Standard of the league

[cricketfieldclarets]

For all the money flowing around our league is it really all that?

You have Liverpool running away with it unbeaten with a midfield of Henderson and Milner.

Had we beat a poor Villa we would be going into Wednesdays game with Man Utd 4points off them. In fact had we taken more than one point off them we could have been able to over take United in fifth.

We are still far from safe. But after that today there’s nothing to fear in our next two against sides far more inconsistent than Leicester.

[Steve1956]

For all the money flowing around our league is it really all that?

You have Liverpool running away with it unbeaten with a midfield of Henderson and Milner.

Had we beat a poor Villa we would be going into Wednesdays game with Man Utd 4points off them. In fact had we taken more than one point off them we could have been able to over take United in fifth.

We are still far from safe. But after that today there’s nothing to fear in our next two against sides far more inconsistent than Leicester.

Watching United today we have nothing to fear,I think we will give them a game midweek

[Steve1956]

They just said on NBC ..Rashford was carrying a fracture in his lower back b4 the Wolves game,OGS played him now he has a double fracture of the back,well played Ole you have probably ended his season there

[4:20]

They just said on NBC ..Rashford was carrying a fracture in his lower back b4 the Wolves game,OGS played him now he has a double fracture of the back,well played Ole you have probably ended his season there

Blinkin' Eck!

[Tricky Trevor]

Rashford and Kane out of the Euros.
Shame Kevin Long isn’t English.

[ElectroClaret]

Today's win takes a bit of the pressure off the United game.

Its still a big ask though. They'll be keen to bounce back.
A point would be amazing.

[BurnleyFC]

Watching United today we have nothing to fear,I think we will give them a game midweek

If we go at them, which is what a lot of fans have been saying whilst we’ve been pondering about trying to nick a point here and there during our most recent poor run.

We’re at our absolute best when we’re harrying and getting in the faces of the opposition.

Liverpool and Man City are in their own league, the rest are beatable.

[Targetman]

Rashford and Kane out of the Euros.
Shame Kevin Long isn’t English.

The Euros dont start until mid June, they will both be back by then.

[mdd2]

Last 7 Prem games Leicester W2 D1 L4 Man Utd W3 D1 L3 Arsenal W1 D4 L2 and we have W3 D0 L4
So we have a better record than Leicester and Arsenal and almost on a par with Utd

[FactualFrank]

We’re at our absolute best when we’re harrying and getting in the faces of the opposition.

Agreed. At our best when we're pressing and putting the opposition under pressure. Don't give them time on the ball to think.

[tiger76]

If the leagues so poor,how come there was 4 English finalists in the European competitions last season,Liverpool have now become world champions,and there's a very good chance of all the English sides going deep in both European competitions this season also,it can't be a fluke that these results are happening regularly,if you take the premise that the PL is overrated,then it doesn't exactly speak volumes for the rest of the European leagues does it.

[Andreshotboots]

The Euros dont start until mid June, they will both be back by then.

And fully rested and raring to go. Best thing that could happen from an England point of view, those two side lined for a few weeks

[Tricky Trevor]

The overall standard of world football appears to be dropping off. Still some fabulous players at the very pinnacle of the game but underneath them are some super athletes with lesser skills. One of the reasons we keep getting away with our workmanlike side.

[Spijed]

The overall standard of world football appears to be dropping off. Still some fabulous players at the very pinnacle of the game but underneath them are some super athletes with lesser skills. One of the reasons we keep getting away with our workmanlike side.

As I mentioned on another thread about Chilwell. When was the last time you saw a great attacking fullback who could actually defend well?

When players such as TAA have to defend (rarely at times) they don't seem to be up to much.

[Burnley1989]

It’s weird, I was actually thinking to myself the other day when someone asked about the next superstar like Messi & Ronaldo. Has the standard of football dropped, surely not?

[FCBurnley]

United are only half the team without Rashford. Bit like Spurs without Kane. No reason why we can’t get a point at OT and beat cheating Gooners at The Turf

[jrgbfc]

It’s weird, I was actually thinking to myself the other day when someone asked about the next superstar like Messi & Ronaldo. Has the standard of football dropped, surely not?

Mbappe?

[KevWebstersBomber]

Not much difference between bottom 10 of the Prem and top 10 of the Championship.

[IanMcL]

I have decided we should go for Europe again. I rather enjoyed it!

