Is it all stale mate?

edskan

edskan

Member
Country
Thailand
Currently cheering on Sunderland to beat the scum, but what a bore fest. Just seems most games these days lack entertainment and are much of a muchness in terms of what's on show. Obviously still cheer and get excited when Palace play but enjoyable games in general just seem few and far between in the Prem.
 
There doesn't seem to be any flair players anymore. The remaining ones seem to be coached into a system to not take any chances to loose the ball.
 
Watching the Arsenal v Everton game it's a case of what might have been.

McNeil has a wand of a left foot and has hit the bar from 25 yards as well as having a shot blocked near the line.
I've always rated him and he works hard too. We missed a trick not getting him in.

Our former player O'Brien has looked an accomplished centre back at the level.

N'diaye, who we were interested in previously, is a clever 2 footed dribbler who would assist us unlocking defences.

All three would enhance our squad.
 
Add in the long throws and reliance on set pieces, football is absolutely terrible these days, we tend to look back through rose tinted glasses but there's no way football and footballers are better today than 20/30 years ago.

The full backs are better players now but apart from that everything is worse. Not only are teams petrified of losing, they're petrified of losing possession, they knock it back and fourth between the defence, advancing a yard at a time, just to get to the box and go back and start all over again.

England are the worst, for the talent they supposedly have throughout the squad, everytime they play anyone half decent, they're petrified. Its embarrassing, you're kicking a ball of air around, its really not that deep.
 
rikz said:
Add in the long throws and reliance on set pieces, football is absolutely terrible these days, we tend to look back through rose tinted glasses but there's no way football and footballers are better today than 20/30 years ago.

The full backs are better players now but apart from that everything is worse. Not only are teams petrified of losing, they're petrified of losing possession, they knock it back and fourth between the defence, advancing a yard at a time, just to get to the box and go back and start all over again.

England are the worst, for the talent they supposedly have throughout the squad, everytime they play anyone half decent, they're petrified. Its embarrassing, you're kicking a ball of air around, its really not that deep.
Click to expand...
Agreed about the lack of quality these days, at the risk of sounding a grumpy old man.
Where are the teams that genuinely get you on edge of your seat?
The Brazil of 1970s, the Dutch teams with their total football, the fantastic AC Milan teams, the all conquering Liverpool team, Barcelona and Real Madrid of more recent vintage.
The only team I observe these days which plays with flair and a commitment to outscore the opposition is PSG .
Full backs like wingers, ball playing centre halves, clever midfield players and forwards with pace and trickery.

Arsenal are like Dave Bassett's Wimbledon and should'nt be mentioned in the same breath as these great teams , although the pragmatists amongst you may admonish me and say there's more than one way to win a game.
 
for me, the rot all started with Jose ManUre-Ho. Go one goal up, early in the game. And then start time-wasting for the last 75 minutes.

In Rugby you get a bonus point if you utterly trash the opposition. Maybe a 5 goal margin would make football interesting again ?
1 point for a Draw, 3 points for a win, and 4 points when you thump somebody 10-0.

Arsenal vs Burnley........ play with a bit of enthusiasm please boys.
 
Another problem is how its slowly becoming a non contact sport.
Players have never been bigger and more physical than they are today, yet the protection they receive from the ref is crazy. Half the yellows are barely a foul, you probably see 2 yellows a season for diving when it happens all over the pitch about 10 times a game.

It'll be like basketball soon, non contact, 60 min games, playing 76 games a season, the average score will be 37-35, they will put it down to players welfare, when In reality its just to attract the ticktock generation who don't have the attention span to watch a 90 minute game.
 
rikz said:
Another problem is how its slowly becoming a non contact sport.
Players have never been bigger and more physical than they are today, yet the protection they receive from the ref is crazy. Half the yellows are barely a foul, you probably see 2 yellows a season for diving when it happens all over the pitch about 10 times a game.

It'll be like basketball soon, non contact, 60 min games, playing 76 games a season, the average score will be 37-35, they will put it down to players welfare, when In reality its just to attract the ticktock generation who don't have the attention span to watch a 90 minute game.
Click to expand...
Agree.
A player like Hughes seems to be booked nearly every game for merely being competitive.
Meanwhile the fiasco of blocking, holding and shoving continues unabated and unpunished in penalty areas at set pieces, and Arsenal look well positioned to win the title on the strength of it.
I would contend that Gabriel is a far worse offender against the spirit of the game than Hughes any day of the week.
 
Some of it is fitness. Players now a days are much, much fitter and stronger than even 20 years ago. Compared to the 1970s and 80s it’s like comparing Olympic athletes with a bloke jogging in the park. When you combine that with being able to sub half the team the you have a game where teams just don’t tire like they used to. That means less space, less time and teams that can defend from front to back. The reason set pieces have become so important is because they are the best chance of scoring as the lack of space and time in open play is irrelevant for set pieces.
 
we have the perfect storm in football , afraid to lose the refs relying on VAR even then they get that wrong , players cheating more now and ever before with diving holding there face when it was there foot .

the game has gone to hell in a hand cart and the biggest complainers are the fans because they want it all , fans have driven this game down with there demands that all players are Messi and CB are Bobby Moore , and all fouls are checked , lets get it back to what it was a contact game , with skilled players riding tackles not looking to getting players set off ,

also respect the ref thats a big one thats been taken away , these so called super fit players are poor in all parts of the game , you would be surprised just how fit the old generation would be on todays pitchs , they let there feet do the talking and BRAIN do the rest , I bet in my younger days I could out last most of these players over 90 mins , so more the fans complain the worst the game will get , so the game is only going to get worse and the standard will keep going down and injurys going up
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Holmesdale Online Shop

Back
Top