Take that Serie A

[Facts and Stats]

3 English Clubs in the semis
Last year the same 3 English clubs in the semis

Now try and say your league is better!!


(I posted this for the mass hysteria and arguing it will cause)

[ozzie owl]

You a real shit stirrer!!!

[Juventino]

You could have at least bumped one of the other threads. Now we have to go through this all over again

[Facts and Stats]

I didn't know from the title where it would be posted anywher else but I thought it needed a thread of its own, had the draw been kinder there would have been 4 English teams in the semis, as there is no doubt the quality of Arsenal and Liverpool would have beaten Barca and Schalke

[Juventino]

A bit of searching and you would find one of the weekly topics about this.

[Facts and Stats]

But it's not every week we have the facts to prove it

[# 9]

would have been quite the semi final being united v liverpool and chelsea v arsenal.

but with the way it is, could be a thriller north england derby, just not played in north england

[Juventino]

But it's not every week we have the facts to prove it

I think there is no doubt the CL teams right now in England are better than Italy. Below that is where Italy shines. Competitive teams throughout the league.

And it is good to start a season and not know who the top four will be every single year .

[Hawkesy]

And it is good to start a season and not know who the top four will be every single year .

At the start of the year a thread on here had me predicting a different top 4 to those who are in it now. SO THERE!!

[Facts and Stats]

Can't argue with that post. But to spice it up, I read it as, all Italian teams are as shit as eachother = making the league more exciting?

[Stevie G Anfield Legend]

like i touched on in another post though,

the same 3 were in this position last year, and an italian team won it

i would say lets hope an english team wins it this time.. but to be honest if liverpool dont win it id rather barca.

[# 9]

i dont care which english team wins it, i just hope its an english team that does.

united to take barca comfortably, and chelsea to edge liverpool this time.

[Juventino]

And it is good to start a season and not know who the top four will be every single year .

At the start of the year a thread on here had me predicting a different top 4 to those who are in it now. SO THERE!!

Well then your a bloody fool

Can't argue with that post. But to spice it up, I read it as, all Italian teams are as cabernet as eachother = making the league more exciting?

I see it as a case of the same teams are tactically sound, and they can play to a level that frustrates bigger sides. Nothing about bigger teams being crap, just the smaller teams doing very well. As an example, earlier in the season Inter were unstoppable, big winning streak, Cagliari were doing crap and oin a losing streak. Inter travel to Cagliari and despite the form of the two sides, Cagliari gave Inter their worst game of the season. They played to such a level, they used their brains that well that Inter were lucky to escape with a win.

[Facts and Stats]

England do have small teams doing well, Everton, who may yet get 4th place.

[# 9]

city and villa are on the bounce back too, could see them taking 4th in the next 1-2 maybe 3 seasons

[Juventino]

England do have small teams doing well, Everton, who may yet get 4th place.

Well Fiorentina are fourth.

Well anyway before this does turn into the usual crap arguments, I gotta watch me some tv.

[EDISON CAVANI]

PITY THERE'S HARDLY ANY ENGLISHMAN IN THOSE 3 TEAMS!
these are your starting XI teams midweek
11 players out of 44 are english

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??

1 Edwin Van der Sar (G)
5 Rio Ferdinand (D) - eng
6 Wes Brown (D) - eng
27 Mikael Silvestre (D)
19 Gerard Pique (D)
11 Ryan Giggs (M)
4 Owen Hargreaves (M) - eng
13 Ji-Sung Park (M)
16 Michael Carrick (M) - eng
8 Anderson (M)
32 Carlos Tevez

25 Pepe Reina (G)
23 Jamie Carragher (D) - eng
4 Sami Hyypia (D)
12 Fabio Aurelio (D)
37 Martin Skrtel (D)
8 Steven Gerrard (M) - eng
14 Xabi Alonso (M)
20 Javier Mascherano (M)
15 Peter Crouch (F) eng (never plays)
9 Fernando Torres (F)
18 Dirk Kuyt

24 Manuel Almunia (G)
10 William Gallas (D)
6 Philippe Senderos (D)
5 Kolo Toure (D)
22 Gaël Clichy (D)
13 Alexander Hleb (M)
27 Emmanuel Eboue (M)
4 Francesc Fabregas (M)
16 Mathieu Flamini (M)
2 Abou Diaby (M)
25 Emmanuel Adebayor

23 Carlo Cudicini (G)
3 Ashley Cole (D) eng
26 John Terry (D) eng
6 Ricardo Carvalho (D)
10 Joe Cole (M) eng
8 Frank Lampard (M) eng
5 Michael Essien (M)
4 Claude Makelele (M)
13 Michael Ballack (M)
11 Didier Drogba (F)
21 Salomon Kalou

[ozzie owl]

PITY THERE'S HARDLY ANY ENGLISHMAN IN THOSE 3 TEAMS!
these are your starting XI teams midweek
11 players out of 44 are english

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??

