Scoring is AZ: Jozy at Alkmaar

I don't dispute the two-horse race aspect of the SPL but isn't La Liga and the EPL both two-horse races? Who besides Real or Barca has any chance at all of winning La Liga? As for the EPL, really, does any club not with the name Manchester in it have a realistic chance to win the league any more?

We can debate the relative quality of the teams in each league vis-a-vis the SPL but I don't think there's much debate about who will win either league.

 

I would say the Premiership is a three-horse race with Chelsea, and even Liverpool look strong enough to stay at least reasonably in the race. However, La Liga is even more of a two-horse race then the SPL these days.

 

The EPL may be a 3-horse race, but the third team battling Manchester United and Chelsea is always different. Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been up there in the last few years.

Behind them, there is always a group of teams that is within striking distance of the top 3, making spots 3-6 a bit more entertaining, to me, that some of the other top leagues. That group also varies a lot.

La Liga is definitely a 2-horse race, but when those 2 teams are arguably 2 of the top 3-5 teams in the world, its a lot easier to take. The quality on those two teams is absolutely amazing.

There is nothing amazing on the field about watching Celtic and Rangers. The most intriguing aspect is how much it means to the fans.

I'm fine with there not being as much parity when the quality of play is that high.

 

wat the hell does this mean? In scotland, it's always celtic rangers, expect for a few exceptions. In Spain, other teams have won recently, and a few have broken up the duopoly for a season. Nothing like that ever happens in Scotland. It's always celtic, rangers, then shit

 

Do you really think somebody is breaking the Barcelona-Madrid stranglehold this season, or even threatening it? I don't think so, La Liga is so boring these days.

That's what it means.

 

That is not the point. The point is that the Scottish league is a two horse race in which the two horses racing are not particularly good. Then apply the previous logic to the rest of the league being worse than them, and you can see how it is not a place to go to jump-start your career. It is where footballers go to die, and it is getting worse year over year. I would hardly take it over the MLS, anymore. That is what is hilarious about Schaerleckens assessment.

On the league chat, the EPL is looking much more competitive this year, at least it is back to the Big Four (Five, with Arsenal in the outside looking in) format. I would say that Liverpool, Chelsea, United, and City all have very good odds of winning the title. They all have deep squads with veteran players and very exciting youth. Anyone who says that United or City have already won the title are utter morons.

La Liga, however, is still Barca/Real Madrid-------------->everyone else, though. Bundesliga is pretty much the model for parity, as it goes. That said, I would take even the lowest La Liga team over Rangers or Celtic any day of the week.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJoWQr_YWzI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJoWQr_YWzI[/ame]

 

From a Steve Goff translation of this Voetbal International article:

I thought it was appropriate to note this here, but since the mods don't want us discussing national team topics here I cross posted this to the Youth National team forum since its most direct effect will likely be on Jozy's availability for Olympic Qualifying.

 

....

 

Put another way, Rangers and Celtic would struggle to qualify for the Europa League places in La Liga. A mid-table LaLiga team would be a more than credible title challenger in the SPL

 

"And Jozy himself said he didn't want to go."

That's interesting...

 

Sounds like we have too many international friendlies to feed the FIFA beast.

 

You've got to play those Euro qualifiers sometime.

 

You're assuming that refs in Scotland call fouls. That might be asking an awful lot. Unfortunately it isn't a two way street. Just because a Spanish team would struggle with the physical play in the SPL doesn't mean the league is any good, just that they would be unable to conform to the appropriate tactics. Based on skill alone the SPL ranks pretty low and that is confirmed by how well the top Scottish teams have done in European competition. Alex Ferguson won a UEFA Cup Winner's Cup (and UEFA Super Cup) managing Aberdeen in 1983. It's been pretty slim pickings since then. The UEFA coefficients support this. The SPL is ranked 17th in UEFA; but Scotland is 26th.

The Scots talent just isn't good enough to support a better league and clearly most clubs don't have the resources to acquire decent talent from abroad. This in contrast to Holland whose club teams have enjoyed better success in European competition; but whose national team is even better, with a national coefficient of 3 versus 9 for the league. If the criticism that the Eredivisie is too fast and loose is any indication, I think the Dutch players benefits from such a format. They are able to express themselves, grow and develop without the fear of getting the daylights kicked out of them by opponents. That's a good thing and a real confidence booster.

If Jozy can succeed in the Dutch League, it will surely help his career.

 

I don't really think so. These friendlies don't matter and what hes been doing for AZ is something he hasn't been able to do in Europe at the club level ever yet. It's only natural he'd want to stay there in hopes of staying sharp, improving, and pleasing the coach.

 

Or, at least, that's what Jozy told his new coach when he threw a hissy fit after he found out Altidore was called up. "Oh yeah coach, I agree. I'd much rather stay here." Realistically, if Jozy wanted to stay in Europe, he could have, so I'm a bit skeptical Jozy didn't want to go.

 

I think Man-U is a cut above the rest, but from top to botom the EPL is much better than La Liga. By next year with Liverpools new ownership I think they will be ready to compete for the title

 

lol I was thinking the same thing

 

how about a new title for the thread mods:
Who gives a rat's AZ? Jozy in Holland!

 

Misleading and slightly mean-spirited - lots of folks care, especially YA readers. So in a sea of really horrible thread titles, your suggestion would stand out as probably the worst ever.

 

Why are we talking about a new title anyway? We're not even at 50 posts yet.

 

I for one disagree. EPL is a 3 team league rather than a 2 team league but I'd like the chances of Sevilla, Velencia or Villareal against Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs. And further down the table I'd be comfortable saying that the worst Spanish teams are much better technically than the EPL bottom-dwellers, who would be much more formidable physically.

Really it comes down to your style preference. And we have now strayed far off course.

 

it was a joke! Have some sense of humor dude!

 

On the topic of Jozy...I hope this international break didn't mess up his scoring streak...he got beat up a little in yesterday's game and looked like he had heavy legs...

 

Having a sense of humor is so 1990. This is era of overreaction.