*Official* English Football Season 2013-14

[sledger]

Arsenal dominating, but no cutting edge against a pretty poor side, and the first choice right back is playing at centre back because a proper reserve hasn't been signed. Just more painstaking reminders that that Arsenal have made a dog's dinner of transfers this summer.

Anyway, Benteke WAG. Let's hope he bags several more in the second half.

 

[sledger]

Bloody hell Ramsey, get a grip man.

 

[sledger]

Aw yeah, Kieran Gibbs, goal machine. Play him up front Arsene.

 

[BoyBrumby]

That's quality, you have to say.

Great work from Ramsey & Feo.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Keeper!!

2-0. That's better.

Rambo's deserved that.

 

[sledger]

That ought to be that.

Good job well done, Arsenal. But Fenerbahce are crap.

 

[sledger]

Sounds like Villa have just had a stonewaller of a pen turned down in the final moments.

 

[Furball]

Did he? I thought it had been 4 from the top three since before he was in charge.

I think the current system has the balance pretty good.

Before the Champions/non Champions split it was only the top 2 from England etc who automatically qualified. When the change came in 3rd place automatically got in.

Great result for Arsenal tonight.

 

[Scaly piscine]

One to throw back at Mourinho when the world goes against him later in the season.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Nah I think it is fair enough, having different champions from around Europe enhances the competiton, it is not like they never make an impact either.

Yeah I think it's a rare great idea from Platini.

Don't really agree that the champions of San Marino or whatever should have a god-given easier route to the CL proper than non-champions of other leagues.

Just wish they'd stop ****ing with the draw, let every side have the same chance of qualification and have done with it. The idea of having a CL made up of actual champions is an outdated one and it doesn't strengthen the competition; completely the opposite in fact.

 

[Furball]

It strengthens the competition longer term and spreads the wealth to more clubs rather than keeping it concentrated amongst the same clubs.

 

[Uppercut]

Don't really agree that the champions of San Marino or whatever should have a god-given easier route to the CL proper than non-champions of other leagues.

Well they already do. It's much easier to win the San Marino league (if it exists) than it is to finish 4th in the Premiership. So the logical conclusion of this argument is that we should have almost no one from outside the top two or three leagues. Obviously that would seriously detract from the competition, so we're looking to find a balance. And I think the current system is a good compromise between ensuring the competition always has a sprinkling of diversity while still giving everyone a pretty fair chance, and not excluding teams with a realistic chance of winning it.

 

[sledger]

(if it exists)

 

[Furball]

Sky's La Liga coverage just closed with them saying they understand that Bale to Real for €93m plus Fabio Coentrao is a done deal.

Arsenal should enquire after Ozil.

 

[Tom Halsey]

It strengthens the competition longer term and spreads the wealth to more clubs rather than keeping it concentrated amongst the same clubs.

Well they already do. It's much easier to win the San Marino league (if it exists) than it is to finish 4th in the Premiership. So the logical conclusion of this argument is that we should have almost no one from outside the top two or three leagues. Obviously that would seriously detract from the competition, so we're looking to find a balance. And I think the current system is a good compromise between ensuring the competition always has a sprinkling of diversity while still giving everyone a pretty fair chance, and not excluding teams with a realistic chance of winning it.

Following this logic through to its conclusion, letting every team in from every league at some stage of the competition would spread the wealth to more clubs. I think the competition ultimately is about being as strong a competition as possible.

I'm not advocating not letting anyone from small countries into the competition at all; for a start if there was no-one from a small country in the competition how would that country raise it's coefficient to let anyone in? However fiddling with the draw to give smaller sides an easy run to the competition proper is just to contrive a more diverse competition at the expense of its actual quality.

It's not like there is no mobility anyway. Barcelona finished 6th in La Liga just three years before their recent period of dominance could be said to have begun in 2006, and in relative terms Bayern (and the Bundesliga as a whole) were nothing five years ago compared to what they are today. Now obviously neither of these clubs or leagues were ever minnows exactly, but then again no "minnow" has ever succeeded in Europe really since the days of champions only. Given that there were only about three serious contenders to beat, a minnow was bound to do well if the good sides drew each other and knocked each other out. I think we can all agree that the competition is far better and stronger now than it was then, as shown for starters by how hard the title has been to retain among other things.

 

[Furball]

Bayern were nothing 5 years ago

 

[Tom Halsey]

Bayern were nothing 5 years ago

There's not much point continuing this if you can't even read what I said.

In 2007-08, Bayern weren't even in the Champions League, so yes, they were nothing compared to now at that time. That they went from not in the Champions League to finalists in two years is evidence of what I said.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's much easier to win the San Marino league (if it exists) than it is to finish 4th in the Premiership.

I think I'm right in saying that having a international side playing in UEFA comps has the prerequisite of having a national league, so I guess it must.

If memory serves that's why the League of Wales was set up, despite the best Taff teams befoulling our league system before and after.

 

[Ikki]

Bayern were nothing 5 years ago

He's right, they weren't legit CL contenders at all. He's also right about the Bundesliga. Compared to now, where Dortmund beat Real, Bayern shellacked Barca, for an all German final.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

San Marino league (if it exists).

It does. It's named the Campionato Dilettanti.

Slightly less hubris than the Football League Championship, at least.