The weakening of the Premiership?

[TightEnd]

It is arguably the worst Manchester Untied team since the early 1990s, and they are still joint top

Chelsea are in transition, with Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba to replace in the next two seasons, and likely another management change on the way

Arsenal remain weak in the same areas they have been since the Glory days of their back 5

Liverpool are in transition, possibly on a slow upswing

In fact only Tottenham and Man C of the top 6/historic big six are on an upswing. City's is chequebook led, Tottenham less so...yet still might have to adjust to a new manager next season

All this means the Premiership is a little less predictable and therefore I would argue more watchable for the neutral


but as European results show this season, the relative strength of the top end of Premiership compared to other European Leagues is at it's weakest for some time

Discuss

[Ironside]

EPL is the new SPL discuss lol

[mondatoo]

^^^^^^^ LOL, Man City will probs crush Europe soon. Agree overall it's a lot weaker than 3/4 years ago.

[George2Loose]

Deffo weaker

[tikay]

It is arguably the worst Manchester Untied team since the early 1990s, and they are still joint top

Chelsea are in transition, with Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba to replace in the next two seasons, and likely another management change on the way

Arsenal remain weak in the same areas they have been since the Glory days of their back 5

Liverpool are in transition, possibly on a slow upswing

In fact only Tottenham and Man C of the top 6/historic big six are on an upswing. City's is chequebook led, Tottenham less so...yet still might have to adjust to a new manager next season

All this means the Premiership is a little less predictable and therefore I would argue more watchable for the neutral

but as European results show this season, the relative strength of the top end of Premiership compared to other European Leagues is at it's weakest for some time

Discuss

Incredibly so. There have been some incredible weekends this season, with results all over the place, & barely any match result is now predictable.

I neither know nor care whether the standard is better or worse, it's just become so much more compelling to watch for us neutrals.

Almost every match also has a standout "entertainer", watching the silky Silva, the struggling Torres, the duracell Rooney, Modric & Bale, RVP, da de da, something to enjoy in most every game.

[bobby1]

It is arguably the worst Manchester Untied team since the early 1990s, and they are still joint top

Chelsea are in transition, with Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba to replace in the next two seasons, and likely another management change on the way

Arsenal remain weak in the same areas they have been since the Glory days of their back 5

Liverpool are in transition, possibly on a slow upswing

In fact only Tottenham and Man C of the top 6/historic big six are on an upswing. City's is chequebook led, Tottenham less so...yet still might have to adjust to a new manager next season

All this means the Premiership is a little less predictable and therefore I would argue more watchable for the neutral


but as European results show this season, the relative strength of the top end of Premiership compared to other European Leagues is at it's weakest for some time

Discuss

From the editorial in the sports section of the Racing Post.

'It is no longer in doubt that football is not a sporting event to decide the best team but a soap opera for blokes. We know that because post match coverage focuses on everything except the football itself.

And last week's episode of football was the equivalent of the Eastender's Christmas special in which every member of the Beale family either has a baby,dies in a car crash, assaults their spouse or vomits on the bar of the Queen Vic'

It all happened, well actually it DIDN'T all happen, because there wasn't much in the way of memorable football'



The reason the Prem is getting worse is it is run as an entertainment business and not for sporting achievement any more. A huge % of the teams in it are never going to win anything. Yet the pay of players even at these clubs has continued to spiral on the back of even more money given to the clubs by the broadcasters to provide more 'soap opera' than ever before. Players are paid like actors and act like them too.


It isn't simply weakening, it is reaping what it has sown over the last few years, even very average footballers can now get 50k a week because their clubs are getting more and more cash to provide the latest episodes by a TV channel that has ruined the game.

So instead of going and getting a top player for a lot of money and have to pay him even more than the average ones, most clubs are now looking to get cheaper players and still pay them a fortune. So even the top teams are weakening because even the biggest ones, Arsenal, Man Utd have sold star players in recent years for ridic money, and the sugar daddy clubs have spent ridiic amounts on rank average players, and even more obscene amounts paying them.

Milner for 25 mill anyone
125k a week for Glen Johnson make any sense?
Does Alan Smith still get 80k a week to make the tea at Newcastle?

[hector62]

I would not agree that it is more watchable. Interesting, most definitely but not watchable. I miss the days of Cantona, Klinsman, Zola,Ginola and Le Tissier. A time where skill was abundant and it really was a joy to watch. We now have Grandad Scholes back at United passing the ball  sideways/backwards 10 yards to an unmarked colleague and the commentators are amazed by a 96% success rate!

But at least it is better than watching Englands rugby union team floundering about on the pitch.

[The Baron]

Good thread.

Weaker yes, I can see why the neutral prefers it due to uncertainty of outcome, but there's definitely worse football. 2004-2009 was a very strong EPL, for much of that the world's best league. (sorry ABE's but it was)

I think it's directly linked to super taxing at 50%. You can see the decline from that point more or less. There's also a decline in the spending power of several of the historically bigger clubs. Liverpool, Arsenal, Utd, Newcastle.

5 years from now it will be back to its best. Spurs will be on the verge of or in a new stadium, Utd may have decent owners again, Leeds will hopefully be back, Arsenal will have paid off their stadium...

Hopefully the world's best players will want to come and play here again.