The PL is falling behind, the end of an era.

[aRdja]

If the top teams above us are getting shitter, then theoretically it's easier for us to catch up. So I'm all for it.

[sir roger]

Or he was lucky being at the right place at the right time as he was our manager when English clubs where dominant.

 

Why , did they lend us players for some games ? . Surely it was harder to qualify and progress if Engish teams were so good.

 

On the general point, it does seem to me that the Premiership has gone backwards in quality over the past 4 years or so & in my opinion our team that came 2nd would have walked the league this year.

 

It's not just England though, I feel Barca & Real have regressed a bit & Italy is still a bit in the doldrums. Maybe Germany's more prudent & fan-friendly ways are starting to bear gifts.

[s(k)aturation]

Ermmm.... pretty sure Man U made it a couple of times. I seem to remember them doing quite well in '99, and I'm sure there've been more.

 

Yes, United in 1999.

No, there were no more English up to 2005.

Sorry, I try to blot 99 out of my memory.

 

It was the ultimate salt into the wound for 1977.

[No2]

English semi finalists since Rafa left Liverpool

2013 - none

2012 - 1

2011 - 1

 

Rafa's season of decline

2010 -none

 

Rafa's time in charge

2009 - 3

2008 - 3

2007 - 3

2006 - 1

2005 - 2

 

Before Rafa dragged English football up 20 levels

2004 - 1

2003 - none

2002 - 1

2001 - 1

[xerxes]

Another vote for the cyclical nature of football, the PL is still a force to be reckoned with.

 

The Mancs were unlucky last night, but City under Mancini, Arsenal under Wenger and Chelsea under Benitez have all underperformed, as new Euro managerial talent emerges.

[Thants]

Or he was lucky being at the right place at the right time as he was our manager when English clubs where dominant.

 

... signing the right players and using the right tactics. Sure it didn't last more than a few years but failing to at least give him that credit makes you more than a little unhinged.

[VladimirIlyich]

 

Ermmm.... pretty sure Man U made it a couple of times. I seem to remember them doing quite well in '99' date=' and I'm sure there've been more.[/quote']

 

Arsenal lost to Barca in 2006 wasnt it?

[s(k)aturation]

Arsenal lost to Barca in 2006 wasnt it?

 

It was up to 2005.

[Pureblood]

Another vote for the cyclical nature of football, the PL is still a force to be reckoned with.

 

The Mancs were unlucky last night, but City under Mancini, Arsenal under Wenger and Chelsea under Benitez have all underperformed, as new Euro managerial talent emerges.

 

Chelsea played one CL game under Rafa, which they won 6-1. You make talking shit a fucking form of art.

[TheHitman]

I think Rafa and Mourinho were a huge influence their tactics and rotation influenced Ferguson. When they came to the league they were reining European cup and Uefa cup winners so no surprise I guess.

 

Be interesting how the 3 British teams fare in the Europa both City and United crashed out last season.

[xerxes]

Chelsea played one CL game under Rafa, which they won 6-1. You make talking shit a fucking form of art.

 

I was referring to their relative performance, not exclusively CL performance. The delusion of the Rafanistas lives.

[RobbieOR]

Liverpool 1981

Aston V 1982

Liverpool 1984

Liverpool 1985

Liverpool 2005

Wasn't it?

Which made us the 5th in 25 years, no?

 

United in 99.

[fowler9]

The Premier League is of a shit standard every season Man United win it

 

 

thought we all knew that!

[Code]

Well of course but since the ban was lifted 1990 English clubs had hardly been dominant in Europe. It was only after our win in Istanbul did we see a real resurgence.

 

I'd argue Chelsea reaching the semi final the season before with their new money was what started it.

[fowler9]

I'd argue Chelsea reaching the semi final the season before was what started it.

