Premier League ‘hoof-ball’ exposed on ‘sobering night’ for English football | OneFootball

The Premier League have had a rotten week in the Champions League and Arsenal might be the only ones to get away with it.

Does the Premier League need fixing? E-mail us at theeditor@football365.com

Has the Premier League been exposed?

After a night of humiliation in Europe has Premier League hoof-ball (tm Arsenal) been exposed as the anti-football tripe it is? Dave LFC

…This was bound to happen. Premier League teams in the Champions League have actually used the competition to hide behind their poor domestic performance bar Arsenal. This is in a way a clear vindication of their overall form this season. Having said that, Real and PSG were also not in great form but they showed up when it mattered. Real, I can understand but PSG are also building a steady European pedigree.

Still expect two of the six teams to qualify – Arsenal and Liverpool. Newcastle could show up at Barca or get a proper trouncing. But I think it is a far fetch for the other 3 teams.

The most disappointing result over the 2 nights was Man City crumbling at the Bernabeu. Totally shocking and unforeseen. O’Reilly had his part in the first goal but what was Donnarumma thinking? It was not even a 50-50 that he would carry the ball over the line but he wilted too soon. Guehi had a proper CL reality check and a shocking performance much like most of his teammates. Only a Vini Jr. tame penalty attempt has not put the tie to bed. City has to perform a Real Madrid in the second leg to beat Real Madrid.

Arsenal got away with it. They can really go and take these games by the scruff of its neck but Arteta and his team just don’t want to do it. Clear penalty??? Noni just waited for the impact and went down rather timidly, just needs practice to go down a notch earlier as soon as he feels a touch.

The less said about Chelsea and their GK the better it is. Mountains are to be climbed!!!

Liverpool can definitely beat Gala, but just read a stat somewhere that they have not had a knock-out victory at home after Barcelona. Gala were always going to be tough to beat at home and it would be a travesty if Liverpool didn’t return the favor at Home.

Spurs are reaching new levels of Spursy. Forget the fans but as a Tottenham player just rewatch the match and see these Atleti players celebrating and Alvarez’ dive for the 3rd goal and just use it as a driving force to put in a performance. Atleti have been revitalised since the January transfer window and it showed but I still expect Simeone Haram ball in the second leg. Any performance from Spurs in the return leg would be a catalyst for their PL survival.

On to Newcastle who people are weirdly expecting to get a result at Barca. They have the tools to do it but if Barca properly turn-up it will be a rollicking for Newcastle. Newcastle should get rid of all the flair and put up a feisty performance to tackle Barca.

All in all, the 5 spots in the CL next year is up for grabs and Liverpool should do themselves a favor by advancing and hoping the other teams also play their part.

And to my fellow United fans who complain about us not having games for 2 or 3 weeks and hence losing shape and form just watch Bode/Glimt and shut up. Vasanthan Coimbatore, TN, India

…​It’s been a pretty sobering couple of days for the English teams in Europe. PSG proved last year that it’s what you do after Christmas that counts. History is also littered with teams who have looked brilliant for most of the season but stumble as the finishing line approaches.

Arsenal and Liverpool were wretched this week – both should progress but will surely come unstuck against PSG, Bodo* or whichever superior team they come up against next. Newcastle now look like the only team capable of springing a shock in the second leg as the tie is surely beyond Spurs, City and Chelsea.

City were at their infuriating worst. I counted seven players in the box near the end of the game yet they steadfastly refused to cross the ball, or even have a shot. Chelsea played well for 80 minutes then fell apart at the end. PSG have now demolished four English clubs in less than a season – not bad for a team from a supposed farmers‘ league.

Premier League – best league in the world? Not based on the evidence of the last 48 hours. Jamie Bedwell, Cheltenhamshire

* Slightly tongue in cheek, but would you bet against Bodo versus anyone on current form?

…Over the course of the season several people, and myself, have commented on a drop in standard of the Premier League as we have noticed it – I even said that last year’s title for my own Liverpool seemed a little more blunt edged than it appeared, likely because of Salah’s incredible year. I never felt like we were exceptional, just incredibly consistent and capable of moments of brilliance.

Despite providing a raft of statistics supporting the lowering standard case, the usual riposte came in the form of ‘it’s a far more competitive league’ (it’s not) and ‘look at English clubs in Europe’.

It may only be half time in the ties but smart money has Spurs, Newcastle, Man City and Chelsea going out. Depending on the Liverpool that shows up, they’re 50:50 in a tie against a Turkish team. And, ‘most goals scored’, ‘most goals scored in open play’, and ‘in Europe teams actually try to play us’ Arsenal needed a highly suspect penalty to beat Leverkusen, who are 6th in Germany.

