Boring Boring Football

[darren woolley]

I still love my football I read at every opportunity about football I love going to see the Villa ok the fact that the top 4 looks harder to break into but it is possible, but that's the joy of football you never know what's going to happen next. 

[E I Adio]

And I rarely watch MoTD either. I mean, what's the point? Tired format, highlighting the same players from the same clubs every week.

......with the same, monumentally boring "analysis" from the same monumentally boring "experts" who rather pathetically sleepwalk through their weekly paydays. Watching the same teams win every week is bad enough, but the wretched lack of insight in the so-called analysis is even more annoying. If only they'd tell us something that the whole world hadn't already seen for themselves two minutes earlier. Or, preferably, do away with the nauseating chat altogether.

[cheltenhamlion]

This isn't Villa specific. The Wolves and Olbiyun fans in the pub yesterday feel the same.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was wondering, for the teams that habitually do play in the CL, whether it gets boring for them playing largely the same set of clubs in that competition, year in, year out.

[5ft811st2 Durham]

Every change over the last 25 years has not only increased the wealth of he richer clubs but has enhanced their ability to use the wealth to cement their competetive advantage.

The  most insidious change for me is the gradual increase in the number of subs to seven which has changed the game from a team game to a squad game.

There was a discussion on MOTD about Ferguson's team selection at Anfield where he left virtually all his big guns on the bench (probably in light of this weeks Champions League game) yet was able to bring 3 of them on in the last 20 minutes to turn the game around, so who could argue that the team selection was wrong.

The thing about this is that it shows that a manager like Ferguson with a huge expensive squad now holds all the aces to the extent that he barely has to give team selection a seconds thought because if he gets it wrong he can always rectify it with his  lavish choice of substitutes.  Consequently he no longer has to stand and fall by his decisions and certainly 30 years ago he would never have dared to choose  that 11 just because a European cup game was on the horizon.

[cheltenhamlion]

I have enjoyed European aways because of the novelty factor. If we went to the same places every year I probably would be very selective about what I went to.

[Hale]

Interesting that the game this weekend between Spurs & Newcastle was far more entertaining than Liverpool & Man U. Newcastle for all Ashleys sins have done what Randy is planning at Villa & kicked out high earning malcontents (Nolan & Barton) and hope that hard work and a team ethic will bring results (and the players they do have are pretty good players).

All we need now if for the Premier league to bring in a wage cap and let the mercaneries go to play in Russia & the Arab states as the playthings of the oligarchs and sheiks.

I for one will be pleased when the following no longer "grace" the Premier league:
Tevez, Rooney, Balotelli, Gerrard, Evra and many more whose behaviour on and  off the pitch is all me,me,me, and I thought it was a team game.     

[Wilfred the Hairy]

I was wondering, for the teams that habitually do play in the CL, whether it gets boring for them playing largely the same set of clubs in that competition, year in, year out.

Yes, it's beginning to get boring.

As well as Villa, I follow Barça, because of my location. This year in our group we've got Milan. Games against Milan even five years ago were really exciting, but not any longer. Also we've played Man Utd four times in the past three years; nothing special about that any more.

This weekend I saw two very similar games: City-Villa, and Barça-Racing. In one of them my team was on the receiving end and the other was a comfortable victory. There is no pleasure to be gained from winning a game without any competition.

I think clubs like Villa should play their youth teams against the Big Three, and supporters should boycott the games. Some kind of protest is needed NOW.

Perhaps City fans are excited about the prospect of winning their first League title in over 40 years, but when they've won it a couple of times they'll be as bored as the rest of us. I no longer enjoy watching Barça going 3-0 up after half an hour and then trying to avoid injury for the remaining 60 minutes.

[TopDeck113]

I was wondering, for the teams that habitually do play in the CL, whether it gets boring for them playing largely the same set of clubs in that competition, year in, year out.

I get the feeling that unless it is a big name opponent, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd fans look at the group matches as somewhat akin to a League Cup tie against lower league opposition.  Certainly Chelsea are struggling to fill the ground.

