Standard of English teams in Europe has gone down - our teams are nowhere near as strong as they used to be - if thats because we have not improved have and other Europeans teams have is one way of looking at it. But when you have Eastern European clubs actually playing against United to a higher standard then it does become worrying.
The standard of the English game is poor compared to 5 or even 10 years ago. If anything when you split it into division the Championship is better (majority of time) than the Premiership. In fact the Champiosnhip is also more entertaining nowadays than the Premiership.
If anything I believe the problem lies with club who try to buy success - buying, in the main, overpriced players, whether English or not, who are just not good enough and as a result bringing the standard of the game down - perfect examples being Torres and Carroll. Then you look at clubs bringing back, or using older players because the younger ones are just not good enough (i.e. Giggs and out-of-retirement Scholes for Scum, then you have a look at Chelsea and the age of their players) or foreign players being outpriced for the British clubs.
Even at the post-match interview Fergie said it was a mistake to use a younger defence - but h has used that excuse after more or less every defeat this season that the younger squad members are not cut-out to play Premiership football. He isn't the only one saying that, though!
Is it laziness on behalf of these players?, is it that we don't have good enough coaches?, is it that teh game has changed outside the Uk and we haven't kept up with the changes? more of point of last 2 season the change the FA made in only allowing 25 squad members for league games but as many as possible from the academies???