General Modern Football: Is It Just Boring?

[holdsteady]

Just make Fleetwoods defence play every game, be much more exciting.

 

[Mad Dog]

Was watching the Man City vs. Arsenal game on Sunday (well, half-watching.....would've been bored out of my mind if I'd been concentrating on it fully)....

.....and I got to thinking that the big problem with the games today is the way that top sides defend. Everyone gets 8 or 9 players back behind the ball, drops deeper and deeper into this low block where almost all of those players are basically in the penalty area and there really is next to zero space. Nigh on impossible to pick a through ball, and not much easier to get a strike on goal.

I don't think the players are any less skillful - if anything, I think the technical level is actually higher than it's ever been. But the defensive tactics have gotten so good that there's just no space to do anything in and around your opponent's area.

The same thing happened in Ice Hockey in the early 2000s. The NHL teams perfected a style of defense that they called 'The Trap' to clog up the neutral zone and make it hard for opposition teams to attack; the number of goals and all-round attacking play dried up horribly. In the end, they had to change the rules to get the hockey flowing again. Though I'm not exactly sure how you could make a rule to prevent the low block without fundamentally changing the game of football.

Points for goals. That would get the game going again.

Teams would still get 3 points for a win, and 1 point for a draw, but they would also get points for goals.

If Man City v Arsenal had finished 3-3, both teams would've got 4 points, 1 for the draw, and 3 for the goals they scored.

Even if it finished 3-2, the losing side would still get 2 points for the goals they scored, and that 2 points could prove to be crucial, so there's always something to play for.

Points for goals would get teams going for the throat for 90 mins, and would be great to watch!

 

[Mad Dog]

The obsession with stats doesn't help.

A classic example of stats being a load of pointless bollox:

IPSWICH 1-2 MAIDSTONE

 

[Marked Ox]

A slightly different modern football issue:

Dear Uefa, why have we been fined €5,000 for ‘Uefa mafia’ chants?

The words were audible during our women’s game but as president of Brann, I argue they are within freedom of expression

www.theguardian.com

UEFA being cry babies because some 'mean' Norwegians chanted "UEFA Mafia" so they fined Brann £5000. Admittedly, it seems the reason for the chant was naff.

I hope Brann win their appeal or keep going until they do. Absolute cheek of UEFA thinking they are protected under those rules. Obviously won't happen but it would be amusing if fans from clubs all over Europe started chanting 'UEFA Mafia'.

 

[MustardYellow]

It's definitely more boring, but I don't think footballers are as good as they were, nowhere near as good in fact.

Players back then were geniuses, maestros and truly world class, they really MADE things happen on the pitch, and you could see it really meant something to them as well.

The way players are lauded these days for simply being able to retain possession and "control games" by simply passing the ball around relentlessly is embarrassing.

Players these days are certainly more super athletic, but it's totally unnecessary, as they were very athletic before they became all turbo charged, and now they just get injured more as a result anyway.

And they're wimps these days, and cheats, and over paid, and over pampered....you've set me off now, I'm gonna stop before I get carried away, but I'd take the game and the players as it was back then, over what it's become without a doubt

It's an interesting point.

I haven't been around long but even I remember watching players like Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robben etc - proper 'flair' players who individually were just fun to watch. Who's the modern day equivalent of those guys?

 

[holdsteady]

It's an interesting point.

I haven't been around long but even I remember watching players like Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robben etc - proper 'flair' players who individually were just fun to watch. Who's the modern day equivalent of those guys?

Messi and Ronaldo are coming to the end of two of the greatest careers ever, don't think anyone would argue that they were not flair players? You always get lulls in quality players, but Mbappe is exciting to watch. The game is over tactical now, playing one up front causes a lot of the problem for me but some games have always been boring to watch, football can always be a bit dull to watch as a disinterested neutral.

 

[Foley]

Points for goals. That would get the game going again.

Aren't goals scored the most for some years?
I am not suggesting that the games are not more boring, but the were many years ( when the Italian clubs were winning the European competitions), where there were very few goals.
Teams would go away to get a 0 0 draw and be happy with a 1 0 home win. European games were even more tedious as away goals counted double and so home teams would become more defensive.
3 points for a win were introduced to try and make the game more attacking, as so few goals were scored.
So we could probably have had a similar thread 45 years ago!

 

[Left Wing Cross]

Was watching the Man City vs. Arsenal game on Sunday (well, half-watching.....would've been bored out of my mind if I'd been concentrating on it fully)....

.....and I got to thinking that the big problem with the games today is the way that top sides defend. Everyone gets 8 or 9 players back behind the ball, drops deeper and deeper into this low block where almost all of those players are basically in the penalty area and there really is next to zero space. Nigh on impossible to pick a through ball, and not much easier to get a strike on goal.

I don't think the players are any less skillful - if anything, I think the technical level is actually higher than it's ever been. But the defensive tactics have gotten so good that there's just no space to do anything in and around your opponent's area.

