Pep Guardiola has a lot to answer for. Not just to the fans of Manchester City for their worst season since they became cash rich, but for aesthetic reasons.
Whilst his teams were lauded initially for playing football in a style many decreed pure, its relentless drive and the attempt by virtually every other side to copy its pass, pass ad nauseum, risk-adverse style is leading the world's most popular game into crisis.Following last weekend's joyless Manchester derby, it led Gary Neville to say: "Robotic football - it can't go on". And I agree. The minor rule change of not having to play the ball outside the area from a goal kick has resulted in this tedious, play-out-from-the-back mantra.
Sure sometimes it's productive, but mainly it means teams play the ball around in their own half at walking pace. Wingers (always inverted) who turn back instead of crossing. The great god possession must be fed at all costs. Let's have a bit of "having a go".
Neville for some of his faults, has often come across as an astute and sensible pundit, speaking sense and echoing the thoughts of many genuine fans. And football is in danger of eating itself alive.
It’s overexposed. Gone are the days when a live game on TV, or a trip to see a game in person, felt special. Like you were part of something. Not something that if you missed, you can watch online again four hours later. Or indeed any day of the week.
The days where the nation came together, almost, watching domestic sides in Europe. Where continental teams were a thing of mystery and awe. Not something you can viably watch and support.
The cultural shift in football hasn’t improved things. It’s no longer the working class ballet. It’s an increasingly middle class/tourist entity. The highlight of the week? What you worked hard all week to enjoy.
The support of so many Premier League sides has been diluted because again, over-saturation and globalisation has made it unaffordable for many. A lot of us still going aren’t doing it because we’re frightened of missing out, should a miracle of Prague occur, or worse still we simply can’t cope without lifelong routines becoming a thing of the past.
Also the shift to so called "sexy" football, Barca-ball, is not ideal. We’re watching, at times risk-averse athletes against almost computer game-like robots. Sexy football for me was watching a contrast of styles, a battle of guile and effort as well as skill.
I almost yearn for the days where we’d take on a Dave Bassett Wimbledon, in a battle of good versus evil. Football v thuggery and mix it with them, as well could do both.
Sexy football was watching true contests, not money-driven machines steamrollering lesser mortals because, well, they are self-entitled too. Sexy football was the Brazil team of 1982, not the Guardiola pass yourself into Armageddon.
An entertainment business - the biggest in the world - is on the verge of not only boring its fanbase into submission, but the marginalisation of any club daring to break the glamour club's status quo is going to exacerbate matters.
This year's Premier League has seen both the title race and relegation battles virtually sewn up already. Those chasing promotion from the Championship will be automatically favourites to return from whence they came next season.
The gulf financially is increasing between the top two divisions. Not for the better. The demise of Manchester United and Tottenham is all many have left to cheer this season, but you can bet that they will still demand a seat at the top table should the European Super League rear its ugly head once more.
VAR and financial fair play, both introduced to make the game fairer are instead sucking the life out of it and look increasingly a mechanism to protect the entitled from having their wealth taken away.
Football needs a reboot. Not manipulation to stop those at the top being dethroned.
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