Premier League and La Liga - Past 5 Years - Competitiveness

I did some homework.





LAST 5 SEASONS







*2006-7 Season - League Tables (top 5 teams)*





La Liga



1. Madrid - 76

2. Barcelona - 76

3. Sevilla - 71

4. Valencia - 66

5. Villareal - 62



*difference between #1 and #5 = 14pts



Premier League



1. Man. U. - 89

2. Chelsea - 83

3. Liverpool - 68

4. Arsenal - 68

5. Spurs - 60



*difference between #1 and #5 = 29pts







*2007-8 Season - League Tables (top 5 teams)*





La Liga



1. Real Madrid - 85

2. Villareal - 77

3. **Barcelona - 67**

4. Atletico - 64

5. Sevilla - 64



*difference between #1 and #5 = 21pts



Premier League



1. Man. Utd. - 87

2. Chelsea - 85

3. Arsenal - 83

4. Liverpool - 76

5. Everton - 65



*difference between #1 and #5 = 22pts











*2008-9 Season - League Tables - (top 5 teams)*





La Liga



1. Barcelona - 87

2. Real Madrid - 78

3. Sevilla - 70

4. Atletico - 67

5. Villareal - 65



*difference between #1 and #5 = 22pts



Premier League



1. Man Utd. - 90

2. Liverpool - 86

3. Chelsea - 83

4. Arsenal - 72

5. Everton - 63



*difference between #1 and #5 = 27pts







*2009-10 Season - League Tables (top 5 teams)*



La Liga



1. Barcelona - 99

2. Real Madrid - 96

3. Valencia - 71

4. Sevilla - 63

5. Mallorca - 62



*difference between #1 and #5 = 37pts



Premier League



1. Chelsea - 86

2. Man. Utd. - 85

3. Arsenal - 75

4. Spurs - 70

5. City - 67



*difference between #1 and #5 = 19pts







*2010-11 Season - League Tables (top 5 teams)*



La Liga



1. Barcelona - 96

2. Real Madrid - 92

3. Valencia - 71

4. Villareal - 62

5. Sevilla - 58



*difference between #1 and #5 = 38pts



Premier League



1. Man. Utd. - 80

2. Chelsea - 71

3. City - 71

4. Arsenal - 68

5. Spurs - 62



*difference between #1 and #5 = 18pts









As you can see, in the past 5 seasons (current state of these teams), the Premier League has had a greater difference between the #1 and the #5 team 3 times, whereas La Liga has only done so twice. The point here is not to say that La Liga is so much more competitive than the PL because of these slightly different numbers. The point of these numbers is to show that petty arguments and reducing players' accomplishments due to the "competitiveness of their leagues" is a moot point. The numbers prove that in terms of winning the league, both leagues come out about the same, both being nearly equally competitive for the top 5 spots.




At the same time, there is no denying the difference in tactical approach and physicality between the two leagues, but calling La Liga a "two horse" race isn't really a valid point, when you also consider that:

Since the '99-00 season:





La Liga - 4 different teams have won the championship

PL - 4 different teams have won the championship







Last 5 years:



PL - 4 times Man United have won it, 1 time Chelsea

La Liga - 3 times Barca, 2 times Madrid

1. La Liga is becoming less open that the PL. The last two seasons' points difference for La Liga are bigger than all the rest.

2. If you have the box on the far right highlighted pink when you post, make sure you click it, as it's messed up your post a bit.

SBSP wrote:1. La Liga is becoming less open that the PL. The last two seasons' points difference for La Liga are bigger than all the rest.

2. If you have the box on the far right highlighted pink when you post, make sure you click it, as it's messed up your post a bit.

Thx, I didn't realize what happened to my text. Also want to point out that I'm not trying to be patronizing at all, just researching statistics around a much-discussed topic, and I agree that certainly with the last season La Liga was not really competitive at all, but on average the leagues fare about the same. You hear people making the comment all the time that La Liga is a bad league because it's not competitive. Not last year, no. But on average, it's about the same level of competitiveness as the PL concerning teams' chances at winning the league.

Thing is La Liga isn't competitive for the title from the start. It's really only until the last month or so that you realise the EPL is a two horse race.

But it still always ends up that way in the PL.


Again, I see your point. There is far more distribution of team funds in the PL, a good reason for this.

Couldn't agree with you more on this.

It also seems to me that people assume that La Liga as a whole is somehow weaker just because Real Madrid and Barcelona are quite far ahead of their Premiership counterparts. I mean I don't get why great teams such as Villarreal, Valencia, Atlético(sometimes...inconsistent as fuck), Sevilla aswell as the likes of Athletic Club are written off as rubbish while teams such as Aston Villa or Everton are seen as equal to them.

Fine Shagger wrote:Couldn't agree with you more on this.

Surprised me that did.

Quite interesting stats actually.

So what when QPR would smash Valencia 6-1.

