European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Pepe the Horseman]

Not sure why there was litter around the training ground to begin with. If the players are dropping litter they should be picking it up regardless.

Yeh good point. Especially enough for 30 odd players to walk around picking up for a couple of hours. Do they train at the local tip?

[Hendo]

Not sure why there was litter around the training ground to begin with. If the players are dropping litter they should be picking it up regardless.

Yeh good point. Especially enough for 30 odd players to walk around picking up for a couple of hours. Do they train at the local tip?

[Winston Biscuit]

Inter win and look set to be champions now. 11 points clear with 9 left to play

Whats very interesting is the 4 clubs behind them are all bunched up quite close together on points with 1 of them going to miss out on Champions League qualification.

in their last 9 games Juve who are 3rd still have to play Atalanta in 4th, Inter in 1st and AC Milan in 2nd.

In a season where Dortmund look like missing out on CL football, and PSG still have work to do to try and qualify, could Juve also find themselves potentially missing out?!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Inter win and look set to be champions now. 11 points clear with 9 left to play

Whats very interesting is the 4 clubs behind them are all bunched up quite close together on points with 1 of them going to miss out on Champions League qualification.

in their last 9 games Juve who are 3rd still have to play Atalanta in 4th, Inter in 1st and AC Milan in 2nd.

In a season where Dortmund look like missing out on CL football, and PSG still have work to do to try and qualify, could Juve also find themselves potentially missing out?!

And Liverpool...

[Stranded]

Inter win and look set to be champions now. 11 points clear with 9 left to play

Whats very interesting is the 4 clubs behind them are all bunched up quite close together on points with 1 of them going to miss out on Champions League qualification.

in their last 9 games Juve who are 3rd still have to play Atalanta in 4th, Inter in 1st and AC Milan in 2nd.

In a season where Dortmund look like missing out on CL football, and PSG still have work to do to try and qualify, could Juve also find themselves potentially missing out?!

It does make you wonder why the Juve chairman is so keen on having teams qualify fo Europe based on historical performance doesn't it?

[Winston Biscuit]

Before this season Robert Lewandowski had not missed 2 consecutive matches through injury since he was playing in the Polish 3rd division 13 years ago

[Sanguine]

Before this season Robert Lewandowski had not missed 2 consecutive matches through injury since he was playing in the Polish 3rd division 13 years ago

In similar scenes, this season Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams set a new record for consecutive La Liga games played, which now stands at a barely fathomable 186 consecutive matches since he last missed one through suspension, injury or form (April 2016).

In terms of Premier League outfield players, Frank Lampard played in 164 straight matches for Chelsea (no-one else is close, Matt Holland played in 115 consecutive games for Ipswich and Charlton). The overall Premier League record might never be beaten - Brad Friedel didn't miss a game for 8 years with Blackburn, Villa and Spurs, playing in 310 in a row.

The overall English league record is a ridiculous 375 - Tranmere centre-back Harold Bell was picked in their first game after World War II, and didn't miss one until he was dropped in August 1955.

[Simmops]

Before this season Robert Lewandowski had not missed 2 consecutive matches through injury since he was playing in the Polish 3rd division 13 years ago

In similar scenes, this season Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams set a new record for consecutive La Liga games played, which now stands at a barely fathomable 186 consecutive matches since he last missed one through suspension, injury or form (April 2016).

In terms of Premier League outfield players, Frank Lampard played in 164 straight matches for Chelsea (no-one else is close, Matt Holland played in 115 consecutive games for Ipswich and Charlton). The overall Premier League record might never be beaten - Brad Friedel didn't miss a game for 8 years with Blackburn, Villa and Spurs, playing in 310 in a row.

The overall English league record is a ridiculous 375 - Tranmere centre-back Harold Bell was picked in their first game after World War II, and didn't miss one until he was dropped in August 1955.

Bet he was absolutely incandescent at being dropped

[Pepe the Horseman]

Didn't realise how tight it was at the top of La Liga. Atletico top on 66pts, Barca on 65 and Real on 63. El Classico tonight as well.

[Winston Biscuit]

Latest off the Dortmund conveyor belt is 19 year old winger Ansgar Knauff who came off the bench to score the winner against Stuttgart yesterday

Was reading last night that apparently he is the reason Dortmund are comfortable about losing Sancho this summer.

