Is football on the decline?

[Galning]

Didn't we also have Keite at LB?

 

[Lemmi]

Didn't we also have Keite at LB?

sylvinho, but i was replying in reference to united in 99

 

[Ocelot]

sylvinho, but i was replying in reference to united in 99

Keane and Scholes right?

The 99 Man Utd team was magnificent.

 

[Antimilan]

It's the vice-versa !

 

[el tren]

Keane and Scholes right?

The 99 Man Utd team was magnificent.

Indeed, but its still true that they werent dominating the final at all. Bayern almost sealed the match with Scholl and Jancker hitting the wood before Man Utd was able to do that lategame turnaround.

 

[Cal-FCB]

Yeh that's the point they were making though, they were missing Keane (they're captain and ballwinner in the middle) and Scholes (creative, goal threat, great in possession). They were two of their most important players, so it wasn't a surprise Bayern were the better side.

 

[Xavi19]

Too much there to argue against tbh, but put simply no I don't think it is. European football is always going in cycles. English football has dominated and is now dipping down again, Liverpool shit, Chelsea old, Arsenal ok but not true contenders, United decent but reliant on Rooney. Real should really be in the 1/4s, but the likes of Valencia, Sevilla will have important summers. If they weaken there's no chance of a Spanish dominance next season, Italy is still rebulding slowly.

You honestly think Italy is rebuilding? It is in dire strains. I really am shocked at the poll numbers. I can't believe people think football is still enjoyable too watch.

I know it goes in cycles, but it has never, ever been this bad. The football is so poor, it really is.

 

[Xavi19]

The stars are more concentrated on the big teams, thats why other competitors in the CL last 16 couldnt cope up. Tactically and from the intense, the game just got much much better than it was 10 years ago. I saw the CL final of 97 between Dortmund and Juve a few months ago - to me it looked more like what i am doing with my friends on a sunny saturday afternoon than a football match of the two best teams in europe. I also remember Bayerns football from 99-01, when they were the most sucussful team in europe. They were just miles below to what Barca, but also the usual suspects from the EPL show on the pitch nowadays.

ON a sidenote: Stuttgart were far from being awful. I dunno if you actually saw the 1st leg were Stuttgart was clearly the better team, or the 2nd leg where they were obv worse, but still showed more class than Arsenal did in the first 70 minutes yesterday. Bayern is also more than just Ribery and Robben, showing that you dont really follow this team either.

Also dont get foolded by some fancy sounding names from the past. Todays players are overall better trained than the generation before. And that make them not only more complete with less flaws, but more fit as well.

Stuggart are not a good team, stop kidding yourself. Let's stop being delusional. Remember United got to the semi's in 2007? They had to play Lille and Roma to get there. I MEAN C'MON! Give me a break. As for Bayern? I saw them against United, they were poor. Did you see the game last year against Barca? Lol, please, just stop. We beat Bayern 4-0 and we beat Lyon 4-2 last year. We played 2 ordinary teams to reach the semi finals. Look at the games United has to win to get to the final in 99. Juve: Davids, Inzaghi, Zidane, Del Peiro. In their group stage they had to get past Bayern and Barca. It was much harder. The games were much more intense and better. I love watching the games from the 90's.

I saw the defending in the Milan-Liverpool final in 2005, it wasn't good. Barca are weak at the back. Madrid always are. What's your point? Remember Porto and Monaco as a final?

I don't know how you can say the defending was bad. The defending was excellent. Have you never watched Milan in the early 90's? I mean, it was such a quality team. Far superior to the current best team in Europe(Barca).

We have to be objective. I suppose everyone has their own opinion, and I'm not saying I'm right. I just don't see how you think it is better now.

 

[silky_soccer]

You honestly think Italy is rebuilding? It is in dire strains. I really am shocked at the poll numbers. I can't believe people think football is still enjoyable too watch.

I know it goes in cycles, but it has never, ever been this bad. The football is so poor, it really is.

if you dont think its enjoyable why do you watch it?
not being sarcastic, just wondering..

 

[el tren]

Stuggart are not a good team, stop kidding yourself. Let's stop being delusional. Remember United got to the semi's in 2007? They had to play Lille and Roma to get there. I MEAN C'MON! Give me a break. As for Bayern? I saw them against United, they were poor. Did you see the game last year against Barca? Lol, please, just stop. We beat Bayern 4-0 and we beat Lyon 4-2 last year. We played 2 ordinary teams to reach the semi finals. Look at the games United has to win to get to the final in 99. Juve: Davids, Inzaghi, Zidane, Del Peiro. In their group stage they had to get past Bayern and Barca. It was much harder. The games were much more intense and better. I love watching the games from the 90's.

