[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by nazzac

I think that our talent should stay. The EPL offers a lot of money, yes, but that may go out of the window once FFP comes in. The Bundesliga is the league to be in, and hopefully the players will recognise that. Plus, Dortmund have got something great going on now, and could be Champions League winners, like you said. I may be bias, but they should stay imo.

I pretty much agree with your league rankings. Might have La Liga ahead in Better teams, but it's close now.

The EPL's excitement is over-rated. The title race is almost done, there is no race for 2nd, the race for fourth is no better than any other top league. Then they talk about the matches being back and fourth, and more exciting but the Bundesliga is even more back and forth (with better quality), and averages more goals a game. But then again, these people who claim that the EPL is by far the best league in the world, probs haven't watch any other league. I don't even watch the EPL anymore. Haven't watched a match in full since October, I've just been watching highlights. If the EPL was exciting as many claim, then i wouldn't be doing that

Anyway, back to tennis. What would be the result between Del Potro & Tsonga at...

Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open

I think they should stay too. Dortmund are a real club with a great project going on. If FFP kicks in, the Bundesliga will leave the rest of Europe far behind, being the only league with virtually no debt. I doubt it will kick in seriously though.

I haven't been watching much of the Premier League this season either, only a few games here and there. Its excitement is way overrated, I fully agree. Gotta give those responsible for PL marketing their due credit though, they certainly do a great job hyping the league to unwarranted extents

Hmm in normal conditions I'd say Delpo wins everywhere, it's a bad matchup for Tsonga. In fact, Delpo is a bad matchup for other big hitters in general. Unlike Soderling or Berdych though, I think Tsonga has the right skillset to beat Delpo if he's playing really well: he has a great serve and can avoid rallies by going to the net and finishing points off. Those two often get routined because they can't avoid getting locked into power rallies with Delpo, where the latter inevitably wins. With that said, I'll give Tsonga the edge at Wimbledon where his weapons work the best, Del Potro at the other three Slams. But even at Wimbledon Tsonga really needs to be on his game to win: it's not an almost unsurmountable matchup issue like it is for Soderling for instance, but he needs to be 'on' to defeat Delpo.

Originally Posted by nazzac

TBH, the big gap between the top and the rest in La Liga is that big because Barcelona (this seaosn anyway) are that good.

There's not a single team in Europe that can keep up with Barcelona (and Real Madrid - not this season's Real Madrid, but the one from the last two seasons under Mourinho) over a 38-game season imo. The best lineup in football + incredible backup make it an almost impossible task.

[nazzac]

Originally Posted by Mark Lenders

I think they should stay too. Dortmund are a real club with a great project going on. If FFP kicks in, the Bundesliga will leave the rest of Europe far behind, being the only league with virtually no debt. I doubt it will kick in seriously though.

I haven't been watching much of the Premier League this season either, only a few games here and there. Its excitement is way overrated, I fully agree. Gotta give those responsible for PL marketing their due credit though, they certainly do a great job hyping the league to unwarranted extents

Hmm in normal conditions I'd say Delpo wins everywhere, it's a bad matchup for Tsonga. In fact, Delpo is a bad matchup for other big hitters in general. Unlike Soderling or Berdych though, I think Tsonga has the right skillset to beat Delpo if he's playing really well: he has a great serve and can avoid rallies by going to the net and finishing points off. Those two often get routined because they can't avoid getting locked into power rallies with Delpo, where the latter inevitably wins. With that said, I'll give Tsonga the edge at Wimbledon where his weapons work the best, Del Potro at the other three Slams. But even at Wimbledon Tsonga really needs to be on his game to win: it's not an almost unsurmountable matchup issue like it is for Soderling for instance, but he needs to be 'on' to defeat Delpo.

I always get into league debates with friends . It's funny when these people say that The Bundesliga & La Liga are bad, but they haven't watched these leagues. It's good to see that someone agrees with me for a change . The EPL is the most marketed league, and most popular league, but that doesn't equal the best i'm afraid. If you take all factors into consideration, then you see that it isn't the best at all.

I think Jo's key in a match against Del Po is his serve, and the volleys. He won't be able to match Del Po in power rallies, so will have to play first strike tennis. I would love for it to be a grand slam final, but thats not going to happen unfortunately. I'd say Del Po on all except Wimbledon, where Tsonga might get the win.

[nazzac]

Originally Posted by Mark Lenders

There's not a single team in Europe that can keep up with Barcelona (and Real Madrid - not this season's Real Madrid, but the one from the last two seasons under Mourinho) over a 38-game season imo. The best lineup in football + incredible backup make it an almost impossible task.

Yeah, the only team i can see doing it is Bayern. People rave on about La Liga being a 2 team league, but those 2 teams are just that good.

