Is the Prem that good!

[chiff]

Well, it's nearly the end of the first round and the big hitters are all through. And some of them are starting to hit really big! And I'm more convinced than ever that apart from PR, we're not in the same league.
If you were to pick a World Team from club performances, I'm sure that most people would pick players like Fat Frank and Gerraldini. And certainly they would be not be totally wrong. But put them in an environment where every player is above average, they are starting to look VERY average. Lampard looks immobile. Fantastic "engine". Definitely Ford Escort. Gerrard - Lots of goals. The only close "twin" was Johnny Wilkinson at his worst. Lots of air and lots of width but not much accuracy. And these two are supposed to be the jewels in the crown.
So could it be that the Swedish Turnip is to blame. Well I don't suppose he and his fourth-rate coaching squad help (I would have loved anyone apart from McC as replacement just to get rid of smirking Clemence and teacher's pet Sammy Lee). But I think it's more than that. Henry, allegedly the world's number two, is for about the fourth time about to bomb in a big comp. So why?
When a Gillingham centre back puts on a creditable performance against a prem striker worth about £10 mill on current values, you can be pretty assured that skill level differemces between League 1 and the Prem must be deceptive
OR
the team is greater than the sum of the individuals. It's obviously a bit of both at lower levels but then you get to watch Brazil or Argentina play. And the swagger and skill appears with the flick of a switch. These guys can play. Mistakes- who cares; "lets make football music". England - Rooney apart - skill wise are simply not there. OK they're not bad but great???
Yet bring the foreign cream to the Prem, and the ones with big reputations we've seen flop faster than a pensioner's tits. It's amazing. There are odd exceptions but good Prem players don't play well at International level and good Internationals can't play in the Prem.
So it seems the choice is for the most exciting league or the league (liga) with the quality and the pace to enable players to play at their best level. I prefer the former. I want to see Ronny running at full backs not 11-0-0 formations and that means the prem. But I think we must stop deluding ourselves that this will bring International success. Perhaps no-one can make England winners although anyone could do a better job than Sven!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rewdie]

Lol yes the prem is that damn good, its the harder leagues of all the other in Europe, hence why even lower teams can play well, lol you said it yourself, in England even teams in the Championship can play very well, i dont think any team from Seri B would be able to compete with any of our top half table, thats where you see the difference in talent, La Liga, the best league? Give me a break, they have 3 teams that stand out, and noone else in their league can compete, they have an easier time as they dont have the red tape when it comes to signing foreigners etc and of course players look better when playing against teir opposition, you talk about our players not performing to club standards, lol look at Ronaldinho, names the best player in the world and hes been total crap, where you look at Joe Cole, Hes been having a great world cup, hes never rated in England, Torres, everyone says over rates, now at the world cup, hes a world best.

you cant compare domestic football to International fotball in any way shape or form, the prem has players playing at the best international teams in the world.

What you said is in my opinion, the biggest load of bullshit, of course Ronaldo could go legging it in La Liga where the defence isnt up to what the prems standards are, the Italians play 442 and their football is far form entertaining, but their still one of the worlds best, or at least touted as.

Players have totally different International form to their domestic form, EVERY players, whatever country, league or team they play for, the standard of English football is higher than any other country in the world and the leagues are harder than La Liga, Seri A or te French, Dutch league etc, talk about Henry, like i said earlier, look at Ronaldinho, terrorises La Liga but look at him at the moment and in the champions league he wasnt an better than Henry yet both are outstanding players.

[chiff]

Sorry Rewdie, but not everybody says that the Prem is better or more skilful. On the contrary, lots say it is less so. Faster - lots more; exciting - definitely but skilful no way. It's the way we want it -100mph and that means long passes and that means less skill.
You may be right about some things and I think our inept management destroys some of my argument, but the fact that Joe Cole excels in Germany and is considered by Jo Mo to be a waster at Chavski should tell you something. Our centre backs out here are finding difficulty in recognising their arse from their elbows because third-rate strikers are MOVING around. That's why Saha is currently preferred to Ruud because defenders in the Prem don't like players who run around. They like predictability.
So perhaps I should change the topic to " why can't players from the Prem make the transition to International football?" My argument is that the Prem is not THAT good(skilful) Perhaps it IS a case that everybody else is out of step except the Prem. Who knows? When a striker - average at best - goes to Spain and becomes Europe's leading goal scorer then something must be different.

[onenedkelly]

I think it's more to do with the pace of the game, Serie A was the BEST league at one point, Boring Tactical sit back and hold the ball and play for possesion is not my cup of tea and now apparently La Liga is the BEST league but I beg to differ.

The reason Forlan has come good in La Liga is because he has time on the ball it's one or two touches b4 you hit a shot where as the Premiership which I incidently think is the best league in the World it has to be one touch only before someone hits you with a tackle, One of teh reasons Veron couldn't quite handle it and Kleberson after him.

Admittidly both players had the skill to grace any league but to be influential was another matter

chiff said:

Sorry Rewdie, but not everybody says that the Prem is better or more skilful. On the contrary, lots say it is less so. Faster - lots more; exciting - definitely but skilful no way. It's the way we want it -100mph and that means long passes and that means less skill.
You may be right about some things and I think our inept management destroys some of my argument, but the fact that Joe Cole excels in Germany and is considered by Jo Mo to be a waster at Chavski should tell you something. Our centre backs out here are finding difficulty in recognising their arse from their elbows because third-rate strikers are MOVING around. That's why Saha is currently preferred to Ruud because defenders in the Prem don't like players who run around. They like predictability.
So perhaps I should change the topic to " why can't players from the Prem make the transition to International football?" My argument is that the Prem is not THAT good(skilful) Perhaps it IS a case that everybody else is out of step except the Prem. Who knows? When a striker - average at best - goes to Spain and becomes Europe's leading goal scorer then something must be different.