In a drab Premier League season, it is the competition's "most disruptive" voting group - City, Villa, Forest, Newcastle - who have had most joy in the cups so far this season There are politics beside the pitch www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba... - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

migueldelaney.bsky.social • 10 days ago

In a drab Premier League season, it is the competition's "most disruptive" voting group - City, Villa, Forest, Newcastle - who have had most joy in the cups so far this season

There are politics beside the pitch

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-cup-semi-finals-nottingham-forest-man-city-crystal-palace-aston-villa-b2739355.html

Comments

markyrands.bsky.social•9 days ago

If anything it shows how difficult it now is for promoted sides to stay in the league. And I'd argue the quality is better. Probably wouldn't describe it as drab, but something of sorts

sonofscouse.bsky.social•10 days ago

It's getting called drab because the majority of media predictions were way off isn't it?

Certainly isn't for a Forest mate, although they're tailing off in the league

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

No, it’s drab because the games don’t have as much on the line.

sonofscouse.bsky.social•10 days ago

Spurs and Man United's incompetence? Everton's turnaround under Moyes which I didn't expect? They been lots of good stories and unpredictability

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

Good stories and two big clubs drifting isn’t the same as high stakes sporting contests.

alphonsus.bsky.social•9 days ago

I feel like a lot of the discourse is conflating the feeling of “drab” with the “standard” of the league (excluding the bottom 3 of course)

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

I’m not doing that. Sometimes drab is just the way it falls

alphonsus.bsky.social•9 days ago

I’m not saying you are at all - I’m saying lots of other people are

alphonsus.bsky.social•9 days ago

Including many Liverpool fans

matt88.bsky.social•9 days ago

Totally get this. From a villa fan, it's been a tough battle all the way through. And probably the same for a lot of teams perspectives, in the top half at least in the battle for Europe.

But there hasn't been a title race or a relegation battle. So from a reporting perspective, you're spot on.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

I honestly can’t understand how people are arguing. It’s mathematical fact!

emptymindz.bsky.social•10 days ago

In what way has it been a “drab” Premier League season?

fritiofnilsson.bsky.social•10 days ago

It has. Injuries the headline really. Essentially killed any title race and impacted so many more teams

No relegation battle, where even shockingly poor seasons from some teams like Spurs and Yanited, they can’t be touched by promoted clubs who are essentially relegation fodder

emptymindz.bsky.social•10 days ago

I think it’s been great, tbh. Much more even than ever before apart from Liverpool & the 3 relegated teams. Plenty of shocks, very competitive.

fritiofnilsson.bsky.social•10 days ago

That’s kinda the point tho isn’t it? The most important storylines have been non-events

Maybe Forest counts a shock but name another one?

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

also, Arsenal and City are going to get Champions League. And the "battle for fifth" is not exactly something that illuminates, even if it is the Champions League on the line.

fritiofnilsson.bsky.social•10 days ago

Couldn’t agree more. The remaining teams are a bunch of high spending teams underperforming their way back into the payday

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

four of the main positions - the title, three relegation positions - have been known for months. It's obviously more exciting to have games with something on the line than not.

philyred.bsky.social•10 days ago

While 4 (2-5) other main positions, are still fairly undecided. Add the Europa and Conference League placed still undecided.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

but qualifying for the Champions League just doesn't have the same resonance - also, we pretty much know Arsenal and City are getting there.

emptymindz.bsky.social•10 days ago

Seems like there’s a bit of an agenda going on here Miguel, because this isn’t the first time the league has been in this position in a season, & it’s not been mentioned as “drab” previously. There’s nothing drab about the overall quality of the league improving, IMO.

redrod.bsky.social•10 days ago

So boring seeing Forest near the top like always and poor little Man Utd struggling.

paulchandler.bsky.social•10 days ago

It's nothing to do with the quality, it's the lack of interest.

No title race. No relegation race. Was saying to mate the other week it's been a dull season. Sure it's been great for you mind. Just look it as a neutral.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

how is there an "agenda". What would the "agenda" be, other than favouring watching excitement?

And also, you don't appear to have read anything I've ever written on this. Did you not see what I was writing last season about the lack of jeopardy with City games?

redfellachris.bsky.social•10 days ago

Piss off you manc prick

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

I am not Manc, and this absolutely no reflection on Liverpool’s title win, a totally separate topic

redfellachris.bsky.social•10 days ago

If you say so

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

Yes, I do

redfellachris.bsky.social•10 days ago

You also talk shite👍

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

Like saying Liverpool are brilliant champions, and the rest of the season is no reflection on their achievement?

alexmcguinness.bsky.social•10 days ago

I think a lot of people have tried to argue that the league is boring and therefore low quality (not that you have - but people are conflating the two) But it makes no sense. Excitement is so subjective, I find the argument pointless. But then I also don't care about the neutral

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

It’s not really subjective in the sense that, mathematically, there have been huge gaps to first and the bottom three for months

redfellachris.bsky.social•9 days ago

Turn it in Miguel🤦‍♂️😂😂

alexmcguinness.bsky.social•9 days ago

It's subjective because it depends on your engagement. As an #lfc fan, I think it's been a very exciting season, I'm sure Forest fans have loved it too. Man u fans, not so much. Who's to judge who's experience is more valid? Football is about the fan, not the neutral.

redfellachris.bsky.social•9 days ago

Just ignore him mate enjoy being us he’s just trying to sell his book😂was to me yesterday anyway,embarrassing😬😂

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

And it isn’t subjective in terms of a massive gap. That is mathematically tracked. Let’s be real here. No one is engaged by an 8/9/10-point gap with no sense it’s changing

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

Literally the only people responding to this are Liverpool fans. The only ones. And it’s absurd, because it being a drab season doesn’t take away from their achievement.

codeblackdirective.bsky.social•10 days ago

The Premier League wasn't drab. It's just that the top 4 or 5 need to have more humility in defeat. The so called mid table and lower half sides are stronger than ever before and fair play to that. It's drab when Abu Dhabi are running away with the title again and again.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

It was drab. Five of the eight main positions of interest were wrapped up literally months ago, and there is a massive gap in terms of emotional stakes from the title/relegation to who can finish fourth/fifth

codeblackdirective.bsky.social•10 days ago

They weren't mathematically wrapped up, were they? When City (a Manchester club) win the league at a canter, is it not wrapped up early?

