Liverpool FC Forum

by **JC_81** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:14 pm

First of all I think the current World Cup has been excellent entertainment-wise, probably the best so far of the world cups I've watched (1990 being my first). But I can't help thinking that the football being played in the majority of games is below the high standards set by the Champions League. Look at the so-called best teams at the world cup - Brazil, Germany and Argentina all look there for the taking at the back, France are abysmal, Holland are already out, England have been poor and Italy have a strong first 11 but not great depth. I can't help thinking that the best club sides in Europe would comfortably dispense with the best International sides at the moment (a bit unrealistic I know as many top players will play for both a top international and top club side and obviously can't play against themselves).

Has the money in European football changed the shape of the game such that their top clubs are now the best sides in the world rather than the best International teams? How would England fare against Barcelona? How would Chelsea fare against Italy? Gone are the days when the best South American players plyed their trade in that continent and the days when the top Dutch, French players etc played for their home town clubs. England, Italy and Spain now possess almost all the top players in their leagues and their best clubs are now probably the best teams in the world.

For example look at Brazil - class players but not really much cohesion. International football doesn't often flow like club football as the players are not as used to playing with each other. While Brazil have dominated other International teams in recent years simply because they have better players, I honestly think that they'd struggle to beat well organised and compact teams that are more used to playing together, such as Chelsea and ourselves.

So which is now the premier football competition, the World Cup or the Champions League?

by **ckay** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:23 pm

I'd have to say the CL. World football you don't really get a choice of who you can choose from. In the CL teams buy the best players no matter which country they play for. There's so many world class players not at the finals because they have the misfortune to be born in a :censored:

footballing nation. Look at Shevchenko, this is his first world cup and he's 29.

by **woof woof !** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:28 pm

JC ,a major point that need be considered when you compare a club side to a national side is that the players in the club side have been together for at least a season ,playing competitive games week after week . It makes a MASSIVE difference .

Also as far as CL v this WC is concerned ,I don't think the standard of football has been that high. The refs in this world cup are throwing cards around like confetti , the player in possesion of the ball is getting far too much protection , defenders are being booked for the slightest of challenges ,I like a bit of blood and guts in my football , not 22 show ponies prancing about .

by **hawkmoon269** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:33 pm

Remember too that at club level the players train together at least 5 days a week, and have competitve matches every week - so obviously they are going to work better as a unit.

I would have to say (and I truely believe it) that Liverpool would beat Brazil, because of this organisation.

by **ckay** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:42 pm

I'd agree with that statement!!!!! But then again, we are champions of europe, we're just taking a year off!!!

by **JC_81** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:58 pm

woof woof ! wrote:JC ,a major point that need be considered when you compare a club side to a national side is that the players in the club side have been together for at least a season ,playing competitive games week after week . It makes a MASSIVE difference .

I agree with that and I did touch on it in my initial post when I said club sides are more used to playing together. It's probably the main reason why I think the top club sides play a higher standard of football than the top International sides.

Like Hawkmoon I genuinely believe that good club sides like ourselves, Chelsea etc would probably win more games than Brazil if they played each other half a dozen times. A good team will beat a team of good players more often than not.

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:06 pm

Club sides play together for 38 league games + cup games etc. Their team system has been designed and refined to enable the players to perform to the best of their ability. The team has been blended to enable and enhance the individual strengths of the more talented players and to hide or protect their weaknesses. The players have time to establish subtle patterns of play and learn the preferences of team mates (when,how,where they like to receive the ball etc) If a team has a weakness say in defence the manager can bring in the best player available regardless of nationality.
I would expect that any top four EPL team would do very well in a world cup probably winning it. I wouldnt be as confident that they could/would win the Champions League. But I dont think things have changed THAT MUCH from the late seventies. I would have expected the Liverpool team of that time to have easily beaten the England team of that era ,and that was without the talented European/world stars that all the top teams now employ.
Cutting to the chase, The Champions League is the premier footballing competition but then again it probably always has been. The Real Madrid side of the early 60's for example was like a rest/best of the world team, but one that had played together for years.

by **112-1077774096** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:57 am

i would have said the champions league but then everton went and qualified and ruined it

by **hawkmoon269** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:36 am

peewee wrote:i would have said the champions league but then everton went and qualified and ruined it

Everton....isn't that the team which were knocked out in qualifying, went into the UEFA Cup, and were promptly knocked out of that too!!!

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