Premiership beginning to resume normal play

[HseagullsH]

Today is EXACTLY what I had been talking about.

Purely in terms of the premier league, this year has been much less one sided. There are no gimme wins, any team can beat any team.

Chelsea lose today
United draw
Spurs lose to Wolves
Arsenal back to only 6 points behind leaders.

My argument was NOTHING to do with whether or not Sky/Premierleague is runing football. I just disagreed that it was "same old, same old"

 

[clapham_gull]

Today is EXACTLY what I had been talking about.

Purely in terms of the premier league, this year has been much less one sided. There are no gimme wins, any team can beat any team.

Chelsea lose today
United draw
Spurs lose to Wolves
Arsenal back to only 6 points behind leaders.

My argument was NOTHING to do with whether or not Sky/Premierleague is runing football. I just disagreed that it was "same old, same old"

I'm not sure Sky are ruining it all.

There is obviously demand and if it wasn't for them it would be someone else paying the money.

I understand if anything the Premiership clubs would like a bigger cut of the profits and frankly would like to go it alone anyway.

The problems are really a result of the breakaway and the way league has set itself up to allow just a few teams to dominate based purely on financial clout.

Unless something is done to address the "problem", it will only get worse.

Irrespective of the debt of Manchester United, there is a fascinating statistic about them potentially being able to get as much revenue from a few games than they do for the entire season if they sold the television rights themselves worldwide.


I suspect there are millions of armchair viewers who couldn't give a stuff about that until they realise they are watching the football equivalent of Sainsburys and Tescos fighting it out, with perhaps the odd Morrisons but the majority of the league being populated by corner shops... ( and we take the piss out of Scottish football )

Not so much a game of football, more of a weekly exhibition match.

The nightmare scenarion is this.


Success in the league will be based purely based on many people are willing to pay to watch your team on television. Even local fans will be forced to do that when they start playing games abroad.

Of course the "big games", or Super Sundays I think they call them will be the money earners. So they will pressure to reduce the teams in the premiership, so the "big" teams can play each other more than twice a season.

What next ?, probably a complete breakaway so the fear of relegation is completely taken away. The teams will probably be banned from entering the FA Cup, which is an annoyance anyway, dealt with in a cosy deal behind the scenes to ensure the big stars still turn up for the national squad, Wembley needs paying for after all.

It won't be something I'll be particularly interested in watching.

 

[DerbyGull]

Today is EXACTLY what I had been talking about.

Purely in terms of the premier league, this year has been much less one sided. There are no gimme wins, any team can beat any team.

Chelsea lose today
United draw
Spurs lose to Wolves
Arsenal back to only 6 points behind leaders.

My argument was NOTHING to do with whether or not Sky/Premierleague is runing football. I just disagreed that it was "same old, same old"

But it is same old same old. If it's not, then why aren't Fulham or Wolverhampton or Sunderland etc top of the league fighting it out for the title, there fans want success just as much as big 4. You're a bit short sighted tbh mate, so tonight there was some minor blips, VERY MINOR. When was the last time Villa thumped manure 5-0 at home, or everton put 6 past Chelsea it just doesn't happen the other way round, but if Chelsea or big 4 thump a weaker team it's not a suprise

 

[HseagullsH]

But it is same old same old. If it's not, then why aren't Fulham or Wolverhampton or Sunderland etc top of the league fighting it out for the title, there fans want success just as much as big 4. You're a bit short sighted tbh mate, so tonight there was some minor blips, VERY MINOR. When was the last time Villa thumped manure 5-0 at home, or everton put 6 past Chelsea it just doesn't happen the other way round, but if Chelsea or big 4 thump a weaker team it's not a suprise

I am making a point that it is not just in England, that the teams with the most money dominate. It happens everywhere and always will.
Every business with more money will be more succesful than those with less money.

What I am saying is that, although the title race is only between three teams, there is a lot more competition for the top places this year.

In the same way everyone says how competitive the Championship is, as so many teams can still make play offs, so many can go down etc

I am not being blinded, I am saying that it IS more competitive that it has been for a long time, and the top four will break up (whether it's this year or next).

As for saying this week is a just a blip, this year will be the lowest points total in years, whoever wins it.

Liverpool lost 2 games last season and failed to win the league. Chelsea are top with 12 games to go and have already lost more.

United dropped 24 points last season to win the league. Chelsea are top with 12 games to go and have already dropped 26 points...


Sunderland and Wolves will never suddenly be top of the league, int he same way we won't suddenly be storming away with the league one title. The biggest clubs with the most money will always dominate, and that is football.
In our case, it is Norwich and Leeds

 

[crodonilson]

Today is EXACTLY what I had been talking about.

Purely in terms of the premier league, this year has been much less one sided. There are no gimme wins, any team can beat any team.

Chelsea lose today
United draw
Spurs lose to Wolves
Arsenal back to only 6 points behind leaders.

My argument was NOTHING to do with whether or not Sky/Premierleague is runing football. I just disagreed that it was "same old, same old"

Totally agree, tonight was a cracking midweek EPL programme, loads of high drama, quality and unpredictability.

At this point in the season the title race is wide open, no-one has any idea who will finish 4th with four clubs well in contention and a hairs breadth seperates half a dozen clubs battling valiantly to stay in the league.

