22 Jan 2021 12:43:24
Ive read a number of posters on here stating that they have fallen out of love with the beautiful game of late, and one or two saying they don't even bother to watch the games right now. Im going to add myself to that list.
This isn't a kneejerk reaction to last night's pitiful capitulation. It has been brewing for a number of years. Funnily enough, i spent so long desperate for us to win the league again that i didn't recognise how often i wasn't enjoying a lot of the games.

A lot of recent factors are beyond anyones control such as the lack of crowds and atmosphere since the C.V. started. A lot of other irritations have been there in different guises for decades - players cheating, for example - is there really much difference between Richarlson flopping like a kipper to get a penalty and Tommy Smith scything a player from behind to prevent a goal being scored? Cheating is cheating and it happens in every game by every team in some form or another.
In addition, the tactics in recent years by the likes of Dyche, Allardyce, Mourinho, etc, to put eleven men behind the ball and hope for a breakaway goal stifles the entertainment factor like a pope at an orgy but who can blame them when an away point at one of the 'Big 6' is so precious in a relegation battle?

All of this is part of the game but the real issue that has gnawed away at me for the past few years or more is the constant, endless tweaking and tinkering of the rules by the official bodies.
Initially, it was the adoption of one or two new rules at the beginning of each season - not passing back to the keeper, or no two-footed challenges. Then, came an obsession with micro-analysing each offence and creating variations to each rule so that 'handball' became a larger debate about the offending player's posture and movement and intent. The offside rule became convoluted and extrapolated to include offending and non-offending parts of the body plus players who may, or may not, be interfering with play when the ball is passed. Players confess to not having a clue about the exact rules, referees are put in impossible situations trying to make split-second decisions and fans have to suck it up when they lose a game based on compromised officiating.

Then, along came VAR. The nail in the coffin of football, as far as im concerned. An echo chamber for the referee which attempts to add credence to his decisions instead of correcting his errors. It slows down the flow of the game each time an offence needs to be analysed. It mutes crowds and halts goal celebrations. It draws graphics and micron-dividing lines across our screens to check whether an offending toenail has breached the offside. And still gets it wrong.
In my part of the world, I get up at 3am to watch matches sometimes twice a week. I can handle losing a game because Origi skied his shot or TAA shinned his clearance but, when so many matches are decided by poor officiating of overly-complex rule clauses, i think id rather sleep in.

No point complaining without suggesting solutions though.
Winning should be incentivised to reduce the bus-parking tactics. Four points for a win and one point for a draw should push the likes of Allardyce to be more adventurous
Rules need to be more black and white. Handball is handball, offside is offside. It makes it a lot easier to adjudicate. It is simplistic, and im aware it will never happen, but it would make it a lot simpler for the ref and linesman and consequently they would make less errors.
Get rid of VAR. If its here to stay, then let the ref use it at the side of the pitch. If the offence is too contentious to decide within 5 seconds, give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side.

Finally, if the 'powers that be' feel they need to keep twiddling the knobs of the rulebook every season then they need to at least do it in a way that encourages the rhythm and excitement and atmosphere of a football match and allows the officials to adjudicate simply and accurately.

22 Jan 2021 13:28:20
A very interesting read and can't say I disagree with much if any of your points.

The game has been lost to money men unfortunately, that includes the footballers themselves, Neymar seems to be the template for the next generation of mega stars sadly. Introduce salary caps and we would certainly see a more even playing field.

The offials are spineless old men, yesterdays game showed that. I lost count of how many times a Burnley player went in to injure another player, mainly Tiago, and the one time he replies with a heavy but arguably fair challenge he gets a warning, you have to wonder if they can actually see what is happening. They will always look to protect their own because if they admit they are not up to scratch then they have no argument against change.

Football will always be a love of mine but I hold a much stronger interest in combat sport these days, there is no hiding in that game.

22 Jan 2021 13:58:43
Television is at the heart of all the rule changes, particularly VAR.
Before VAR, the television pundits would do the micro-analysis and routinely criticise referees and whip up fan reaction.
Now that VAR is here, they micro analyse the micro analysis but they’ve stepped away from accepting any blame for the mess.
What was the song, Television The Drug of a Nation?

22 Jan 2021 15:50:02
IDofGini I worked out last night how much I am paying for my sports channels for a year and for how I am feeling after most games this season it isn’t worth it. I’ve actually stopped watching other games now and only watch us so I’m paying silly money to watch us play 5 -6 times a month and if there’s an international break then 2-3 times a month. I’m going to give notice on my sky and BT sports and join millions of others in trying to stream games and if I can’t I’ll old school radio it. Similar to you this isn’t a toys out of the pram reaction to a defeat I’ve just not enjoyed watching football as much this season. A prime example for anyone is to go back 10-20 years ago and watch premier league years where you see both teams attack and challenges were flying in with 22 players fighting for that victory regardless of what team you watched.

22 Jan 2021 16:38:50
I dream of Gino, are you named after a Sopranos episode?

{Ed002's Note - You are too young to get it I would think.}

23 Jan 2021 01:02:55
Spot on about VAR totally agree.