Yeah I agree, I’ve touched on how long the process can be.
Maybe something more can be done to speed up the game or not let that extra time wasting.
I know they changed the rule with ball boys and stuff, goal kicks, etc.
Even though I can’t say it bothers me that much, I know a game of football is 90+ minutes, that there can be things that take more time from time wasting to injuries to VAR, etc. By large, it’s still the game I fell in love with. But I know people can be less patient in general than before.
My dad who isn’t a football fan (he follows casually when Croatia play in big tournaments) tells me even when there’s a great neutral game like that Real v City drama from a few years ago, after 10 minutes of such a game, like “do you guys really watch this for 90 minutes?”.
Even beyond the changes associated with Edu’s exit there were bigger changes behind the scene earlier this season when their experienced executive director was squeezed out with one of the Kronke kids stepping in take more of an active role and this seems likely another Kronekefication of the running of the club.
They seem to care a little too much and there football isn’t just corners it’s the wwe battle royal that takes place during them. Also an neutral wouldn’t particularly care eithier way. I thought Wilson was a tactical specialist he spent half this article suggesting it’s because they are in New Labour heartlands and Old too.
There attitude towards Spurs is actually moving me from a position of couldn’t give a shit but it’s awful football to I could give a shit and it’s awful football.
I don’t particularly mind if Arsenal do win the title. Premier league matches are generally shite across the board, and Arsenal are far from the only offenders.
They don’t have the financial irregularities of City and I haven’t found their fans to be particularly objectionable. Most of what is wrong about the Premier League is the Premier League itself.
Yes, well he did kind of shoehorn that bit in, but mentioned “Islington, the spiritual heartland of New Labour” which is far away from the true heartlands of the original Labour Party that was founded in the late 19C with actual socialist ideas, unlike this current incarnation.
It struck me today that Arsenal fans are in the same position we were in in 2022. On for the quadruple with the bonus of possible relegation for their biggest rivals.
Spurs fans right now must be living the most miserable of lives.
Thierry Henry didn’t 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen:
“Listen… I love Arsenal, but I have to be honest. If the plan every week for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is ‘win a corner and pray,’ then we have a problem. When I played, we attacked teams. Now I watch and it looks like everyone is waiting for the next set piece. You cannot have this much talent and play like Tony Pulis Stoke City.”
Too much of the dark arts stuff for me - playing for set pieces is fine, but then taking a minute over each one, trying to pull players down, win fouls and penalties for minimal contact, diving, and the double standards (time wasting is fine until Arsenal need time, then it’s not fair).
Madueke’s penalty last night - it’s a 50/50, slowed down, yes there’s contact, but then he doesn’t go down because the contact made him, he goes down because plastic pep has ingrained an approach of going down at all costs when there’s contact. Is it a penalty…I’d say “soft” - not sure its quite “cheating” but its more about winning a penalty than being awarded a penalty for being hacked down.
It can’t all be pinned on Arsenal and their Anti-football, but the poor showing of the PL clubs in the CL this week is somewhat interesting - best league in the world, yet the 5 English clubs all had major problems with the playing football bit. When it came to set pieces, all the same, crowd the keeper, push, shove etc - and European refs seemingly don’t let that go on as much.
Not a fan of Arteta and the attitude he has engrained in his teams approach - good luck to them. If they win the league, it’ll probably be one of the worst points totals for a while - but that won’t stop them - they think going invincible is bigger than 90 odd point seasons…sure. It’s a shame really, as I should really be willing them to win the PL over City - but I just can’t bring myself to want that.
