Premier League games 6/7/8/ November

[Blue Til Death]

It's got the feel of one of those depressing football weekends, where United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs & Liverpool all win.
Hope I'm wrong for most of it.

And a happy fuckfacing weekend to you an all Gaz :-)

 

[Don Karleone]

If I am truly honest with myself — and I said this at the beginning of the season but hoped it would change — I am much less interested in football generally this season. I am trying to care, as I could use a distraction, like so many of us could, but I am struggling to muster it.

That may sound minor, but football (as it has been for most of us) has been an integral part of my life since I learned to kick a ball. It’s been fundamental to my daily experience for three decades. And I know it’s been the same for others for many more years than that. Any loss in appetite is quite a shift. And the loss is rather substantial.

Now, there are obviously many other things contributing to that relative disinterest, many rather serious and deserving of attention and focus over a game I am not even playing myself.

But I do think it is also partly down to how the game is changing, how the manipulation is becoming so obvious, how the fans are being marginalised in favour of a fully commercialised ‘product’, the absurd economics of the football market in a time of immense strife for so many, and the general corruption pervasive in the sport that just becomes more difficult to ignore the longer you are exposed to it, especially when certain entities have begun to effectively lord it over others.

I still love City, that will not change, barring something truly abhorrent happening. But I just am not remotely as excited about watching us or other games (which I used to do quite a lot, as I generally just loved football).

I suppose it’s just the natural progression of things. You move on.

Still, for me at least, it’s a big change and somewhat sad to feel it happening.

+1

 

[Blue Til Death]

my dog would have saved that.

I used to have a budgie that was half decent in nets but he went a bit doolally so I sold him to EFC

 

[squirtyflower]

That very true!

But VAR is still shit due to the fact that a goal is no longer a special moment. VAR has made that elation when the ball hits the net disappear, because you never know what might have happened to disallow it.

Also, as fans in the grounds, we are the last people to know what’s going on. We’ve paid our money to watch the game and gone to the effort of going to these grounds around the country, yet when a decision is with VAR none of us have a scoobies what’s going on.

Plus, with refs now encouraged to go to the screen on the sideline, there are even more moments of the game where nothing is happening. We can be stood watching a pitch with 22 men stood around doing nothing while an official is off the pitch watching tele, which can add up to a few minutes.

Football was already struggling with the ball-in-play labouring around 65%, while rugby league’s new rules have seen the BIP run well over 80% on a regular basis (one fixture last month had 14 more minutes BIP than the same fixture last year!).

VAR is seeing the sport go backwards! And that’s even without the corruption side of it.

Can’t argue with any of that.
However if the VAR was like rugby’s, and the officials weren’t all on the take then I think it would be a good thing.

 

[Kippax77]

If they can't get decisions right even after 5 minutes of looking at replays, then they honestly need sacking.
If any of us were to keep making mistakes in our jobs we'd get fucked off for being incompetent.
There as to be an hidden agenda going on for this level of incompetence being allowed.
No respect for the clubs fans anymore, the league is being played out like a pre filmed soap opera.
No reality of the game of football we enjoyed just a few years back, just a dodgy cheating mess of the sport
we all loved

 

[Blue Til Death]

Can’t argue with any of that.
However if the VAR was like rugby’s, and the officials weren’t all on the take then I think it would be a good thing.

Quite right mate, Mic the refs up and let’s hear what’s going on

 

[bondsman]

If I am truly honest with myself — and I said this at the beginning of the season but hoped it would change — I am much less interested in football generally this season. I am trying to care, as I could use a distraction, like so many of us could, but I am struggling to muster it.

That may sound minor, but football (as it has been for most of us) has been an integral part of my life since I learned to kick a ball. It’s been fundamental to my daily experience for three decades. And I know it’s been the same for others for many more years than that. Any loss in appetite is quite a shift. And the loss is rather substantial.

Now, there are obviously many other things contributing to that relative disinterest, many rather serious and deserving of attention and focus over a game I am not even playing myself.

But I do think it is also partly down to how the game is changing, how the manipulation is becoming so obvious, how the fans are being marginalised in favour of a fully commercialised ‘product’, the absurd economics of the football market in a time of immense strife for so many, and the general corruption pervasive in the sport that just becomes more difficult to ignore the longer you are exposed to it, especially when certain entities have begun to effectively lord it over others.

I still love City, that will not change, barring something truly abhorrent happening. But I just am not remotely as excited about watching us or other games (which I used to do quite a lot, as I generally just loved football).

I suppose it’s just the natural progression of things. You move on.

Still, for me at least, it’s a big change and somewhat sad to feel it happening.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[ancoats]

And a happy fuckfacing weekend to you an all Gaz :-)

Cheers.

Sad to hear that so many others feel the same way, but also (selfishly) happy to know that I am not alone.

I think that is the biggest takeaway from everything going on: none of us are alone, especially not on here. Even if many on here disagree about various topics — which we definitely do, of course — we are blues in the end (well, most of us).

Things have been difficult, and the next few months (or more) will be, as well, but we have each other to get through it.

That goes well beyond football.

good post matey

times are hard and football is a release from the pressure and at the moment ? manchester city playing is about the only good thing for me. am not ashamed to admit i am struggling with mental health and panic attacks depression anxiety and its bloody scary and football and city really means a lot right now even if we lose

it is nice to know bluemoon is a good place and i do my best on here ? so your post does give me hope and i know loads of other blues going through it right now even worst than me. so thank you

 

[Gazza]

I used to have a budgie that was half decent in nets but he went a bit doolally so I sold him to EFC

Did you buy him on higher perches?

 

[stonerblue]

Cheers.

Sad to hear that so many others feel the same way, but also (selfishly) happy to know that I am not alone.

I think that is the biggest takeaway from everything going on: none of us are alone, especially not on here. Even if many on here disagree about various topics — which we definitely do, of course — we are blues in the end (well, most of us).

Things have been difficult, and the next few months (or more) will be, as well, but we have each other to get through it.

That goes well beyond football.

I have fallen out with football a few times over the years. Sometimes i've lived in places where i couldn't even find out the score for a City game for days, never mind watch it.
Even right now, this very minute, i'm watching michael fucking owen pointing out how shit the offside Leeds goal is. That's enough to tip anyone over the edge and turn their backs on the game.

The problem is, it's impossible to do.

I know var and covid are fucking up the game but i'm still here, beer in hand after work watching a very good match in full on 'armchair' mode.
Many years ago i would pay a fiver for a sunday paper -delivered on a tuesday- just for the City result or quarter para' match report.

The day you don't get a little spring in your step or a flutter in your heart after knowing City won. Then, and only then, will be the day you can say you've given up on the game.