What's bad/worse about football today?

[Ballache]

1. It's less Physical, you can barely tackle nowadays and it's a foul. I'm not advocating for 1992 tackles but I do think it was well balanced even 10 years ago.
2. Top players play too many games which has an effect on longevity and the quality of the matches themselves.
3. Very little individual brilliance, it's too tactical (which in itself is impressive but less "fun"). Not many flair players like Ronaldinho around...
4. Stats are great but it's too much now, KDB is twice the player Bruno is and I don't care what the numbers say.
5. Expansion of International tournaments, namely the WC and EC...The Euros were my favourite international tournament because with 16 teams, you had great matches from the start all the way to the end.
6. VAR. I like the concept but i don't like the application of it...
7. United being shit

Maybe I'm just getting old

 

[Pogue Mahone]

In no particular order:

• Relentless whining, play-acting and feigning injuries
• Every major European league dominated by just one or two teams
• English league too dominant over rest of Europe
• VAR
• Too much football. Cheapens the product
• Champions League group stage matches = dull, dull, dull.
• VAR
• World Cup being hosted in places like Qatar
• Too many substitutions allowed, biases game in favour of biggest, wealthiest clubs
• More and more footballers don’t seem to enjoy playing football
• VAR
• Europa/Conference league. Just a mess.
• The FA Cup’s reduced status

 

[RaddyRed]

The way everything is just centred around money.

Euros - expanded to a level that makes the group stage a bit pointless for 80% of teams.

World cup - Ffrom 2026, see above.

FA Cup semi finals played at Wembley. Completely ruins the day out at Wembley for the final when you have been there 5 weeks earlier for the semi.

The Champions league new format. I mean, what even is that.

The scrapping of the Uefa Cup and CWC straight knock outs, to make way for a group stage (more games, more advertising / TV money) and also have it as a clear rubbish alternative to the CL.

The cost of UK TV packages

VAR. It's terrible, it's failed. Get rid.

3 new kits every season. All about money again.

The over tactical nature of football. It is fascinating how in depth it is, but when from watching u6 academy football right upto the pros. Its all the same, robot style.

Racism - How is this even a thing in the modern world. Seriously what is wrong with people.

 

[berbatrick]

Agree about pressing and robotic play in general.

It hasn't just killed the #10, it's also killed a variety of playstyles in many positions. Berba is my favourite player, but a creative striker with average pace and zero defensive intensity was already out of place in the late 2000s, he would barely be a footballer today. Sure, he can hold the ball up against these crazy high lines and set up counters, but he's not getting on the end of any of them, and he's definitely not leading the pressing from the front. One of his best/worst traits was just holding the ball near the penalty box using his strength and control, not always waiting for a run, just letting the game settle in the opposition half. That patience doesn't exist now - it has to go forward quickly, or recycle and try on the other side, quickly.

 

[The Corinthian]

Football is shit now. It peaked in the 90s and 00s. But it's been on a depressing shit trajectory ever since.

 

[horsechoker]

Football is shit now. It peaked in the 90s and 00s. But it's been on a depressing shit trajectory ever since.

Just like life if you think about it.

 

[Zehner]

I genuinely love the way City and the copy cats of Pep's style play, same for Klopp (albeit to a lesser extent) and don't think rthe systemization comes ath the cost of individual geniuses. But what really bothers me is that enjoying football right now always feels like a guilty pleasure. All the cases of footballers abusing women, the money in the game that in large parts stems from parties that regularly commit human rights abuses, clubs bribing referees, the biggest names in the game showing no moral compass at all, footballers supporting right wing politicians, fans behaving like imbeciles, ... And another thing is that the whole system is a natural monpole and the longer it goes on, the more the money (and successes) will be concentrated on a select few. And that group of elites shrinks further and further while the only possibility of sustainably challenging them is selling your soul for oil money.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Football is shit now. It peaked in the 90s and 00s. But it's been on a depressing shit trajectory ever since.

Just like life if you think about it.

