7 comments

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  Simon Burke

  2 years ago

  Gaffer - good post but I disagree with your first point. The removal of terracing has been great, hooliganism is down, incidents like Hillsborough cant happen and personally I prefer to sit for the most part of a game. I agree with having cheaper 'seating' not terracing to bring back fans.
  
  
  I also agree goals scores should be the first tie-breaker but this wont encourage teams to push forward until the final 2 games of the season when they suddenly realise they need goals to enhance their league position.
  
  
  
  I will give you my opinion on the 2 men who ruined attacking football for England -
  
  a) Arsene Wenger. He did the impossible by turning Boring Boring Arsenal into exciting superfluid Arsenal. The rest of the league couldn't touch Arsenal at their best so the likes of Bolton and Blackburn came up with anti-football which sadly has become the norm, even United (barring this season) have resorted to kicking Arsenal a lot to get 'amongst them' as Sam Allardyce would say. Anti-football is used by most who play Arsenal and even those dour sides who play each other with it now. Frankly Bolton hurt my eyes and I cant watch them.
  
  
  
  b) Roman Abramovich. He has created an unstoppable team with his 'Special One' - his bank account, not Maurinho. The perception is Chelsea are near unbeatable and teams celebrate a 0-0 draw with them like a World Cup Final win. Their success is built on the Wingless Wonders - 4 center midfielders who are like the anti-Madrid. Whereas Madrid had its Galacticos in years gone by and played stylish football back in 2000-2003, Chelsea have taken all their wealth and build a team of plodders and efficient engines - Robben and Cole struggle to get games in one of the dourest team formations ever seen. Last year they had wingers but played that painful 4-5-1.
  
  
  
  Personally I want to outlaw 4-5-1.
  
  
  
  My views: Prices need to go down, teams need greater rewards for attack (hence goals for is a great tiebreaker) and salary caps will have to be instituted to counter Chelsea's unfair dominance, either that or we all need Billionaires at the helms of the clubs - i would rather see a salary cap tied into average gates to keep sides like Watford and Bolton from suddenly winning the Premiership.
  
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  Anonymous

  2 years ago

  The first point:
  They have limited terracing in the Bundesliga, the biggest supported league in Europe - why can't we have it back in England? Terraces, as in cheap tickets.
  
  
  
  What is the difference between going to a match in person & sitting at home watching on tv? Yes, the crowd atmosphere. At the moment there is none.
  
  
  
  Chanting before the match? You joking, when we have people genteely taking their seats 5 or 10 mins after kickoff?
  
  
  
  
  
  TT
  
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  The Scout

  2 years ago

  Gaffer,
  
  
  I posted a link to a Guardian article on this topic along with a few of my own comments. It's over on my EPL community blog:
  
  
  
  http://epltalk.communityserver.com/blogs/the_scout/archive/2006/12/05/Is-the-EPL-truly-the-most-boring-league_3F00_.aspx
  
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  The Scout

  2 years ago

  Whoops,
  
  
  Maybe I should read your blog more closely. I see you already posted the Guardian story...sorry about that!!
  
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  riocharlie

  2 years ago

  I love the post blaming arsenal, simultaneously leading the league in creating and not capitalizing on chances and amongst the leaders in scoring, and playing the most attractive football outside of barcelona.
  
  
  As far as the salary cap I think its a terrible idea. If you cant afford to eat at the restaurant --- get out, sell you rteam to someone who can.
  
  
  
  What Ive seen to date in the premiere league is some pretty crappy play. If the strikers hit the net a little more often thered be some more goals, amazing as that may sound. How many direct chances are shanked? How many crosses or shots wind up in row K? and im not just talking arsenal although they porbably lead the league.
  
  
  
  This year Ive heard the schedule, world cup break, new pitches, mercury rising in venus and on and on about teams not performing, when does it end? To me the responsibility for this lies with theplayers. Rooney Gerrard Rosciky Fabregas Cole Ballack Henry Scxhevchenko, the list is long of plaeyrs counted on to score who havent stepped up to the plate. All by the way playing under fairly attack minded coaches.
  
  
  
  If you want a salary cap watch the Championship division zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  
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  tyler

  2 years ago

  I don't think that a salary cap is the way to go. Big Clubs should not be prevented from reinvesting revenue into the team. Some more parity would be good, but too much parity would be a bad thing. Having strong teams in traditional places like Man U, Liverpool, and Arsenal is good for the game. A salary cap would make it a traditionless entity like the National Football League.
  
  
  I would suggest more of a revenue sharing plan, similar to Major League Baseball. It allows the successful clubs to stay successful, and if the money is dictated to be used for salary would allow the smaller teams to be more competitive.
  
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  Simon Burke

  2 years ago

  Rio, i am hardly blaming Arsenal, i am an Arsenal fan. But I do think there has been a rise in extra defensive play to counter their style so in that respect Arsenal are a cause but at fault.
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