Has English Premier League football become too predictable and boring?

First topic message reminder :

In 1956-7, Ipswich Town Football Club was promoted from Division 3 (South) to Division 2 (what's now called the Championship). Its success continued, reaching Division 1 (when it really was Division 1 and not, in effect, Division 3), and becoming English champions in its first season in the top flight (1961-2). Admittedly, the team's success owed a lot to the brilliance of Alf Ramsey, who later became the only manager ever to lead England to World Cup victory, but we all know it couldn't happen now. Nobody in their right mind would expect Swansea to become Premier League champions this season, only a very small group of teams can possibly achieve that. Realistically, only about seven teams have any chance of finishing in the top four - isn't it all too predictable, and therefore boring?

It all comes down to money, like so many things in life. Manchester United supporters used to joke that the two best teams in Manchester were Manchester United and Manchester United reserves, but I doubt if they do that now after their recent 6-1 thrashing by Manchester City. So what's changed? Manchester City was taken over by a group of businessmen from Abu Dhabi and received an enormous injection of cash.

Wouldn't you prefer it if Ipswich Town, or maybe Swansea or Wigan, had a chance of being English champions?

Rumours abound that Mourinho is preparing to enter a monastic Order.



Brighton's Amex Stadium

( guardian)

" ... and , apparently, the Pope is making me a saint...!"

Alright, but what does she charge to haunt?

(msn)

This is not a great look, but I have every sympathy for Vardy, who is letting referee Moss know just what he thinks of the way he 'controlled' the Leicester-v-West Ham fixture yesterday.

If match officials are to warrant the 'respect' they keep whining about ,then they must do a whole lot better than the fat moron Moss, who was even worse yesterday than he is most weeks...and that took some doing...

Listen mate, I earn a thousand times more than you do, so back off!

(Mr Vardy or any Tory of your choice)

Wouldn't you prefer it if Ipswich Town, or maybe Swansea or Wigan, had a chance of being English champions?

I'll settle for Leicester. Congratulations to the 5,000-1 outsiders, and it's nice to be proved wrong about the 'boring' nature of the Premier League!

Just heard that - when I lived in the town I always prayed they'd never win because of the influx of football fans this would bring - now I find I feel a little ashamed of my selfishness over this - what a lovely thing for the folk of Leicester!

Great to see a new name on the trophy.

My guess is that it will be back to business as usual next season - aided and abetted by the usual suspects, ie the match officials, who have so much influence on 'how things turn out'...

"....match officials, who have so much influence ...."

Surely they can't ALL be Tory sympathisers, can they?

In today's football world where there are so many unpleasant individuals on show, what a refreshing change to see a man like Manuel Pellegrini , the Manchester City manager - soon to be replaced by Pep Guardiola.

Pellegrini ( incidentally also a qualified civil engineer) speaks in a calm, sensible and measured way and is courteous to a fault - even faced by tedious - and sometimes provocative - questions by TV interviewers.

One hopes he finds another fulfilling job quickly, although I imagine he is a pretty rich man already...

Premier League football boring ??

For the first time in living memory, Leicester politician Keith Vaz has issued a leaflet which does not incorporate his own picture.