Could an MLS team avoid relegation in the EPL?

I tend to think that the best MLS team (say DC United) could survive in the EPL. And by survive I mean avoid relegation but I would love to see what everyone else thinks. People try to boast about the MLS All Stars success against world-class club teams (Celtic in 07, Chelsea 06, Fulham 05) but that was the ALL STARS. Anyways what do you all think? This has probably been discussed before. If I am repeating a previous post I apologize.

 

I was thinking more hypothetically. Strictly on skills. Not when they play, where they play, etc. You might be right anyway. Skill wise the bottom of the EPL is probably better than the top of MLS.

 

I think team like New England or DC could withstand relegation comfortably. They would probably not play in Europe, but they would surprise many.

 

Were you to take the top two MLS teams and combine them into a single team, THEN you would have a team that could avoid relegation.

A single MLS team, even one as talented as DCU would do ok, albeit bottom half, until December, when the fixture list fills up.

The 11 starters of DCU would do ok against bottom half EPL teams but there is a significant drop in quality to the bench. Between fatigue and injury, too many of their inferior bench players would be on the field and they would get crushed.

With the personel from 2 good MLS teams, though, they would have sufficient quality personnel to end up 13-17th in the table.

 

I'll you one thing, They could beat fvcking BOLTON in the the Carling Cup!

It would be a serious battle but the best teams in MLS could survive relegation yes.

 

I think thats a good point about the bench quality. DCU sends a B Squad to the US Open Cup and they lose to Harrisburg City (USL 2nd League). THat could be lack of motivation as well. I think the combination of 2 squads would survive though.

 

I think we're talking could they survive Coca-Cola...Premiership? You're having a laugh

 

I've heard MLS described as at the League 1 level. Depth is a huge issue, as several other people have mentioned, but top-level quality is also an issue.

Remember, BMB was a star in MLS but when he came to Fulham, not his first time in England, he spent a lot of time on the bench. Even at his best, he has been an ok scorer for a mediocre EPL team. Dempsey was also an MLS star and he looks like a decent EPL player, but he is not a star in the EPL.

 

Reading didn't really have any stars, but ended 8th last year.

 

There is more to surviving the EPL than just quality. It is a very demanding schedule of games. We can all see the top MSL teams beating most EPL team on any given day. The tournaments in preseason show there is enought there to be a challenged.

The issue is can they play the required number of games and get as pumped up playing Wigan on a Wednesday night? How will they cope when injuries when they hit? Are they ready for the pace of the game?

I think that they could survive a first season, but the tricky second season would probably catch them out once the rest of the league has worked out the best way to beat them!

Could an MLS team play a season in the Championship and get promoted?

 

I do not believe the MLS has teams with enough depth to see them through an PL season.

I think the MLS would be competitive at the Championship level including a few that would be able to get promoted. Of course I think relegation would not be far behind.

 

I think that's the real question.
If we're comparing to other national top leagues, we ought to place them in the correct context. Why isnt there a thread somewhere on Could an Eredivisie team avoid relegation in the EPL? The answer would be, of course, several of them probably would.. but not all.

For those who persist in saying MLS is 'League 1' quality, I'm sorry but I've seen too many Division Two players brought over and fall on their faces... most importantly go back and assume starting roles.

But the answer is not just in the simple context, it's in the depth of the teams.

Instance: When the Crew played Aston Villa, the quality was clearly on display.. actually the best performance ever put on against the Crew in such a game. While AV didnt actually spank Crew the same as they previously had Toronto, they were clearly in command in all areas on the pitch.

When both teams went to their benches in the second half, however, the difference was remarkable. Now it was the Crew controlling play. Given the preseason nature of AV's fitness and coherence, we'd have to say it STILL raises some questions. But those were the same questions raised by the British pundits... AV has a quality starting 11 but simply has no depth.

I think NE, DC and Houston would contend for promotion.

 

I don't think any MLS team would stand a chance of surviving the EPL. Perhaps they could get lucky one season but that's it. On the other hand, they could possibly compete in the Championship and win promotion. But I think it would be right back down the next year.

Then again, all it would take would be a Russian billionaire to buy them up and any MLS team could compete in the EPL!

 

How would Fulham do in the MLS?

 

I believe physically most MLS sides could hang with most premier league sides. The obvious difference comes with the level of talent of the individuals. The MLS doesn not have a vast pool of incredibly talented players both on and off the ball like the EPL and that would be the greatest limitation I see for the MLS. Another key factor would be the quality of the managers. Most of the EPL managers have been around the game for most of their lives and have played at the highest level.

The summer is incredibly hard to deal with in the MLS and the travel that some sides have to make to play a single match (NY to LA) is quite difficult to make week in and week out. On the flip side the EPL has so many more matches to play and the depth of their sides are far superior to the MLS.

It is an interesting proposal, but at this time I don't see any MLS side being able to maintain the quality needed to stave off relegation in the EPL.

 

So you and I will agree to disagree, then.

I mean if you are talking the top 4 or 5 then you're right. But even Chelsea takes a big hit when Terry's out, right?

I think it's all relative... but if we're talking 'as a Champs level team' getting promoted, and staying I think we would be in about the same boat, depthwise.