Is the Premier League easier or are City/Pep this good?

[RedStarUnited]

Before Pep turned up in this league, many people thought his brand of football and the level of scoring his teams get could not be done here. I used to argue about this all the time and I remember saying, the high scores we saw in La Liga were because Madrid and Barca were two very strong teams spearheaded by once in a lifetime high performing goal scorers. If you drop that 2011 Barca in the Prem that year, you would get similar if not same results. But a lot of people even on this forum argued that the other leagues were simply too easy.

Last season City didn't have a recognised starting striker if you discount Jesus. They chased Kane all summer and didn't get anyone in the end. What was the result of this? City had the best goal record of any team in the top 5 leagues. Better than a Bayern with Lewandoski, better than a Madrid with Benzema and better than a PSG team with Neymar, Messi and Mbappe. Many people in here would say the Prem is harder than those other leagues yet City scored more without a recognised goal scorer. Same story on the defensive side too, they had the best defence in Europe. In fact, When you actually look at their records over 5 season, On average City have scored more, conceded less, won more games and lost less games than either of Madrid/Barca, Bayern or PSG.

Personally I think its Pep himself ironically that influenced the league to be easier for his team. What I mean by this is, I had the feeling that teams in Spain played Peps Barca as if they were as good as them. So games ended up being more open and easier because Xavi & Iniesta could not be outplayed by anyone. You see this happening in the Prem too now with loads of teams deciding to play out from the back. Realistically most teams cant and shouldn't try and play out from the back yet they do, and this just invites the press from City and the inevitable ball loss.

 

[BluesJr]

Pep has completely changed the league so suit him. Fair play. City are in a very enviable position right now, just got to have faith in the cycle and us finally getting our act together at some point.

 

[AshRK]

League has become weaker in comparison to mid 2000s. Barring Liverpool don't think any other side are that good.

 

[BluesJr]

League has become weaker in comparison to mid 2000s. Barring Liverpool don't think any other side are that good.

I can’t quite get on side with this because while that might be true of the top 4/6 the rest of the league is so much better than before.

 

[Red the Bear]

Let's hope this ages like a rotten egg but it's unlikely.

 

[Offside]

Their dominance has been no more than United 96-01 / 06-13? Even less so when you consider how easily Liverpool pissed the league that one year. Why are we acting like this is unprecedented? They’re just the best team at the moment.

 

[Zen]

I think Pep is simply this good, while also being an absolute lunatic, thus the CL meltdowns tactically, which while some major defenders will sit there and say they still dominated some of them, whatever. Almost all of his CL losses I've thought 'what the feck' when looking at the line ups pre match.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Lads, it's Forest.

 

[MinGin]

When one manager outspent other teams on and off the table with world-class coaching , no way you cannot too good with consistent. We are just a abnormal case.

Also when you got a monster of goalscorer, it will unstoppable.

Pep finally found someone who can bring Pep himself to get a CL for City

 

[SportingCP96]

A few more league wins and they are in route to being the greatest epl side ever

 

[NewGlory]

For me, SAF was THAT good, dominating without the United Arab Emirates oil-level money.

Pep is good, don't get me wrong, but it is much easier to be good when you are given two squad's worth of top players

But to each their own. Some cherish Pep, some are more meh

 

[FatTails]

Lots of words here. If it was any other league, we’d just say it’s a farmers league and call it a day.

 

[RedStarUnited]

Lots of words here. If it was any other league, we’d just say it’s a farmers league and call it a day.

Thats the thing I was trying to point out, City are doing more damage here than the best teams are doing in those 'farmer' leagues.

 

[Powderfinger]

League has become weaker in comparison to mid 2000s. Barring Liverpool don't think any other side are that good.

Total opposite. The league has never been tougher top to bottom. The managers are better overall, the players are better overall, pretty much everything. Its just the financial resources of the PL up and down the table versus the rest of the footballing world.

City and Liverpool of the last couple years stack up well with any top two of any era in the PL. You could maybe argue the 3rd and 4th best teams haven't been as strong as 3rd and 4th of the mid 2000s, but 5th down its better. The midtable and lower table teams today would absolutely wipe the floor with the midtable and lower table teams of those days.

 

[AshRK]

Total opposite. The league has never been tougher top to bottom. The managers are better overall, the players are better overall, pretty much everything. Its just the financial resources of the PL up and down the table versus the rest of the footballing world.

City and Liverpool of the last couple years also stack up well with any top two of any era in the PL. You could maybe argue the 3rd and 4th best teams haven't been as strong as 3rd and 4th of those days, but 5th down its better. The midtable and lower table teams today would absolutely wipe the floor with the midtable and lower table teams of those days.

Mid table and lower table no matter how competitive can never compete with a city. It's easier for City to win the league now than say it was for an Arsenal or Man United or Chelsea in 2000s. Pep or not this city side is going to be hard to compete with.