 

[clapham_gull]

Every business with more money will be more succesful than those with less money.

The massive point you are missing is that it is only relatively recently that the way the league is run has allowed some clubs to become massively richer than others.

Further more, it deems it appropriate for a club to operate massively beyond it's means as a billionaires play thing, er not like a business in the slightest.

Whether you consider it a market, a league of sport or a billionaires pastime, is of course entirely down to interpretation.

Tell you what, we will allow some competitors in the Olympic hundred metres to drive up the track in a car, if they can afford it because that's effectively what's happening now.

 

[Last Summer]

[edit] being a retard and not reading thread properly *blushes*[edit]

 

[HseagullsH]

I see your point, but have to disagree slightly...
Most big businesses rely heavily on investment... more investment = potentially more return i.e. bigger players, bigger interest in the club etc. Very much like a lot of businesses. May well be "out of their means", but he who dares!

As for allowing competitors in the olympics to drive up the track... how about realising that most countries invest heavily in training schemes etc! This investment means they effectively have a massive head start against poorer countries... when was there last a mongolian in the 100m?? It's all about resource and investment!

So in conlcusion... it's very much like business... the bigger the investment the bigger the reward, in sport and everything else... doesn't always work but neither does business!

p.s. We lose money every home game but still spend on players... does that not mean we're operating beyond our means? Or does our pending stadium and new "Investor" negate that

I know you have now editted, but in terms of your point I agree.

But yeh, the thread is about the premiership resuming normal play

 

[clapham_gull]

I see your point, but have to disagree slightly...
Most big businesses rely heavily on investment... more investment = potentially more return i.e. bigger players, bigger interest in the club etc. Very much like a lot of businesses. May well be "out of their means", but he who dares!

As for allowing competitors in the olympics to drive up the track... how about realising that most countries invest heavily in training schemes etc! This investment means they effectively have a massive head start against poorer countries... when was there last a mongolian in the 100m?? It's all about resource and investment!

So in conlcusion... it's very much like business... the bigger the investment the bigger the reward, in sport and everything else... doesn't always work but neither does business!

p.s. We lose money every home game but still spend on players... does that not mean we're operating beyond our means? Or does our pending stadium and new "Investor" negate that

If you honestly think the owners of Chelsea and Man City will ever see their money back, I'd agree with you.

Obviously they will always be a certain degree of fans pumping money into clubs will little chance of them seeing it again, but the scale of that investment is really the key here.

There really isn't a parallel with our situation is you think the cost of a stadium is equal to 2 or 3 transfer fees in the premiership.

There is a major difference between investing to give a club a viable existence and converting a mid to lower table premiership to a perpectual champions league qualifier in a season by signing a cheque.

What is the point of trying to run a club within it's means or thereabouts but when somebody knocks on the door with the finance to buy the best players in the world (not invest money in training) and pay their wages.

The league is skewed in a way it wasn't 20 years ago and but probably looks normal to anyone under the age of 25.

Let the defenders of the way it is going comment in a few years time when teams are allowed to negotiate their own TV rights, just like "other businesses".

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's the most exciting Premiership for ages though. Any one of the two clubs which have won it for the past 5 years can win it this time.

For as long as I can remember I always predict that 1) The top 4 will be the usual top 4, 2) two of the last promoted will go straight back down 3) England will go out to the first opponents ranked above them 4) England fans pick up a good 'hard luck' story.

This World Cup year is already shaping up to form.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

:

no-one has any idea who will finish 4th

Jesus, you've really been sucked into the hype and language of Sky.

Soon you'll be musing over a 'titanic battle for the last Europa League place' on 'Judgement Tuesday.'

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Liverpool lost 2 games last season and failed to win the league. Chelsea are top with 12 games to go and have already lost more.

United dropped 24 points last season to win the league. Chelsea are top with 12 games to go and have already dropped 26 points...

Who gives a f***? I certainly dont.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

half a dozen clubs battling valiantly to stay in the league.

Do you work for Sky?

 

[Easy 10]

YAY
Crodo's snagged another one

 

[Mellotron]

Herr, how long have you been here? How can you not tell Crodo is a wind up merchant?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Herr, how long have you been here? How can you not tell Crodo is a wind up merchant?

Fair dooos. I hold my hands up.

 

[HseagullsH]

1 Chelsea 25 40 58
2 Man Utd 25 41 56
3 Arsenal 25 30 49
4 Liverpool 25 17 44

Now this looks familiar

4. Tottenham
5. Aston Villa
6. Manchester City
7. Liverpool

By my reckoning Liverpool have a very good chance of not even making it into Europe (Europa League)?


Seeing as the leaders have already lost 7 games with the season still unfinished says to me that the whole league is becoming stronger and every team can realistically beat any other team like the lower divisions

 

[Paxton Dazo]

7th gets Europe, H. As Portsmouth appeal got rejected. So unless Everton come above them, they'll defiently be in Europe next season.

 

[HseagullsH]

7th gets Europe, H. As Portsmouth appeal got rejected. So unless Everton come above them, they'll defiently be in Europe next season.

Argh that's a shame.

If Burnley get a result today then that's a strong possibility but that is very unlikely

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Game over for bottom 3.....

Players came out and ripped into Brown it seems