 

[DRJosh]

VAR and the need to scrutinise every ref decision rather than let play flow organically like in the good old days

 

[Skills]

Now it’s important for central midfielders, central defenders and centre forwards too. I can’t think of one position except goalkeeper where a player’s ‘lack of pace’ is not discussed come to think of it.

Not sure I see many people talk about pace in CMs but pacey strikers and quick defenders were always massively valued.

 

[Rozay]

Of course. Then we wonder why our wingers are so shit when they're slower than most midfield/fullbacks in PL. Need to stop signing slow wingers, they need to be at least in the 95% percentile when it comes into pace.

Exactly my point. Cyborg wars.

 

[Solius]

There's a team in the top English league that has financially doped and created artificial success for 16 years and instead of being despised they are regularly fawned over by people with zero brain cells.

 

[Counterfactual]

Inverted wingers. It all just becomes a dogpile outside the penalty area.

 

[Rozay]

Not sure I see many people talk about pace in CMs but pacey strikers and quick defenders were always massively valued.

Inzaghi, Chiesa (and pretty much all the Italian strikers tbh) were never physical or athletic really (Vieri aside). Would Raul even have the same career today? Adams, Blanc, Terry and more at the back. I’m not saying that it hasn’t always been useful to be fast - but you would never have gotten the narrative that has surrounded Harry Maguire every since he joined United. It’s expanded into other things, but essentially it’s always been a conversation about his speed. Casemiro is also now too slow. ‘Only concern about Mainoo is his lack of pace’.

I certainly read a lot about CM pace on here.

 

[Boycott]

Probably my biggest pet hate is wide players whose first instinct is to hold up the ball to keep possession. Growing up wingers were the most exciting players to watch and you'd want to get the ball out to them as much as possible as they'd carry the ball long distances, taking on defenders, whipping crosses into the box.

I think it is a shame we don't see much anymore left-footed players on the left wing and right-footed players on the right wing to dribble on the outside of full backs. A Ryan Giggs in full pelt carrying the ball 50 yards on the touchline was as a good a sight as you could see but maybe in today's game he'd be brought through to play on the right and cut inside. He did operate on the right at times to be clear and even scored twice at Anfield in that role in a 2-1 win but it was only a handful of occasions. He played more in central midfield in his latter seasons than he ever did on the right.

 

[Changeisgood]

1. It's less Physical, you can barely tackle nowadays and it's a foul. I'm not advocating for 1992 tackles but I do think it was well balanced even 10 years ago.
2. Top players play too many games which has an effect on longevity and the quality of the matches themselves.
3. Very little individual brilliance, it's too tactical (which in itself is impressive but less "fun"). Not many flair players like Ronaldinho around...
4. Stats are great but it's too much now, KDB is twice the player Bruno is and I don't care what the numbers say.
5. Expansion of International tournaments, namely the WC and EC...The Euros were my favourite international tournament because with 16 teams, you had great matches from the start all the way to the end.
6. VAR. I like the concept but i don't like the application of it...
7. United being shit

Maybe I'm just getting old

Agree with virtually everything...even strangely the last part. I miss our duels of the 90s and early 2000s. Football was more entertaining in general. The era of the endless cash out of nowhere teams didn't improve football either but they are only partly to blame. I blame FIFA and UEFA for the current problems.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

Probably my biggest pet hate is wide players whose first instinct is to hold up the ball to keep possession. Growing up wingers were the most exciting players to watch and you'd want to get the ball out to them as much as possible as they'd carry the ball long distances, taking on defenders, whipping crosses into the box.

I think it is a shame we don't see much anymore left-footed players on the left wing and right-footed players on the right wing to dribble on the outside of full backs. A Ryan Giggs in full pelt carrying the ball 50 yards on the touchline was as a good a sight as you could see but maybe in today's game he'd be brought through to play on the right and cut inside. He did operate on the right at times to be clear and even scored twice at Anfield in that role in a 2-1 win but it was only a handful of occasions. He played more in central midfield in his latter seasons than he ever did on the right.

Yeah I agree. I understand it's what they're instructed to do but it's horrible to watch.

