Re: Entertainment verses results
I've certainly enjoyed watching us a helluva lot more since we dropped Howard and starting playing good football instead of hoof ball.
Saying that a couple of fans round me have criticised the change in style and started saying "we're trying to play the Arsenal way and walk it into the goal." So people have different opinions
Some people say it's a result business, but why then do people still talk about the great Brazil team of the 80's, the great Dutch team of the 70's, the great Hungarian team of the 50's and the great Austrian team of the 30's, all of whom won nothing? People also still talk about Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan side of the late 80's, which were far less successful than Fabio Cappello's Milan side directly afterwards.
And people also talk about Revie's Leeds, and in other countries: Herrera's Inter and Zubeldia's Estudiantes in a derogatory way, despite the fact they were so successful.
For me. I think there is a dividing line. I would rather see us win if we are at least playing decent football, but when Gary Megson was here. Christ almighty! Relegation was DEFINITELY preferable to that shite for me. It was just horrendous.
It depends just how good the football is I suppose. I have watched games on video of the Brazil side of the 1970 World Cup, and the Real Madrid side of the late 50's and some of the things they did just left me speechless. It was so amazing to watch. I would say I'd be happy to lose and play like that every week, but it's virtually impossible to play that type of football nowadays, since pressing has become universalised.
So I guess my answer is: I'd prefer to win if we are playing ok football. Unless we had Pele, Puskas, De Stefano, Gento, Tostao and Jairzinho in their primes. In which case I wouldn't mind us losing.
An excellent balanced quote PR, i recall playing relly good football in the 70's (my memory may be deceiving me a little though), and since then the majority of managers we have had have not played football, you could also rightly say O'Neill wasn't particularly attractive in that department, we won a lot of games on endevour and free kicks, we were of course organised well, we did play relatively attacking football and' yes that was attractive to watch.
Good post, Camberwell. I think it depends on wherever you are as a team at the time. Last season I wanted us to win with style - we could afford to. The season before I couldn't have given a shit how we played, as long as we got a point or three.
Oh, and...
No, no, no. I know my opinions are correct! :icon_bigg
I can see your point, if you're fighting a relegation battle then points are vital, BUT when we were relegated top Div 1 would have it been any more paletable if we had at least given it a go...?
I watched the Chelsea v Arsenal match today. Arsenal played some beautiful football but when they got to the Chelsea box they were useless. Chelsea on the other hand were not as pretty, but they deserved the win. At the end of the day, I would much rather see my side grind out a win than play well and lose any day of the week.
My prime example is this; Winning at Reading was much, much, much better than losing at Newcastle, even when taking into account the performances in each game.
Would it not have been better therefore to have played (attractive and attacking) well at Reading and won? Considering they couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo.
I agree on the match yesterday, and at least Arsenal can take heart from playing well (albeit empty as it was a big derby), at least they know if they had a decent striker they would possibly have got more form the game?
Winning is everything, if you want to be entertained go and watch a film at the cinema.
Oh and losing to Swindon that time, how much money did the club lose because we didn't get to the premiership? Money that could have been used to build up the team?
I disagree, £20 - £30 for 2 hours is a lot of money and i want to be entertained.
The question did not include the financial element although i can see your point. You must (hopefully) agree that at that game there must have been a whole range of feelings, and it was a great game, and when we drew 3-3 through Steve Thompson (was it him?) that feeling was incredible. The whole day was icredible, 1/2 the ground red the other 1/2 blue, the singing, the swing in the game, the football, everything was brilliant again except the result.
I left the game ultimately gutted but proud to be a Leicester fan and part of the best ever play-off final.
Interesting topic, camberwell.
My interest in football and my interest in Leicester City are two quite seperated things. I love football because it has such an impact on societies, politics, economics and life in general, I love watching football because it's the beautiful game and I love Leicester City for sentimental reasons (memories from when I was a kid and you can't very well start supporting another team). Great song.
I don't watch City matches to be entertained, because I can get that entertainment from Barca/Man U/Boca Juniors etc. It's a plus, but I'd take a boring win any day over a 3-3 draw.
I again can see your point, i am from Leicester and want my hometown city to be successful. Another question, if Gary Megson was our manager and we won the league cup again playing neck breaking 'football' would winning this cup be more/less/equally important as teh times we won it under O'Neill? An answer of 'it is still in the record books and that's what counts' is a BANNED answer...