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

Yes, it is, that’s literally one of the points I’m making, and I’ve repeatedly written similar about City title wins

codeblackdirective.bsky.social•10 days ago

So that's drab too? Also when Manc Utd won at a canter?

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

You seem to think this is about clubs. It’s about maths, and what the maths mean. It’s self-evidently less drab the closer that positions go to the wire. Not sure how anyone can even argue this.

dave-almighty.bsky.social•10 days ago

Comment image

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

The only people arguing are a handful of Liverpool fans online, and many are arguing with something I didn’t even say

stevohodson.bsky.social•9 days ago

I think it was a reasonable article, drawing attention back to the murkier elements of the FA Cup semi finalists. I must admit, I impulsively took umbrage at the “drab” line as I’ve enjoyed it but, after reading the article, I get it: we’ve been top for 85% of the season & walked it - no real [1/2]

stevohodson.bsky.social•9 days ago

[2/2]…jeopardy in hindsight, although few have taken it for granted as ‘we’ve been there before’. That said, the uncertainty of individual matches, with every team able to beat every other team, has made that side of things exciting even if the lack of competition for LFC has seemed boring to some

michaelpope.bsky.social•10 days ago

Blow it out your ass, Miguel.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

huh?

lfcynwa7.bsky.social•10 days ago

This ‘drab’ nonsense being pushed by journos because City haven’t won by 12 points is getting really tiresome

liamjmulvey.bsky.social•9 days ago

The title was basically decided in early February. All 3 relegation places were decided with 5 games to go. Spurs probably don't hit 40 points and yet have never felt like they could actually go down.

It's not a memorable season. And yes it was boring that city always won it too.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•9 days ago

And really we’ve known who’s going down since January

liamjmulvey.bsky.social•9 days ago

Yep. There's some jeopardy with the European places but how dramatic can it be when half of the non relegated teams end up in europe? Good for the respective teams, but it's not a big nail biting finish for anyone outside of their fans.

pfischer.bsky.social•10 days ago

I mean, if my team were winning the title I’d be having fun too, but for everyone else, “we know who’s winning the title and who’s getting relegated by New Year’s” is, well, pretty drab

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

yes, and there's a bizarre conflation of the two points. Saying it's not exciting is not a reflection on Liverpool!

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

it's not being "pushed" by anyone - and you might want to look at my writing on City. It's the simple reality that it's objectively more exciting to watch games with something on the line than little on the line. Four of the main positions have been known for months.

timwillis.bsky.social•10 days ago

So you’re basically unless you’re challenging for the title or getting relegated the games don’t matter.
I’m not quite sure that Forest, Newcastle, Villa & Fulham fans would quite agree with you.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

No, I’m saying it’s a lot drabber. That’s self-evident. Sport is about stakes.

timwillis.bsky.social•10 days ago

How are those teams I’ve mentioned challenging the established teams at the top of the table drab?

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

Because the identity of teams competing isn’t the same thing as stakes on games

dave-almighty.bsky.social•10 days ago

Well it’s surely being pushed by you lad. I’ve heard it in many other places.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

It’s being said because it’s self-evidently true. It’s also mathematical fact. Simply stating the obvious isn’t pushing anything

dave-almighty.bsky.social•10 days ago

Really? Firstly winning at a canter because one team are superb has happened and that season was not called drab. So it’s not self-evident, you just think that.

And that’s fast and loose with the term ‘mathematical fact’.

And if loads of the same ilk of people all say a thing - it’s being pushed.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

I don’t understand your first point.

And it is clearly objectively less drab if a race for a position involves a narrow gap rather than a large gap. This is something - yes - we can mathematically track, and is self-evident

hienqwin.bsky.social•10 days ago

Forest showed the way for Premier League survival. Buy enough good players and take the minor points deduction for PSR violations. It's very much worth the risk.

harry-borne.bsky.social•10 days ago

Bad season (politically) for the red cartel.

liverlass01.bsky.social•10 days ago

How and why drab?? City winning last four years made it far more exciting??

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

you might want to read what I have been writing about City.

liverlass01.bsky.social•10 days ago

Will do, but still feel the calling it a drab Season is a bit of a stretch. Considering Liverpool were not tipped by Journos or Pundits to be anywhere near challenging….

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

it's not a stretch. A surprise team winning it is separate to whether games have been exciting, or had high stakes. They obviously haven't. We've known how four of the main positions - first, and the bottom three - are going to finish for months. That is drab.

liverlass01.bsky.social•10 days ago

Still don’t agree, the European spots are changing with each set of fixtures, bottom three could have probably been picked before start of the Season.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

relying on the European spots for drama - especially since the absurd decision to grant an extra Champions League - isn't exactly exhilarating.

al196.bsky.social•10 days ago

What do you mean a drab premier League? Liverpool fans careless about the media undermining their teams achievement. I remember when Leicester City won it the media were all singing along. # BIAS.

migueldelaney.bsky.social•10 days ago

eh? I think you have confused a few different points here.