The Football.....

[Vapin' Joe]

I've just watched Arsenal v Coventry in "The Big Match Revisited" from the seventies. It made me realise how dull and boring the modern game has become, despite the higher skill levels of the players. The older game had very few stoppages, it just flowed from start to finish with players not afraid to take each other on and none of this playing out from the back - or twenty passes to end up where you started - that we have to suffer today.

 

[Mike_P]

There is too much emphasis on the safe pass. Often the team dominating possession ends up getting hammered as the opposition score from misplaced passes.

The safe pass approach is typically easily defended against meaning very few if any shots on target. Maybe needs a ruling if a shot must be taken after a set number of passes.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I've just watched Arsenal v Coventry in "The Big Match Revisited" from the seventies. It made me realise how dull and boring the modern game has become, despite the higher skill levels of the players. The older game had very few stoppages, it just flowed from start to finish with players not afraid to take each other on and none of this playing out from the back - or twenty passes to end up where you started - that we have to suffer today.

It was also, quite often, just some big lads lumping the ball about in the mud.

The issue with "modern football" is that players are so well coached and tactics so well developed that there's often a bit of a stalemate. You can avoid tis by dropping down to non-league footy, where people still make very poor decisions, lump the ball about and quite often play on muddy pitches.

 

[Red17]

It was also, quite often, just some big lads lumping the ball about in the mud.

I used to watch Wimbledon in the Dave Bassett / John Fashanu era. Definitely was not more entertaining

 

[AndyRM]

It was also, quite often, just some big lads lumping the ball about in the mud.

The issue with "modern football" is that players are so well coached and tactics so well developed that there's often a bit of a stalemate. You can avoid tis by dropping down to non-league footy, where people still make very poor decisions, lump the ball about and quite often play on muddy pitches.

I agree with what you're saying, but that's a bit of a disservice to non-league. Some of the grounds are seriously impressive for that level, and there are some skilful players too, not just the ones who've dropped down the divisions because there weren't good enough.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I used to watch Wimbledon in the Dave Bassett / John Fashanu era. Definitely was not more entertaining

Have you transitioned to watching MMA now?

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I agree with what you're saying, but that's a bit of a disservice to non-league. Some of the grounds are seriously impressive for that level, and there are some skilful players too, not just the ones who've dropped down the divisions because there weren't good enough.

Yeah, it's a bit unfair. I saw someone explaining that even non-league was playing it out from the back and using various pressing techniques nowadays. And pitches have improved a lot as well

 

[AndyRM]

Yeah, it's a bit unfair. I saw someone explaining that even non-league was playing it out from the back and using various pressing techniques nowadays. And pitches have improved a lot as well

Some sides are better at it than others! Likewise the grounds, The Morgue where North Shields play over the road from me is little more than a fenced off bit of park with a few portacabins and a small block of buildings.

The Buck's Head on the other hand...

Both decent pitches though, but The Morgue suffers from exposure to the elements in the winter, mainly ice.

 

[StuAff]

Ipswich are probably wishing it got postponed again. Four clear of the drop, hopefully a good result against Leicester on Saturday....

Well, can't get better than another three points. With Oxford losing to Derby, that's seven points clear now. Probably safe, though no chickens counted yet…