Just looking at last 4 in WC and of the best players in each team, France - Mbappe and Olise England Sir Harry and Jude - Argentina Messi and Spain -Pedri and Yamal.

None of them are playing in EPL.

But there were 182 EPL players at the WC including 19 from City !

So does that mean despite lacking the very highest quality strength in depth wins out especially as top player are spread across 3 different leagues ?

I get ‘best’ player is subjective (other than England 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🤣🦁)

Way too subjective for me. As the richest though I think you’d argue it is.

Financially that is as I think it was better in the 90s personally as a poorer neighbour to Serie A and La liga

It's got much more strength in depth. The 15th best team in the EPL is, nowadays, far better than their equivalent in La Liga, Bundesliga, etc. Villa, Palace, West Ham all winning the Conference League and Europa League last few seasons a case in point. At the absolute top level it varies season to season.

Edited yesterday at 12:261 day by jmjhb

3 of your 7 also came through the English Premier League system, Jude, Kane & Olise.

the debate is anyways always what is the best league

best is subjective

for every Burnley v palace theirs an equally piss piss poor fixture in the other top leagues

but this and previous world cups have had most representation from the PL, the last one had it without prime Salah and Haaland

the PL has generally dominated Europe in terms of semi finalists and finalists for a while

but then PSG have the best team in terms of CL despite being one of the weaker leagues

I think it's objectively the strongest League but there's absolutely no bias in thinking that because I don't go to any effort to watch any PL games

the only club football I tend to watch other than Bolton these days is the CL and think the new format makes it far more entertaining than any domestic top flight League

1 hour ago, TrickyTrotter said:

3 of your 7 also came through the English Premier League system, Jude, Kane & Olise.

Bellingham didn't play in the prem

Edited yesterday at 13:521 day by DirtySanchez

I dont watch foreign leagues so cant say if its the best but I would think its the most interesting/exciting.

Had this debate many of times with @tomski and @Pablo for years.

I decide on a Sunday night to educate myself and watch any bit of foreign footy I could. Italian, German, French and a little Spanish.

For me you just don't get games elsewhere like you do in the Premier League. Blood and Thunder, fast paced, proper shit stormers on a Super Sunday where you think Jesus Christ what a game.

That's not to say the standard or technical standard is better, but for all round entertainment the Premier League wins hands down.

When you look across the big cups, English Clubs are there or there about in every final.

Some games in the lower reaches are bloody awful though, but I think that's across the board.

53 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Had this debate many of times with @tomski and @Pablo for years.

I decide on a Sunday night to educate myself and watch any bit of foreign footy I could. Italian, German, French and a little Spanish.

For me you just don't get games elsewhere like you do in the Premier League. Blood and Thunder, fast paced, proper shit stormers on a Super Sunday where you think Jesus Christ what a game.

That's not to say the standard or technical standard is better, but for all round entertainment the Premier League wins hands down.

When you look across the big cups, English Clubs are there or there about in every final.

Some games in the lower reaches are bloody awful though, but I think that's across the board.

This is why it baffles me that the National team try to play the "continental" way . Play like they do in the Prem .

8 minutes ago, Krimzon said:

This is why it baffles me that the National team try to play the "continental" way . Play like they do in the Prem .

I'd say that's more down to the opposition tbf mate.

Out of the top 4-5 in the world most teams are happy to sit back and let us have the ball.

We've seen with Bolton it just creates a Pep type arch of us passing round their block.

Not really got much choice when it's like that.

8 hours ago, tomski said:

Way too subjective for me. As the richest though I think you’d argue it is.

Financially that is as I think it was better in the 90s personally as a poorer neighbour to Serie A and La liga

8 hours ago, TrickyTrotter said:

3 of your 7 also came through the English Premier League system, Jude, Kane & Olise.

So why have 3 of the very best players in the world chosen to not play in the richest league in the world ?

Conversely if they were playing in the relentless competitive EPL week in week out would they too be limping round half fit in the WC like half the England team ? Is it a good career move to play elsewhere ? Let’s be honest whatever league they are in won’t be paid in buttons.

Given the massive number of players at the WC from the EPL it can not be that much of a hindrance.

17 minutes ago, Ani said:

So why have 3 of the very best players in the world chosen to not play in the richest league in the world ?

Conversely if they were playing in the relentless competitive EPL week in week out would they too be limping round half fit in the WC like half the England team ? Is it a good career move to play elsewhere ? Let’s be honest whatever league they are in won’t be paid in buttons.

Given the massive number of players at the WC from the EPL it can not be that much of a hindrance.

Didn't Kane have a move to City fall through? He knew he was never winning anything with Spurs, he'd never go to Chelsea or Arsenal so a move abroad was the best

Messi stayed loyal to Barcelona for as long as he could but maybe age and the MSL seemed like the easy option

MBappe with the price tag it would have taken to get him from PSG would have ruled out most prem league teams and whilst the prem may seem the better league, the chance to play for Real Madrid was too good and opportunity to turn down

I can only vote with my feet. I never miss the PL highlights just to keep up with what's going on.

My viewing choices for whole matches are roughly in this order-

Argie Apertura and Clausura

Serie A

Brazilian Campeonato

Eredivisie

Premier League.

If football was to return to the full blood and thunder entertainment it used to be and fuck VAR, play acting and flat dick commentators off, this list would likely be upturned.

2 hours ago, Ani said:

So why have 3 of the very best players in the world chosen to not play in the richest league in the world ?

Conversely if they were playing in the relentless competitive EPL week in week out would they too be limping round half fit in the WC like half the England team ? Is it a good career move to play elsewhere ? Let’s be honest whatever league they are in won’t be paid in buttons.

Given the massive number of players at the WC from the EPL it can not be that much of a hindrance.

Kane wasn't left with much choice

when city did want him and he wanted to go, spurs screwed him over

when they realised he had to sell because he wasn't signing a new contract, city didn't need him, he was never signing of arsenal so his best chance of competing for titles and CL was munich

3 hours ago, Zico said:

Kane wasn't left with much choice

when city did want him and he wanted to go, spurs screwed him over

when they realised he had to sell because he wasn't signing a new contract, city didn't need him, he was never signing of arsenal so his best chance of competing for titles and CL was munich

Turned out to be a sweet move for him. I can think of plenty of worse places to live than Bavaria.

13 hours ago, gonzo said:

I'd say that's more down to the opposition tbf mate.

Out of the top 4-5 in the world most teams are happy to sit back and let us have the ball.

We've seen with Bolton it just creates a Pep type arch of us passing round their block.

Not really got much choice when it's like that.

Good point i hadnt thought of it that way . Damned frustrating tho .

I'm still of the opinion that footballers just aren't as good as they used to be

8 minutes ago, L/H White said:

I'm still of the opinion that footballers just aren't as good as they used to be

Aye. Coached to death. System noncery. Little magic. Basically driven strikers out of the game.

The Premier League is dull compared to what is used to be. One big mid table battle of sameness

3 hours ago, deeane Koontz said:

Aye. Coached to death. System noncery. Little magic. Basically driven strikers out of the game.

The Premier League is dull compared to what is used to be. One big mid table battle of sameness

Happen to be watching a best PL goals of 06/07 program on TNT now. Looks like a different sport. Goals getting blazed in from all over.