Is there any actual truth to this narrative that constantly get’s pedalled?
Is the Premier League that much faster and physically intense than other top leagues?
- Thread starter Berbaclass
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It all seemed to excite Varane after his debut, and a lot of players have talked about it. From an eye test, I do think it's more direct and robust that most leagues.
To be honest Berbaclass, I don't think that's any of your business.
Thanks anyway
Well done
Yes and no. It feels fast but also refs let play go while in Europe they generally blow for a foul on some of these.
I also think that good players will shine even in a slightly different league with supposedly more physical challenges.
In summary, the whole PL effect is overstated but it definitely is a facet of the style of play in England.
I also think that good players will shine even in a slightly different league with supposedly more physical challenges.
In summary, the whole PL effect is overstated but it definitely is a facet of the style of play in England.
I think it is but the biggest reason for it is to do with the way refs handle challenges. I watch quite a bit of continental football and the refs their wouldn't allow some of the more robust challenges that you see in England.
It's not as slow and sleepy as the Spanish Liga can get but no it's not that much faster than the Leagues in Italy and Germany. Teams in PL are extremely good at wasting time and delaying play to kill the opponent's momentum.
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Those charts make the differences seem unnecessarily big. In the sprinting chart the PL looks so far ahead of the Bundesliga, but the difference in average sprint distance (per player I assume) is only 15 meters per game.
It dose prove that the PL is more intense, but not by much.
Yeah never said it did. I just thought it was interesting to finally get some data around this subject. Or more like someone using the existing data to make some kind of comparison.
This is a simple data exercise.
I'm sure that many who tout the PL as more physically demanding than others have not watched enough games in other leagues to accurately make this determination.
So yes, objective data would be nice.
I'm sure that many who tout the PL as more physically demanding than others have not watched enough games in other leagues to accurately make this determination.
So yes, objective data would be nice.
Why is that data not objective?
Do you think the players who've played in multiple top leagues making that claim have enough objective experience to make that comparison?
Anecdote. How many footballers are we talking about that have commented on this? Their stories are important but I'm not jumping to conclusions based on just that
Have you ever heard any player or manager claim otherwise?
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Is it not routinely pointed out that both Ligue 1 and the MLS are the most physically demanding as they have more contested efforts than all other leagues.
Fair go if the PL has the highest volume/distance/pace of sprints but it speaks not at all to how many of those are contested.
Watching Ligue 1 it’s incredible to see how players interact at speed all the time.
Fair go if the PL has the highest volume/distance/pace of sprints but it speaks not at all to how many of those are contested.
Watching Ligue 1 it’s incredible to see how players interact at speed all the time.
Aye. And there is a tactical dimension which blurs the finer conclusions we can draw from the data.
I think that is something we are used to telling ourselves whilst la liga racked up technical players. However now that its more of a mix the discussion is interesting.
That's a very good article and backs up what you see on the TV screen. PL players have to make more high intensity runs, at a faster speed, for a longer distance. Margins are fine at the top level, but they are quite clear nonetheless. The other thing you see is referees in England allow harder challenges than in other leagues.
It also translates to another thread comparing the treble team and other historic teams to modern football. Could the likes of Roy Keane play in the modern era, without any adaptation or training. The answer is obviously no. Some players struggle coming from other leagues let alone from 25 years ago.
I think it has to do with atmosphere which is created by English football having possibly the richest history. There are no easy games, obviously this statement is somewhat stereotypical, but take for example last season's final round of games.
In Serie A, both Inter and Milan needed wins, with Inter also needing slip up from Milan away at Sassuolo, which is never an easy game to play. Milan had 3:0 lead at half time as far as I remember, whole atmosphere was almost celebratory, only thing missing was Sassuolo players joining the party after the game. Inter also had no trouble trouncing their opponents, although circumstances were different.
Now compare that to last day drama between Liverpool and City in their games versus Wolves and Aston Villa. It's as if Wolves and Villa tried their best to (re)write history, while Sassuolo tried their best not to cause upsets.
Mind you, this is just my opinion based on an isolated incident, which also isn't backed up by numbers because of points tally that City generally amasses each season, but I do have a feeling that Bayern, Real, Barcelona and big Italian sides have many more easy games played in lower tempo in their respective leagues because other clubs know their role in football, and it's not to upset big boys.
In Serie A, both Inter and Milan needed wins, with Inter also needing slip up from Milan away at Sassuolo, which is never an easy game to play. Milan had 3:0 lead at half time as far as I remember, whole atmosphere was almost celebratory, only thing missing was Sassuolo players joining the party after the game. Inter also had no trouble trouncing their opponents, although circumstances were different.
Now compare that to last day drama between Liverpool and City in their games versus Wolves and Aston Villa. It's as if Wolves and Villa tried their best to (re)write history, while Sassuolo tried their best not to cause upsets.
Mind you, this is just my opinion based on an isolated incident, which also isn't backed up by numbers because of points tally that City generally amasses each season, but I do have a feeling that Bayern, Real, Barcelona and big Italian sides have many more easy games played in lower tempo in their respective leagues because other clubs know their role in football, and it's not to upset big boys.
Good point. We can see it quite clearly with Bayern this year.
Yesterday's game could also serve as proof that La Liga still has more technical players, City are arguably the most technical in the country but you could see Real players were just much more silky. Premier League surely seems the most tactical these days with English teams looking way better drilled and more consistent than others. Faster and physically intense I cannot tell because I don't watch much football outside England/Italy/Spain and for me the data is inconclusive.
I would say a decent read would be
https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr68/en/
About distance ran and sprinted in the 2020-2021 season in different leagues.
https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr68/en/
About distance ran and sprinted in the 2020-2021 season in different leagues.
Tevez claimed he never ran so much until he went to Italy and Henry commentated on running more at Barcelona
You are comparing different situations, and different teams in different positions. That's completely anecdotal.
Last season Inter threw the league in one their last games against a mid table club playing away.
Also there are easy games in the PL, just ask City, the fact that other english teams can't destroy mid/lower table teams is more about them not being good enough to do what City does.
I can assume too that mid table league clubs know their role in EPL it's to satisfy Abu Dhabi project, so they don't even try against City... it's not that City is too good for them, surely.
The way people talk you would imagine top teams in other leagues are making 95-100 points every season, however it's City/Liverpool who has reached that lately, not Bayern, PSG,Real, or Barcelona.
Running more doesn't equal a faster, more intense or physically demanding to me.
In fairness just read the quotes again and he said the training is more intense than in England. Which makes sense as he lost weight and was in the best shape he’s been in
Its fast pace, robust, too much foul forgiven that lead to much more demanding in intensity and physic from players. Also, i think the above make players easily tired not just physically but mentally as well and that takes a lot of toll on the players.