1 Edwin Van der Sar (G)
5 Rio Ferdinand (D) - eng
6 Wes Brown (D) - eng
27 Mikael Silvestre (D)
19 Gerard Pique (D)
11 Ryan Giggs (M)
4 Owen Hargreaves (M) - eng
13 Ji-Sung Park (M)
16 Michael Carrick (M) - eng
8 Anderson (M)
32 Carlos Tevez

25 Pepe Reina (G)
23 Jamie Carragher (D) - eng
4 Sami Hyypia (D)
12 Fabio Aurelio (D)
37 Martin Skrtel (D)
8 Steven Gerrard (M) - eng
14 Xabi Alonso (M)
20 Javier Mascherano (M)
15 Peter Crouch (F) eng (never plays)
9 Fernando Torres (F)
18 Dirk Kuyt

24 Manuel Almunia (G)
10 William Gallas (D)
6 Philippe Senderos (D)
5 Kolo Toure (D)
22 Gaël Clichy (D)
13 Alexander Hleb (M)
27 Emmanuel Eboue (M)
4 Francesc Fabregas (M)
16 Mathieu Flamini (M)
2 Abou Diaby (M)
25 Emmanuel Adebayor

23 Carlo Cudicini (G)
3 Ashley Cole (D) eng
26 John Terry (D) eng
6 Ricardo Carvalho (D)
10 Joe Cole (M) eng
8 Frank Lampard (M) eng
5 Michael Essien (M)
4 Claude Makelele (M)
13 Michael Ballack (M)
11 Didier Drogba (F)
21 Salomon Kalou

Spot on, sadly it comes down to the money aspects of the EPL combined with an insular attitude of English football. The Italian clubs in the main appear to be focusing on local talent. Sadly the mega rich English clubs are no plundering the European academies too. Bit like the old Colonial Empire when they plundered the world for greed, money and power. However it will come at a price a useless English side for many years to come.

[Hawkesy]

And it is good to start a season and not know who the top four will be every single year .

At the start of the year a thread on here had me predicting a different top 4 to those who are in it now. SO THERE!!

Well then your a bloody fool

Only 3 points seperating 3rd & 4th place, so I wouldn't go as far as a fool.

But bearing in mind, I had arsenal dropping out. you might be correct! They had just got rid of Terry Henry and I really thought they wouldn't be the same force this year without him.

[Juventino]

Don't Everton still have to play Chelsea and Man Utd?

[Facts and Stats]

11 players out of 44 are english

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??

When I went to school it was 25%.

You say Crouch never plays, well he did!! And Rooney normally plays so the figures are pretty accuarte.

[ronaldo07]

LOL ..
SUCKED IN SERIE A !!
Like tobes said, it aint hard to admit EPL > Serie A for the past 2 years or so ..
and i can see the trend continue !!

[Facts and Stats]

Don't Everton still have to play Chelsea and Man Utd?

Yes

[ronaldo07]

Don't Everton still have to play Chelsea and Man Utd?

Yes

Nope .. we have already play against them twice this season ..
i think they still need to play against chslki and arsenal !!

[Judge Judy]

Chelsea:
Chelsea v Wigan Athletic 20:00 Stamford Bridge
Everton v Chelsea 20:00 Goodison Park
Chelsea v Manchester United 12:45 Stamford Bridge
Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers 15:00 Stamford Bridge

Man U:
Manchester United v Arsenal 16:00 Old Trafford
Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United 17:15 Ewood Park
Chelsea v Manchester United 12:45 Stamford Bridge
Wigan Athletic v Manchester United 15:00 JJB Stadium

Arsenal:
Manchester United v Arsenal 16:00 Old Trafford
Arsenal v Reading 12:45 Emirates Stadium
Derby County v Arsenal 20:00 Pride Park
Sunderland v Arsenal 15:00 Stadium of Light


Man U have the worst run home of the 3 sides, i can see blackburn giving them a bit of trouble at Ewood.

Arsenal should get 9 pts + whatever they can muster at OT.

Chelsea should do bolton and wigan, but everton might give them a run at goodison.

decent finish!

[Facts and Stats]

You missed some games....

Man Utd v West Ham
Arsenal v Everton
Newcastle v Chelsea

[Judge Judy]

You missed some games....

Man Utd v West Ham
Arsenal v Everton
Newcastle v Chelsea

don't know where they were hiding, but no easy games there

[Hawkesy]

You missed some games....

Man Utd v West Ham
Arsenal v Everton
Newcastle v Chelsea

no easy games there

[Blue Mastiff]

10th Serie A vs 10th EPL.

would be a mouth watering proposition.

home ground advantage would make all the difference.

The great man has worn both these shirts.

He scored 2 of the best goals you will ever see wearing both the sky blue and claret guernseys.

[Judge Judy]

You missed some games....

Man Utd v West Ham
Arsenal v Everton
Newcastle v Chelsea

no easy games there

i'm sure man u thought it was going to be easy against west ham last season too

newcastle have finally started to find form, can't see them going down easily at home