The Title Race - 2023/24

[citizen_maine]

Only Real have won back to back CLs. It was easier to win consecutive European Cups because the competition back then was weaker than its successor.

I see the point about winning 4 league titles a row. Would be a fantastic achievement! I remember that Pep won 4 consecutive La Liga titles with Barca as a player in the 90s. They won also the CL. But they are not considered as great as Zidane's Real who never won back to back domestic titles but won 3 consecutive CLs.

Again, rarer/harder. Even if only one team has done it, it cannot be rarer/harder than something that has never been done

 

[Alfie Budd]

Ajax won 3 of the old European Cups (1971-73). And Bayern won the following 3 (74-76).Have to disagree with you re the relative strengths of the European Cup and the Champions League. The old competition was limited to actual champions of their countries,not the Laughable situation we have now where a team finishing fourth in their domestic league enters the "Champions" League.

A big problem for me with the old European Cup was the open draws with a complete lack of seeding. No issue with when you’re dealing with the traditions of the FA Cup but not ideal when determining the best team in Europe.
There were a few instances when a number of strong clubs were drawn against each other in a few different early round ties leaving the way clear for lesser lights to progress deep into the competition. When Forest first lifted the trophy in 1979 they admittedly had a brutal draw (holders Liverpool) in the first round but after getting through that, their run up to and including the final was embarrassingly gentle. Villa’s run to the 1982 final was also incredibly straightforward as were a couple of instances involving the dippers.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was when arguably the two best teams in Europe (Real Madrid and Maradona’s Napoli) were drawn against each other in the first round in 1987-88. Broadcasters decided the competition’s credibility was suffering and it needed a revamp if they were going to pay for the rights. The initial Champions League rebranding emerged a few years after that.

 

[alexmcity]

Again, rarer/harder. Even if only one team has done it, it cannot be rarer/harder than something that has never been done

It depends on the perspective. Maybe no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row, but nobody outside Belgium would care if some Belgian club does it now. Are we going to say that because no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row prior to this moment in time, it is harder to do it than to win back to back CLs?

I'm not sure that to win 4 PLs in a row would objectively be a greater achievement than to win back to back CLs. I don't know. Personally, I have no preference. Since I dislike Liverpool, maybe I'd settle for 4 in a row, if they are the main challengers. But I guess the players prefer the CL. Might be wrong, just my feeling from interviews with the players I've seen or read.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

One of the main reasons I really want to see us win it this year (apart from the obvious a blue wanting City to win), is that I really think this group of players under this manager DESERVES to be the first side to win 4 in a row. And that they deserve history to remember them as the team to do it. As a reflection of both their quality and dominance over this stretch of time.

It’s in their gift.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Ajax won 3 of the old European Cups (1971-73). And Bayern won the following 3 (74-76).Have to disagree with you re the relative strengths of the European Cup and the Champions League. The old competition was limited to actual champions of their countries,not the Laughable situation we have now where a team finishing fourth in their domestic league enters the "Champions" League.

Which is the stronger team? The runners up in the PL or the champions of Albania?

 

[Withnail]

We have only lost one of the last five visits to Klanfield , Cancelo's brain fart seperated the teams last time , so their recent home record against us is nothing to fear .Looking at the Dippers form this season they are vulnerable away from home and i do not see that changing , but i can see us getting stronger with KDB ,Stones & Haaland playing regularly again.
We are still odds on at the bookies and i think they have got it right , time will tell.

They still have to play West Ham, Villa and Arsenal away. They are not as strong away from home and they will drop points.

 

[Bluemoonadam]

They still have to play West Ham, Villa and Arsenal away. They are not as strong away from home and they will drop points.

And we have Newcastle, spurs, Liverpool all away, we will also drop points. The Liverpool game worries me more than anything tbh.

 

[Coatigan]

It depends on the perspective. Maybe no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row, but nobody outside Belgium would care if some Belgian club does it now. Are we going to say that because no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row prior to this moment in time, it is harder to do it than to win back to back CLs?

I'm not sure that to win 4 PLs in a row would objectively be a greater achievement than to win back to back CLs. I don't know. Personally, I have no preference. Since I dislike Liverpool, maybe I'd settle for 4 in a row, if they are the main challengers. But I guess the players prefer the CL. Might be wrong, just my feeling from interviews with the players I've seen or read.

He's not talking about the Belgian league though, but about the PL. And the logic stands, if it has been done, it is 'easier' than something that hasn't.

I'd love us to win 4 in a row. And I think it is harder. Obviously either would be great, but for me 4 would be greater.

Say if we weren't to win it, the earliest we'd be in a position to even discuss it again, would be in another 4 years. Having had to win it 3 in a row first. For the CL, that's 2, and having to win it only once. For that alone, it surely is harder.

 

[KenTheLandlord]

It depends on the perspective. Maybe no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row, but nobody outside Belgium would care if some Belgian club does it now. Are we going to say that because no Belgian club has won 5 domestic titles in a row prior to this moment in time, it is harder to do it than to win back to back CLs?

I'm not sure that to win 4 PLs in a row would objectively be a greater achievement than to win back to back CLs. I don't know. Personally, I have no preference. Since I dislike Liverpool, maybe I'd settle for 4 in a row, if they are the main challengers. But I guess the players prefer the CL. Might be wrong, just my feeling from interviews with the players I've seen or read.

Anderlecht did it from 1964/68.
But yeah, no one cared then or now.

 

[jamielowndes]

Which is the stronger team? The runners up in the PL or the champions of Albania?

I hate the "but it's called the Champions League" debate. You're exactly right. There's a reason the current structure allows a 3rd place Prem team straight in and makes a lot of European champions go through qualifying.