The same thing happened in Ice Hockey in the early 2000s. The NHL teams perfected a style of defense that they called 'The Trap' to clog up the neutral zone and make it hard for opposition teams to attack; the number of goals and all-round attacking play dried up horribly. In the end, they had to change the rules to get the hockey flowing again. Though I'm not exactly sure how you could make a rule to prevent the low block without fundamentally changing the game of football.

Personally, I believe this is just the current phase of football. Once a team/coach works out how to defeat teams using these methods, they'll have to adapt.

To give a historical example, the Italian game was deep into the extremely boring Catenaccio style in the 60's but had to change with the rise of total football in the 70's

 

[MustardYellow]

Messi and Ronaldo are coming to the end of two of the greatest careers ever, don't think anyone would argue that they were not flair players? You always get lulls in quality players, but Mbappe is exciting to watch. The game is over tactical now, playing one up front causes a lot of the problem for me but some games have always been boring to watch, football can always be a bit dull to watch as a disinterested neutral.

True, but Mbappe plays in France, Messi in the US and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. We don't really get to see much of them.

Outside of those 3, footballers are pretty... meh. No real flair, no real personality. The one's that do have personality are basically just knobs (Maupay springs to mind!). I don't mind Grealish but he's an exception to the rule.

For me, the best players and teams are the one's you watch and they make you feel something. Even if they don't score, or get an assist, or the team doesn't win the game, if they make you feel something that's what football is all about.

 

[Yellow River]

I’m not so sure that the football being played on the pitch today is partIcularly anymore boring than it has been in the past. I think we all tend to look back with rose tinted specs. I’ve seen plenty of boring matches at both the Manor and the Kassam and elsewhere over the years.

Clearly the tactical focus is now possession based. Years ago there was often more ‘direct’ football with balls being lumped up to a target man and then a scrap for the second ball. Sometime that could be entertaining and exciting, other times just repetitive and a complete lack of quality.

I think what has changed which perhaps gives the impression that modern football is more boring is the change in crowds and the demographic of those attending, plus the all seater stadiums. More families attending, a more corporate ‘customer’ based ‘product’. It might be an age thing but there’s no doubt in my mind that the attending and atmosphere of a football match was more exciting and thus less boring than it is today.

The other thing to perhaps bear in mind is the over saturation of football on our TV screens. You can watch a game on TV every night of the week if you so wish, Mens, Womens, Internationals, Foreign Leagues, U21s etc, etc. it endless. After a while it simply becomes less interesting.

 

[holdsteady]

I’m not so sure that the football being played on the pitch today is partIcularly anymore boring than it has been in the past. I think we all tend to look back with rose tinted specs. I’ve seen plenty of boring matches at both the Manor and the Kassam and elsewhere over the years.

Clearly the tactical focus is now possession based. Years ago there was often more ‘direct’ football with balls being lumped up to a target man and then a scrap for the second ball. Sometime that could be entertaining and exciting, other times just repetitive and a complete lack of quality.

I think what has changed which perhaps gives the impression that modern football is more boring is the change in crowds and the demographic of those attending, plus the all seater stadiums. More families attending, a more corporate ‘customer’ based ‘product’. It might be an age thing but there’s no doubt in my mind that the attending and atmosphere of a football match was more exciting and thus less boring than it is today.

The other thing to perhaps bear in mind is the over saturation of football on our TV screens. You can watch a game on TV every night of the week if you so wish, Mens, Womens, Internationals, Foreign Leagues, U21s etc, etc. it endless. After a while it simply becomes less interesting.

The one thing I do miss is wingers beating a man and whipping a cross in for a couple of strikers to attack, it still happens but with far less frequency. It probably wasn't as successful a strategy as it seemed at the time but the change to possession football and one up top has reduced the amount it happens. Probably get more long shots go in now mind as the ball has gotten lighter etc so we have become more blasé about goals that would have been considered amazing 25 years ago, especially with the amount of football on tv.

Like you say football has always been a game which can be boring to watch if the game doesn't take off, we just get to see more of those games now, used to be a bit special to see a game on tv until fairly recently, last night 3 prem games and a league one game were all live on tv and with the varying kick off times you could of watched over a game and a half in one night while avoiding any half time breaks.

 

[MustardYellow]

I’m not so sure that the football being played on the pitch today is partIcularly anymore boring than it has been in the past. I think we all tend to look back with rose tinted specs. I’ve seen plenty of boring matches at both the Manor and the Kassam and elsewhere over the years.

Clearly the tactical focus is now possession based. Years ago there was often more ‘direct’ football with balls being lumped up to a target man and then a scrap for the second ball. Sometime that could be entertaining and exciting, other times just repetitive and a complete lack of quality.

I think what has changed which perhaps gives the impression that modern football is more boring is the change in crowds and the demographic of those attending, plus the all seater stadiums. More families attending, a more corporate ‘customer’ based ‘product’. It might be an age thing but there’s no doubt in my mind that the attending and atmosphere of a football match was more exciting and thus less boring than it is today.

