Perhaps that's the point Dog Pissa. Spend a ton of money to improve stats relative to others but it all remains the same.
In fact it could be worse. Spend and go backwards. There is no actual improvement, it's an illusion.
Depending on what they do with the rivals list and the percentage difference between rivals. Something like 30% less and you can still defeat them. So if I am 10M attack, you will need to be 14M or better otherwise you have wasted your time and money. Then there is the guy next to me who is 11M and will knock you over, or the one next to him who is 12M.
It's coming!
And forget about strength for your level. That will be irrelevant soon.
Stats are just an illusion.