Premier League 2020/2021 Thread

[theforceuk]

What do you guys think about the new Champions League format, I'm on the fence at the moment. Anything's better than the present format, not sure I like Liverpool getting a wild card! lol

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56573883

 

[weasel]

I hate it. I genuinely can't think of a single positive to it.

****ing stupid idea. Big clubs ensuring they all get more games and more money from TV revenue.

Does anyone ever remember hearing fans saying they wanted MORE meaningless European games!? Anyone? Ever?

Fans want more COMPETITIVE games. They want the European competitions to be more interesting than the usual suspects from the big 5 leagues dominating. These changes will ensure the big leagues dominate even more. What UEFA should be doing is over hauling the CL, scrapping the 3rd place in the group gets you into EL, and (TBF they have done this) bring back the CWC to give smaller clubs/leagues a chance to win something.
Instead they have decided what we all want is to see the usual suspects playing every season in meaningless league games. Where is the interest in watching Barca PSG, if both are sitting comfortably in the top 8 and guaranteed qualification?
There is none.
The risk of going out is what motivates players/fans and inspires neutrals to watch. "Ohhh no if we lose this we will have to win 6 of our remaining 9 games" :roll:
**** me, can you imagine the tension if that happened........Zzzzzzzz

You know as well the rights are due to be renegotiated just before the change (i think) so UEFA will want twice megabucks. Which means most likely a PPV or subscription service.
Viewing figures in the UK have nose dived since the rights went to BT, unsurprisingly, who is gonna pay for BT sport on top of SS (and netflicks/amazon prime etc)? Answer, not many. Hence BT are happy with 1.5m ppl watching a game. Fairly certain ITV used to get ten times that.
Eventually it will feed back into less people buying shirts etc. Until then UEFA won't give a ****.

They should be cutting the number of spots the big 5 leagues get, scrapping the seeding, and helping the smaller leagues. Instead they are ****ing them over and killing the golden goose.

I can see this meaning CL sides pull out of/arent allowed in the worthless cup, which maybe isn't a bad thing as it means the sides in it all know they have a chance of a final/winning it, and getting a EL spot. Although knowing the FA they will just scrap it.

And I agree. The wildcard is utterly ridiculous. If Pool finish 7th they should be nowhere ****ing near the CL. 7th means, YOU.ARE.SHITE.
You shouldn't be in the CL, unless you managed to win it cos you were in it the season before.

Between this nonsense and VAR killing the game, I can see me and football going the same way as me and SW post the Ruin Johnson farce, I'll just walk away and remember it as was and not watch the abomination it has become. Sad.

 

[lejackal]

You know as well the rights are due to be renegotiated just before the change (i think) so UEFA will want twice megabucks. Which means most likely a PPV or subscription service.
Viewing figures in the UK have nose dived since the rights went to BT, unsurprisingly, who is gonna pay for BT sport on top of SS (and netflicks/amazon prime etc)? Answer, not many. Hence BT are happy with 1.5m ppl watching a game. Fairly certain ITV used to get ten times that.
Eventually it will feed back into less people buying shirts etc. Until then UEFA won't give a ****.

https://www.footballcritic.com/features/sorry-bt-we-wont-celebrate-your-new-tv-deal-youre-hiding-football-from-the-masses/332

This article is a couple of years old now but the difference in viewing figures quoted are even worse for the CL, at a far worse ratio as well.

 

[Cazza]

It's utterly disgraceful! You should qualify on merit, not your past glories. Completely unfair on smaller teams who have a great season and earn a place, only to be told they are not big enough. Nothing short of discrimination.

 

[lejackal]

It's utterly disgraceful! You should qualify on merit, not your past glories. Completely unfair on smaller teams who have a great season and earn a place, only to be told they are not big enough. Nothing short of discrimination.

I can't wait to see back to back champions Forest back on the European stage

 

[weasel]

It's based on European coefficient, which only uses stats from the last 5 ish years. So Forest will have a zero.

Tiz a farce though. If Abramovich gets bored of Chelsea and asset strips them by selling every single player, leaving them with a team of kids, they would still qualify as they have a decent coefficient.

