“Less of a gap between high-flyers and shite clubs? EPL”

Hahahaha, that’s classic. ‘Spose that’s why Betis and Sociedad have been in the Champions League recently and there’s been such a range of teams from England? Oh no, that’s right, it’s always the same 4!!

I agree that the EPL is superior in certain points, like money, fan bases, and current European form. But I disagree on the others. First off, young players to have the chance to shine in Spain. Most Spanish clubs have very good youth development programs, and most incorporate their best ones into their first teams (Barca, Sevilla, Atletico, to name a few). The difference being you see more home grown talent in Spain than England, besides the usual South American imports, that is.

La Liga also has wayyy more parity than the EPL. You have the big four teams which consistently walk all over the relegation teams. There is currently a 50 point gap between 2nd and 19th place, compared to La Liga. which has a 30 point gap. Spanish giants have tough times against the small clubs on a seemingly weekly basis. And besides Real and Barca, you never know who else will make part of that top four. Simply put, La Liga’s bottom tiered clubs are better than their English counterparts.

And about this: “Faster, more effective, more pleasing, more entertaining, more passionate, more flowing, more tactically astute, more simply intriguing matches?”

Besides Arsenal and at times Manchester United, English teams are everything BUT free flowing, entertaining, tactically astute (long balls are not good tactics), or intriguing. Though I would say that English are more effective.

True, Kanoute is doing well in Spain but failed in England, but then you have guys like Woodgate, Beckham, Owen, and Anelka who failed in Spain but who lit up England. So it works both ways.

As for this not having to do with French football, in this blog, even off topic is on topic.

And about Yahiaoui, I still can’t believe you act like a pretentious ass and don’t even know what you’re talking about.
Lol, you need to work on your knowledge of L1 “youth structures” a whole lot before you try to use that argument to me.

Yahiaoui had a nervous breakdown and tried to kill himself.

Your take? “Look at Yahiaoui (well, if you know him, that is, because you seem oblivious about what happens in french youth structures). He was perhaps better than Nasri in terms of pure skill. But OM were unable to cope with him, and he never signed a pro contract with them, preferring to go to Istres. And thus never managed to fulfill his talent.”

Perhaps you should learn a few details before talking about things you have no idea of.

Piqué was a dominant youngster playing for Barca’s academy. Saying he’s an Arsenal product is hilarious.

Morientes was always productive in a better league than the EPL. You know La Liga, right?
Tell me, when did Papin win his Ballon D’Or? Where did he play then? Right.
If these players are average to you, what are the EPL biggest scoring forwards (Adebayor and co)?
Crap?

So because Gordon beat France twice, he’s the second coming of Yashin now? Wow!

Why does Arsenal buy crap in nets? That’s what everyone has wondered for years now! Weneger has never been a good coach when it comes to goalies and he’s always had shaky goalies for the last 7-8 years.

Itandje was seen as Lens’ third goalie by Guy Roux, which does say a lot.

So again, the best goalie in the EPL was voted as Calamity James.
If your memory can go back to some of the most MONSTRUOUS blunders made by pro goalies, SURELY you’ll understand how his nickname is linked to his blunders rather than his cowboy moustache.

And you go back to european trophies without looking at my argument (no european culture) and at the budgets (after all, why look at this, right, it’s not as if big budget teams would win the CL every year).

I watch plenty games of L1. I watch 4 per week-end on average. Way to say that I “don’t watch L1″. Also, way to say I “don’t know about the up and coming players”. I mean, I know how good “kids” can be. I watched Meghni, Le Tallec, Yebda, Ben Saada, Débris, Sinama-Pongolle, Piètre and Faty win the U-17 WC in 2001 (and the subsequent generations, none of whom were as good). I keep tabs on CFA teams and U-18 and U-16 leagues. But I recognise that you can’t compare Flamini now with Flamini back when he played at Marseille. He wasn’t as concentrated, his placement was haphazard, and his passing was often off. Now, he’s become a much better player. His physical condition is a lot better, and his passing has improved massively. If you think Flamini was first choice, then how do you explain him only starting 6 games in Marseille? Hell, if 6 games is “first choice”, then most clubs have 20-odd “first choice” players. Flamini was seen as a good/very good youngster, but wasn’t a first choice player by any means. And when he joined Arsenal, he wasn’t first choice either, only starting 9 games. It’s the training he recieved that turned him into the player he is today. Look at Yahiaoui (well, if you know him, that is, because you seem oblivious about what happens in french youth structures). He was perhaps better than Nasri in terms of pure skill. But OM were unable to cope with him, and he never signed a pro contract with them, preferring to go to Istres. And thus never managed to fulfill his talent. Menez also should be far more in the limelight than he is. But again, he went to a club that was unable to turn him into the great player he could have been. As for Diaby, his 2 starts say it all. Piqué hadn’t played pro for Barça, and after joining Man U only got his full début 2 years later. I call those two years “academy”. Since he was 16-18 during that time, I think it’s appropriate.

Papin was distinctly average in Serie A. And Morientes was worse than average in EPL. Yes, they were great… In France. Moreientes in France : 28 games, 10 goals. In EPL : 41 games, 8 goals. But sheesh, y’know… He was so good in the CL… 33 goals in 89 games. 7th best scorer. Wow. Until you take it down to goals per game. 0.37, against, say, 0.74 for Ruud Van Nistelrooij, 0.52 for Roy Makaay, 0.52 for David Trézéguet, 0.55 for Inzaghi, 0.45 for Del Piero, 0.44 for Solskjaer, 0.45 for Sheringham… Even Yorke (0.39) has a better goalscoring average than Morientes. And Yorke was, alas, not that great a striker.

