Watching Barca and Pool last night I got to thinking (oh naw he`s off again) about the game as we know it now and then the future. Much as I admired the artistry, tecnique , in fact the whole shebang about periods of Barca play I had this gnawing feeling inside of me. Is this the future for the fan?, the ever increasing gulf between teams and I am not forgetting Pool beat them last year, will mean the spectacle of the superior teams playing with the ball for ten minute periods while the opposition hare around like loppy dogs attempting to get it back. Let`s face it, outwith the top few teams in the Prem the idea for running out time is to get the ball to the corner flag, stick ones arse oot and save a few seconds, the artists stick 46 passes together, (I did count Ron). Once teams have proved they can do this , the next step is to do it consistently to preserve a lead say , Liverpool did it last year in a different manner, backs to the wall, clear the lines herculean effort boy`s, maybe more exciting yeah?. IMHO the next League to be formed will be called the Superior League , the game will be fought out between the best , it will then resemble basketball attack-defend-attack-defend and so on ,to the majority of fans utter boredom . I love the game and everything about it, not sure which way it is going hence this post , one thing I am sure of as a football fan, I really enjoyed the match on Sunday between Hereford and Wrexham what you see is what you get , all that was so the norm in our game.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Answers

Anymore pleeeeeeese

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Got to admit that the Hereford game had something about it. Maybe it'll be good for the game if the Superior League [(c) buff 2001] gets off the ground. I'll go back to watching REAL footy, as I imagine would a lot of football fans.... benefit the lower league clubs?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Sometimes the 'big' games do not appeal. It is almost like waiting for a game of chess, equally 'good' sides with 'expensive' and 'fantastic' players meeting.

The end result for me has been boredom. Unless Roy Keane (or whoever) decides to get sassy and mix it a bit.

Liverpool bore me. Bias maybe - but enjoyed Charlton v West Ham more than the supposed biggies. Mistakes and all.

Tend to stick with the Toon. Unpredictability a guarantee - unless we are in London.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

not devaluing your thread buff but I always watch the Mackems and Smoggies to enjoy it when they get beat

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Oh and by the way buff - did you say you used to work in Upstreet/Sturry

I'm just a tad nearer the coast outside Ramsgate

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Agree to a point buff but there is always potential in a football match for controversy or excitement. Peoople get sent off, there are dodgy decisions and sometimes the game just turns into a mad 90minutes for no reason - as with Charlton and West Ham. I don't think that kind of game could happen in the Champs League but there is still diversity in the PL and long may it continue. This season alone we've had the champions beaten by 'inferior' opposition.

I agree that this keep ball style of play is boring but I haven't seen much evidence of it in the premiership this season.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Hhmm - well, I'm at something of a disadvantage Buff having spent last night deeply engrossed in the RSC's Julius Caesar in 't Toon. I know - but each to his own! ;o{)

Having seen 10 minutes highlights of the Pool v Barca game at yon time last night I was frustrated to have missed what looked like a once in 10 year performance from Barcelona - their ball retention was truly amazing.

Now Barcelona are rapidly establishing themselves again as one of the very best, and Liverpool are a canny side, and certainly one of England's top 4 or 5. If they played each other another ten times, how many times do you think Barca could repeat the exhibition stuff they showed last night? None would be my guess. I really feel the game is too competitive for any team to get away with that against their peers around Europe, even here, where the players/teams are not so well-equipped technically as the best of the continental sides.

Manure came perilously close to the sort of total domination we've never really seen in the top league here, but thankfully are now regressing - and I say that purely for the good of the game here. The kind of domination that Rangers and Celtic have each enjoyed at different periods is imo very bad for the product.

The continuing popular and commercial success of the major pro sports in the US is predicated heavily on maintaining competitiveness of the teams, and avoiding one team from dominating for very long. This has been achieved using the "College Draft" system. This enables the bottom team in any league each season to get first choice from the emerging talent, which invariably comes out of the University system. This has maintained a rotation of success among the Clubs and prevented domination of any Club for an extended period.

Hope this ramble is relevant to your point.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

BTW Arsenal are getting a footballing lesson by all accounts.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

The only tactic availible to reclaim the ball is to `squeeze the other team`, (blast from the past for Softies records!), the thing is that is what the game plan is, sucker you in , then pow , add the fear factor and as someone so rightly explains using a chess anolgy- We have Stalemate, or should that be checkmate!!.

Pete , yes 59 I was at Deal , RTCRM , played against both Gates but Dover were the team. Mid 70`s hydraulic pressure testing , had a caravan at downtown upstreet along from pub , nippin ower the watta on the hoy regular lyek , before it became fashionable , balmy nights.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Oh heck Buff..."Once teams have proved they can do this , the next step is to do it consistently to preserve a lead say ".....we'll have Screacher whinging about unsportsman-like behaviour next....lol

Diving now!

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

See - I just knew about you submariners and going down ;-))

BTW - it would only be unsportsmanlike if they took to ball off to the sarnie shop.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Barca were just fantastic. That one touch fooball man! biddy fantastic. That period of play just before the 3rd goal was ... was ... very entertaining

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2001

I think Liverpool have been terrifyingly boring this season. They are doing what they have to do to win games (by and large) but they are as unentertaining a spectacle as I've seen. They are also scarily good at route one which surprises me since they have a French man as manager.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2001

.... have to agree dougal. 'Pool are arguably the most turgid team to watch in the PL - a definite throwback to......well, errh Liverpool in the 70's, actually.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2001

Not saying we're anywhere near the same standard, but the Barca Liverpool game sort of reminded me of the Newcastle Villa game, the difference I think was that Barca won their space because Liverpool couldn't stop them, we won space cos Villa didn't pressure us enough to stop us, unlike Fulham.

I'd rather be bored watching Barca type football than the Liverpool version. It's sort of like snooker where the fancy pots get all the glory, but sometimes it's just as fascinating watching two skillful players playing safe. And Buff's basketball analogy is spot on IMO.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2001

I agree that, in the second half, Barca were fantastic. The second goal was one of the best struck balls I've seen for years. To think that the lads only 19. However, how would the match have progressed if Owen hadn't, uncharacteristically, missed that sitter? For periods in the first half and bits of the second Liverpool outplayed Barca, but didn't do it with quite their style.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2001