 

[padr81]

Total opposite. The league has never been tougher top to bottom. The managers are better overall, the players are better overall, pretty much everything. Its just the financial resources of the PL up and down the table versus the rest of the footballing world.

City and Liverpool of the last couple years stack up well with any top two of any era in the PL. You could maybe argue the 3rd and 4th best teams haven't been as strong as 3rd and 4th of the mid 2000s, but 5th down its better. The midtable and lower table teams today would absolutely wipe the floor with the midtable and lower table teams of those days.

I'd agree with this. Aside from a couple of years of you guys, United and Chelsea in the mid 2000's, I don't even think there was 3 genuine top teams. Never a 4th, the big 4 nonsense was like the big 6 or whatever now. Sure Liverpool would have a good season here and there but they were miles behind you 3. Kinda like current Chelsea, being put in a bracket with City and Liverpool now on the back of the CL win.

Sir Alex, Jose and Wenger going head to head for a bit was the only time we had a genuine 3 title contenders over more than 1 season.

 

[Moby]

Pep or not this city side is going to be hard to compete with.

Imagine actually saying this.

 

[Orion.]

Total opposite. The league has never been tougher top to bottom. The managers are better overall, the players are better overall, pretty much everything. Its just the financial resources of the PL up and down the table versus the rest of the footballing world.

City and Liverpool of the last couple years stack up well with any top two of any era in the PL. You could maybe argue the 3rd and 4th best teams haven't been as strong as 3rd and 4th of the mid 2000s, but 5th down its better. The midtable and lower table teams today would absolutely wipe the floor with the midtable and lower table teams of those days.

Completely disagree. The league conforms to the big teams now by trying to play out from the back with terrible footballers, playing to City and Liverpool’s strengths. Arsenal got rattled by the likes of Stoke, Bolton and Blackburn bombarding them with crosses, diagonals and long throws - today’s smaller teams are too polite to dare try to unsettle the superior opposition.

it’s also glaringly obvious elite doping capacity sets them apart. With City it’s more subtle due to the quality of the players at Pep’s disposal, but Liverpool are a load of turbo-charged bums - Big Sam’s Bolton had more legit quality.

If Pep was so good he wouldn’t need £60m players in most positions. People seem to lose track of the fact practically every player he buys is exceptional at their previous clubs too, hence their pricetags. Wenger and Ferguson polished both diamonds and turds to facilitate their success.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Mid table and lower table no matter how competitive can never compete with a city. It's easier for City to win the league now than say it was for an Arsenal or Man United or Chelsea in 2000s. Pep or not this city side is going to be hard to compete with.

They'll decline once Pep leaves.

 

[TsuWave]

A few more league wins and they are in route to being the greatest epl side ever

last season it was Liverpool that was en route to - ah nevermind

 

[Tarrou]

they are simply better than any other side the league has seen

multiple finishes above 90 points now…

 

[SportingCP96]

last season it was Liverpool that was en route to - ah nevermind

Liverpool were never close they have 1 title in 30 years.

City have a chance to have like 10 in a possível 8 which is insane domination

 

[mshnsh]

Teams in the bottom half are shit due to poor coaching. City and Liverpool are probably the best in Europe. Tottenham and Arsenal are also quite good. Other teams in the top half, ourselves included, are inconsistent. In general:

Arab oil money
Klopp

Le Arse
Tottenham


Rest of the top half




Bottom half

 

[Devil77]

They are a ridiculously good team with an exceptional coach. However, they got there partly because of the FA/UEFA’s failure to implement the FFP. Money gives you success, especially when you combine it with a great setup.

 

[Red the Bear]

I'd agree with this. Aside from a couple of years of you guys, United and Chelsea in the mid 2000's, I don't even think there was 3 genuine top teams. Never a 4th, the big 4 nonsense was like the big 6 or whatever now. Sure Liverpool would have a good season here and there but they were miles behind you 3. Kinda like current Chelsea, being put in a bracket with City and Liverpool now on the back of the CL win.

Sir Alex, Jose and Wenger going head to head for a bit was the only time we had a genuine 3 title contenders over more than 1 season.

Us,arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were definitely a quality group back in the late 2000s , better than anyone we have now and they dominated europe as well.

So that's demonstrably untrue.

 

[Eli Zee]

City is much better than most PL competition - player to player & manager to manager.

premier league is easier for city because they are way better than the competition. I wouldn't say the PL is easier in general.

 

[padr81]

Us,arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were definitely a quality group back in the late 2000s , better than anyone we have now and they dominated europe as well.

So that's demonstrably untrue.

What did Liverpool win to put them in that group and who dominated that era in Europe?

Arsenal were done winning trophies by 06.

 

[Sweet Square]

multiple finishes above 90 points now…

If we are talking points, then Pep City team are nothing compared to late 90’s Barry Town managed by Gary Barnett. Back to back seasons of over 100 points and then followed it up with another 90+ point season.

Respect is needed.

