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I am sick and tired of the cultural vacuum that is English football.
Tonight from the comfort of my own lounge I watched another Arsenal player have his leg snapped from a representative of the cave dwelling, knuckle dragging, troglodyte brigade that despises the beautiful game in a form that they cannot understand nor appreciate.
I watched a Stoke side who broke (no pun intended) new ground by introducing a player who has his own caddy…towels, drinks and probably advice on wind direction where supplied to Rory Delap who’s undoubted prowess from throw-ins has led to Stoke narrowing their pitch to a size that the New Orleans Saints would find a bit tight. Referees collude in this ugly spectacle by allowing jostling in the oppostion penalty box on a scale only usual seen in productions of ‘Oliver’.
In the last 18 months the opportunity to watch Barcelona every weekend has really brightened the sporting scene for me and the revitalised Wigan Warriors this season are doing likewise. This may be the future.
I feel a real drift away from an English PL that is populated by ex-pro population of intelligence challenged idiots who think ‘Arry Rednapp’ is some kind of ‘football man’ role model whilst Wenger who has operated in a financially (relatively) difficult position is derided daily for concentrating on ball retention and producing young talent. Wenger is actually a genius (in the true sense of the word) but his name can hardly be mentioned in England without reference to the phrase… “ I didn’t see it”.
Wenger has not uttered this phrase or a similar equivalent for over 7 years.Meanwhile the “ let them know your there brigade” of Allardyce, Pulis, Hughes etc. bask in the light of a media protected cultural approval seen in its most disgusting (and comical) light in the Champions League semi final last year, at Stamford Bridge.
Goodnight and goodbye to the Premier League…apologies for the rant, I feel quite strongly about this.
PS For the avoidance of doubt I have not been drinking
PPS Cesc Fabregas should move to Barcelona at the earliest opportunity.a representative of the cave dwelling, knuckle dragging, troglodyte brigade that despises the beautiful game in a form that they cannot understand nor appreciate
Harsh – the Stoke player looked devastated when the extent of the injury became apparent. He seems not to have a track record and while yes, it was a bad challenge, in the hurly burly of the physical contest that is football it seeemed just very, very unlucky on Ramsey. Hope he is going to be able to comeback. Larsson and Eduardo both came back from similar injuries so there is hope for the lad.
Horrible to watch though, I have to admit I had the cushion up for the replays.
Don’t think I mentioned the player individually carv’ and that was deliberate. Shawcross didn’t deliberately try to break Ramsey’s leg…rather he is a representative of a club that (amongst others) that has overtly talked up their conscious physical approach before meetings witn Arsenal. This come from management and is encouraged, and to go further, enjoyed by the media.
The quotes before the 4th round cup game were particualrly graphic.
In these circumstances it is less than surprising that very serious incidents can occur.Isn’t it the case Shabby that there have always been teams who are more physical than others? Arsenal themselves had a pretty poor disciplinary record for a while and weren’t averse to the odd ‘robust’ challenge. Not saying it’s ok, just putting it into perspective.
Per Shabby
…a representative of the cave dwelling, knuckle dragging, troglodyte brigade that despises the beautiful game in a form that they cannot understand nor appreciate.
Beautifully put Shabby.
The game is now less physical than it has ever been, and much less lenient. I remember Johnny Giles, who was a gifted midfielder, but also one who could dish it out, lamping Kevin Keegan across the jaw , and was still allowed to remain on the park.
The challenge by the Stoke City player was crude and badly timed, but he was beside himself when he realised the extent of the injury the young Arsenal player had incurred.
The nature of the beast that is the money/greed driven Premiership has given rise to the so called smaller clubs doing all they can to remain apart of the set-up; whereby the means ( as they see it ) justify the ends – hence their negative tactics and physical approach, illustrated by Stoke City against Arsenal yesterday. Brawn trying to negate brain – with brain ( and guile ) rightly emerging triumphant.
Thank the good Lord, say I, as I was hoping desperately for a Gunners victory in order to clinch a 5 team accunulator bet.
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A great post by Shabby, but I have to disagree with the point he makes re. the Premier League and its "physical" side.
We’d all love to see the Premier League stuffed with 20 teams comprising players like Fabregas, Ronaldo, Messi, Torres, Kaka etc. But it just ain’t going to happen (and never has). I don’t watch Spanish soccer ( just don’t have the time), yet I’d guess that only a few of their sides exemplify the skills of the "beautiful game" that Shabby desires. Same in Italy too I’d guess. Scratch below the top few teams and you’ll get sides that make up for a lack of brillance with an extra "physical" approach to the game.
That’s no bad thing either. Football is a physical game even for those with the extra gifts and style that teams like Arsenal promote. What automatic right does a team of gifted players have to beat a less-gifted but more physical team? Why should a team of skillful passers and dribblers not be tested against physical and long-ball teams? Both are attributes that have there place and neither is a superior footballing philosophy. That would be rather like saying a front-running Derby winner is inferior to one that has the speed to come from behind.