I saw the defending in the Milan-Liverpool final in 2005, it wasn't good. Barca are weak at the back. Madrid always are. What's your point? Remember Porto and Monaco as a final?

I don't know how you can say the defending was bad. The defending was excellent. Have you never watched Milan in the early 90's? I mean, it was such a quality team. Far superior to the current best team in Europe(Barca).

We have to be objective. I suppose everyone has their own opinion, and I'm not saying I'm right. I just don't see how you think it is better now.

I just dont get what point you are making up with your 'football is on the decline' statement. Other teams cant cope up with Barca? Like the so-poor Bayern that deservedly beat Man Utd, the finalist and title holder of the past 2 yrs? Or Stuttgart that were the strongest CL opposition for Barca this season and is generally a very talented team? No, in the end they prolly wont, just b/c Barca currently has a generation of players that sets the team apparently above anyone else. But does that make football worse? Does it mean that todays teams are less technically, tactically and athletically skilled? Think about it, remember what you saw 10-15 yrs ago or go watch it if necessary, b/c if you really believe that you will find out that you are horribly wrong. CL matches of the 90ies look like 2nd division football now. Im pretty sure that any of the final 16 teams this year would crush the winners of the nineties. Or do you actually have a problem by missing certain glorified teams ... well, seria a financially collapsed and is currently no more than a gathering place for aging stars and overrated players. So no more Juve, Milan, Roma ... isnt a real problem for me though when you see what Bordeaux and Lyon showed in their 1st leg ... that didnt look like decline to me ...

 

[Jaumet]

I talked to my grandpa about this topic, and he said it is a bit boring but not as boring as it was in the 1930-1931 season... I dunno if i agree, but you can't argue with your Avi can you?

 

[diegomessi]

Yea i dont see where u get that comment about bayern being poor against Man united... they kept the ball so nicely and created chances and were CLEARLY the better side.. and to say that stuttagart is just awful is very arrogant and disrespecful they had us owned in the first tie and beat a very good Bayern Munich in league play

I like EL tren's post

if you take pele or Maradona or cruyff from back then and put them in todays game... they would not look so legendary

Even watching matches from like 10-12 years ago i think wow how the game looks so harder now

 

[Xavi19]

I just dont get what point you are making up with your 'football is on the decline' statement. Other teams cant cope up with Barca? Like the so-poor Bayern that deservedly beat Man Utd, the finalist and title holder of the past 2 yrs? Or Stuttgart that were the strongest CL opposition for Barca this season and is generally a very talented team? No, in the end they prolly wont, just b/c Barca currently has a generation of players that sets the team apparently above anyone else. But does that make football worse? Does it mean that todays teams are less technically, tactically and athletically skilled? Think about it, remember what you saw 10-15 yrs ago or go watch it if necessary, b/c if you really believe that you will find out that you are horribly wrong. CL matches of the 90ies look like 2nd division football now. Im pretty sure that any of the final 16 teams this year would crush the winners of the nineties. Or do you actually have a problem by missing certain glorified teams ... well, seria a financially collapsed and is currently no more than a gathering place for aging stars and overrated players. So no more Juve, Milan, Roma ... isnt a real problem for me though when you see what Bordeaux and Lyon showed in their 1st leg ... that didnt look like decline to me ...

Deline: Meaning level of competition, level of players. Diving, cheating.

You can't argue that 10 years ago the top 3 leagues in Europe were stronger than they are now.

You mention overrated stars? The game is full of them today.

You keep talking about defending, and La Liga and Seria A and even the Premiership is poor in defending.

As for the Lyon Bordeaux comment, it doesn't merit a response.

 

[diegomessi]

The divide in the BIG teams and the smaller underdogs has everything to do with Money tbh.. years ago there was not so much money being thrown around so things were a bit more equal... its nearly impossible to get back to that without some sort of transfer cap or salary cap... the rich get richer poor get poorer (in money and in play)

 

[Xavi19]

Yea i dont see where u get that comment about bayern being poor against Man united... they kept the ball so nicely and created chances and were CLEARLY the better side.. and to say that stuttagart is just awful is very arrogant and disrespecful they had us owned in the first tie and beat a very good Bayern Munich in league play

I like EL tren's post

if you take pele or Maradona or cruyff from back then and put them in todays game... they would not look so legendary

Even watching matches from like 10-12 years ago i think wow how the game looks so harder now

They would not look legendary, because they were not as fit. Also, the played in a time when players were allowed to tackle, and tackle hard. The game stops every minute in La Liga for diving or feigning injuries i.e Busquests as a perfect example.

Did you see United's midfield? No wonder they kept the ball. They have a very ordinary team, and their defense is shocking. Again, when Barca played them last year it was a poor game. They were like Japanese Kamikazes diving into tackles.