The other thing to perhaps bear in mind is the over saturation of football on our TV screens. You can watch a game on TV every night of the week if you so wish, Mens, Womens, Internationals, Foreign Leagues, U21s etc, etc. it endless. After a while it simply becomes less interesting.

This is a good point. Then again, if the football is more boring and people have less to get off their seats about, then maybe the change in crowd behaviour is down to the football on offer itself?

I agree about demographics though. I just had a quick look and since 1992 to 2019 the number of people who say they're interested in football has increased, but 60% of the growth has come from women. More women are attending games, as are more over 55's, but 15-34yo males make up less of the crowd - in 1992 they were 54% of match-goers, in 2019 just 37%. The over 55's used to make up 16% of crowds, in 2019 it was 28%. I imagine those figures are even more stark now in 2024.

 

[werthersoriginal]

The one thing I do miss is wingers beating a man and whipping a cross in for a couple of strikers to attack, it still happens but with far less frequency. It probably wasn't as successful a strategy as it seemed at the time but the change to possession football and one up top has reduced the amount it happens. Probably get more long shots go in now mind as the ball has gotten lighter etc so we have become more blasé about goals that would have been considered amazing 25 years ago, especially with the amount of football on tv.

Like you say football has always been a game which can be boring to watch if the game doesn't take off, we just get to see more of those games now, used to be a bit special to see a game on tv until fairly recently, last night 3 prem games and a league one game were all live on tv and with the varying kick off times you could of watched over a game and a half in one night while avoiding any half time breaks.

I was just saying to my brother in law (an Arsenal fan) at the weekend that most PL goals seem to be scored through the middle rather than via a winger beating a man and crossing.

I think football is faster and more skilful than in the past and that the standard in EFL is a lot higher than in the 70s and 80s. Well-drilled sides playing possession football can be boring , but outlawing back passes to the keeper has speeded things up and prevented teams coming purely for a 0-0. What is more boring is VAR, lengthier injury stoppages, and general fussing by the ref.

 

[holdsteady]

I was just saying to my brother in law (an Arsenal fan) at the weekend that most PL goals seem to be scored through the middle rather than via a winger beating a man and crossing.

I think football is faster and more skilful than in the past and that the standard in EFL is a lot higher than in the 70s and 80s. Well-drilled sides playing possession football can be boring , but outlawing back passes to the keeper has speeded things up and prevented teams coming purely for a 0-0. What is more boring is VAR, lengthier injury stoppages, and general fussing by the ref.

Cound't agree more about VAR, outlawing the back pass was the best thing to happen to football in my lifetime but VAR is the worst.

 

[holdsteady]

This is a good point. Then again, if the football is more boring and people have less to get off their seats about, then maybe the change in crowd behaviour is down to the football on offer itself?

I agree about demographics though. I just had a quick look and since 1992 to 2019 the number of people who say they're interested in football has increased, but 60% of the growth has come from women. More women are attending games, as are more over 55's, but 15-34yo males make up less of the crowd - in 1992 they were 54% of match-goers, in 2019 just 37%. The over 55's used to make up 16% of crowds, in 2019 it was 28%. I imagine those figures are even more stark now in 2024.

Football definitely has an ageing fanbase, they are doing nothing about it now but will have a problem in the future as attendances start to drop as those older fans can no longer make games. I get the feeling that going to football games is seen as both unaffordable but a bit of an old man thing among the younger generation.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Football definitely has an ageing fanbase, they are doing nothing about it now but will have a problem in the future as attendances start to drop as those older fans can no longer make games. I get the feeling that going to football games is seen as both unaffordable but a bit of an old man thing among the younger generation.

I know one couple who have season tickets for West Ham (yes I know), they can't make it to evening games so let their kids have the tickets then. I'm sure the 20-somethings wouldn't think of going otherwise.

 

[OUFCGav]

Football definitely has an ageing fanbase, they are doing nothing about it now but will have a problem in the future as attendances start to drop as those older fans can no longer make games. I get the feeling that going to football games is seen as both unaffordable but a bit of an old man thing among the younger generation.

I seem to remember reading some stats somewhere that the average age of Chelsea season tickets has incremented every year for 15 years - IE it is the same people just getting older.

 

[bashamwonderland]

I know one couple who have season tickets for West Ham (yes I know), they can't make it to evening games so let their kids have the tickets then. I'm sure the 20-somethings wouldn't think of going otherwise.

It doesn't help that what used to be a walk/short bus up the road, with a pub nearby if you need it, has now become a long drive or cross-country train to get to the out of town stadium complex.

The memories of travelling to games and the "pre-match ritual" are not going to be as fond for most youngsters.

 

[Osei Yaw]

Is it more boring? You never used to see 'limbs' or 'absolute scenes' at football 15 - 20 years ago.

 

[werthersoriginal]

It doesn't help that what used to be a walk/short bus up the road, with a pub nearby if you need it, has now become a long drive or cross-country train to get to the out of town stadium complex.

The memories of travelling to games and the "pre-match ritual" are not going to be as fond for most youngsters.

The kids are from Oxford but I think now live in London, they don't really support West Ham, they just like 'football' I guess.