The Changing Game Of Football

The Premier League is more competitive now that it has ever been.

On the pitch we are seeing a higher calibre of player turning out for the so-called less fashionable of clubs in England’s top flight. The monetary reward of just being a part of the league in its twenty-fourth campaign is such that the likes of West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Stoke City are able to approach players who should they be playing elsewhere in Europe would probably only sign for a club with Champions League ambitions.

We could this season see the lowest points total ever required to get into the top four as well as clubs at the bottom needing more points than before to secure their top flight status. The cliché of ‘anyone can beat anyone’ has never been truer.

Players such as Yohann Cabaye, Dmitri Payet, Bojan Krkic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Andre Ayew can list Paris Saint Germain, Bayern Munich, Marseille and Barcelona as their former clubs. They are proven talents. Yes, they are probably playing for their now respective clubs because they are being paid a shed load of cash to do so but you cannot argue it does not make the league stronger in terms of ability, and that is something we all want to see. Wouldn’t it be great if a non-conventional side could have a superb season and push for the top four?

This all comes at a price though. And to me that price is becoming ever more noticeable. Fans of these said clubs are less content with a point at home or the odd bad day at the office because of the money their club is spending. But the problem is that every club is spending. Everyone is trying to compete. And the thing with football is, strange as it is, in order for you to win another team must lose.

This growing level of expectation has come about from the money being ploughed into the sport at the highest level. Ticket prices are stupidly expensive, as are replica shirts. Satellite television subscriptions are also at an all-time high, and people naturally will feel they want more from the game considering how much money they throw at it.

We are getting to the point now, and that’s atmosphere and good-feeling on a match day, or a lack of it. Yes, the product is great, yes, millions watch on worldwide, yes, we have some fantastic players on show at every stadium but to me all that is worthless to a point without having that pre-match buzz and thousands of fans signing up and supporting their team.

There are of course exceptions, and there is no doubt many of you will tell me Palace is one of them. But trust me, the more games you win and the longer you are a member of this league, the expectation levels will grow beyond the satisfaction that can be achieved. This, on the whole is what has happened at the club I support, West Bromwich Albion.

Which brings me on to last night’s Sky fuelled Monday Night Football, and a further look at the weekend’s action.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION gave up a 2-0 second half advantage to throw away all three points at home to EVERTON. Berahino and Dawson netted for the home side before a Kone strike sandwiched goals from former Baggies hotshot Romelu Lukaku. A deserved win for the Toffees who exploited Albion’s shortcomings at the back. The Baggies have now only conceded zero or three goals in all of their league and cup games this season. All or nothing as they say.

The early kick-off on Saturday saw SPURS bag all three points after coming from 1-0 down to win 4-1 against early pace setters MANCHESTER CITY.

A similarly impressive score of 5-2 for ARSENAL away at LEICESTER CITY puts them two points behind new leaders MANCHESTER UNITED who took advantage of SUNDERLAND’s poor form with a 3-0 home win.

LIVERPOOL halted their poor start with a 3-2 win at Anfield against ASTON VILLA. James Milner bagged his first goal for the Reds against his former club in claret and blue.

The popular scoreline was 2-2 as WEST HAM UNITED versus NORWICH CITY and NEWCASTLE UNITED versus CHELSEA threw up the same outcome

SOUTHAMPTON (3-1) and STOKE CITY (2-1) bagged home wins against SWANSEA CITY and BOURNEMOUTH respectively to wrap up Saturday’s games.

CRYSTAL PALACE rounded up the weekend with a 1-0 win at WATFORD thanks to a Cabaye penalty. That was the first goal the Hornets have conceded at home this season.

Premier League Table (after 7 games)