[Sanguine]

Rangers four games from an unbeaten season in the SPL, recording their 17th consecutive win at the weekend. Hardest of those games with me the final Glasgow derby of the season at Ibrox on 2nd May. Also close to setting a slightly ridiculous goals conceded record, at just 11 so far this season in 34 games - the record is Celtic's 18, set in 2001/02.

[URZZZZ]

Rangers four games from an unbeaten season in the SPL, recording their 17th consecutive win at the weekend. Hardest of those games with me the final Glasgow derby of the season at Ibrox on 2nd May. Also close to setting a slightly ridiculous goals conceded record, at just 11 so far this season in 34 games - the record is Celtic's 18, set in 2001/02.

When was the last time the title race came down to the wire in the SPL? Could be wrong but IIRC Celtic have pretty much ran away with it for a good few years now, this year being the turn of Rangers

Like the Prem, there’s always the potential for a really close title race but recently, it just doesn’t seem to happen (bar one season a couple of years back)

[Sanguine]

The season before Rangers' financial issues (2010-11) was as close as it comes. Rangers took the title by a point, albeit there was no last day drama - they needed a win at Kilmarnock and smashed them 5-1.

The last time the title did change hands on the last day was 2004-05, where the final day of the season became jokingly known as 'Helicopter Sunday', after the aircraft carrying the SPL trophy was re-diverted to Edinburgh (of Rangers opponents Hibs) after Celtic conceded two late goals at Motherwell to gift the title to their rivals.

I guess you can't expect many tight finishes when most seasons only two teams are competing for the title (or for some of the last decade, only one).

[URZZZZ]

I’d argue with two teams fighting for the title, on average you’d expect them to be neck and neck for the title - maybe it doesn’t work that simply

In comparison, the Bundesliga (which is usually presided by Dortmund and Munich) seems to be fairly close most years - although I was alarmed at how far back Dortmund were this season

[Sanguine]

Just perception, probably a recency thing because Dortmund came close in 18/19, and also because broadly speaking the head to head matches between the sides are normally close. The Bundesliga is arguably the least exciting league in Europe - in chronological order since Klopp's second title win with Dortmund, Bayern's point margin at the end of each season has been 25, 19, 10, 10, 15, 21, 2, 13.

Only 5 points ahead of Leipzig at the moment - this goes down as a close one!

[URZZZZ]

Just perception, probably a recency thing because Dortmund came close in 18/19, and also because broadly speaking the head to head matches between the sides are normally close. The Bundesliga is arguably the least exciting league in Europe - in chronological order since Klopp's second title win with Dortmund, Bayern's point margin at the end of each season has been 25, 19, 10, 10, 15, 21, 2, 13.

Only 5 points ahead of Leipzig at the moment - this goes down as a close one!

I stand corrected

I thought there was a big crunch game towards the end of last season (May sometime) in which Bayern won where it was almost a title decider - so surprised to see the difference was 13 points - unless my brain is playing tricks on me

[Stranded]

Just perception, probably a recency thing because Dortmund came close in 18/19, and also because broadly speaking the head to head matches between the sides are normally close. The Bundesliga is arguably the least exciting league in Europe - in chronological order since Klopp's second title win with Dortmund, Bayern's point margin at the end of each season has been 25, 19, 10, 10, 15, 21, 2, 13.

Only 5 points ahead of Leipzig at the moment - this goes down as a close one!

I stand corrected

I thought there was a big crunch game towards the end of last season (May sometime) in which Bayern won where it was almost a title decider - so surprised to see the difference was 13 points - unless my brain is playing tricks on me

When Munich won 1-0 in Dortmund in May they opened a 7pt gap as a result. A Dortmund win would closed the gap to 1pt. At the time of the match it was still a tight race.

Munich were crazy last year. After 14 games, they were 7th and struggling, they suffered 4 defeats incl. a 5-1 loss to Frankfurt.

They finished the season picking up 58pts from the last 60 available.

[Winston Biscuit]

Worst kept secret in football confirmed. Flick leaving Bayern to manage the national team.

[Winston Biscuit]

Juve lose to Atalanta and drop to 4th. Napoli, in 5th, draw with Inter and are only 2 points behind Juve

[Sanguine]

Top four in Ligue 1 separated by just three points, with five games left. Lyon arguably have the hardest run-in, they host Lille next week and then go to Monaco, but otherwise that top four don't play each other again.