Is Premier League Boring?

[BlueAmigo]

Yep....absolutely crap.

Go back 15 years.

The reason we love Ndiaye so much because he's throw back to when a player used individual brilliance to beat a man.

Individualism has been completely squashed out the game.

Totally. Look at Rooney, poached from us and coached to be more of an athlete, still a great player but could have been something else in my opinion. The league has moved more and more towards athleticism and power and it's incredibly dull.

 

[PhilM]

Its only boring cos we aint in the conversation.

I disagree, partly. As Evertonians, we've been starved of real talent and excitement for a while, which will undoubtedly play a part in many of our fans' perspective.

Nevertheless, I do think there is something in the argument that there are far fewer talented individuals these days, and instead there are many more athletes.

While only one dynamic of the argument, here are the PFA team of the year from ten, fifteen and twenty years ago:

I look at the top teams now, and there's far fewer 'names' - players I look at go, yeah they are really talented.

 

[DanEFC92]

Too many games and all. Fatigue sets in. International friendlies, nations league?? Club world cup?? Conference league??

 

[Milkman]

I was watching old season review vids on YouTube recently. The season with Norman Whiteside scoring every other week in particular. It was so much more relatable and the quality gap between then and now was not as big as I was expecting.

Football has been sanitised beyond belief. That's the underlying problem. VAR has tipped it over the edge and accelerated its death. I find myself hate-watching games these days, staring blankly as a goal may or may not stand for a totally illogical rule.

It's run by corrupt corporations, referee'd by over-regulated morons and played by cheating ballbags. What's worse are the scabs who continue to watch it and defend what it has become.

 

[Goat]

I disagree, partly. As Evertonians, we've been starved of real talent and excitement for a while, which will undoubtedly play a part in many of our fans' perspective.

Nevertheless, I do think there is something in the argument that there are far fewer talented individuals these days, and instead there are many more athletes.

While only one dynamic of the argument, here are the PFA team of the year from ten, fifteen and twenty years ago:
View attachment 302552View attachment 302553View attachment 302551

I look at the top teams now, and there's far fewer 'names' - players I look at go, yeah they are really talented.

No, dont get me wrong, there has been a massive drop in quality, I said it a while ago when VVD was actually good, he was considered the best CB in the world and he wouldnt have polished Nestas boots.

If I said who is the best player in the world atm and people will say Messi, CR7, KDB and they are all nearly 40.

Theres no quality around.

There is the odd player, but leagues had ballers, lots of ballers.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Totally. Look at Rooney, poached from us and coached to be more of an athlete, still a great player but could have been something else in my opinion. The league has moved more and more towards athleticism and power and it's incredibly dull.

 

[Saint Domingo]

It’s boring because it feels fixed. Quality is nothing to do with it. Everton were equally terrible in the 90s but had wins over Liverpool and United regularly and away at top grounds. In the early 2000s it felt like there was a bit of hope (even though there probably wasn’t) as the number of wins reduced.

Now you can barely win a corner against some of these teams without there being a forensic investigation and a post mortem in the media meanwhile dodgy decisions are given against other teams every week and just swept away.

Eventually people lose interest because it just feels like a stage managed product that you can’t ever win.

 

[PITA]

Personally this season has been worst season ever, an average RS side, who have an appalling defence have managed to comfortably win title. Their nearest challengers Arsenal have managed to continually do their best to drop points. I used to know most players from other clubs, now I don't even bother watching other teams. It it just me that finds modern game tediously boring?

The problem, as I see it, is that there is just too much football on TV. Years ago it used to be exciting seeing a televised game now it's run-of-the-mill.

 

[Ruairi77]

Yeah I guess for me I can watch Everton any game I want live, I play fantasy footy with my mates, we go out to bars to watch games, it's a better TV product than most american sports, etc, etc. For us it's a lot of fun but I could see it being different in the UK or if you grew up with it

yeah, definitely.
It's got far more jeopardy than American Pro sports.
It's also a good time to go to the pub with friends and far cheaper than attending live US sports.
In fairness, NBCs coverage has been great, the panels, hosts, fan zones.
Thing is, I really think in England, all that stuff has gotten much worse.

