Could an MLS team avoid relegation in the EPL?

Discussion in 'Prem talk, Those Other Leagues, and International' started by jonbruns, Sep 28, 2007.

  1. jonbruns

    jonbruns New Member

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    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.
     
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  2. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    The only way that any MLS team could survive the EPL is if they transfer the entire league to the US and then play during the dead of summer. If the MLS team moved to England, they'd get killed.

    Sorry
     
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  3. jonbruns

    jonbruns New Member

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    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.
     
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  4. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Yeah; the big equalizer in the United States is the summer play. It's the main reason why a lot of European transfers take some time to adjust. They're just not ready to play in Dallas or Houston in July. It would cut back on the greatest strength the EPL has -- the tremendous pace that makes it so hard for non-Brits to adjust right after transfer.

    The other side of the coin is ... how could ChivasUSA or Kansas City like playing an away match in Sunderland on New Years Day?

    Love them hypotheticals, though.
     
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  5. quickdraw

    quickdraw New Member

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

    andypalmer Active Member

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    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.
     
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  7. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Well, that depends. Let's look at JP Angel. The biggest reason why he's thriving in NY and he was less successful in AV has everything to do with playing in the summer. JPA needs to turn on the ball. Once he does, there's magic in those feet and thunder in the shot. In England, he seldom got that chance to turn. Why? Were the English defenders that much better? Well, perhaps, but the biggest reason was the pace of the English game which CAN'T be duplicated in the States in the Summer. I think your average MLS team is probably fitter than your average EPL team, and I think there's a bit of a skill fall-off, but the biggest difference is the pace. The second biggest is the season when the matches are played, but that's really all about pace also.
     
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  8. Spencer

    Spencer Active Member

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    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.
     
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  9. jonbruns

    jonbruns New Member

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    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.
     
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  10. andyns

    andyns New Member

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

    DCDave Member

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    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.
     
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  12. andypalmer

    andypalmer Active Member

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

    GaryBarnettFanClub New Member

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    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?
     
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  14. BarryP

    BarryP New Member

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    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.
     
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  15. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    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.
     
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  16. BC

    BC New Member

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    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!
     
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  17. GaryBarnettFanClub

    GaryBarnettFanClub New Member

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    How would Fulham do in the MLS?
     
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  18. Team_of_McBrides

    Team_of_McBrides New Member

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    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.
     
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  19. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    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.
     
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