The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

The only teams that don't give a lot of chances to English youth are the teams in the top 6. You can't expect teams competing for trophies and CL to just throw a bunch of teenagers out there for the sole purpose of "giving them a chance". The fact is, the youth England is producing these days are simply not good enough on average. Sure you get a Barkley or Sterling or Ox every now and then, but why should clubs be forced into using players that aren't good enough for their team just because they are English?

Training up youth is not an exact science, there is no guarantee that a promising youth actually fulfills their potential. For every David Beckham there are 30 David Bentleys. The FA thinks that all that needs to be done is force clubs to use more youth players and they will magically have droves of English world beaters.

[Leon]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

The only teams that don't give a lot of chances to English youth are the teams in the top 6. You can't expect teams competing for trophies and CL to just throw a bunch of teenagers out there for the sole purpose of "giving them a chance". The fact is, the youth England is producing these days are simply not good enough on average. Sure you get a Barkley or Sterling or Ox every now and then, but why should clubs be forced into using players that aren't good enough for their team just because they are English?

Training up youth is not an exact science, there is no guarantee that a promising youth actually fulfills their potential. For every David Beckham there are 30 David Bentleys. The FA thinks that all that needs to be done is force clubs to use more youth players and they will magically have droves of English world beaters.

The big clubs aren't the target here, it's the middle table clubs downwards that will be most affected by this. It's basically telling them "No, you can't buy Chilean Sensation X for 3m pounds and has barely featured for club & country when you already got Homegrown Guy 15 in your club."

The FA needs to come up with better solutions to improve the NT (coaching and number of coaches, for one thing) but I don't see how making it harder for UNPROVEN non-EU players to gain visas and making it EASIER for PROVEN non-EU players to gain visas is a bad thing.

On another note, I would love to have a guy named Chilean Sensation X in Football Manager.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

It still hurts the soccer brand that the EPL will have far too much. It's a proven fact that non-EU, and especially non-English players are much less expensive than the alternative. And for the most part, are probably much more talented.

I understand the want to push English or EU talent at these clubs, but this is stupid to do it by restricting the opportunities of others. You are basically forcing clubs to take less talented players just because they are EU.

[gopher_guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Watching Partizan vs. Spurs; I feel like the "ultras" section in a country like Serbia would be horrifying, haha.

[Leon]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

It still hurts the soccer brand that the EPL will have far too much. It's a proven fact that non-EU, and especially non-English players are much less expensive than the alternative. And for the most part, are probably much more talented.

I understand the want to push English or EU talent at these clubs, but this is stupid to do it by restricting the opportunities of others. You are basically forcing clubs to take less talented players just because they are EU.

That's exactly been the main criticism of the EPL though -- the Premier League only cares about its brand and not the FA of England.

Non-EU players who are still "raw" can and will shine in their own countries or anywhere else they can get a work permit. Talent is talent. This rule (which isn't even an actual rule yet) just gives English players more of a chance because as it is right now: 1) Why should I try to develop you when I can buy a Brazilian kid for 4m pounds and 2) the premium fee on British players (which is just plain stupid). The rule basically tries to protect the development of players from 18-21, which is crucial for their first-team football chances.

Again, they're not being forced to take less talented players. You wanna buy a non-EU player? Go ahead and buy that guy with 15 international caps and features in 80% of his club's matches for 18m pounds. He's a star! That flashy guy who hasn't featured as much? It's gonna be harder for him to get a permit.

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

That's exactly been the main criticism of the EPL though -- the Premier League only cares about its brand and not the FA of England.

Non-EU players who are still "raw" can and will shine in their own countries or anywhere else they can get a work permit. Talent is talent. This rule (which isn't even an actual rule yet) just gives English players more of a chance because as it is right now: 1) Why should I try to develop you when I can buy a Brazilian kid for 4m pounds and 2) the premium fee on British players (which is just plain stupid). The rule basically tries to protect the development of players from 18-21, which is crucial for their first-team football chances.

Again, they're not being forced to take less talented players. You wanna buy a non-EU player? Go ahead and buy that guy with 15 international caps and features in 80% of his club's matches for 18m pounds. He's a star! That flashy guy who hasn't featured as much? It's gonna be harder for him to get a permit.

I think the main problem is that the Premier League is essentially taking all the blame for the current state of English youth development. While I actually disagree with people who say it shouldn't be the PL's responsibility, this won't really solve the problem.

The English FA has been in dire need of a complete revamp for a very long time. Most of their methods are archaic, and they are very disconnected with nearly everything these days. Stuff like this is just an excuse for them to saddle the responsibility onto somebody else.

SOMETHING probably needs to be tweaked in the English League system. However, I guarantee you it will be 100 percent worthless if the English FA continue to operate in the manner they have been, which they seem to be intent on doing.

[Leon]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

I think the main problem is that the Premier League is essentially taking all the blame for the current state of English youth development. While I actually disagree with people who say it shouldn't be the PL's responsibility, this won't really solve the problem.

The English FA has been in dire need of a complete revamp for a very long time. Most of their methods are archaic, and they are very disconnected with nearly everything these days. Stuff like this is just an excuse for them to saddle the responsibility onto somebody else.

SOMETHING probably needs to be tweaked in the English League system. However, I guarantee you it will be 100 percent worthless if the English FA continue to operate in the manner they have been, which they seem to be intent on doing.

They take a lot of the blame because they're the top flight, they SHOULD be producing local talent and supplementing them with transfers from elsewhere. That isn't what's happening though and a vast majority just buy buy buy. It's well within their rights but it's also hurting England.

I really don't believe that England has crap talent when everything I've read from coaches, players, etc. in the country and outside of it say that the talent IS THERE, it's just that final hurdle where chances dry up all of a sudden. This rule, while a mere bandaid, shouldn't really hurt any club.

I agree though that if the FA is really serious about improving their football, they need wholesale changes. More coaches at grassroots level, emphasis on technique and improving player skills over match day results, smaller-sided games, etc. etc. Gary Neville said these are already being done but it's not yet at a scale where it should be. The dream scenario for the FA is basically Germany and their Bundesliga.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Is it normal for them to have a game starting this early (7:45 EST)? I've never noticed games starting before like 10:30, but I've just recently started really following EPL

[Cabke]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Is it normal for them to have a game starting this early (7:45 EST)? I've never noticed games starting before like 10:30, but I've just recently started really following EPL

Yeah there's usually always one every Saturday.

[gopher_guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Wow, nice save from Szczesny

[kaletore11]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

My favorite Croatian player with a sweet goal

https://vine.co/v/OWYW1umnwFi

[gopher_guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Hey, Ozil's still alive!

[gopher_guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Wow! And then he sets up Welbeck brilliantly.

[gopher_guy]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

[OneDrop]

Re: The 2014-15 EPL Discussion Thread

Well, that escalated quickly. Finally something good from my Gunners.