BPL teams (not) taking the EL seriously?

"Barca didn't try when they lost 4-0 to Milan" - Johan Cruyff.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:"Barca didn't try when they lost 4-0 to Milan" - Johan Cruyff.

See, and that's why Cruyff was sacked from his honorary presidential position.

Scrubomeu

futbol wrote:The EPL fan Newspeak is always fascinating.

EPL clubs aren't actually incapable. They are just not taking the EL seriously.

When Manchester United don't win they aren't shit. They are just "in transition".

When Manchester United keep losing their best players to better clubs like Real Madrid it's not because Manchester United is a smaller, less successful, less attractive club. After all, United is the biggest club of all time. It's just the weather's or an annoying girlfriend's fault.

When EPL clubs bottle it in the CL yet again and are on the verge to losing their 4th CL spot it's not because they suck. It's because "it goes in cycles".

Fussball telling it like it is

Thank you, it is a pleasure to read your scribbles

Futbol just mad that Spanish teams have to be super try hard to compete imo

In the MEN'S LEAGUE we don't even have to try to sometimes be good now and again

EPL fan Newspeak Love it

Europa League doesn't have the money that the BPL provides nor does it carry the prestige of the UCL. So, my own opinion on this, is that there is a clash happening. On one hand, players love to win trophies and I think they would always take the Europa seriously. On the other hand, I get the idea that upper management in BPL clubs (that aren't the usual top teams) prefer to see a healthy cash flow than fight up with a cup that isn't a good ROI.

I agree that some take it serious and some don't and that's the problem. All should take it serious and not just some. It would be interesting to see how English teams turn out this season.

Honestly I completely forgot that we won the EL a few years ago until the op mentioned it. Smh the carling cup is more memorable.

I can't respect a trophy that celebrates second tier teams.

Blue wrote:Honestly I completely forgot that we won the EL a few years ago until the op mentioned it. Smh the carling cup is more memorable.

I can't respect a trophy that celebrates second tier teams.

The Carling cup is one of the most ridiculous competitions in Europe.  I can't tell if anyone takes that competition seriously.

To compare the EL and the Carling Cup is pure madness.

Even the trophy sucks, it's like the size of a Pint glass.

Doc wrote:EPL fan Newspeak Love it

Europa League doesn't have the money that the BPL provides nor does it carry the prestige of the UCL. So, my own opinion on this, is that there is a clash happening. On one hand, players love to win trophies and I think they would always take the Europa seriously. On the other hand, I get the idea that upper management in BPL clubs (that aren't the usual top teams) prefer to see a healthy cash flow than fight up with a cup that isn't a good ROI.

I agree that some take it serious and some don't and that's the problem. All should take it serious and not just some. It would be interesting to see how English teams turn out this season.

But the teams in the Europa League shouldn't be fighting to stay in the EPL, one should have nothing to do with the other.

I mean the EPL has a pretty standard top 4 so to suggest if you try in the EL you wont make the top 4 or you may get relegated is kind of nonsense.

There teams just are not good enough to win it.  They run into better teams or teams they think they should beat because there in the EPL and can walk out there and beat them, and that's not the case.

I think tons of fans just are not aware how poor the EPL has always been in Europe (except for a 4-5 year stint where they owned it) and how much the league has gone down hill since SAF retired.

There are just a lot of trash teams with a couple big name players that play hoof ball and don't know what to do when they play against teams that actually want to retain the ball and force there pace on the game.

I have to admit it is fun to watch but the teams just are not elite anymore.  That is why they lose, and the total lack of homegrown talent makes the lesser teams awful when they play there youth compared to teams from other countries.

lol

EPL teams just sucks in europe thats it. No need to sugarcoat it as not caring.

there is cl place at its stake. Back in the day people were saying mule legaue and serie z teams are not caring because EL doesnt give any incentive.

Now that winner gets the CL and serie z and dont kee leeg teams are still shet in EL...what excuse they have? simply not good enough.

Serie A did well last two years though.

Lord Spencer wrote:Serie A did well last two years though.

