Football in 2024 is absolutely incredible. And underwhelming. Something is missing - I think it's variety. Is English football all starting to look the same? Managers and SDs have been in touch to say that know exactly what I'm talking about... www.thetimes.com/article/c813... - ThreadSky

jnorthcroft.bsky.social • 80 days ago

Football in 2024 is absolutely incredible. And underwhelming.

Something is missing - I think it's variety.

Is English football all starting to look the same?

Managers and SDs have been in touch to say that know exactly what I'm talking about...

https://www.thetimes.com/article/c813b29f-3664-4dab-a7be-238330a602c4?shareToken=1d2cabf55b3ec7c742732a1d65ec1c0c

Comments

massmarauder.bsky.social•78 days ago

I guarantee you 50% of Lampards 43 goals from outside the box hit someone's arse in teh box on the way in. King of the Deflection. However, you can't win the lottery etc.

cheshey.bsky.social•80 days ago

People saying football is possession based is boring always will be tedious

oliverkay.bsky.social•74 days ago

Just catching up. Excellent piece. I wrote on a similar theme recently. There's a real delusion about how much more exciting & creative football used to be in 2000s. It wasn't. Nostalgia gone mad! I think what actually people miss most from 2000s is the personalities https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5917161

bomdiagolf.bsky.social•74 days ago

It must be an age thing too. I think back to the classic Milan side with Rui Costa, Pirlo, Seedorf, shevchenko…need I go on, and wonder where the players like that are now? They do exist, look at Madrid or Liverpool even, but I’ve/we’ve just grown up and are less in touch with it?

oliverkay.bsky.social•74 days ago

There's definitely an age/nostalgia thing. I also think there's a saturation with football now. Champs Lge nights in the 90s/00s, some of the Milan/Juve/Madrid/Barça players (even some of average quality) seemed other-worldly. But I do think that comes back to personality/aura as much as talent

jnorthcroft.bsky.social•73 days ago

Loved reading that. I usually tire quickly of memes but couldn't get enough of the Barclaysmen thing. Nostalgia is part of this, as is over exposure - 2000+ live matches on TV every year in the UK now. But also there were more 'characters' before because game accommodated difference better

jkpkrn.bsky.social•73 days ago

Even the nostalgic, walking pace number 10s that people reel off - Riquelme, Rui Costa, Laudrup, Baggio, Hagi - none of them played in the Premier League. Closest we had was Bergkamp.

jnorthcroft.bsky.social•73 days ago

That was nothing to do with style and tactics. That was about the game's economics. They played in Italy and Spain because that's where the money was. Also, only one (Riquelme) was a 'walking pace' player.

denmal.bsky.social•80 days ago

Football is nothing more than a chess game with varied pieces. There will always be variety but there will always be superior and inferior approaches. As the game matures, you’l have to improve as a spectator to understand the differences. What can be done? Shake up the rules, of course.

castrogacio.bsky.social•80 days ago

The game has evolved many times... Helenio Herrera, Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, Arrigo Sacchi, Josep Guardiola... When a system had deepened its course, detractors entered the fray with the same arguments.

Never forget the absolutely appalling long ball "up and under" football.

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