 

[Stookie]

Not being able to just decide on the day that you’re off to the match.

 

[711]

VAR

 

[Pascal Quiff]

Chelsea's shiny shirt crests

 

[eire-red]

Another one from me: No traditional wing play anymore. Makes it very hard to build a team when you're basically looking for a gem like Mahrez for that right wing position in modern day football.

I'm also not really a fan of full-backs coming into midfield and hope the craze dies soon. There's something so satisfying about an overlapping full-back hitting a first time cross into the box and a striker powering a header into the net.

 

[a_devil_inside]

Everything relying on stats or xG too much.
Too much money, even for the fans just to watch it live or on TV.
Catering to the big clubs or countries so they have more chance of advancing.

 

[Gio]

In no particular order:

• Relentless whining, play-acting and feigning injuries
• Every major European league dominated by just one or two teams
• English league too dominant over rest of Europe
• VAR
• Too much football. Cheapens the product
• Champions League group stage matches = dull, dull, dull.
• VAR
• World Cup being hosted in places like Qatar
• Too many substitutions allowed, biases game in favour of biggest, wealthiest clubs
• More and more footballers don’t seem to enjoy playing football
• VAR
• Europa/Conference league. Just a mess.
• The FA Cup’s reduced status

That's my list as well.

Lack of competition is just boring.

And heading. So many attackers nowadays are just hopeless at it.

 

[Mb194dc]

Unequal teams meaning the same teams win every year largely. All fixed in place with "FFP".

Stat based coaching meaning nearly all teams play high pressing game and focus on cut backs for goals. Fewer long shots and flair players now. All pressing robot athletes.

Ultra expensive to pay all the subs to watch all games legally in the UK.

VAR totally inconsistent and still many refereeing errors.

 

[golden_blunder]

VAR
Death of entertainers such as LeTissier, Cantona, Ocacha
The rise of Xg (let data analytics see that, the public didn’t need to see it)
The death of traditions, boot rooms etc for young uns coking through, everyone thinks they should be in a first team by 18 and paid as such
Lack of basic defending being taught?
The death of heading
Too much football coverage meaning the rise of nobodies hosting tv shows on Sky or endless social media platforms
More corporate behaviour from football clubs, it’s all about the money and not what’s good for the game

 

[HTG]

Sportswashing and everything related to it.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

It's become boring.

Players supposed to be fitter than ever before but most teams have injury lists never seen before on better pitches and with more protection from referees.

People moaned about lumping the ball upfield. Now they pass the ball around at the back for ten minutes and then lump it upfield or give it away under pressure or kick it out of play. So boring. No creativity, so few skills.

VAR is moronic. Replacing someone's subjective poor decision by someone else's subjective poor decision and wait ten minutes to find it out.

 

[horsechoker]

It's become boring.

Players supposed to be fitter than ever before but most teams have injury lists never seen before on better pitches and with more protection from referees.

People moaned about lumping the ball upfield. Now they pass the ball around at the back for ten minutes and then lump it upfield or give it away under pressure or kick it out of play. So boring. No creativity, so few skills.

I've said it before but Guardiola getting rid of Ronaldinho was a watershed moment. I know it wasn't actually as simple as that but it feels like the moment football went from brilliant individuals to system players.

 

[Todd]

The fact that most clubs have 3 kits every season AND change them every season is a shameful money grab.

This is also becoming a thing in baseball and basketball, particularly because of Nike taking over. MLB and NBA teams will have 5 different jerseys every season...in what world is that necessary? You completely lose the identity of the team.

At the very least there should be a rule that when clubs release a new home kit, they have to use it for at least 3 seasons before changing it.

 

[spiriticon]

10 minutes of injury time on average FML.

We need a time limit on decisions.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

I've said it before but Guardiola getting rid of Ronaldinho was a watershed moment. I know it wasn't actually as simple as that but it feels like the moment football went from brilliant individuals to system players.

The number of flair players seemed to have died out over the last ten years or so.

