Premier League final day

[A Quiet Monkfish]

That's odd then, as you comment on it very regularly. Only last week you were talking about how poor Arsenal's game was and yet you apparently kept going back to it to check on the score.

At the end of each episode of a Netflix documentary I did flick over to see what the score was - as you say. That's a world of difference to actually sitting down and watching the game..

[The Lone Gunman]

The very same could be asked of you and why you watch Championship football.
After all you constantly grizzle about how poor a standard the Championship is

It's a valid criticism. I watched way too much televised Championship football last season. As a rule, the standard was so poor that more often than not I found myself thinking: "why am I watching this rubbish?" But watch it I did.

Of course, there's a significant difference, as many of the games I saw had a direct effect on City's situation and plenty of other matches featured teams City were due to play, so I had a vested interest of sorts. Nevertheless, I definitely watched far too much of it. No doubt about that.

Having said all that, I find a lot of the criticism of the Premier League and its supporters to be shallow. It's inverse snobbery of sorts, and I'm sure a significant part of it stems from the fact that City's efforts when we've got there have been so pathetic.

There's also a degree of what I regard as the football equivalent of virtue signalling when people post stuff like: "Oh, I'm going to try to find a stream on the National League North play-off semi-finals this evening rather than watch Man City's game." That's basically saying: "Look at me, I'm a proper football fan!"

I watched the League One play-off final yesterday - the only League One game I've watched from start to finish this season. It was really poor. Of course, the circumstances probably went some way towards explaining that, play-off finals are rarely classics, but yesterday's was absolute garbage. I didn't watch any of the televised Premier League games, but you can guarantee they would have been a lot more entertaining than the Charlton v Orient final. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of 'proper football fans' who will claim otherwise.

[The Lone Gunman]

At the end of each episode of a Netflix documentary I did flick over to see what the score was - as you say. That's a world of difference to actually sitting down and watching the game..

Indeed. But I'm fairly certain you've commented regularly on the 'boring' football in the Premier League throughout this season and beyond, which tends to suggest you do watch plenty of it.

[JamesWales]

It's a valid criticism. I watched way too much televised Championship football last season. As a rule, the standard was so poor that more often than not I found myself thinking: "why am I watching this rubbish?" But watch it I did.

Of course, there's a significant difference, as many of the games I saw had a direct effect on City's situation and plenty of other matches featured teams City were due to play, so I had a vested interest of sorts. Nevertheless, I definitely watched far too much of it. No doubt about that.

Having said all that, I find a lot of the criticism of the Premier League and its supporters to be shallow. It's inverse snobbery of sorts, and I'm sure a significant part of it stems from the fact that City's efforts when we've got there have been so pathetic.

There's also a degree of what I regard as the football equivalent of virtue signalling when people post stuff like: "Oh, I'm going to try to find a stream on the National League North play-off semi-finals this evening rather than watch Man City's game." That's basically saying: "Look at me, I'm a proper football fan!"

I watched the League One play-off final yesterday - the only League One game I've watched from start to finish this season. It was really poor. Of course, the circumstances probably went some way towards explaining that, play-off finals are rarely classics, but yesterday's was absolute garbage. I didn't watch any of the televised Premier League games, but you can guarantee they would have been a lot more entertaining than the Charlton v Orient final. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of 'proper football fans' who will claim otherwise.

I honestly don't think I watched a single game bar City's. Unless it very directly involves us I have very little interest in sitting down to watch a random Championship game. Or Premier League for that matter. I love watching world cups and Euros, cup finals, and the FA cup generally on the BBC but most football on TV is just background noise. Quite enjoy MOTD2 on Sunday evenings I guess, although it makes me sad as it means the weekend is over haha.

I would far rather watch a non league game live than Liverpool v Arsenal on the TV. I find very little magic in it nowadays

[Moodybluebird]

Having said all that, I find a lot of the criticism of the Premier League and its supporters to be shallow. It's inverse snobbery of sorts, and I'm sure a significant part of it stems from the fact that City's efforts when we've got there have been so pathetic.

I wouldn't say our last visit to the PL was pathetic, not when you consider we won only two less matches than Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton combined this season.

[JamesWales]

I wouldn't say our last visit to the PL was pathetic, not when you consider we won only two less matches than Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton combined this season.

Absolutely. After a dreadful start we were actually pretty consistent and easily could have stayed up, especially when you factor in the Sala tragedy

I always look back to that Chelsea home game when we were winning and lost. Who knows how history could have turned out differently. We definitely weren't pathetic that season though.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Indeed. But I'm fairly certain you've commented regularly on the 'boring' football in the Premier League throughout this season and beyond, which tends to suggest you do watch plenty of it.

Increasingly over the past 5 or 6 seasons I've watched less and less PL football. There are times - when it's chucking it down and I've been out all day for example - when I'll tune into an evening PL game if it takes my interest and put it on 'hold', ready to scan through the endless tippy tappying around the middle of the pitch until something resembling a bit of goalmouth interest appears. Ironically Sky are now boasting of increasing their PL coverage next season from 128 to a minimum of 215, as the actual viewing figures in the UK continue to fall. I'll be cancelling in November when my package comes up for renewal..

[Moodybluebird]

Absolutely. After a dreadful start we were actually pretty consistent and easily could have stayed up, especially when you factor in the Sala tragedy

I always look back to that Chelsea home game when we were winning and lost. Who knows how history could have turned out differently. We definitely weren't pathetic that season though.

It was the start that killed us. After those first winless 8 games we won a third of our remaining matches. Just one win in those first 8 and we would have survived. I was in Cyprus watching the televised home game against Burnley. How we never won that game was a mystery.

[jon1959]

It was the start that killed us. After those first winless 8 games we won a third of our remaining matches. Just one win in those first 8 and we would have survived. I was in Cyprus watching the televised home game against Burnley. How we never won that game was a mystery.

How so?

We were relegated in 24th place - 5 points and 15 goals worse off than Hull in 21st.

If you are arguing that a win in the first batch of games would have changed the confidence of the squad and manager, and led to better results later in the season, then you may be right (or not) but it really is just wishful thinking.

We had a season of famine, feast, famine and slow/limp decline to dismal failure. It wasn't just about the start.

[the other bob wilson]

How so?

We were relegated in 24th place - 5 points and 15 goals worse off than Hull in 21st.

If you are arguing that a win in the first batch of games would have changed the confidence of the squad and manager, and led to better results later in the season, then you may be right (or not) but it really is just wishful thinking.

We had a season of famine, feast, famine and slow/limp decline to dismal failure. It wasn't just about the start.

Think he’s talking about our second season in the Premier League.

[jon1959]

Think he’s talking about our second season in the Premier League.

Ah yes. Apologies Moody. I should have read what you were replying to more carefully. FWIW I agree about that season.

[NYCBlue]

I watch the PL whenever I can. I watch all of our games and whatever's on before or after. I've also watched as many playoff games as I could. What's wrong with the PL? Why does it have to be exciting? It's football played at a very high level. Football is as exciting as you want it to be. I'm watching the League Two playoff final right now and I want Wimbledon to win, so there's some excitement there. Will I care if they lose? Absolutely not. But it's still interesting. Our games were shit all season long, but due to our predicament, about as as exciting as it gets. When did people start to get so picky about what kind of football they like?

[Grangenders]

How many games are we ‘guaranteed’ to have televised live next season under this Sky deal? I know it was around 25 in the championship but I’m assuming it’s less in League 1.