[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by nazzac

I always get into league debates with friends . It's funny when these people say that The Bundesliga & La Liga are bad, but they haven't watched these leagues. It's good to see that someone agrees with me for a change . The EPL is the most marketed league, and most popular league, but that doesn't equal the best i'm afraid. If you take all factors into consideration, then you see that it isn't the best at all.

I think Jo's key in a match against Del Po is his serve, and the volleys. He won't be able to match Del Po in power rallies, so will have to play first strike tennis. I would love for it to be a grand slam final, but thats not going to happen unfortunately. I'd say Del Po on all except Wimbledon, where Tsonga might get the win.

It's also funny how it was assumed Guardiola would move to a Premier League team and that moving to Bayern instead was because he was afraid of real challenges

Yup, they'd definitely have a shot at meeting each in a Slam final in another era, but in this slow court era they'd have to both blast two of the moving walls in the top 4 back to back, it's definitely not happening. They could play a Slam semi sometime though, they were only a few points away from doing it at Roland Garros last year.

They could very well face in the Rotterdam final next week though - they'll be seeded #2 and #3 with Federer as the #1 seed. I'm hoping Tsonga draws Federer in the semis (and Delpo draws Gasquet) and beats him

[Prodigy.]

I'm not sure Barca would fare as well in the PL, or Madrid. Just my opinion, but La Liga is very attacking based, whereas PL is a mixture of attack and defence, perhaps more defence. The physicality of the League would not suit certain players of Barcelona or Madrid.

[Brick Top]

How many slams will Monaco and Ferrer win combined?

[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by ProdigyEng

I'm not sure Barca would fare as well in the PL, or Madrid. Just my opinion, but La Liga is very attacking based, whereas PL is a mixture of attack and defence, perhaps more defence. The physicality of the League would not suit certain players of Barcelona or Madrid.

You have guys who were never considered among the very best in La Liga like Silva, Mata... (even Michu ) tearing it up, there's no reason to believe Messi, Iniesta and co. would have any problems adapting. It's not like defenses in La Liga don't try to stop Messi, they just can't do it, he's also been the CL's top scorer 4 years in a row so it's not like European defenses in general are faring any better.

Originally Posted by Brick Top

How many slams will Monaco and Ferrer win combined?

The better question would be how many Slams can the rest of the field sneak in with those two juggernauts around? Not many I'd say. The gates of Vina del Mar, Acapulco, St Hertongenbosch and Buenos Aires - the real Slams - are pretty much unbreakable for the rest of the field at this point.

[The Bulldog]

So much hate for my Leverkusen.

And do you really think the Premier League is better than Serie A?

[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by The Bulldog

So much hate for my Leverkusen.

And do you really think the Premier League is better than Serie A?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverkusen

Yes, it's probably marginally better at the moment on the strength of the top teams alone. It could change soon though, the Serie A seems on the way up again slowly but steadily. I still find the Serie A a more interesting league + they have the best title race this year although Juve seem the clear favorites.

[nazzac]

Originally Posted by ProdigyEng

I'm not sure Barca would fare as well in the PL, or Madrid. Just my opinion, but La Liga is very attacking based, whereas PL is a mixture of attack and defence, perhaps more defence. The physicality of the League would not suit certain players of Barcelona or Madrid.

A few years a go, that might have been true. Foreign imports took a lot of time to settle in the PL. But now it's different, because they are coming in and tearing it up.

Mata, Silva, Michu, Carzola have all come into the Premier League and have settled easily. Mata and Silva have cases to be the best players in the league. So i don't see why Messi & Co would have problems.

[Chase Visa]

Who's the most likely to win a Slam that hasn't yet?

Who's the most likely to win a Masters that hasn't yet?

[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by Chase Visa

1-Who's the most likely to win a Slam that hasn't yet?

2-Who's the most likely to win a Masters that hasn't yet?

1-Tsonga, closely followed by Berdych. It is distinctly possible that it will be someone who hasn't yet shown any Slam winning potential though.

2-Del Potro at the moment, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't the next new winner or even if he didn't win one at all. He really doesn't like the Masters format where he doesn't get any rest between tough matches.

[motorhead]

Do you consider Mike Tyson best the boxer of all the times?

Do you suffer of insomnia?

[Mark Lenders]

Originally Posted by motorhead

1-Do you consider Mike Tyson best the boxer of all the times?

2-Do you suffer of insomnia?

1-I don't have an opinion on this subject as I don't follow boxing at all, can't really give any informed opinion.

2-No, I don't.

[nazzac]

Okay, now for top 5's

Top 5 (currently)....

Best Goalkeepers
Best Fullbacks
Best Centre backs
Best Cente Midfielders
Best Attacking midfielders
Best forwards
Favourite football players

Favourite tennis players
Best serves
Best volleys
Best FH
Best BH
Mental strength