SO WHAT?

In the past 5 seasons the #1 and #2 in the PL have either been Chelsea or United, all but once. Arsenal managed 2nd one of those years.

Golden_Golz wrote:In the past 5 seasons the #1 and #2 in the PL have either been Chelsea or United, all but once. Arsenal managed 2nd one of those years.

Liverpool?

Golden_Golz wrote:In the past 5 seasons the #1 and #2 in the PL have either been Chelsea or United, all but once. Arsenal managed 2nd one of those years.

Liverpool came 2nd three seasons ago.

Jord who is that mad cunt in your ava?

..nm

Jord wrote:

Golden_Golz wrote:In the past 5 seasons the #1 and #2 in the PL have either been Chelsea or United, all but once. Arsenal managed 2nd one of those years.

Liverpool came 2nd three seasons ago.

You might want to take a look at this as well.

http://www.soccerbythenumbers.com/2011/06/comparing-competitiveness-of-european.html

Rei Andros wrote:You might want to take a look at this as well.

http://www.soccerbythenumbers.com/2011/06/comparing-competitiveness-of-european.html

Excellent.

I just can't see Messi scoring 40+ in the EPL.

Call me crazy.

fluffy_kittens wrote:I just can't see Messi scoring 40+ in the EPL.

Call me crazy.

Crazy.........

fluffy_kittens wrote:I just can't see Messi scoring 40+ in the EPL.

Call me crazy.

You are crazy.

how about you add the points up for PL and La Liga...

ViVaRooney wrote:how about you add the points up for PL and La Liga...

good idea

I think the last two years demonstrate a more telling trend. The title was essentially decided after the first Classico last season. Even injuries couldn't stop Barca after that.

fluffy_kittens wrote:I just can't see Messi scoring 40+ in the EPL.

Call me crazy.

Why not? Ronaldo did.

menalawyerguy wrote:I think the last two years demonstrate a more telling trend. The title was essentially decided after the first Classico last season. Even injuries couldn't stop Barca after that.

That's not true, Barca were only 1.5 points ahead (the .5 being their nigh unassailable H2H) and still had to go to the Bernabau. It's easy to make claims like that after it's happened, but it was far from being over at that stage.

Pretty obvious you used top 5 to make the Premier League look bad.

The lack of parity isn't a knock on the league. Real Madrid and Barca were clearly the two best teams in Europe last year.

ResurrectionRooney wrote:

menalawyerguy wrote:I think the last two years demonstrate a more telling trend. The title was essentially decided after the first Classico last season. Even injuries couldn't stop Barca after that.

That's not true, Barca were only 1.5 points ahead (the .5 being their nigh unassailable H2H) and still had to go to the Bernabau. It's easy to make claims like that after it's happened, but it was far from being over at that stage.

It was fairly evident from that point forward that Barca were going to take the title. Obviously, they still had a lot of work to do but it was pretty clear that barring a shotload of injuries, they were going to do it. This isn't pure hindsight either. I was saying as much at the time.

menalawyerguy wrote:

ResurrectionRooney wrote:

menalawyerguy wrote:I think the last two years demonstrate a more telling trend. The title was essentially decided after the first Classico last season. Even injuries couldn't stop Barca after that.

That's not true, Barca were only 1.5 points ahead (the .5 being their nigh unassailable H2H) and still had to go to the Bernabau. It's easy to make claims like that after it's happened, but it was far from being over at that stage.

It was fairly evident from that point forward that Barca were going to take the title. Obviously, they still had a lot of work to do but it was pretty clear that barring a shotload of injuries, they were going to do it. This isn't pure hindsight either. I was saying as much at the time.

You were jumping the gun then. Yeah, you turned out to be right, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

ResurrectionRooney wrote:

menalawyerguy wrote:

ResurrectionRooney wrote:

menalawyerguy wrote:I think the last two years demonstrate a more telling trend. The title was essentially decided after the first Classico last season. Even injuries couldn't stop Barca after that.

That's not true, Barca were only 1.5 points ahead (the .5 being their nigh unassailable H2H) and still had to go to the Bernabau. It's easy to make claims like that after it's happened, but it was far from being over at that stage.

It was fairly evident from that point forward that Barca were going to take the title. Obviously, they still had a lot of work to do but it was pretty clear that barring a shotload of injuries, they were going to do it. This isn't pure hindsight either. I was saying as much at the time.

You were jumping the gun then. Yeah, you turned out to be right, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

I never jump the gun. I don't make predictions unless I'm almost absolutely certain. Sure, it was mathematically possible that Barca weren't going to win. But there was very little drama in La Liga after October. And if memory serves, even if Real Madrid had won the second league Classico, they still would have been behind in the table and they would have needed help down the stretch.

Anyway, the main point I'm making is that there's more parity in the PL. But that doesn't mean it's a better league. It's just more entertaining.