The (Un) Official Football thread

[Gandalf the Red]

The problem a lot of people have had with Chelsea winning is that the football has hardly been classy and exciting. It's pretty ironic that Arsenal fans were singing "Boring, Boring Chelsea".

[kanet666]

I'd rather play crap and get results than play beautiful flowing football and not. We had Sam Allardyce who ground out results, some fans got on his case (although shipping 7 to United didn't help) and so we got the footballing messiah himself Steve Kean with gems such as "We got into the box more times than the opposition", And now we're back in mid-championship.

Mourinho plays what he needs to, I'd argue that they were quite entertaining in the first half of the season, but as soon as it was clear that they had won (as well as losing all of their strikers) they shut up shop and conserved themselves for the run-in. It's part of what makes him arguably the best manager in football.

[Danroush]

The problem a lot of people have had with Chelsea winning is that the football has hardly been classy and exciting. It's pretty ironic that Arsenal fans were singing "Boring, Boring Chelsea".

I wouldn't say Arsenal are boring, but they do need to take a punt at goal from more than 5 yards out a bit more often. If anything, their insistent focus on scoring from close range (unless on the counter) makes them too predictable to defend against.

[Ghost]

As an Arsenal fan I could count on one hand how many times the quick passing interplay into the box has resulted in a goal this season. When it does work it is also against the lower teams. Pointless. Just shoot and you're likely to get a goal from a deflection. If teams learn to just shoot on sight then I'm sure they will score more goals from deflections. Not pretty but if you win then who cares.

[Gandalf the Red]

The problem a lot of people have had with Chelsea winning is that the football has hardly been classy and exciting. It's pretty ironic that Arsenal fans were singing "Boring, Boring Chelsea".

I wouldn't say Arsenal are boring, but they do need to take a punt at goal from more than 5 yards out a bit more often. If anything, their insistent focus on scoring from close range (unless on the counter) makes them too predictable to defend against.

They may not be boring now. But for most of my football watching days they have been seen as extremely boring.

You're probably too young for the "1-0 to the Arsenal" and "Boring, Boring Arsenal" chants that greeted them every match. Especially when George Graham was manager.

From Wikipedia.

Arsenal have often been stereotyped as a defensive and "boring" side, especially during the 1970s and 1980s; many comedians, such as Eric Morecambe, made jokes about this at the team's expense. The theme was repeated in the 1997 film The Full Monty, in a scene where the lead actors move in a line and raise their hands, deliberately mimicking the Arsenal defence's offside trap, in an attempt to co-ordinate their striptease routine.

[mathewxentrix88]

I'd rather play crap and get results than play beautiful flowing football and not. We had Sam Allardyce who ground out results, some fans got on his case (although shipping 7 to United didn't help) and so we got the footballing messiah himself Steve Kean with gems such as "We got into the box more times than the opposition", And now we're back in mid-championship.

Mourinho plays what he needs to, I'd argue that they were quite entertaining in the first half of the season, but as soon as it was clear that they had won (as well as losing all of their strikers) they shut up shop and conserved themselves for the run-in. It's part of what makes him arguably the best manager in football.

I still don't understand why winning AND playing exciting football have to be mutually exclusive.

[Jobdone]

On that note of "too young for" (I am too young to know boring arsenal), someone in works kid just picked a team to support and it's Man City. Weird to think that they're actually a viable glory hunter club considering what they were while I was growing up.

[kanet666]

I'd rather play crap and get results than play beautiful flowing football and not. We had Sam Allardyce who ground out results, some fans got on his case (although shipping 7 to United didn't help) and so we got the footballing messiah himself Steve Kean with gems such as "We got into the box more times than the opposition", And now we're back in mid-championship.

Mourinho plays what he needs to, I'd argue that they were quite entertaining in the first half of the season, but as soon as it was clear that they had won (as well as losing all of their strikers) they shut up shop and conserved themselves for the run-in. It's part of what makes him arguably the best manager in football.

I still don't understand why winning AND playing exciting football have to be mutually exclusive.

