Joan Laporta

[JamDav1982]

EPL is going worse, not better. Not the league it was with Pep and Klopp at their best. 3 years ago, never missed a derby at the top. Now I can't care less.

Hard to get better than winning 3 in 5 years with 3 different teams and x2 all EPL finals to be fair.

Doubt that is repeated any time soon.

When have likes of Real, Barca, Bayern and PSG in the mix very difficult to maintain.

But the top EPL teams should be competing with them and expecting to even if Real as a club win more than them.. that is the reality.

 

[serghei]

I prefer to focus on the more recent period. EPL is much weaker now than 5 years ago. City and Liverpool were the two best sides in Europe 4-5 years ago. Or top 3 at the very least.

 

[JamDav1982]

As said before there is a bit of a before and after Reals/Ronaldos 3 peat team.

In the 7 seasons since.

EPL
3 CLs
3 different winners
4 different teams made the final
2 all EPL Finals.

La Liga
2 CLs
1 winner
1 team made final

Since.. Barca are getting stronger, Real are getting stronger again it appears, PSG have their best team ever etc.

Cant see that dominance remaining but should be in mix and competing with those sides even if no one EPL team the very best.

 

[ajnotkeith]

I'm comparing eras to show you there is no clear link between more money and better elite performances. The increase of money of EPL teams is just a bubble so far. It doesn't translate to any superiority. It mostly means you pay 80m for players you used to sign for 25 15 years ago.

It's a gold mine for smaller clubs, the feeders for these big clubs who simply sell at a much higher price point.

LaLiga is equal to EPL at the top but not downwards from that.

Outside of Madrid, Barca, Atletico, the LaLiga teams don't compare to their EPL equivalents.

The mid table and relegation in EPL is far stronger than that of LaLiga. You have to put a lot more effort into beating the West Hams or Fulhams than you do beating Espanyol, Getafe etc.

 

[serghei]

Don't think it's easier to beat Getafe and Espanyol away than those EPL sides. I've explained this. Often bigger teams prefer other teams to have more offensive quality so they play more open. Smaller Spanish sides away sit back and make it a chore. They play realistic and pragmatic football, often negative and distructive, adapted to their means. This is a different kind of difficulty.

Take Bilbao vs Barcelona. We beat them 3-0 no issues, but struggled like hell to teams like Leganes and Getafe. Because we had more spaces as Bilbao didn't sit as deep and wanted to attack also.

 

[jamrock]

LaLiga is equal to EPL at the top but not downwards from that.

Outside of Madrid, Barca, Atletico, the LaLiga teams don't compare to their EPL equivalents.

The mid table and relegation in EPL is far stronger than that of LaLiga. You have to put a lot more effort into beating the West Hams or Fulhams than you do beating Espanyol, Getafe etc.

I don't know about all of that, west ham and fulhams are just as easily beaten by the big teams in EPL has as the equivalent would be in La Liga.

That's one of those statements where we say something and think it makes sense because westham spent more than gefate, but their is 0 chance they are more difficult to beat than gefate especially at home.

I even Include if EPL teams played them at home.

Plus Espanol just beat Madrid.

Not to mention how for years the Spanish teams have been kicking the ass of EPL middle and lower league teams.

 

[JamDav1982]

Barca struggle a bit v likes of Getafe as they make it a physical fight and not exactly Barcas forte with players have.

The EPL teams are giants in comparison and more used to that but they at same time dont face teams as often that can play like peak Barca/Real either.

 

[JamDav1982]

Don't think it's easier to beat Getafe and Espanyol away than those EPL sides. I've explained this. Often bigger teams prefer other teams to have more offensive quality so they play more open. Smaller Spanish sides away sit back and make it a chore. They play realistic and pragmatic football, often negative and distructive, adapted to their means. This is a different kind of difficulty.

Take Bilbao vs Barcelona. We beat them 3-0 no issues, but struggled like hell to teams like Leganes and Getafe. Because we had more spaces as Bilbao didn't sit as deep and wanted to attack also.

The EPL teams are far more equipped to dominate both boxes and take on teams physically than Barca is the reality.

Barca have to dominate the ball

Getafe would not be bullying teams in EPL.

Alderete will not be doing that for Sunderland.

 

[serghei]

I think I'd prefer to play stronger sides offensivelly, but weaker in defense. All those quality offensive players some mid to lower table sides in EPL have, not nearly as willing to dig deep in defense, or as good at it. Would open them up more easily. More entertaining games for sure vs EPL style teams, but not harder necessarily.

Getafe would be harder for Arsenal away for example than some West Ham or Fulham.

 

[JamDav1982]

Teams in EPL are not weaker defensively.

Definitely more hard games as more quality.

There are teams in La Liga that have worse defences than some SPL teams.. never see that in EPL

 

[serghei]

Surely weaker in terms of defensive approach. Rarely see teams parking the bus, or playing for 0-0 like some La Liga sides do.

It's not a criticism, as it's normal to want to attack more at home if you have better players. It's just that bigger teams ofren prefer open games and more stretched out defenses.

La Liga poses more tactical difficulties, EPL poses more difficulties in 1 vs 1 duels.

 

[JamDav1982]

I mean one minute you say you dont watch EPL the next you claim to know how every team plays...

 

[serghei]

In EPL it would be like we'd play more often vs Bilbao, Villareal, and Betis as in the type of games we's get vs midtable sides of EPL.

 

[JamDav1982]

In EPL it would be like we'd play more often vs Bilbao, Villareal, and Betis vs midtable sides.

Yet you literally just said you dont watch EPL since Klopp/Pep era finished.

Couldnt even make it up.

 

[serghei]

I watch about 20% of what I used to years ago. Still enough to draw comparisons between the specific difficulties of La Liga vs EPL. Different situations, but both posing problems.

That is why I think big teams in Spain vs England finish with similar points. 85-88 is high these days.