 

[PhilM]

No, dont get me wrong, there has been a massive drop in quality, I said it a while ago when VVD was actually good, he was considered the best CB in the world and he wouldnt have polished Nestas boots.

If I said who is the best player in the world atm and people will say Messi, CR7, KDB and they are all nearly 40.

Theres no quality around.

There is the odd player, but leagues had ballers, lots of ballers.

And I think that's why it has become boring. If I were to watch a non-Everton game, free from tribalism, I want to be entertained, and that doesn't happen as much.

I want to see crunching tackles, beautiful football and glorious goals. Remember this? You'll struggle to get one or two of these now, if that.

 

[Marcus Kendall]

I actually think the PL is genuinely really interesting currently. You basically have very little between 16th and potentially even 17th up to 4th. You can rise up the table quickly and it's really fluid.

I also don't think the top teams (which are basically 3) are miles ahead either. I know Arsenal dropped a few players, but to me they're not miles ahead of say Bournemouth or Aston Villa or whatever. I'm really interested how that shakes itself out.

If Liverpool let Salah go, it will sound mad but they could easily end up being 7th or whatever as well.

I think you've got a league now, where loads of the teams are basically good, in different ways.

I personally think Salah is overrated and replaceable, I remember people thought they'd struggle to replace Coutinho and Mane when they left but it wasn't too difficult. Unfortunately they'll be the team to beat next season too as I think the challengers will not be a ton better next season either

VAR as applied by other Euro leagues I've watched is not a massive problem. That's because in Spain, Germany, France, Italy they use it for clarity and apply it consistently. They dont have the corrupt PGMOL who take their instruction from the PL to use VAR to spice up the product and create controversy - which is what the game in this country measures value in rather than quality of football.

Only problem is the handball law abroad is draconian and a farce

 

[Marcus Kendall]

I agree - it’s well past saturation point for me and now I only ever watch Everton games

Too much football

Just think we have the World Club Cup to look forward to in the summer!

 

[davek]

I personally think Salah is overrated and replaceable, I remember people thought they'd struggle to replace Coutinho and Mane when they left but it wasn't too difficult. Unfortunately they'll be the team to beat next season too as I think the challengers will not be a ton better next season either

Only problem is the handball law abroad is draconian and a farce

They ALWAYS regenerate up front. Doesn't matter who leaves, they get a world class finisher in.

That said, Salah has been phenomenal.

 

[Rita_Poon]

I disagree, partly. As Evertonians, we've been starved of real talent and excitement for a while, which will undoubtedly play a part in many of our fans' perspective.

Nevertheless, I do think there is something in the argument that there are far fewer talented individuals these days, and instead there are many more athletes.

While only one dynamic of the argument, here are the PFA team of the year from ten, fifteen and twenty years ago:

I look at the top teams now, and there's far fewer 'names' - players I look at go, yeah they are really talented.

This is the production line, it is the scouting network, it is easier selling an athlete into a club and letting them do the development into a player. This is where the jack of all trades, master of none comes to the fore. Agents don't care about players, or abandoned adolescents, or entertainment, or clubs or silverware, they only want or give a toss about money. They'll flog anyone anywhere and step over their own ma to do so. Get em signed, get em sold, get the cash and move on and do it all again. The game is quicker, the counter attacks more of them, and the gamesmanship is more rife than ever.
Someone mentioned Rooney further back in the thread, a kid so in love with the game, was finishing school, going to training twice a day, then of an evening going for a kick about with his pals that lived near his. When modern football has corrupted this ideal in the minds of children then the game has evolved into something much darker and nastier.

 

[Lanolin]

The problem, as I see it, is that there is just too much football on TV. Years ago it used to be exciting seeing a televised game now it's run-of-the-mill.

This is a massive part of it, we’re just so familiar with all the teams and players now, there’s nothing novel about it. I don’t think the product has got worse, it’s just over saturated.