60s and 70s were fun and then football become the most boring in the late 80s - then they changed the passback rule and the 90s was a new dawn, flair players returned but now we've reaching the end of another cycle.
And VAR has killed the excitement.

 

[Plant0x84]

United. Much worse than before.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

United. Much worse than before.

United were much worse in the early 70s and in the late 80s (under Fergie - luckily he was given time)

 

[Chesterlestreet]

In no particular order:

• Relentless whining, play-acting and feigning injuries
• Every major European league dominated by just one or two teams
• English league too dominant over rest of Europe
• VAR
• Too much football. Cheapens the product
• Champions League group stage matches = dull, dull, dull.
• VAR
• World Cup being hosted in places like Qatar
• Too many substitutions allowed, biases game in favour of biggest, wealthiest clubs
• More and more footballers don’t seem to enjoy playing football
• VAR
• Europa/Conference league. Just a mess.
• The FA Cup’s reduced status

Yep, all this.

I could add one thing:

I find recent developments at the top level absolutely fascinating in one sense: super organized pressing, the - let's say - tightness of (especially offensive) tactics/systems, the importance of organization (again, especially offensive) - which you see way down the league table, to put it like that.

Yes, all that - very fascinating in one sense.

In another sense...it hasn't added anything to the enjoyment of actually watching a game of football on the regular.

You can only admire the thing (the tightness of it) for so long. It doesn't make for great entertainment.

I dunno. I see less and less room for unconventional (individualistic) players in football. Which - if I'm right - would be a huge step in the wrong direction.

 

[HTG]

Yep, all this.

I could add one thing:

I find recent developments at the top level absolutely fascinating in one sense: super organized pressing, the - let's say - tightness of (especially offensive) tactics/systems, the importance of organization (again, especially offensive) - which you see way down the league table, to put it like that.

Yes, all that - very fascinating in one sense.

In another sense...it hasn't added anything to the enjoyment of actually watching a game of football on the regular.

You can only admire the thing (the tightness of it) for so long. It doesn't make for great entertainment.

I dunno. I see less and less room for unconventional players in football. Which - if I'm right - would be a huge step in the wrong direction.

I think this is just a trend that will fade. Other nerds will come up with other stats that will move the game into a different direction.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I think this is just a trend that will fade.

That could be, and I hope you're right.

Football has pretty much always moved in cycles. Much of what is considered "modern" or "contemporary" has actually been done before - as broader concepts.

Perhaps the current trend of "system over individual" is nothing but a variation over something we have indeed seen before many times.

 

[MayfieldsFinest]

Fans forums. Lots of spoiled and entitled 90 & 00's kids bitching constantly. Just a load of people looking for an argument, same feckers would not say boo in person, wankers.

 

[Bobski]

Homogenized styles, statification and obsession with output, loss of artistry and expressiveness, the idea that all the top players have to go to the same small number of clubs else they are a loser, the silly numbers that putting all the top players on top teams have created, wrecking historical comparisons, the fanboyism around stars over teams, VAR.

 

[GazTheLegend]

We started to allow cheating to become "part of the game" and make excuses for it.

I always, always want fairness in sport or else it's just pointless bothering with it.

PED's and doping is clearly rampant. City missed doping tests and got 50k fines. Guardiola got a ban and took his doctor with him anyway. I'm sure 'asthma' is everywhere now.

Fake injuries. Kicking people to prevent counters without bookings. Buying referees (hi Barcelona.). Buying UEFA (Hi Madrid.). Buying government entities (hi Newcastle). Buying everything else (hi Man City). Buying world cups (Russia and Qatar). Buying silence (FIFA)

Listening to people that still hate our club conveniently forget all the above for what they see as the greater good - as long as Man Utd don't win they seem quite happy with endless bribery and doping.

Nothing feels "fair" in football now. And it's not just because we are shit (which we are: we are a parody of a club and made all the same mistakes Milan did to fall asleep a giant in the 90's). It's all the dirty stuff hidden because of the money.

 

[horsechoker]

Kits being changed every season. Can we go back to new kits being biannual?