[KevinGage]

Don't think I'll ever shake the football bug, unfortunately.

Which is odd, as I generally don't align myself with something that can only cause me misery. Not since I buried the missus under the patio, anyway.

But modern football in the UK is pish, no question.   Even before the full horrors of  the w word hit home to Lerner and co (somewhat of a delayed reaction, that) I was getting pig sick of the bloated coverage given to non entities like Terry, Lampard et al -players who get shown up by pretty ordinary opposition whenever a major tournament comes around.

Seeing Milner, Barry, Ash and co fulfilling key roles elsewhere rams home to me how pointless it all is under the current format.   The best players even from big-ish clubs won't stick around and give that club a sense of individuality or competitiveness. They don't really  want to even play for a team on the up (which I accept, we aren't anymore).   Deep down, they all want to scuttle off to the same 4/5 names given half a chance. That chance usually presenting itself when they join Terry, Lampard and co on international duty for Club England. Then they feel they are virtually entitled  to a move.

I still enjoy the old matches that come up from time to time on ESPN, and certain historical aspects of football intrigue me, so I'll read up on those more.   I'll glance at German or Spanish football if it's on too (preferably in games that don't involve the big two for the latter).  I'm always amazed at how teams on far lower budgets than us -even in our current downsizing mode- can seemingly pick up good, competent players for reasonable feels (or sometimes no fees at all).  And can do weird things like pass the ball with a bit of imagination, create options for teammates and so forth.  It'll never catch on.

Football in England?   Bunch of arse.

[Big Dick Edwards]

If only all like-minded fans would give up their Sky subscriptions...

[nuninho]

I've been utterly bored by football this season, too. It's nothing to do with Saturday's result, I've been like this from the kick off of the first match.

It is all just so predictable and unexciting.

I haven't watched MOTD once this season. In fact, I generally turn it over if it comes on.

It's not to do with Villa so much as the sport as a whole.

Spot on Paulie.  Didn't think it would happen, but I think me and football are about to go through a messy divorce.

[Rigadon]

Agree with a lot of what has been written above.  I remember being just as bored when we hit our glass ceiling (6th) a couple of years ago.   MIght've been a home game against West Ham when we had most of the possession but didn't quite have the quality to break them down and it seemed then that to get into the top 4 was a really, really long shot.  Then I thought about it and realised that getting into the top 4 was nigh on impossible, what chance actually winning the league?  Literally impossible.  Absolutely no chance whatsoever.  OK, the same can be said of most clubs, nowt to be suicidal about.

Fast forward 18 months and listening to Manchester CIty fans moaning about only being a goal up after half an hour and then ole-ing for 15 minutes second half and not really feeling anything other than antipathy was another epiphany of sorts.  I think you've just got to take the enjoyment out of it that you can - the social aspect with friends for example and the attachment you get from your local team.  I just look forward to the day that the game is more fairly priced as right now we're (Villa are by no means the worst either)  being taken for mugs when paying 'Category A' prices for very, very ordinary football.   The best league in the world is anything but for all but 3 teams and even they MUST get bored of it after a while. 

As for the champions league, I haven't watched more than 3 games in 5 years.   I couldn't care less about it and I suspect that despite all the "those European nights at *insert northern England destination*" proclamations from the annoying commentators, real fans of the clubs involved are starting to feel the same.

[cheltenhamlion]

We are charging Norwich fans 43 quid next month. A game being given away to half season ticket holders. Disgraceful.

I too was amazed at how little I felt at a whipping on Saturday.

[olaftab]

If only all like-minded fans would give up their Sky subscriptions...

I did and the reason was 50/50  not able to watch due to other stuff and I don't wish to contribute to fat getting fatter.

However I don't think it's die hard football supporters who are keeping sky  growing it's the  "fans" the glory hunters fans who  only go to a live match once a season at  SB, OT and now  may be Eastlands.