Is The Premier League Tougher Than It Used To Be?

[dino bravo]

Ledders while the gang talk trophies

 

[Riou]

Ledders while the gang talk trophies

View attachment 22538

"The ONE trophy he won doesn't even qualify him for the Community Shield, ffs... let's beat the sh1t out of him"

 

[dino bravo]

"The ONE trophy he won doesn't even qualify him for the Community Shield, ffs... let's beat the sh1t out of him"

“No chance he can run away”

 

[Riou]

“No chance he can run away”

"He's got a lisp too so he can't scream 'stop' properly either, our plan is BULLET-PROOF lads!"

 

[Riou]

Best period of football hands down.

Better players/leaders in this one photo alone, than in the whole league combined now...

 

[Sanchez11]

Better players/leaders in this one photo alone, than in the whole league combined now...

Exactly, that period had everything. Anything before or after was/has/is missing something.

 

[GoonerJay24]

I've noticed this season that many forward lines consist of younger attackers. Why is this? More often, young players struggle with decisiveness and clinical finishing, unless they possess exceptional talent i.e, Haaland or the likes of Michael Owen, Anelka, and Rooney from years ago.

Take Liverpool, for instance. They've impressed this season, but without experienced attackers like Jota and Salah, their final third decision-making is poor. Nunez, Jota, and Gapko are all under 23 and have lots of developing to do.

Then, for the other top sides, it's similarly filled with youths in the front three:

Ourselves: Saka, Martinelli
United: Garnacho, Houjlund
Chelsea: Palmer, Jackson
City: Foden, Haaland, Doku
Tottenham: Kuluveski, Johnson


There just seems to be a real dearth of experienced, elite attackers. Apart from Kane, I can't think of another world-class striker in the prime age range of 26-31 around European football for that matter. People are now talking up Toney, who is good, but 10-15 years ago, there was an abundance of genuine world-class forwards.

I think what's helping Villa compete this season is having a team of experienced players. Watkins and Bailey, for example, are mid to late 20s. Compared to Garnacho and Hojlund at United, that's partly the difference

 

[Riou]

Feel "older players" get overlooked too much these personally.

Of the 20 players who played the 10 game limit to win a Prem medal with us in 2004, only 5 were 24 and under.

Maybe it's the lack of money we have tended to have in the Emirates era, the social media era in general... developing youngsters is important, but having players at their peak is even more vital.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

I don't think the league is tougher when you compare the teams with for instance 2004-2008. United, Chelsea and Arsenal were terrific.

I do feel that City is on such a high point, that winning the league hasn't become easier.

 

[drippin]

Nunez, Jota, and Gapko are all under 23 and have lots of developing to do.

Umm..? Nunez is 25 in the summer. Jota is 27, and Gakpo is soon 25.

Is this the Rashford/Lingard effect where a 26 year-old is still a young player, almost a teenager?

 

[GoonerJay24]

Umm..? Nunez is 25 in the summer. Jota is 27, and Gakpo is soon 25.

Is this the Rashford/Lingard effect where at 28 year-old is still a young player, almost a teenager?

Nah, meant to say Diaz not Jota lol

 

[drippin]

Nah, meant to say Diaz not Jota lol

Okay, but Diaz is 27 years old too.

 

[GoonerJay24]

Okay, but Diaz is 27 years old too.

Wow thought he was a youth, like 22 or 23. I still think he's been underdeveloped due to injuries. Can see him having a bigger impact next season.

 

[Riou]

To be fair Diaz plays like a 17 year old, tbh.

Pace and dribbling, then gets into the final third and turns into an idiot!

I was shocked when I found out how close to 30 he was.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Personally think Diaz is massively overrated, huge downgrade on Mane. Obviously no one was expecting him to be as good but the gulf is fairly large tbh, when you consider Mane and Salah were similar level over their times at Pool...Salah is far better than Diaz in this current side and its not even close.

 

[ThlRama]

To be fair Diaz plays like a 17 year old, tbh.

Pace and dribbling, then gets into the final third and turns into an idiot!

I was shocked when I found out how close to 30 he was.

Personally think Diaz is massively overrated, huge downgrade on Mane. Obviously no one was expecting him to be as good but the gulf is fairly large tbh, when you consider Mane and Salah were similar level over their times at Pool...Salah is far better than Diaz in this current side and its not even close.

Diaz is one of the prime examples why people who think Martinelli is easily upgradable need to get a good look at themselves. He didn't cost a ridiculous amount of money, but he was not cheap either, and at 27 he is a nailed-on starter for one of the best sides in the world. And look at him. Martinelli is overall better, 5 years younger, and he has a 15-goal PL season under his belt already. How in the world do you replace that, and with whom?

 

[North5]

Feel "older players" get overlooked too much these personally.

Of the 20 players who played the 10 game limit to win a Prem medal with us in 2004, only 5 were 24 and under.

Maybe it's the lack of money we have tended to have in the Emirates era, the social media era in general... developing youngsters is important, but having players at their peak is even more vital.

Especially with how good sports science is nowadays. Players can carry on their peak for longer

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

It's a bit of a silly debate because you can't prove anything.

If I'm trying to sum it up I think individual players felt better in previous eras because they actually played more as individuals than cogs in a wheel.

Sides these days feel more effective to me as they're a more cohesive unit and better drilled. More boring and less flair though.

 

[drippin]

If I'm trying to sum it up I think individual players felt better in previous eras because they actually played more as individuals than cogs in a wheel.

I think the amount of kids that have football as a hobby & a career dream has gone up dramatically in the past decades. Anyone got stats for this development?

The standout players likely were/looked so much better, because now there are so many more better players to compete with them. It's not so easy to dominate when the opposition is closer to your level.

If the number of players in the world goes up, then the number of top players will go up. Different eras might have a few more elite players by chance, but I don't think it can override this other factor.

It can also seem more boring when the players are more even.

 

[Makingtrax]

I don't think the league is tougher when you compare the teams with for instance 2004-2008. United, Chelsea and Arsenal were terrific.

I do feel that City is on such a high point, that winning the league hasn't become easier.

This. The league is getting much easier for the top teams. The gap in revenues and squad cost is producing record breaking numbers of points and goals for those at the top. But actually winning the league is another matter.