PL 2017-2018 Thread

[theforceuk]

Viewing figures have fallen because fewer people have BT Sport than Sky Sports, but also because the English sides have been doing so poorly in recent seasons and that has a huge effect on global audiences, because the English teams have such a huge fan base.

Imagine having two decent sides in the last 8, what would the viewing figures be then? I really don't no you have a point. But the fact reamains if you have a 32 teams in the champions league, your going to end up with a certain amount of dead rubbers. If the big teams only ended up playing small teams in the later stages most ties would be over by the second leg and their is nothing worse than a one side final. Plus the smaller side would just defend which isn't good.

To be honest, you might as well try not seeding it for a season and see what happens. Just my opinion. :?

 

[weasel]

I meant the viewing figures Europe wide, not just in the UK.
I agree the BT move hasn't helped, but surely to christ someone at UEFA had that thought before they sold the rights to them. It's not as if everyone in Britain loves their footy so much that they will go out and fork out an extra £10-£20 a month just to have the option of watching CL. By definition, selling your TV rights to a pay per view broadcaster means fewer people will be able to watch.

I can't see UEFA making any more than cosmetic changes to the CL format. Which is sad as it is dying a death and it should be a great spectacle. But money talks.

 

[edd_jedi]

That was a very entertaining game just as the FA Cup should be, but bloody hell Spurs come on, please turn up to a 'small' game once in a while! With 4th in the league looking unlikely, the FA Cup is their best chance of any 'success' this season.

 

[theforceuk]

Spurs will go through and if they get to the semi final then it's home advantage. The last two rounds have been nasty for Spurs, yes they should have put those teams away. It's not as simple as that in reality.

That said if I was a betting man, no money would go on Spurs. :lol:

 

[weasel]

Spurs played their second string. Yes, they should still have had enough but I cut them a little slack. Nice to see Rochdale get the pay day of a trip to Wembley.

That is a dire FAC quarter final draw though. To follow on from a very dull 5th round draw. Not a single game that looks like being competitive. Ok, we are (odds on) for Utd, Chelsea, Spuds and City in the semi fnals, but as a neutral, I'd rather see a smaller side make it that far. It'll mean a lot more to them than to any of those sides. I'd ratehr see 2 of those 'big' four playing now and someone like Leicester or Brighton getting a shot a semi spot than seeing them "valiantly" getting routinely beaten in a quarter final.
The "magic" of the cup is about watching smaller sides doing well and getting to the latter stages, not watching 4 of the big 6 square off AGAIN.

 

[Snaketibe]

Spurs played their second string. Yes, they should still have had enough but I cut them a little slack. Nice to see Rochdale get the pay day of a trip to Wembley.

That is a dire FAC quarter final draw though. To follow on from a very dull 5th round draw. Not a single game that looks like being competitive. Ok, we are (odds on) for Utd, Chelsea, Spuds and City in the semi fnals, but as a neutral, I'd rather see a smaller side make it that far. It'll mean a lot more to them than to any of those sides. I'd ratehr see 2 of those 'big' four playing now and someone like Leicester or Brighton getting a shot a semi spot than seeing them "valiantly" getting routinely beaten in a quarter final.
The "magic" of the cup is about watching smaller sides doing well and getting to the latter stages, not watching 4 of the big 6 square off AGAIN.

Well, we certainly won't be watching City! :lol:

 

[weasel]

:lol:

I jinxed that didn't I!?

Well done Wigan, it wasn't pretty but I doubt they care. Will Grigg is officially on fire again. 8)
City's two full backs cost them, Delph with a needless tackle getting a deserved red. Shearer said it was a yellow, so that confirms it was a stonewall red card. Bar Ian Wright I don't many people who are as consistently wrong as Mr "watch me kick Neil Lennon on the head and get off with it cos I'm England captain and I'll say I slipped" Shearer.
As for Walker, WTF are you doing stepping over the ball? Hoof it clear you ****ing moron.

 

[Snaketibe]

Well, Kyle Walker said he left Spurs in order to win trophies... Just presumably not the FA Cup :-D

But anyway, well done Wigan, and it also makes Spurs' result look a bit better!

 

[theforceuk]

What were City doing at the back for that goal, hats of to Wigan that's the definition of a bogey team for City, beating them in the FA Cup 3 times in 6 years.

