Amarsdd
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watching football involving United has never been about entertainment for me. Watching games where I'm neutral used to be, but its becoming less and less that I watch those games.
I would agree entirely with this not that football has ever been overrated but that we have been pretty unenjoyable to watch if it weren't for beer I would have probably fallen asleep during 80% of our games this season. But telling the truth makes you a hater, a negative scoundrel, scum. When I would rather be real and say what I do see rather than grasp at straws to the tiniest positive note of oh we had more possession. I think fans not being in stadiums does affect that however when we first had no fans in the stadium last year it was better than we had been playing for months then we collapsed very abruptly. Ole has steadied us but Jesus its not as entertaining as some fans make out.We're 2nd in one of, if not the best league in the world in top flight football, and yet for the majority of this season we've been pretty unenjoyable to watch.
This has to be pretty damning of football, doesn't it?
Sure, there's the occasional great game or epic moment, but they're pretty rare in the grand scheme of things, aren't they?
The truth is that while Mbappe and Haaland are fantastic players, they lack the imagination of those United players. Think of the variety of different finishes those guys used to attempt. At the time Rooney trying something audacious may have been frustrating, but it was unpredictable at least and in some way made the game more entertaining.We’re just missing a superstar player that would get you excited about watching every week like an Mbappe or Haaland.
We’ve always had superstars that got you out of your seat like Rooney, Van Persie, Ronaldo, Cantona etc.
If the Glazers were being anyway truthful they’d buy Kane or something instead of penny pinching.
I can agree with that the talent pool has changed somewhat the past 10-15 years, I had to mention Haaland and Mbappe because there isn’t many others out there.The truth is that while Mbappe and Haaland are fantastic players, they lack the imagination of those United players. Think of the variety of different finishes those guys used to attempt. At the time Rooney trying something audacious may have been frustrating, but it was unpredictable at least and in some way made the game more entertaining.
You could tell when watching players like Rooney and Ronaldinho that they had been practicing some ridiculous tricks and shots in their youth and couldn't wait to try them out with the whole world watching, now that would be coached out of them. They'd probably both be at City putting up 30/40 goals a season, but you'd be hard pressed to remember a single one of them because they'd all be tap ins...probably an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Looking at young Ronaldo compared to his later days at Madrid actually highlights how football has declined in terms of entertainment; he was putting up ridiculous numbers but let's not pretend that he was a more entertaining player for the neutrals to watch compared to his early United period.
You must love Ibra and Haaland then.Everything surrounding football is dull.
There’s no proper characters anymore. They’re all robotic and media trained. Who actually listens to post match interviews? It’s all the same shit.
This. Games have to be superb to feel the same way now. Fans make everything about sport so much more enjoyable.without fans its just doesn't hit the same to me
This. Parking the bus is so effective, so every time there is a significant difference in quality between the two teams, they lesser one tends to play with 10 men behind the ball.
Big teams also tend to have a cautious approach vs eachother, ironically enough because the media puts such a big spotlight on those matches.
But regarding the OP, handball and basketball for instance are much more fast paced
The 2010s are the most offensive period of football in a long time. Look at the late 80s-2000s period, it was easily the most defensive era of football in history, specially the early 90s. Look at Italy, Van Basten scored 22 goals in 34 games in Serie A in the 1991-1992 season, the highest number of his career. Scoring 30 goals in one Serie A season would be mind-blowingly absurd. The 2000s also continued the trend of physicality and running.Of course it is, and it's getting worse. City manage to play incredibly boring metronomic football, even while dominating. Brighton and Leeds the notable exceptions, the vast majority of the teams in the league are set up to be difficult to beat rather than play exciting, expansive, risk-taking football, including big teams like ourselves and Spurs.
Also the overall quality of the major European leagues have all seriously dipped from where we were in the 2000s. Definitely the case for the Prem, La Liga and, most obviously, Serie A.
Looking back at clips, it looks way more exciting. Especially us, because we were so good at it.Watch the PL games from the 2000s, the teams barely try to make elaborated passing in the build-up, they rush forward as quickly possible and with a percentage of right passes below 80%, it was very physical and focused on physicality and running.
Well-oiled systems give players the best condition to truly shine individually, that's how it always been in the absolute best teams, like Brazil 1970, Milan of the late 80s, Guardiola's Barcelona and so on. A well oiled system doesn't keep players from doing magic, it potentializes them.I actually think football has a different problem than most of those that are listed here. I wouldn't call the game itself boring and dull, at least not in comparison to what we were used to earlier. It's more that what surrenders football has become incredibly boring.
There is nothing mystical and nothing unknown about football anymore. Football is a system, it's become like a science with rules about every aspect. Production of players is almost like in factories, and once you see enough, once you learn a thing or two about process, it becomes boring. At least that's the way I see it.
I remember World Cup 1998, that was my first World Cup. Lots of teams and players I heard about first. Sure the game itself was every bit of boring and every bit of exciting as it is now. But everything around it was different, unknown gave football a feeling of magic. I remember waiting for Confederations Cup 2005 eagerly, because Brazil was going to present to the world a new superstar, Robinho. Not much was known about him before, that was his time to shine. Those moments are now gone forever.
