise that there are games where the baton of most influential player needs relinquishing to their teammates. That contrasts sharply with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Wilshere, who all want to be the leading, central figure for the England side and often struggle to pass the ball to their colleagues and let them create things in the final third. Returning to the club leagues, you add into the mix that the bottom half of La Liga rarely manage to get within two goals when pitting their wits against any of the top 3 (Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid) compared with the likes of Aston Villa beating Chelsea, West Brom winning at United, or Hull taking all three points off leaders Liverpool, the competitiveness from 1-20 in the Barclays Premier League is more than evident. This provides a much better spectacle and more to debate, discuss and mull over on Match of the Day and other pundit led shows. As an aside to that, there is much greater difficulty in predicting results on Premier League bookies coupons (no I dont gamble), with many peoples banker results falling through on a weekly basis and accumulators falling flat in record time. If you had to put your life on who would win out of Real Madrid v Almeria or Man City v West Ham, I know which I would take... EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 18:08:56 +0000
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