Mainly because in recent times FK Rabotnicki Kometal Skopje, Atromitos Athen, Odd Grenland and the likes didn't take it seriously and concentrated on winning their respective leagues.

Liverpool's too good for the EL. And the rest of the BPL teams are irrelevant.

LeBéninois wrote:-Fans don't care : How many of of you watch it seriously ( not only about the semi-finals and further)
-Sponsors don't really care otherwise there would be more money for the teams
-Managers just hope their best players don't get injuired so they use players who need game time ( they are motivated )

I've already heard many coach say just after an elimination '' Now, we can focus on the league ''.

Anyways i like to watch random teams in EL, I like to watch Dnipro and teams from others leagues tha I never watch. It's more fun and they give their all. the level might not be the best but there is less calculation.

This is exactly what I was trying to say, maybe I didn't express myself good. I'm also against that attitude by some teams but I'm just telling the truth how it is, I also love to watch smaller teams in the competition, was cheering for Dnipro last year to win it, but it's a sad reality that the value of this competition is not so high as it should be because of that attitude, even most fans don't care about it. I myself thought it would be interesting to see how far can this new West Ham with Payet go in the EL, but unfortunately they didn't share my thoughts.

I'm watching Kairat-Bordoux now.

Kairat is winning and the tie is even on aggregate.

Thanks to EL, the gap between smaller nation leagues with top ones have narrowed. The same reason that even in International qualifying games, we don't see big scoreless much anymore.

Platini has saved Europe. He's done miracles. He's the hero Europe needed, but not what they deserved. A true comrade whose decisions has made European footy a lot more competitive than what it used to be.

Platini for Fifa

Never understood why EPL teams don't seem to take it as seriously as they should.

I'm not saying Spurs, in the years I've watched them in the EL, haven't taken it seriously...the squads are weaker for sure in the group stages but come knock out stages the team is generally pretty close to full strength. I don't see the same intensity though--it's always looked like an 80-90% Tottenham team, not one that is going all out to win with the best squad possible. This has lead to exits against good teams like Basel and Fiorentina, but teams that Tottenham could beat with more effort.

Personally I find that focusing on winning the EL to get CL would be a risky strategy, but with the amount of spending that the top 4 do and the difference of quality...I'm not sure why Spurs haven't refocused on EL. I think it's easier than Spurs trying to break top 4.

As for teams like West Ham and others lower down the table... I don't understand how the fans/managers think that winning a European trophy isn't prestigious? West Ham will never get close to the CL, and they'll probably finish mid table like always, why not give it a go? Winning something or at least going far is surely better than finishing mid table and winning nothing like every season. Unless going out in the semis of the COC is all of a sudden an awesome achievement.

Spurs try, there just not good enough.  Since Bale and Modric left they have been a masterclass in what not to do in the transfer market.  There team is just jumbled together with no clear thought on why they bought certain players and how they would fit into the team.

There transfer policy is basically if a player is willing to play for spurs and above average they will pay too much for them and not really care where they fit into the team.  So it looks like they have a good roster but it's a mess.

Spurs also is one of the worst defensive teams I have ever seen especially when they get a lead they are terrible.  They ship goals for fun.

Fiorentina is a better team than Spurs.  IF you flipped it around and Fiorentina was in the EPL and Spurs were in Italy people would think Fiorentina were world beaters.

They hype around the EPL teams just doesn't match the squads anymore.

I'm not saying Spurs are this great team, but they're good enough to match Fiorentina and Basel. I'm not hyping anyone

CBarca wrote:I'm not saying Spurs are this great team, but they're good enough to match Fiorentina and Basel. I'm not hyping anyone

I'm not saying you were hyping them, but people get this image that Spurs are a good team and they were with Bale and Modric but not since.

IF you look at Fiorentina's roster for last year these players would be just as good or better than Spurs players.

Giuseppe Rossi
Mario Gomez
Gilardino
Diamanti
Vargas
Salah
Pizarro
Joaquin
Ilicic
Mati Fernandez
Borja Valero
Aquilani

I mean this is a good team right on par or better than Spurs.  And yes Spurs could beat either of these team on any given day but there is basically no margin between these teams.

Spurs just get more exposure because they play in the EPL.