A Boring Entry Defending The "Boring" Premiership
Not in a very good mood today as far as the footcer world goes. I usually know so much better in fantasy footcer than to start who everyone else does. But, Jermaine Defoe just looked like such a good play today against Aston Villa. And when he stepped to the penalty spot in the first half of today's match, in theory, he could have made my week - instead he broke it.
But it doesn't stop with a missed penalty kick (though it wasn't like he pushed it over the crossbar, it was just stopped by Thomas Sorensen). Had it gone in, the goal by Robbie Keane in the second half would have matched my 2-1 Tottenham prediction. Instead I lost a point for the tie. My +1 this week on I Know The Score just doesn't match my +12 from last week (thank goodness Birmingham and Portsmouth forgot how to score after the 5th minute and matched my 1-1 scoreline exactly).
See how you're feeling right now? That is what a fit of boredom feels like. Boredom is not, as so many Premiership fans seem to be claiming right now, watching Chelsea.
Not that I'm going to defend Chelsea on this one. Over the course of a season one club being dominant, no matter which the team, is boring. But match to match, Chelsea is more interesting to watch - at least when they have the ball - than a lot of teams. Sure, the match isn't really in question when it starts, Chelsea will win. The question is how they'll win. Who will score that brilliant goal that makes the game 1-0?
I think people are forgetting the feeling of anger or disgust or thank goodness a relegation bound team behind us lost they had when Hernan Crespo scored the last second goal to beat Wigan back in week one.
Of course once that first goal is scored, the fans in the stadium or TV viewers may as well leave or turn off the TV and do other, more productive things. Though this year Chelsea does seem to be adding a second goal for a little more value. :)
Perhaps I'm just being contrarian against Arsene Wenger since it was his quote that brought the whole "is Chelsea boring?" debate to the surface. Wenger had the following to say:
Would I love to see every game in the Premiership end 3-2 or 4-3? Or course I would - I'm an American. :) And I agree with many of the e-mails linked above that the possibility of a barnburner or a nice 6-0 shellacking is what makes leagues like the Eredivisie and Colaship and La Liga (Gol TV has a brilliant, live, La Liga doubleheader with Villarreal playing at 10:00 a.m. U.S. central, followed by Real Madrid at noon) more exciting than the Premiership.
Personally, however, I watch the Premiership because it's the world's best defenders up against the world's best attackers (on aggregate). It's just unfortunate that a good defense will beat a good offense.
I'm just not going to show anyone I'm trying to convert to a footcer fan a Premiership game. :)
But it's hard for me to blame Chelsea for the boring when they've scored more goals this year than anyone! That being said, if I could wave a magic wand and ban the 4-5-1 from being used in England, you bet I would!
But it doesn't stop with a missed penalty kick (though it wasn't like he pushed it over the crossbar, it was just stopped by Thomas Sorensen). Had it gone in, the goal by Robbie Keane in the second half would have matched my 2-1 Tottenham prediction. Instead I lost a point for the tie. My +1 this week on I Know The Score just doesn't match my +12 from last week (thank goodness Birmingham and Portsmouth forgot how to score after the 5th minute and matched my 1-1 scoreline exactly).
See how you're feeling right now? That is what a fit of boredom feels like. Boredom is not, as so many Premiership fans seem to be claiming right now, watching Chelsea.
Not that I'm going to defend Chelsea on this one. Over the course of a season one club being dominant, no matter which the team, is boring. But match to match, Chelsea is more interesting to watch - at least when they have the ball - than a lot of teams. Sure, the match isn't really in question when it starts, Chelsea will win. The question is how they'll win. Who will score that brilliant goal that makes the game 1-0?
I think people are forgetting the feeling of anger or disgust or thank goodness a relegation bound team behind us lost they had when Hernan Crespo scored the last second goal to beat Wigan back in week one.
Of course once that first goal is scored, the fans in the stadium or TV viewers may as well leave or turn off the TV and do other, more productive things. Though this year Chelsea does seem to be adding a second goal for a little more value. :)
Perhaps I'm just being contrarian against Arsene Wenger since it was his quote that brought the whole "is Chelsea boring?" debate to the surface. Wenger had the following to say:
"I’m very concerned. I feel the attraction of English football has always been positive but now the trend is to attack less. If this starts to get into the brain of football it will go downhill quickly."
Would I love to see every game in the Premiership end 3-2 or 4-3? Or course I would - I'm an American. :) And I agree with many of the e-mails linked above that the possibility of a barnburner or a nice 6-0 shellacking is what makes leagues like the Eredivisie and Colaship and La Liga (Gol TV has a brilliant, live, La Liga doubleheader with Villarreal playing at 10:00 a.m. U.S. central, followed by Real Madrid at noon) more exciting than the Premiership.
Personally, however, I watch the Premiership because it's the world's best defenders up against the world's best attackers (on aggregate). It's just unfortunate that a good defense will beat a good offense.
I'm just not going to show anyone I'm trying to convert to a footcer fan a Premiership game. :)
But it's hard for me to blame Chelsea for the boring when they've scored more goals this year than anyone! That being said, if I could wave a magic wand and ban the 4-5-1 from being used in England, you bet I would!
posted by incendiarymind at 5:16 PM
5 Comments:
Agreed. And if you ever need to defend the entertainment value of MLS just point to tonight's 5-4 cracker between the Metrostars and the Revolution. A phenomenal game. I don't think there's been a 0-0 draw in MLS since May or June.
As I was typing the entry, I was watching that game develop. Though every time New England would tie it up, I was hoping the Metros would stop scoring being as the Revs are my second team (when I lived near Detroit, there was no home team after all). ;) The thought crossing my mind was, "ask and ye shall receive."
Perhaps we should suggest to our Englishy friends to watch the MLS if they're upset with the Premiership.
Wow wow wow, before you go calling my league a bore turn your heads to my team, a cute 3-0 victory for Newcastle against an old boys team Blackburn. The Charles N'Zogbia show is entertaining for watching young skill develop before you eyes, less of the hapless keeper on hardened striker of MLS.
Dom. I'm not calling your league a bore, I'm just reporting on what's been said. The Manchester City match today was a classic, except the wrong team won.
It's not what you said, it's the way you said it...
*sulks*
Post a Comment
<< Home