I'm obviously glad City are out, Man Utd stand a better chance of getting something this season. But more importantly I don't have to listen to my Window cleaner who is a City fan going on about how they are going to do the quadruple. Man City don't help themselves, most clubs in that position pretend they can't win all four and say they will be happy with one trophie. But admitting publicly it's a possibility and your thinking about it is setting yourself up and putting yourself up their to be beaten.

I guess what ever you sa6 about the FA Cup, it's still the best domestic cup competition in the world, not that I watch any others. :lol: :?

 

[weasel]

That was ****ing dreadful.
My opinion on Jose and his style of play is well known but watching 'two girls one cup' on repeat would have been more enjoyable than watching that shite. That's a bang average Sevilla side too.

I don't think I'll bother watching any more Utd games this season. Debating whether to watch their game against Pool or just sack it as well, safe in the knowledge if I do Pool are bound to win, whereas if I watch it they'll get hoked.

 

[theforceuk]

Klopp should watch Man Utd every game, he may learn how to set a team up to defend properly then.

Does help having the best goalkeeper in the world I suppose. :lol:

 

[weasel]

Where would Utd be if they had Mingers instead of DDG?

 

[theforceuk]

Where would Utd be if they had Mingers instead of DDG?

Championship the season after Moyes was in charge.

 

[edd_jedi]

Not sure if anybody watched the Spurs v Rochdale game but Christ, what a car crash for VAR. I still have no idea what that first goal was disallowed for. And why does it take 5 minutes for each decision when I can see what happened in real time on TV? I still think we need it for correct decisions but surely they can do better than this.

 

[theforceuk]

Yeah it's a mess, I didn't see the game but heard about the VAR. It's just a shambles, embarrassing really, especially how much it's holding play up which is the one thing most sceptic's have used as an argument. I watch International Rugby, I actually enjoy it more than Watching the English football team, they use a lot of VAR, but at least you know what's going on.

Already confirmed that VAR won't be used in the Champions League next season and if things don't improve I don't see why you would use it in the Premiership.

 

[weasel]

I didn't see it either but I heard it was a shambles. It's just teething problems at the minute. Referees don't know when they should and shouldnt use it and fourth officials are so keen to get it right they take forever to make a decision. Refs should only use it if they genuinely aren't sure or think they may have missed something. Fourth officials should be watching the game live and by the time the ref comes back to them they should have 2 or 3 views of the incident and be able to tell him if he has made a clear and obvious error.

From what I hear a lot of the Spurs fiasco was cos decisions were changed that were far from clear and obvious errors. Also the ref needs some way to communicate with the crowd to let them know what's happening. ATM people watching at home know what's going on but those in the stadium are left to try and guess. I think rugby (i hate the "sport" so never watch it) and I know Cricket allow you to hear a little of what is said between the umpires and the Fourth official/replay bod, or at least allow you to hear the replay bod talking as he watches the replays. If football did that, they could patch it through to the big screens pretty much all PL stadiums have, that way fans and tv viewrs would know what was going on and how a decision was reached.

The current system is a farce, but I blame those who put it in place and clearly didnt think it through. What they have done is use a system that sounds good on a bit of paper in their ivory tower, but in practice is a complete ****ing farce.

Also, why the hell referees are stopped from talking to the media is beyond me. Let them and fourth officials come out and explain decisions. At least then they could say "I didnt see XYZ do I asked the replay bod, he said...."

It'll take time to get it right but it'll come.
Whoever thought up the current system really needs fired though. A child could spot the problems with it.

 

[edd_jedi]

The big question now is who's going to **** up first, Liverpool or Spurs? I really can't see Chelsea missing out on top 4 so at least one of them has to blow it as usual. Hard to tell which on current form though.

 

[Snaketibe]

Well on current form, I'd say Chelski are the most likely to stumble! I also think Spurs will finish 2nd again, so let's wait and see

 

[theforceuk]

I can't see Liverpool or Man Utd missing out, would suprise me if either did. Will be close between Spurs and Chelsea I think.

 

[weasel]

Yeah, I think on current form, Chelsea are the ones who will miss out. They have City tomorrow and if they lose they are 5pts behind Spurs and 7 behind Pool. That's a big gap to close.
Still a lot of games to go though. Harry kane or DDG break a leg tomorrow and it gets interesting.