Real Madrid v Chelsea

[ClaretinBudapest]

Not being an expert Sub, I couldn't make my mind up whether the stalemate meant Chelsea had turned into the real deal, no pun intended, or Real were not all they were cracked up to be, but by 80 minutes I was way past caring and switched it off.

Same here Sinkov.I found the setting for this match a perfect backdrop to the entertainment on offer-a training ground with torrential rain for most of the game.

[Supersub6]

Not being an expert Sub, I couldn't make my mind up whether the stalemate meant Chelsea had turned into the real deal, no pun intended, or Real were not all they were cracked up to be, but by 80 minutes I was way past caring and switched it off.

I think that this was a match which really highlights how poor the game has become, in spite of all the media hype surrounding it.
Yes there are some good players, yes they are probably fitter, yes they are probably quicker and yes, they are definitely overpaid!

We have always had good players throughout the years and while they may not have been as fit, although they always managed 90 minutes and the occasional three games in four days. They may not have been quite as quick but they could dribble with the ball at their feet and do everything that the modern player can do, in spite of having to contend with some crunching tackles which all added to the excitement. There was also some real characters involved in the game, including one or two officials, and they made the game much more enjoyable to watch and we used to see a lot more goals that we witness these days.

The game is going sterile aided and abetted by poor administration, Law changes, VAR, an attempt to make it 100% perfect etc., etc. Having said that, it is what the modern fan seems to want to watch ---I am just an old bugger!

[outwoodclaret]

In some respects Supersub football has imo improved for the spectator. Modern stadiums are better and safer, the pitches are of much better quality but the game itself has lost the “blood and thunder” of its origins and VAR has both stifled all the spontaneity out of the game along with ludicrous “toenail” offsides and monumental inconsistencies over fouls. Who’d want to be a referee under this amount of scrutiny not to mention certain players who think it is their job to do the refereeing as well and others who spend their time diving and faking injury. Yet all is not doom on the pitch. Chris Wood showed against Wolves what robust forward play can achieve and Jack Cork showed all those fakers who roll around on the ground feigning injury how real men behave.

[sinkov]

"Jack Cork showed all those fakers who roll around on the ground feigning injury how real men behave."

Indeed Outwood, I think Jack deserves a nomination for Sportsman of the Year, a beacon of light in a very murky area of the 'beautiful game'.