The English Premier League….Europe’s most exciting!

Saturday 05 March 2011

The age old question will continue to rumble on as to which league in Europe is the best? The truth is, over the past 20 years, the top leagues in England, Italy and Spain have laid claim to this illustrious statement, gone back and forth and traded places as Europe‘s No1.

You can even throw the German and French league into the equation from time to time. But what really equates to being the best? Competitiveness, excitement, skill, technical ability, superior tactics or just a combination of them all?

Although over the years you can make an argument for all three leagues, the English league without a doubt is the hardest league to play in.

This is due to the demands it has on the players physically. The Premiership is usually played at a fast pace, with tackles flying in at all angles, Premiership footballers have to be at peek condition at all times.

In Spain’s La liga, the game is a bit more technical, players tend to be more technically gifted and have more skill, close control and touch. In Italy’s Serie A, the game is played much slower, with quick burst’s, but is more tactically aware, players are more gifted mentally where formation, shape and positioning count a lot more.

As of recently….Well this season at least, I feel the English Premier League stands head and shoulders above the rest, and sits at the top of the list.

But many may argue, how can the Premiership be considered the best league, or even the most exciting when in the last 10 years it has only produced 3 different winners, where as Spain has produced 4 and Italy 5?

That is Fair enough, but this season as of today, Man Utd who sit at the top of the premiership have only lost 2 games from the 28 played but have drawn 8 with a 4 point lead.

In Spain the top team Barcelona has lost 1 and drawn 2 from the 26 they have played, with a 7 point lead.

In Italy, Ac Milan has lost 3 and drawn 7 from the 27 they have played, with a 5 point lead.

At the other end of the table, England’s bottom 3 clubs are separated by three points, and 4th from bottom are a further 1 point above that, in fact only 17 points separate 4th from top and 4th from bottom.

In Spain, the bottom 3 clubs are separated by 3 points with the 4th from bottom club a further one point ahead, the difference between 4th from top and 4th from bottom is 24 points. In Italy, the bottom 3 clubs are separated by 9 points with 4th from bottom a further 3 points ahead, the difference between 4th from top and 4th from bottom stands at 20 points.

So this tells you that the Premiership is the tightest league out of the three, maybe just by these facts. But In this league, any team is capable of beating anyone else on their day, something I feel the leagues in Spain and Italy just don’t have.

Well, maybe once in a while but certainly not even semi frequently. In England the destination of the title is decided week in week out, and you have to be at your best in every game. I believe in Spain and Italy, the destination of the title is decided by the games against the top teams generally.

For example Wolves, who currently sit in 19th position have beaten Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd.

Sunderland have beaten Chelsea away, Chelsea have also been beaten by Birmingham. Blackpool have beaten Liverpool home and away, West Ham while sitting at the bottom of the table beat Liverpool also.

Arsenal have lost at home to West Brom and Newcastle. These were all wins, we have not even considered any credible draws.

Italy’s bottom club Bari’s most notable win was when they beat Juventus 1-0 in thier first game.

2nd from bottom Brescia’s only big victory was a 2-1 win at home to Roma,

3rd from bottom Cesena best win was a 1-0 win at home to Lazio. Serie A’s most shocking result is probably Chievo’s 2-1 win at home to Inter or Lecce’s 2-1 away win at Lazio.

Spain’s Bottom club Almeria’s most notable victory was a 3-1 win against Seville, but they have also been beaten 8-0 by Barcelona.

2nd from bottom Malaga’s best win was a 5-3 away win to Real Zaragoza, but they was just beaten 7-0 by Real Madrid.

3rd from bottom Sporting Gijon’s most notable win was 1-0 at home to Atletico Madrid, and they did get a credible 1-1 at home to Barcelona. La liga’s biggest result was when Hercules beat Barcelona 2-0 in the Nou Camp, this was back in September.

Or a again at the Nou Camp when Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid 5-0.

So as you can see by comparison, the English Premier league seems to be the most unpredictable

This means, well in my book the most exciting league, and although not technically the best, or tactically the most astute, in terms of a spectacle, the most entertaining league.

If you also add the extra ingredient of the Carling cup and of course all the magic the FA Cup brings, you can see why English football is the most watched in the world.

So although I enjoy the great games in Spain and Italy, you tend not get those games every week, where as in the Premier League nearly every week seems to produce something unpredictable, unbelievable, unusual or shocking…..And long may it continue.