 

That was a poor season for the Champions League in general in terms of the top sides

 

obviously Porto, Monaco and Deportivo deserve credit for what they did (think that was the season Deportivo made an amazing comeback against Milan wasn't it) but if the top sides were on their game it'd have never happened

[Pureblood]

I was referring to their relative performance, not exclusively CL performance. The delusion of the Rafanistas lives.

 

No you weren't. You said Rafa had underperformed as new managerial talent emerged. You were talking complete shit, because it's what you do.

[xerxes]

No you weren't. You said Rafa had underperformed as new managerial talent emerged. You were talking complete shit, because it's what you do.

 

What you lack in intelligence, which is much, you always make up for with entertainment.

 

Mancini's CL record is not great in Italy, or at City, and should be better. Whilst I respect what he has done in the PL, I suspect a different manager may have got more out of a CL campaign.

 

Wenger is undoubtedly at a low point in his Arsenal stewardship.

 

Rafa, is, as predicted, struggling at Chelsea.

 

Add all that together and three out of the four top sides are out of sorts when it comes to assembling CL challenging teams.

 

I have been very impresed by what Villas Boas is doing at Spurs, whether he can hold on to Bale for a likely CL campaign next year remains to be seen.

 

None of the above is evidence of PL terminal decline, just the way that club cycles can randomly conspire.

[rubble-rouser]

Most of the truly world class talent in the league is concentrated in City's squad. If they had a manager capable of getting Silva, Tevez, Toure and Aguero to play in Europe they would have made the quarters the last two years and woudl be in with a shout of winning it.

 

Outside of Citeh, the only truly world class players to come into the league from abroad over the last couple of years have been Suarez and Mata (Hazard and Oscar too young to be counted). Whether that is to do with tax rates, erratic management of Chelsea, teams getting ready for FFP or a combination of fcators is hard to know.

[VladimirIlyich]

It was up to 2005.

 

Fair enough,I wasnt exactly certain on the year thats all.

[scudger99]

Or he was lucky being at the right place at the right time as he was our manager when English clubs where dominant.

 

Code old chap, are you fucking mentally ill ?

I know you have deep seated Rafa issues, but even you must see the cuntery behind your latest burst of shite ?

[smilezzz]

Code is a man of extremes... There is no middle ground. Why? Because there isnt!!!

[Pureblood]

Rafa, is, as predicted, struggling at Chelsea.

 

Disregarding the rest of your inconsequential waffle, because it's not relevant to the point I'm making, I'll focus on this bit.

 

This thread is about the Champions League. Rafa is not "struggling" in the CL, because his team only played 1 game in it under his management which they won 6-1. Moreover, he has since guided them safely through the Europa to the next round.

 

Please stop spouting crap.

[Delmar]

Disregarding the rest of your inconsequential waffle, because it's not relevant to the point I'm making, I'll focus on this bit.

 

This thread is about the Champions League. Rafa is not "struggling" in the CL, because his team only played 1 game in it under his management which they won 6-1. Moreover, he has since guided them safely through the Europa to the next round.

 

Please stop spouting crap.

 

I would be inclined to agree with this. The establishment supporting parts here, Xerxes, Stringy, and the likes, will struggle. Benitez has not been good enough in the PL, but neither have Mancini, Rodgers, or Wenger. Villas Boas has done better than I expected.

[dirk grout]

Another vote for the cyclical nature of football, the PL is still a force to be reckoned with.

 

The Mancs were unlucky last night, but City under Mancini, Arsenal under Wenger and Chelsea under Benitez have all underperformed, as new Euro managerial talent emerges.

 

You really are an intolerable bell whiff. How can anyone claim Chelsea have under performed in europe under Benitez? They are still in the competition and have a very good chance of winning it. As for Wenger and Mancini, they have both been awful in Europe throughout the entirety of their careers. To sum up, your post is nonsense from beginning to end.

[piscinin]

Code is a man of extremes... There is no middle ground. Why? Because there isnt!!!

 

Because there is no middle ground between binary 0 and binary 1? So it's either flip or . . . flop.