Premier League enjoyment and football in general

[Ordar]

This isn't exclusively a question because of our pending relegation, but a subject I have spoken to my friends who all support other clubs aswell. Have you actually enjoyed our time in the Premier League? Take out the Europa run as that's obviously not part of the league.

For me, it's become a bit monotonous. It's a competition that we never have any chance of winning. Success is gauged as not being one of the 3 worst teams in it. Whenever we start to assemble a decent side out best players were poached. The football we've played for the vast majority of the past decade has been terrible (Tigana's first season and the second half of Hughes seasons withstanding). I don't feel excited about upcoming matches, and haven't done now for years.

Obviously relegation could potentially be disastrous for the club financially, and the Championship is extremely hard to get out of, but surely anything has to be better than winning 8 or so games every season.

Possibly it's just me, but I find football overall is becoming increasingly less entertaining to watch. The possession football which Barca are fawned over for playing, I just find incredibly boring. Then there's the park the bus negative football which Chelsea fans have to endure to be successful. The majority of teams now play only 1 forward. Not to mention the standard of refereeing across the board is truly shocking.

Maybe I'm just in a malaise. But for me, the magic has gone. I started supporting the club in 1996, so not as long as a lot of people, but I long for the Tigana days back, and the football we played and ambition we showed back then

[jarv]

Very good post, interesting. Apart from three seasons (I think), Roy and Mark Hughes, we have been perennial strugglers and relegation candidates. A bit like the sixties, when we had a few decent players, Haynes, Leggat, Cohen, Robson for example. The remainder were not first division class so we struggles every year.
We had a good 2nd division team in the seventies and it was a lot of fun to watch I seem to recall.
I agree football has become a bit stale with the emphasis on possession. Every game seems the same. Maybe that has always been the case and we just have too much football these days.

[Sgt Fulham]

Couldn't agree more.

[ron]

I agree football has become a bit stale with the emphasis on possession. Every game seems the same. Maybe that has always been the case and we just have too much football these days.

...but today, not enough possession in the last 15 minutes...

[St Eve]

For me it has been fantastic. I waited almost 40 years to see us play the United's, Arsenal, Liverpool etc. The thought of playing Doncaster, Barnsley and Blackpool in front of 10,000 fans is unthinkable. No need to worry when we will be on match of the day - we never will. No need to get concerned who we will be buying in the transfer market - we won't because we can't afford it. Forget cup runs - we start in the first round against Bradford or Bury - in front of 4,000 fans. Forget Europe unless you go on holiday. If we go down it will be a tragedy

[Jamie88]

For me it has been fantastic. I waited almost 40 years to see us play the United's, Arsenal, Liverpool etc. The thought of playing Doncaster, Barnsley and Blackpool in front of 10,000 fans is unthinkable. No need to worry when we will be on match of the day - we never will. No need to get concerned who we will be buying in the transfer market - we won't because we can't afford it. Forget cup runs - we start in the first round against Bradford or Bury - in front of 4,000 fans. Forget Europe unless you go on holiday. If we go down it will be a tragedy

:plus one:

[MJG]

Yes I have enjoyed it. Going to miss it if we go down but a new chapter of the clubs history will be opened.

[domprague]

Yes I have enjoyed it. Going to miss it if we go down but a new chapter of the clubs history will be opened.

I agree. I also agree with the Original Poster. We've had our time in the Premiership and enjoyed it. I hope that we're not like Wolves, Coventry or Charlton and drop down and down but let's face it, we've been playing above our level for quite a while. Looking at the team today we have players who were good, a player who is good and is on loan and an awful lot of players who aren't good enough. I'm sitting here in a state of utter dismay and sadness because of our failure to see out our lead but, if I'm honest, we're not good enough for the Premiership.

[Wingnut]

I enjoyed our time in the PL, particularly the games at home but I have to admit that I got a bit sick of away days at the likes of Old Trafford and Anfield as the years have passed. Ridiculous ticket prices and a terrible atmosphere. I find the PL as a product rather dull now, I have to admit. I won't watch PL games at all next season.