For the goalies, you must be joking. Gordon, you know, that kid that helped Scotland (yes, that fantastic, all-mighty nation of football) beat France (some tiny country) twice. Kasper Schmeichel put in excellent performances for City before Isaksson returned from injury. Incuding a win against Man Utd (you know, that team Lyon smashed twice this year). I distinctly feel like you should watch them a little more often. But the point remains : if L1 goalkeepers (like Bracigliano) are so great, why doesn’t anyone want to buy them? Why does Man Utd not buy a Carasso or a Landreau, but instead buy Van der Sar? Why do Arsenal buy Fabianski from some random polish club instead of Pélé? Why? They can’t be “ignorant” of the -fact- that L1 goalkeepers are divine compared to any other breed. Hell, some of the managers managed in France (Wenger, Fernandez, Perrin) before managing abroad, and with so many players leaving L1 for EPL/Liga/Serie A, you’d think they’d tell their coach if they felt that there was a great goalkeeper in their old club who was -that- much better than the current one. But no. They all shut up and pretend it isn’t so. Therefore, I doubt the premice that L1 keepers are better than EPL/Liga/Serie A goalkeepers. Look at Itandje, going to be second choice in Liverpool, whilst he used to be a starter at Lens. Benitez isn’t impressed with his level, and it’s unclear if he’ll even stay on as 2nd goalkeeper. L1 has good goalkeepers, but there’s no evidence to the EPL having worse goalkeepers. (Oh, and you’re the one saying I should watch more, and then you say that “calamity” being GK of the Year shows that english goalkeepers are bad? You should watch him play a little more often, then.)

But really, once more : if L1 is -that- good… Where are the trophies? There are none. Thus, it’s perhaps not absurd to think that the teams that win are better than those that lose. Count the C1 trophies in England and those in France. Repeat for C2 and C3. Guess who’s getting the performances on the pitch.

You whine that the only teams worth watching are Arsenal, ManU, Barca, Real, Liverpool (what a boring team BTW) and co.
Yet it features players that you probably thought were average or above average when they played in L1 (the exception being Malouda, who funnily was talked about today at hfboards, with a Chelsea fan saying he’d drive him to any club willing to take him off Chelsea’s roster). Basically, these teams are often made of many former L1 players.

Piqué came from ManU’s academy. I think I’ve heard them all. Wow.

Adebayor is suddenly good? Nah, he once again disappeared when it mattered with Arsenal, as any Gunners fan will attest. He got more playing time than with Monaco, and was played on a team that didn’t suck, as the only offensive weapon.
He didn’t suddenly become good when he signed an EPL contract. Same with Benjani, Sagna,
Also, defense is stressed before anything in France (remember your “a winger must foremost defend” argument), while scoring more than the other is the EPL motto.

Flamini wasn’t first choice in OM? Big news to me. Diaby was a prime prospect, as he is now with Arsenal.

So Arsenal didn’t just baby-cradle and pick the best prospects out of France. Nah, by your reasonning, he picked some random players AND turned them into good players. Wow, you’re quite a treat.

Papin and Morientes are “average”? Good to know a Ballon D’or winner and one of the biggest scorer in CL history are average.

As for goalies, let’s laugh for a while.
Cech? Yep, world class, went through L1.
Van Der Sar? Yes, good, though he did completely suck in Juventus.
Reina? He made so many blunders he actually competes with Landreau here.
Cudicini is decent.

How about the rest? Isaksson was an average goalie in L1, he’s an average one in the EPL. Definitely not a “good” goalie. Hart? Are you kidding? Schmeichel? You mean the “old” one or his son? In both cases, they’re not relevant. Gordon? Wow, you never saw these guys, right?
Really, did you EVER see these guys play? They make HUGE mistakes!

We’ve had a somewhat average year for goalies in L1 I thought, but still Lloris is better than all EPL goalies except Cech (oh I know, until he’s moved to a big 4 team, you’ll say no), Mandanda has had a fantastic season, Coupet needs to come back to his best level, Pelé is good, Bracigliano is good, Richert, Ramé, etc…

Who is the EPL goalie of the year? That’s right Calamity James.
Says a lot indeed.

The fact is that you probably don’t watch L1 and don’t know about the up and coming players. Otherwise you’d see the players that you’ll admire in 4 years in the EPL, Liga or Serie A.
You’ll find them average now and super human then.

Well guess what, they won’t transform magically. They’re already good and it’s a pity you can’t realize the chance you have to see them.

Get real. EPL goalies aren’t all English. Sure, the English goalies are probably not much better than L2 goalies. But there’s a reason why even massive franco-philes like Wenger don’t buy French goalkeepers. Because the goalkeeper level is already good. If not very good in the big clubs. I’d advise you watch games between french clubs and english clubs in recent years, however I can already hear the all too common argument you might bring forth to explain the french club’s defensive weaknesses and the english club’s defensive stregth : “It’s nothing to do with the goalkeepers’ level, but the overall level of the squad. L1 keepers are better, but the defenders aren’t as good, so they’re more exposed, and ultimately concede more goals.” Yea, right. No point in arguing is there, then? You keep your L1 super goalies, EPL keeps the on-pitch performance, right?