 

[Abizzz]

If we are talking points, then Pep City team are nothing compared to late 90’s Barry Town managed by Gary Barnett. Back to back seasons of over 100 points and then followed it up with another 90+ point season.

Respect is needed.

Looks like they even had 11 fans (4 more than city). Even if they were all confusingly called "a".

 

[DiMaria]

I think Pep is simply this good, while also being an absolute lunatic, thus the CL meltdowns tactically, which while some major defenders will sit there and say they still dominated some of them, whatever. Almost all of his CL losses I've thought 'what the feck' when looking at the line ups pre match.

or taking his best player against Madrid late only for the game to turn around and you end up playing extra time without him.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Pep is simply this good... while being backed by a fecking country.

 

[DoneDaDa]

City will win titles after Pep, but unless they find another Pep, Prime Mou or SAF type manager then it'll be tough to find anyone to deliver at this consistency. SAF, Mou and Pep are the only managers to win back to back PL titles, SAF and Pep only ones to win it twice or more back to back. Its a tall feat, Pep is a manager many players respect and will follow his order, he as manager has a lot of pull on players in transfermkt especially since many of these players probably grew up watching his all conquering Barcelona team. He installs great culture, chemsitry in squads and milks an insane level of consistency. Many City players came out and said before how they won many games, simply due to Pep, his reading of game, preparation are top notch.

The guy has taken on Wenger, Mou, Conte, Tuchel, Klopp in the league to a less extent Carlo and Rafa, you also have quality young managers like Potter and Howe. The money is insane in this league were chapionship teams are spending 100m in a transfer window. The qaulity of players and managers in the league is at a high. Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, City have all been in CL finals, they're been 2 all English CL final in the last 4 years, many English teams have done deep runs in Europa, reaching finals and winning it. Pep City simply have brushed all these teams aside in the PL.

 

[Andersonson]

The sad thing is that we spend more money than they do

 

[AshRK]

Imagine actually saying this.

Don't get me wrong Pep in the modern times is the best manager and ofcourse city's level will drop but they will still be the favorites. Unless ofcourse they go and appoint Moyes esque manager.

 

[marcus agrippa]

League has become weaker in comparison to mid 2000s. Barring Liverpool don't think any other side are that good.

They struggled against Newcastle not two weeks ago, and had to come from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace. But yeah, the league's weak ...

 

[Fortitude]

The sad thing is that we spend more money than they do

We really, really don't. And you'll never see the real, uncooked figures.

It's actually amazing how wilfully blind people have become to their shenanigans and completely overlook what Pep's resources provide him over the competition.

 

[redNATION]

European football is weaker now than it was say 10 or 20 years ago.

• In the EPL, City haven’t faced a team like Utd 99 or 08, Mourinhos first Chelsea or Arsenal invincibles
• EPL defenders aren’t playing against guys like Henry, Drogba, prime Ronaldo, Rooney, Owen etc
• Real, Barca, Juve, Milan teams, Bayern are not as strong as they were 10 to 20 years ago. If anything it’s a massive failure by City not to win the CL given the downswing in European competition. Compare to what Utd had to face back during Fergies era - Juve, Inter and AC in their relative primes, same for Bayern, Ancelottis AC Milan, Peps Barca with prime Messi, Reals Galacticos.

 

[jesperjaap]

I can’t quite get on side with this because while that might be true of the top 4/6 the rest of the league is so much better than before.

I agree, the consistency outside of the top two with the elite teams maybe isnt there, but there used to always be only 2/3 teams at most capable of winning the league.

But look at the success of premier sides in the champions league over the last five years and its unprecedented and it is several sides not just the top two. If anything I woul dsay its other Leagues in Europe that have become weaker over the last few years, not ours.

Go outside of the top 5 or so and look at the quality of football as a whole from the mid table clubs, its far higher than it has been in the past I feel and then there is the likely emergence of sides such as Newcastle with the money available.

The only thing I do feel with a sense of agreement from the original poster is a lot of sides seem to be trying to copy the philosophy of Guardiola and other teams are not so perfect with the quality of players at the back, not so much experience of that football which Guardiola has grown up with. As great a coach as he is, he isnt quite so much of a pioneer and innovator in my eyes. Barcelona, Crfuff and Dutch football have had most of his ideas for decades, phrases simply werent coined.

In that sense with the copying, the premiership has becom emore continental and has for me lost a touch of the intensity and tempo in the last few year, but the quality has improved. However I think a lot of clubs are trying to copy Guardiola rather than trying to combat Guardiola and that does work to his advantage

 

[Suv666]

City's planning is top notch and I won't be surprised if they already have a plan for Pep's exit. Its a well oiled machine and unfortunately can't see anyone getting close to them for at least a decade.

 

[Sir Erik ten Hag]

City's planning is top notch and I won't be surprised if they already have a plan for Pep's exit. Its a well oiled machine and unfortunately can't see anyone getting close to them for at least a decade.

Ten Hag is their plan for Pep's exit.