There is nothing creative about well-oiled systems, they are antonyms of creativity and individual genius. Bayern truly are a great side right now, but I can't watch even them. Maybe I'm looking too much for a deeper meaning in football.
You are being biased because United was good at the time. And judging based on clips is not a good argument. The 2000s PL games were uglier and less refined.Looking back at clips, it looks way more exciting. Especially us, because we were so good at it.
Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona in 2011 is an amazing game to watch in full. Real Madrid vs Bayern in 2017 too. And many othersI've never understood how some can go back and watch old games in full, seems awfully dull and I'd want to just skip to the good bits. This is now how I feel watching live games this season
I’m not though. It’s the same looking at other big teams. For smaller clubs, I doubt watching them park the bus week in week out now is full of enjoyment, so i imagine it was better for them back then too.You are being biased because United was good at the time. And judging based on clips is not a good argument. The 2000s PL games were uglier and less refined.
The other side of that is the disparity in wealth and the game becoming more coached and rehearsed means that there are a lot more very one-sided games. In the first three seasons that Opta collected data, between 2003-04 and 2005-06, there were only three games in which one team had 70% or more of the ball while nowadays there are dozens of them so although you are right the technical and physical level continues to get better, as does the level of coaching, that means fewer games are end-to-end and a lot more sides are accepting their roles of either having minimal possession or having to break down teams whose mindset is solely to defend.You are being biased because United was good at the time. And judging based on clips is not a good argument. The 2000s PL games were uglier and less refined.
I don't think you're exaggerating at all tbh. It was a natural progression for statistics to grow increasingly intricate and important in tactics and coaching, but the natural result of that is a strictly regimented approach to scoring and preventing goals which results in the statistically most effective patterns of play/shot positions being repeated game after game across every team, with no one veering away from their tactical plan to try something daft.The truth is that while Mbappe and Haaland are fantastic players, they lack the imagination of those United players. Think of the variety of different finishes those guys used to attempt. At the time Rooney trying something audacious may have been frustrating, but it was unpredictable at least and in some way made the game more entertaining.
You could tell when watching players like Rooney and Ronaldinho that they had been practicing some ridiculous tricks and shots in their youth and couldn't wait to try them out with the whole world watching, now that would be coached out of them. They'd probably both be at City putting up 30/40 goals a season, but you'd be hard pressed to remember a single one of them because they'd all be tap ins...probably an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Looking at young Ronaldo compared to his later days at Madrid actually highlights how football has declined in terms of entertainment; he was putting up ridiculous numbers but let's not pretend that he was a more entertaining player for the neutrals to watch compared to his early United period.
Parking the bus has always happened a lot. Big teams being cautious too. Specially in the early 90s, most of that decade was criticized as being too conservative, and deservedly so. We are quite comfortably in the most offensive era of football in since the 70s! There is a lot of data and tactical analysis explaining this.I’m not though. It’s the same looking at other big teams. For smaller clubs, I doubt watching them park the bus week in week out now is full of enjoyment, so i imagine it was better for them back then too.
It was just better for the fans then, in every way.
Ronaldo changed to adapt due to his age and to remain competitive because of it, that's all. Messi is a beautiful player to watch. Neymar too.I don't think you're exaggerating at all tbh. It was a natural progression for statistics to grow increasingly intricate and important in tactics and coaching, but the natural result of that is a strictly regimented approach to scoring and preventing goals which results in the statistically most effective patterns of play/shot positions being repeated game after game across every team, with no one veering away from their tactical plan to try something daft.
Sure even the Kompany Leicester goal his entire team is shouting at him not to shoot
I’m happy if we are relevant. Winning ugly is part of that unless you’ve hit the sweet spot with recruitment and coaching which doesn’t happen very often. I watch CL and big PL games as a neutral but I’d always rather watch us scrap a 2-1 win against whoever than a 3-3 Liverpool Chelsea game or whatever. I mean it’s a better spectacle but I’ve no emotional attachment unless their losing helps us/it’s always fun to banter Liverpool.watching football involving United has never been about entertainment for me. Watching games where I'm neutral used to be, but its becoming less and less that I watch those games.
For us, yeah. This season we’ve struggled in the big normally challenging and exciting games, so it’s been shite craic. Any game where we’ve done well has seemed quite boring or pointless in hindsight because it’s usually followed by shit within weeks.We're 2nd in one of, if not the best league in the world in top flight football, and yet for the majority of this season we've been pretty unenjoyable to watch.
This has to be pretty damning of football, doesn't it?
Sure, there's the occasional great game or epic moment, but they're pretty rare in the grand scheme of things, aren't they?
Good tactics potentialize the players and allow them to truly play at their best. Alex Ferguson remained on top for so long because he never neglected them, quite the opposite.For us, yeah. This season we’ve struggled in the big normally challenging and exciting games, so it’s been shite craic. Any game where we’ve done well has seemed quite boring or pointless in hindsight because it’s usually followed by shit within weeks.
I think the premier league, and I suppose football in general, seems to lack those exciting superstars at the moment. Any top players seem to lack consistency and tactics has taken over a lot.