[Dyched]

What I’m getting now being older is how my child imagination made things better than what they actually were. I watched players like Zidane, Figo, Davids, Seedorf, Ronaldo. Those guys were good obviously but they weren’t on tv every week. It was an occasion when you sat down to watch them. Leicester were decent team back then from what I remember Matt Elliott, Izzit, Savage but again todays equivalent of them is Burnley.

Football now is on a different level. Back then you’re GK was there to stop shots. That isn’t enough now if you’re Liverpool, City, Bayern, Barca. Players like Varane, Ramos are lightyears ahead of yesteryears world class CB like Nesta and Rio. Milner, Henderson because their English and we’ve see them week in week out ain’t hyped up like Gattuso or Davids. Back then you’d see them only now again on tv and it was such a big deal to see them play.

Football and especially the PL is at a higher level than ever before.

[scouseclaret]

Two truly outstanding teams. The rest are pretty mediocre.

[Vegas Claret]

Klopp has turned Henderson into a top class player - very underrated and much improved

[Vegas Claret]

Not much difference between bottom 10 of the Prem and top 10 of the Championship.

the stats would disagree with that, out of the 3 that come up at least 2 always seem to drop back down

[AfloatinClaret]

Two truly outstanding teams. The rest are pretty mediocre.

Us obviously,but who's the second?

[cricketfieldclarets]

What I’m getting now being older is how my child imagination made things better than what they actually were. I watched players like Zidane, Figo, Davids, Seedorf, Ronaldo. Those guys were good obviously but they weren’t on tv every week. It was an occasion when you sat down to watch them. Leicester were decent team back then from what I remember Matt Elliott, Izzit, Savage but again todays equivalent of them is Burnley.

Football now is on a different level. Back then you’re GK was there to stop shots. That isn’t enough now if you’re Liverpool, City, Bayern, Barca. Players like Varane, Ramos are lightyears ahead of yesteryears world class CB like Nesta and Rio. Milner, Henderson because their English and we’ve see them week in week out ain’t hyped up like Gattuso or Davids. Back then you’d see them only now again on tv and it was such a big deal to see them play.

Football and especially the PL is at a higher level than ever before.

4 of them you mentioned were truly world class players. Legends in fact. Especially when you consider tackling was allowed. Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and Seedorf are four of the greatest players who ever lived. And their honours list will show that.

It's probably a fair comparison though gattuso and Henderson.

Rio and Nesta though were easily as good as Ramos and Varane.

[Dyched]

4 of them you mentioned were truly world class players. Legends in fact. Especially when you consider tackling was allowed. Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and Seedorf are four of the greatest players who ever lived. And their honours list will show that.

It's probably a fair comparison though gattuso and Henderson.

Rio and Nesta though were easily as good as Ramos and Varane.

What I’m saying is at the time me and my mates only ever saw those guys now and again. The CL was only 1 game a week on itv, we didn’t see Spanish football so it was special to watch those guys. Like “whooaahhh Figo”. But now with games every night, all CL games, social media, youtube you can watch clips every minute of every day. Players abilities and achievements have been diluted some what.

I’m not saying those guys were crap, but the facts remian Gareth Bale as achieved more as a player for Real Madrid than what Figo, Zidane or Ronaldo ever did. Look what he’s done for Wales. Figo didn’t do that for Portugal. Varane has achieved more by the age of 24/25 than Maldini ever did. Benzema has done more than Ronaldo. But those guys won’t ever be put in the same bracket as the players I mention.

[Quickenthetempo]

Football has changed with athleticism top priority.

Every team used to have a special player that scored special goals or tried to excite the crowd. Money has made winning more important.

If you look back at our premier league goals, we haven't scored many goal of the season contenders.

[cricketfieldclarets]

What I’m saying is at the time me and my mates only ever saw those guys now and again. The CL was only 1 game a week on itv, we didn’t see Spanish football so it was special to watch those guys. Like “whooaahhh Figo”. But now with games every night, all CL games, social media, youtube you can watch clips every minute of every day. Players abilities and achievements have been diluted some what.

I’m not saying those guys were crap, but the facts remian Gareth Bale as achieved more as a player for Real Madrid than what Figo, Zidane or Ronaldo ever did. Look what he’s done for Wales. Figo didn’t do that for Portugal. Varane has achieved more by the age of 24/25 than Maldini ever did. Benzema has done more than Ronaldo. But those guys won’t ever be put in the same bracket as the players I mention.

Bale is a special player. Easily up there with Figo. I think you have a point though. And the media can be good and bad. In that looking at Bale because of how the media have portrayed him he gets a bit of a bad rap. But he’s an outstanding footballer and athlete.