26 Oct 2025 22:02:10
Ed001, I read you comment about set pieces on the Liverpool site. I think most os us would prefer free flowing football but this is how the game is going. However, leaving aside Arsenal don't you think it's fair enough for so-called lower teams to deploy tactics to particularly keep themselves in the PL. Moreover, isn't it up the coaches of teams like Liverpool and Chelsea with their pools of defensive coaches and analysts to come up with tactics to defend set pieces.
The goals Chelsea and Liverpool conceded from throw ins yesterday were similar. In both cases the defenders were clueless in how to deal with it and the goalkeepers were flapping around like injured pigeons.
{Ed001's Note - I fully agree with you. The issue for me is that teams are only concentrating on set pieces, rather than them being a part of the skillset. It means the rest of the games are just a lot of silly errors between the odd set piece. It is not good to watch and it will see us fall behind in Europe if we are not careful.}
27 Oct 2025 10:07:31
Totally agree with you ED01, the way Arsenal play is very similiar to all the diet pep coaches, slow and keep ball, set up to not lose but Artita has then added the set piece winner and more and more teams will follow suit.
The premier league is now very boring as a spectacle and you are right, it is in danger of falling behind the rest of europe.
{Ed001's Note - if it continues to be this uninteresting as a spectacle, people will drift to watching other leagues as well. It will not just be worse in terms of quality but also start to lose the lead financially. It is exactly why Serie A and La Liga dropped behind, because they were terrible to watch. The Prem has always been the most entertaining, without that it just becomes another league.}
27 Oct 2025 11:12:50
Ed001, the PL is probably the most competitive league but in terms of football and entertainment it has already fallen behind. We have top players in the PL but a lot of the coaches lack courage in their approach to the game: I blame Pep for his possession is the be all and end all approach to the game: he has many clones around who are as not as good as him and even he is his on the wane.
PL football is very boring at present. I start to watch many games but find myself getting bored very quickly.
{Ed001's Note - I am the same, if I am alone I can sit and watch them, but my parents were here for a month and I found myself missing long periods in matches just chatting with them. It just isn't holding my attention and I am not someone who lives with their head down on their phone either. I am of the older generation that still concentrates on one thing! Maybe this style works for the kids because they can just look up for set pieces and then go back to their phone?}