 

[weasel]

You know as well the rights are due to be renegotiated just before the change (i think) so UEFA will want twice megabucks. Which means most likely a PPV or subscription service.
Viewing figures in the UK have nose dived since the rights went to BT, unsurprisingly, who is gonna pay for BT sport on top of SS (and netflicks/amazon prime etc)? Answer, not many. Hence BT are happy with 1.5m ppl watching a game. Fairly certain ITV used to get ten times that.
Eventually it will feed back into less people buying shirts etc. Until then UEFA won't give a ****.

https://www.footballcritic.com/features/sorry-bt-we-wont-celebrate-your-new-tv-deal-youre-hiding-football-from-the-masses/332

This article is a couple of years old now but the difference in viewing figures quoted are even worse for the CL, at a far worse ratio as well.

Good find.

I think Cricket are now realising that having a product on sky is great as far as finances go, but not so great when it comes time to try and recruit kids. The ground roots clubs struggle, while the big wigs at the ECB roll in it. Then England win the WC and suddenly everyone is interested.
The best advert for a sport is getting it on TV where kids can see it, and parents can be inspired to take the kids along to play it. Football, and cricket, don't have that option.
UEFA's plan will reduce the chances of people seeing the CL even more. It is very short term thinking. Maximise your income now, and **** yourself over in the future.

 

[theforceuk]

I agree it's not great and every point made you can't argue with, the problem you have is all the big clubs in Europe are threatening to break away and do something a lot worse. I think UEFA are trying to meet them half way while
lining their own pockets. The format needs changing, it's pretty much been the same for 30 years now, but it only really worked when there were 16 teams in it with 4 groups of 4 then into the last 8. I agree that's what it should go back to, perhaps with the quarter finals being 2 groups of 4 and the top 2 go into the semis, that would mean more games for the top clubs, more TV money etc.

I cancelled my Sky/BT subscription 15 months ago, the pundits are clueless and the cost is ridiculous, can't see me renewing them any time soon.

 

[lejackal]

It's based on European coefficient, which only uses stats from the last 5 ish years. So Forest will have a zero.

Tiz a farce though. If Abramovich gets bored of Chelsea and asset strips them by selling every single player, leaving them with a team of kids, they would still qualify as they have a decent coefficient.

Yeah, I was being flippant but it is a joke

 

[weasel]

I agree it's not great and every point made you can't argue with, the problem you have is all the big clubs in Europe are threatening to break away and do something a lot worse. I think UEFA are trying to meet them half way while
lining their own pockets. The format needs changing, it's pretty much been the same for 30 years now, but it only really worked when there were 16 teams in it with 4 groups of 4 then into the last 8. I agree that's what it should go back to, perhaps with the quarter finals being 2 groups of 4 and the top 2 go into the semis, that would mean more games for the top clubs, more TV money etc.

I cancelled my Sky/BT subscription 15 months ago, the pundits are clueless and the cost is ridiculous, can't see me renewing them any time soon.

I'm not sure the break away super league would happen. I know Juve want it, but their owner is a moron. Real and Barca would probably go along with it, possibly Bayern and well, PSG play in a farmers league so they would be mad keen. I don't think any English club is that keen though. The owners would probably quite like it, but they know the fans HATE the idea and there would be a back lash.
The odds are 30-40% of the spots in the European Super League would be given to English teams. It's the ONLY competitive league in the top 5 in Europe.
The twenty team league would be made up of Porto, Atleti, Barca, Real, PSG, Bayern, Dortmund, Juve, 4/5 English sides and then 8 spots shared out. But you are getting in to "what's the point" territory when you consider a second Portugese/French side, ditto any more German sides, and well Inter/Roma probably have a half decent shout but even they are gonna be at the bottom of the table. Would you add a Russian/Dutch side? Ajax did well two years ago, but before that it had been 15 years since a Dutch side did anything. Has a Russian team ever done much in the CL? Big country and I assume, a half decent tv market, but if their teams are all shite.....
Why would the PL clubs want to leave what is the most watched league in the world to join something the fans don't want and hate!?


Ohhh and they did do a second group stage 20 yrs ago, I remember being at uni and it being about. But it didn't really work. Too many pointless games in the 1st group and well, too many games in general. No drama for the neutral.

It's based on European coefficient, which only uses stats from the last 5 ish years. So Forest will have a zero.

Tiz a farce though. If Abramovich gets bored of Chelsea and asset strips them by selling every single player, leaving them with a team of kids, they would still qualify as they have a decent coefficient.

Yeah, I was being flippant but it is a joke

I know, just in case of the less bright people reading this (ie Utd fans ;-)) think that's how it works.