Let’s pitch skill versus physical. On some occasions one approach will prevail, sometimes the other. And that is one of the uncertainties that makes the Premiership so attractive a spectacle.Wenger is actually a genius (in the true sense of the word)
Hes nothing more than a very talented manager in many areas of the game but with certain blind spots regarding team building and tactics. Because he takes the sancimonious high ground time after time doesnt make him a "genius" (nor does the trophy free zone)
Harsh – the Stoke player looked devastated when the extent of the injury became apparent. He seems not to have a track record
Not quite. Shawcross has form for going in like that and if I knew how to post images, I could produce two of Shawcross almost taking Adebayors leg off with a horrendous tackle last season. While no footballer means to cause such terrible injuries on their opponents, some consistently sail closer to the wind, and Shawcross IS one of them. There is no question that managers programme their stiffs to go out and adopt a unique tactic reserved for exclusively for games against Arsenal. This is yet anothe result of just that – nothing more, nothing less.
"the lad was just too quick for him"
"The lads devastated…"
"He’s not that type of player…"
Not good enough.
Wenger is actually a genius (in the true sense of the word)
Hes nothing more than a very talented manager in many areas of the game but with certain blind spots regarding team building and tactics. Because he takes the sancimonious high ground time after time doesnt make him a "genius" (nor does the trophy free zone)
All managers have’blind spots’ Clive. It’s what makes them!
Team building? We’ve built a few on a shoestring without the aid of Russian billionaires mate, and won a few pots with it. All our own money too! we’ve also got a brand new shiney 60,000 seater stadium to play in, and our fans are realists that
realise
that in the current climate, we’ve had to go backwards before we could contemplate going forwards, and that’s what we appear to be doing thanks, on our own. Not doing bad really, are we?
Chelsea fans should know about ‘trophy free zones’ ffs. OH, of course, only the last five years matter.
"Tonight from the comfort of my own lounge I watched…."
maybe that makes you part of the passion vacuum.
you will see far more worse challenges in a football match most weekends than the one that broke young ramsey’s leg. Shawcross was totally beside’s himself at what had happend and after watching him week after week can tell you he has’nt got a malicous bone in his body. All players are guilty of making mis-timed tackles now and again, i take it from your arm chair, horrlicks style of watching football that you’ve completely forgot about the amount of players patrick vieira put on the deck, or indeed the very same player kicking glen whelan in the nuts the other night, perhaps you also missed wayne rooney elbowing abdoulaye faye in the face last season that went unpunished, maybe you just talk out of your arsen.
Granted our style of play is’nt always easy to watch, god i know, but you stay at home in your replica shirt and i will join 25,000 other passionate fans every home match that don’t think we are knuckle-draggers.
The original poster lost me as soon as he mentioned Rugby League. It’s a sport that has no reason for being since Union went professional.
Clubs getting to the Premier League have two choices, they can be rough brutes like Blackburn and Stoke and stay up for a few seasons – or they can be nice passing teams like West Brom who are the epitomy of a yo-yo outfit.
I wrote my original post in hot blood, and I expected my views to have tempered by this morning but they really haven’t.
Physicality itself is not an issue for me, I grew up watching Scottish football in the seventies and eighties, I enjoy that aspect as much as anyone, I think. But when clubs spend the week before Arsenal visit to fill the press with warnings, threats and declarations of war then ask for sympathy when one of their employees breaks someones leg…its too much.I do think Wenger is a genius as his work on the field, in the transfer market and in moving his club from an old cherished home to a new super stadium has been achieved whilst being treated as an alien by many of his fellow professionals and peers.
A similar review of Mr Redknapp’s legacy at Portsmouth, Southampton and West Ham would be appropriate… but this would be a surprising departure by the old boys brigade.I do watch almost all my football now via TV but I have a decent record in attending matches and have been a season ticket holder for most of my adult life.
The arrival of a young family has meant my responsibilities are elsewhere at the weekend.
Much of the premier league’s success is built on building excellent stadia and filling them and also attracting a very high standard of international players and managers. Both of these are under threat if the acceptance of this threatening behaviour continues.…..or they can be nice passing teams like West Brom who are the epitomy of a yo-yo outfit.
As Celtic will become under Mowbray – 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd…….
It is, I’m ashamed to say, beginning to look that way. However, the Celtic fans, and to a much lesser extent, the Celtic board, will not tolerate his idealism ( i.e. "good performances" ) over winning results. As the saying goes up here; second is last in Glasgow.
I thought Mowbray would have more clout to him than he actually has. His players play neat, tidy football but they lack a distinct winning mentality and cutting edge – something Martin O’Neil’s sides had in spades.
I suppose it doesn’t help matters when he is aided and abetted by the chuckle brothers – Mark Venus & Peter "pointer" Grant.I have it on very good authourity ( trust me viewers
) that Tony Mowbray has already, on two separate occasions, tendered his resignation to the board, only to be rejected each time. The board stated ( off the record, mind ) that they had invested too much money in him for to let him go at this early stage. I’ll give him to the summer. I honestly don’t think his heart is in the job, and is a much more stressful and demanding position than he ever imagined.
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2nd,3rd,3rd,2nd, sounds more like the leagues Portsmouth will end up between in the next few years.
The worrying thing about Mowbray is he keeps insisting on playing two wide men in every game and shows no signs of altering this.
Celtic are continually out numbered 4 to 2 in the boiler room in every game. It appears worse even at home when its 5 against 2 when smaller teams play only one up front.
3 midfielders, a winger and 2 forwards isn’t that radical or too much to ask… is it?
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