Football fans everywhere have the illusion that the English Premier League is the best league in the World. The league with the “best” players and teams. A “competitive” league because there’s at least 3-4 teams chasing the title every year. A “competitive” league because the relegation sides are capable of beating the title contenders. What if I told you that the Premier League is perhaps the most entertaining but not the “best” league in the World?
The Premier League is in fact one of the most entertaining leagues to watch. Never-ending drama between rival clubs and fans, late minute winners, idiotic fans, big teams dropping points against vastly inferior sides and even watching players like Lingard score tap ins and celebrating like they scored a banger.
However, there is a difference between entertaining and high quality. Premier League teams spend a lot on counter attacking football and players with speed and strength tend to shine despite their poor touches (ex Romelu Lukaku). There are numerous times where teams fail to dominate the possession and it becomes a game of kickball between both sides. Of course we have the likes of Pep Guardiola’s City or what Arsenal have tried to be. Nonetheless, counter attacking football is the foundation of the league. That is why we see players like Mo Salah, Gareth Bale and Raheem Sterling dominate the league. Not to say it is a bad or inferior league because of that. Simply worth noting that the style of play in the EPL tends to lean more towards fast-paced and attack-friendly sides which eventually leads to more attempts on goal.
I’ve mentioned this in the past. I am a fan of the beautiful game and not so much of the counterattacking game. What I mean by that is that I enjoy watching sides gradually build up the plays with patience until they see an opening. Perhaps it is my inner Barcelona fan that made me this way. As entertaining as EPL games can be, I would much rather watch games where two inferior sides control the pace of the game and look to connect instead of having that attack switch always turned on. I understand most fans do not share this point of view with me. “The point of the sport is to entertain”. That is true. No one likes to watch boring games. However, the beautiful game consists of more than just goals and flashy moves.
The theory is also put into question when we look back at Champions League winners over the course of the tournament’s history. Since the turn of the century, only three English teams have won the Champions League. Of those three, only the 2012 undeserving Chelsea side won the title this decade. There was once a time where there were multiple English teams that reached the semifinals. However, since 2012, only Chelsea (2014) and Manchester City (2016) made the semifinals only to get eliminated by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, respectively.
Europa League has produced slightly better results for the English sides. Since 2010, there have been three English finalists (Chelsea 2013, Liverpool 2016, Manchester United 2017). The mighty EPL league has had less finalists this decade than Portugal who has had four. Some of the most historic teams in England have had to settle for Europa League after finishing in third place in their Champions League groups. United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton and now Arsenal have all made their appearances in the competition.
The turn of the century has also seen Premier League teams grow from mediocre sides to title contenders. Chelsea and Manchester City have reached success recently thanks to their investors that can accomodate their team’s needs no matter what the prize. These two sides have won a combined total of four league titles this decade. Apart from Leicester’s cinderella season back in 2015-2016, only Chelsea, City and United have won the league. The often criticized Spanish league has seen three different league winners since 2010. Just one less than the “overly competitive” Premier League.
“Bottom dwellers are more than capable of beating the top teams in England”. Well, in 2016-2017, the worst team that was able to beat league winners Chelsea was 14th place Crystal Palace. 2015-2016 Leicester City lost only to Arsenal and Liverpool. The year before that, Chelsea lost to a 13th place West Brom and a 15th place Newcastle. In fact, the last time a relegation side beat the eventual champions in England was back in 2013 when Cardiff City beat Manchester City.
Last season, Chelsea defeated the Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Hull City with a total of 14 goals for and conceding just one goal. The year before that, Leicester City outscored the relegation sides 11-4. 2014-2015 Chelsea also outscored Hull City, Queens Park Rangers and Burnley with a total of 12-5. So much for that theory….
Since 2010, the EPL has been decided by less than seven points just three times (2010, 2012, 2014). Meanwhile, La Liga has been decided by less than five points EVERY year except 2013 and 2012. Both leagues have had to wait until the last day of the season to crown their champions on three separate occasions. But because Aguero scored the memorable last minute strike, fans seem to forget that La Liga was inches away from a spectacle like that on separate occasions. For one, if Barcelona’s game winner wasn’t wrongfully marked offsides in 2014, we would’ve seen similar scenes.
“All five Premier League teams made it past the group stage in the Champions League”. Well, yes that is true. However, let’s take a look at the groups they were drawn into
Tottenham has been the only English side with a truly difficult group since they faced holders Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and an annoying Apoel side. Chelsea complicated themselves in a group that they should’ve won. They gave up six goals in two games against Roma including a 3-0 thrashing. City, Liverpool and United were all fortunate to be drawn in accessible groups. If they were drawn in a harder group, Liverpool and maybe even United’s continuity in the tournament could’ve been in jeopardy.
It’s not to say that the English Premier League is not one of the best leagues in the World. It’s perhaps the most entertaining league to watch for the most part. However, it does not mean it’s the best league in the World like most people are taught to think. It’s truly difficult to find the “best league in the World” because it is up to different people’s criteria. It all depends if a fan likes a possession friendly league, a counter attacking and mistake-prone league or a defensive minded league. The choice is yours. To me, the Premier League is extremely entertaining. But to say it’s easily the best league in the World is just a flat out lie.
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