[epsomraver]

This isn't exclusively a question because of our pending relegation, but a subject I have spoken to my friends who all support other clubs aswell. Have you actually enjoyed our time in the Premier League? Take out the Europa run as that's obviously not part of the league.

For me, it's become a bit monotonous. It's a competition that we never have any chance of winning. Success is gauged as not being one of the 3 worst teams in it. Whenever we start to assemble a decent side out best players were poached. The football we've played for the vast majority of the past decade has been terrible (Tigana's first season and the second half of Hughes seasons withstanding). I don't feel excited about upcoming matches, and haven't done now for years.

Obviously relegation could potentially be disastrous for the club financially, and the Championship is extremely hard to get out of, but surely anything has to be better than winning 8 or so games every season.

Possibly it's just me, but I find football overall is becoming increasingly less entertaining to watch. The possession football which Barca are fawned over for playing, I just find incredibly boring. Then there's the park the bus negative football which Chelsea fans have to endure to be successful. The majority of teams now play only 1 forward. Not to mention the standard of refereeing across the board is truly shocking.

Maybe I'm just in a malaise. But for me, the magic has gone. I started supporting the club in 1996, so not as long as a lot of people, but I long for the Tigana days back, and the football we played and ambition we showed back then

Top post  0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg

[domprague]

 :plus one:

This isn't exclusively a question because of our pending relegation, but a subject I have spoken to my friends who all support other clubs aswell. Have you actually enjoyed our time in the Premier League? Take out the Europa run as that's obviously not part of the league.

For me, it's become a bit monotonous. It's a competition that we never have any chance of winning. Success is gauged as not being one of the 3 worst teams in it. Whenever we start to assemble a decent side out best players were poached. The football we've played for the vast majority of the past decade has been terrible (Tigana's first season and the second half of Hughes seasons withstanding). I don't feel excited about upcoming matches, and haven't done now for years.

Obviously relegation could potentially be disastrous for the club financially, and the Championship is extremely hard to get out of, but surely anything has to be better than winning 8 or so games every season.

Possibly it's just me, but I find football overall is becoming increasingly less entertaining to watch. The possession football which Barca are fawned over for playing, I just find incredibly boring. Then there's the park the bus negative football which Chelsea fans have to endure to be successful. The majority of teams now play only 1 forward. Not to mention the standard of refereeing across the board is truly shocking.

Maybe I'm just in a malaise. But for me, the magic has gone. I started supporting the club in 1996, so not as long as a lot of people, but I long for the Tigana days back, and the football we played and ambition we showed back then

Top post  0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg

[Berserker]

To be honest I'll probably enjoy it more if we are not in it. I'll be able to watch MOTD again, something which I haven't done gor the last season and a half

[grandad]

In the opening post from Ordar he wanted a return to the Tigana days. For this to happen Khan will have to spend the same amount as MAF did.

[AlexH]

I would say bar the last two seasons and the end of Coleman/Sanchez I've enjoyed the Premier League - there's been positives for sure.

Our first season in the league under Tigana was exciting, we had a decent home record under Coleman when we still had a few decent players, the Hodgson era was legendary, heck even Mark Hughes had the team firing by the end.

I would say we've punched above our weight but we're now a well established PL club and we've blown it.

I fear that we're on a similar path to Middlesbrough. European final, then relegation a few seasons later and then a number of years of mediocrity in the Championship.

[RidgeRider]

Our 2.5 season under Hodgson were magical in my mind. Yes, he often slowed the game down and played entirely defensive, but to me, there was a beauty in his defensive stability and steel. We would line up against United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal...expecting a result, rather than a lopsided defeat. I missed the Tigana days, but Roy brought confidence and results...it didn't bother me that we were  not exciting all the time, we got points and I thoroughly loved it.