I have a funny feeling that the real standard of this year’s Premier League is about to be very much shown for what it is. JB (Roll on next year)

…I’ll be honest. All the English clubs apart from Arsenal played beautiful, free flowing, attacking football this week.

The only problem is Arsenal is now the only English club likely to make it past this round. Damola AFC Berlin Germany

Lucky, lucky Arsenal

Arsenal fan here. We’ve just equalised from the spot against Leverkusen. That seemed exceedingly soft. Tribalistically, I know I’m supposed to argue for my team, but I’d have been livid if that had been given against us.

Luck on our side there. James

Is Pep a special case?

Awaiting tomorrow’s totally not biased at all press. I presume this is the genius of Pep?? Making City favourites for the league by reducing their schedule by 5 games.

He just thinks differently. Johnno

…So, a foreign manager of an English team takes that team over to Madrid for the first leg of a Champions League game and the team loses by a three goal margin.

Are we to assume that the guy is an idiot/clown/buffoon and deserves to be sacked straight away, or do we just accept that the English team lost to a better team on the night and that maybe just maybe the manager should stay in his job for the time being? Just wondering. E Shaw

(Or do we perhaps take into account the fact that said manager has won three Champions League titles? – Ed)

Football is broken; here’s how to fix it

I’ve been reading a lot about how the game is gone. And it is. The World Cup is at least 16 teams too big, Premier League tactics are far too risk-averse, and VAR has ruined everything.

So let’s fix it. Here are seven ways to rid the game of some of its biggest irritations (including the team that finishes 17th in the Prem).

1. The FA Cup winner goes into the Champions League. Finishing fifth in the Premier League, 20 points behind the champions, and calling yourself a “Champion” just makes you look silly. Let’s rather reward an actual winner of an actual tournament, by putting the FA Cup winner (or runner-up, if the winner is also in the Prem’s top 3) into the Big Cup.

2. Abandon the League Cup. Stop trying to make it happen. When the Premier League seceded from the Football League, the whole idea of a “League” Cup should have died with it. Let’s unclog the calendar and put this pointless venture to rest.

3. Relegate the bottom 4. Bring the jeopardy back. Staying in the Premier League has become a case of finding three teams that are worse than yours – and in recent years Spurs, Forest and Everton have survived by doing exactly that. In time, the current three-up-three-down dynamic will probably turn into four-up-four-down… but hey, it’s worth a try.

4. VAR to be used for goal-line reviews only. I’d love to see a F365 listicle of all-time great/important goals that would have been disallowed under the current, nitpicking VAR regime. Maradona’s 1986 worldie? Should’ve been disallowed for a foul on Glen Hoddle. Roberto Carlos’s 1997 Le Tournoi free kick? Shouldn’t have been awarded in the first place (if anything, Romario dived). Wayne Rooney’s wondergoal against Arsenal in 2002? If you look carefully, you’ll see that Kevin Campbell strayed marginally offside as the ball was struck. And don’t get me started on Alan Smith’s non-goal goal in the 1989 “It’s up for grabs now” title decider. He didn’t touch the ball! Retrospective replays all round. Guys… Just play the game. All that really matters is whether the ball crosses the goal line or not.

5. Transfer windows for coaches/managers. It shouldn’t be so easy to fire a coach. We should have had six months of Frank de Boer. Let’s fix that. If, to pick an example at random, your team spends a king’s ransom on a stroppy striker who doesn’t fit your game plan and then gets injured anyway… You’re stuck with him. That’s the risk you take. The same due care and consideration (and risk management) should be taken with manager appointments. He’s your guy, and you should be stuck with him until you can get a new one in January. (Of course, if he’s a total disaster, you could always do an internal promotion/demotion and bring in your Youth Team coach…)

6. Limit on first-time squad sizes. New rule: you get 23 first-teamers. No more than that. If you’re hit with an injury crisis in late November, you can bring lads in from the Youth or Reserve teams. It’s called squad management, and it should be a bigger part of the game.

7. Put match officials on the payroll. Okay, so we’re venturing into Arsene Wenger Madcap Idea Territory here… but hear me out. Refs and linesmen should be paid the same as the average/median Premier League first-team player. They’re part of the same sport-entertainment industrial complex, so they should be remunerated accordingly. (Or at least as much as a third-choice goalkeeper who never touches grass.) And – here’s the kicker – those wages should be shared by the Premier League clubs. Reckon the referee is biased? Can’t be. Not when he’s literally on your team, and your club is paying one-twentieth of his salary.