 

[theforceuk]

The second group stage wouldn't work with 32 teams like it didn't before but it could work for the last 8, look at the teams in the last 8 this season it would be interesting having them split into 2 groups of 4. I agree the European break away League is unlikely they have been on about it since the mid 90's. It's actually Liverpool's and Man Utd's owners who spear headed the last attempt. I know for a fact the Glaziers don't care about the fans and it would involve scrapping the League Cup and the PL being reduced to 16 or 18 teams, not scrapping it.

Doesn't really matter what any of us think any way, we are just spectators, UEFA will do what ever keeps them in control with the biggest financial reward.

 

[weasel]

Utd and Pool, the two clubs owned by Yanks who are used to the franchise model.
That is unknown in Europe

 

[edd_jedi]

And there was me looking forward to the PL returning. Chelsea and Arsenal lose yesterday, we're playing a foundering Newcastle for a chance to go in the top four, what can possibly go wrong?! Oh yeah, the Spurs defence again. Absolute shambles, again. And I can't argue against Newcastle deserving the point.

All this talk of Kane leaving over the last few weeks, if I was him I don't know how many times I could score 2+ goals a match and still lose or draw, I wouldn't blame him one bit if he goes. Whoever is managing Spurs next season, be it Jose or Darren Anderton, I would not take up that job without reassurance the budget is there to replace the ENTIRE defensive squad. We literally don't have one good defender, unless you count Harry Kane.

Obviously being a Spurs fan I'm no glory supporter, but I don't know if I can continue watching this lot play.

 

[theforceuk]

Pretty much how I feel about Man Utd, another poor performance and OGS manages to grind out the result. Were playing the same football that Jose played and will probably finish with fewer points than he got in his best season. All our best players will leave, only thing that will stop them is the stupid wages they are on at Man Utd, as no other club will be able to afford them.

 

[edd_jedi]

The poor standard of the PL this season really has been abysmal to watch, I wonder if it's all due to the lack of fans? I can imagine that having an impact on effort, however I also thought it would probably reduce nerves and intimidation so I would expect on the other hand to have seen more quality, which we obviously haven't! Apart from City, who themselves were outside the top four until January, has ANYONE enjoyed watching their team this season? Leicester and West Ham are about the only teams I think are playing above expectations at the moment.

 

[theforceuk]

No I don't enjoy Man City's style of play, pass, pass, pass and pass until the other team and everyone at home falls asleep. Thought it was funny how Pep said he doesn't know how many trophies they will win this season but the players have been amazing all season! I tell you what Pep lets wait until the end of the season, as any noble manager would.

 

[weasel]

has ANYONE enjoyed watching their team this season?

Nope.

I gave up watching in Jan. I haven't watched a game, Liverpool or anyone else, since.
VAR does not help my enjoyment of football, even games where I don't care who wins.


As for Utd. Genuine question, HOW are they second. They are shite. Even Utd fans moan about how shite they are. They were shite yesterday, apparently, but still won. Are they a good team who have that much sought after habit of winning when playing badly, or are they a shite side who gets lucky? I have no idea. But they are second, and in line for a CL spot which ehhh they do not deserve.
Nor do Pool, or Spurs, or Arsenal (though they won't get one, unless they fluke the EL). Arguably Leicester and WH do, but the latter would struggle in the CL. Not that means they don't deserve to be in it. And I suspect the former will do what Brendan does best and choke, or get in and watch that idiot prioritise getting in to the following year's comp over actually trying while you're in it.

The obvious answer is that it's a pish PL and City are the tallest dwarf's/least **** side.
But then you look at the European situation and 3 English sides in the last 8 of the CL, and 2 in the last 8 of the EL, and you realise that if this is a poor PL then European football is equally poor.

 

[edd_jedi]

As for Utd. Genuine question, HOW are they second. They are shite.

The same reason Leicester are third, they are both just slightly less shite than the clubs a few places below them. That might sound like stating the obvious, but a good few of the teams outside the top four currently have 20 odd points less than they did at this stage last season. That is a massive drop in results.

 

[weasel]

I don't even wanna know how many points less Pool have. Must be close to 30.

 

[lejackal]

I don't even wanna know how many points less Pool have. Must be close to 30.

By round 30 last season you had enough points to win the league, you didn't need to bother playing the last 8 games.