They don't have to be, see Barcelona for that though, as I'd argue particularly in England, playing too expansively can leave you far too exposed. Arsenal are the obvious "big" candidate to show that, but teams such as Blackpool have come up to play exciting football, been found out and then battered back down.

[Danroush]

The problem a lot of people have had with Chelsea winning is that the football has hardly been classy and exciting. It's pretty ironic that Arsenal fans were singing "Boring, Boring Chelsea".

I wouldn't say Arsenal are boring, but they do need to take a punt at goal from more than 5 yards out a bit more often. If anything, their insistent focus on scoring from close range (unless on the counter) makes them too predictable to defend against.

They may not be boring now. But for most of my football watching days they have been seen as extremely boring.

You're probably too young for the "1-0 to the Arsenal" and "Boring, Boring Arsenal" chants that greeted them every match. Especially when George Graham was manager.

From Wikipedia.

Arsenal have often been stereotyped as a defensive and "boring" side, especially during the 1970s and 1980s; many comedians, such as Eric Morecambe, made jokes about this at the team's expense. The theme was repeated in the 1997 film The Full Monty, in a scene where the lead actors move in a line and raise their hands, deliberately mimicking the Arsenal defence's offside trap, in an attempt to co-ordinate their striptease routine.

Yeah, My dad was still in Iran in the 70s and early 80s, and I was only 3 when The Full Monty came out.

[Tet]

On that note of "too young for" (I am too young to know boring arsenal), someone in works kid just picked a team to support and it's Man City. Weird to think that they're actually a viable glory hunter club considering what they were while I was growing up.

When I was growing up, both Chelsea and Man City were both mid-table clubs at best. Strange how money changes things...

[Moonburp]

On that note of "too young for" (I am too young to know boring arsenal), someone in works kid just picked a team to support and it's Man City. Weird to think that they're actually a viable glory hunter club considering what they were while I was growing up.

When I was growing up, both Chelsea and Man City were both mid-table clubs at best. Strange how money changes things...

Yeah, I was the only Chelsea fan in my year group when I was a kid, while everyone was supporting Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd and even Newcastle

[mathewxentrix88]

I'd rather play crap and get results than play beautiful flowing football and not. We had Sam Allardyce who ground out results, some fans got on his case (although shipping 7 to United didn't help) and so we got the footballing messiah himself Steve Kean with gems such as "We got into the box more times than the opposition", And now we're back in mid-championship.

Mourinho plays what he needs to, I'd argue that they were quite entertaining in the first half of the season, but as soon as it was clear that they had won (as well as losing all of their strikers) they shut up shop and conserved themselves for the run-in. It's part of what makes him arguably the best manager in football.

I still don't understand why winning AND playing exciting football have to be mutually exclusive.

They don't have to be, see Barcelona for that though, as I'd argue particularly in England, playing too expansively can leave you far too exposed. Arsenal are the obvious "big" candidate to show that, but teams such as Blackpool have come up to play exciting football, been found out and then battered back down.

Blackpool hardly had the players that Chelsea have though!

[Gandalf the Red]

Blackpool hardly had the players that Chelsea have though!

They've got even fewer now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32794959

[houston4044]

Chelsea's bus driver has been their best player all season.

Yeah, but we still have the second highest goal tally

It's interesting that you've conceded as many as Southampton down in 6th though. If they had even 1 top notch striker this season (e.g. an upcoming youngster like Kane was this season), it's hard to argue against them having put in a real challenge for at least Champions League, and possibly even the title.

I'd say Pelle has been one of the best Prem strikers this season. He's as inconsistent as most other strikers yes, but on his day he can give anyone a run for their money. I think the problem is that once the Saints lost their momentum they've found it hard to regain it.

I still don't understand why winning AND playing exciting football have to be mutually exclusive.

Because chairmen are so eager to ditch a manager nowadays if things turn slightly sour that any manager who wants to keep their job is going to do everything they can to win, even if that means the team plays such a boring game.

[kanet666]

So it seems that all but one of Blatter's opponents for FIFA Presidency have withdrawn... and here was me hoping we'd finally be rid of the cunt.