The Football Thread 2017-18

[KK]

Looks like Barb and Sky have messed up whatever that 4pm fixture was. That's what is on their website and sent out to everyone. In other words, SOME FOOTBALL WAS ON, strawberry float KNOWS WHAT IT WAS, BUT FOOTBALL!

Some context please, KK. Are those figures good/bad/ugly?

The highest rated game...whoever that actually was...is the lowest rated game (for the opening weekend) for at least a decade by a wide margin. So that may indicate the ceiling for what Sky Sports can achieve in terms of max viewership has lowered dramatically, even factoring in if the main feature games in 2010-2015 were better. Everything under that is roughly what you'd expect it to be.

2015

Sunday, 4pm: 1,301,000

2014

Saturday Night, 5pm: 1,408,000
Super Sunday, 1:30pm: 1,171,000

2013

Saturday Night, 5pm: 1,833,000
Super Sunday, 4pm:1,399,000

2012

Sunday, 4pm: 1,376,000

2011

Sunday, 1:30pm, 1,489,000
Sunday, 4pm: 1,932,000

2010

Sunday, 4pm: 1,685,000

Something that is telling is MAIN EVENT (the Sky Sports 1 replacement on the EPG) is way ahead of the Premier League channel. MAIN EVENT is exclusively for Sky customers subscribing to all the Sky Sports channels, so either very few people have dumped their full Sky Sports package, or more people are watching through other platforms (like BT Sport or Virgin Media which haven't adopted the tiered pricing, or don't have access to Premier League).

[Hypes]

Many false dawns

[PES Fan]

Some context please, KK. Are those figures good/bad/ugly?

They're non-existent, given that United haven't played Spurs yet this season or since the rebrand. Am I missing something?

Surely has to be West Ham.

But the ratings are decent compared to last season where the opening weekend had a big match. But it's not a big improvement and the pricing isn't great. Yeah it's £18 but you still need to pay £22 a month for the other stuff.

[sawyerpip]

Same thing down the other end where people have written of De Boer after 2 games of actual football, though if it was his decision to have two short corners when chasing the game on Saturday then that's a tick against him...

I read some statistical analysis before the season started that suggested you're more likely to score from a short corner than crossing it in. I think the conclusions were that as teams are so well drilled at set pieces, by taking it short you're already doing something the opposing team doesn't expect and so increase your chances. Of course the same piece concluded that statistically corners were largely worthless and rarely led to goals, and then on the first weekend of the season it seemed there were countless goals from corners

[BTB]

Hear Swansea have had a bid for Sam Clucas accepted, reports vary from £12m to £16m (with or without Kingsley going in return).

I mean I'm glad we are getting people in, but it seems like a lot of money. But can't tell if it is standard or not given this transfer window and fees going around.

Also hear Bony could be done soon for £13m, which would be nice. But neither are a like for like for Gylfi which is a concern.

[KK]

Surely has to be West Ham.

But the ratings are decent compared to last season where the opening weekend had a big match. But it's not a big improvement and the pricing isn't great. Yeah it's £18 but you still need to pay £22 a month for the other stuff.

New intern at the ratings company...

[Benzin]

Same thing down the other end where people have written of De Boer after 2 games of actual football, though if it was his decision to have two short corners when chasing the game on Saturday then that's a tick against him...

I read some statistical analysis before the season started that suggested you're more likely to score from a short corner than crossing it in. I think the conclusions were that as teams are so well drilled at set pieces, by taking it short you're already doing something the opposing team doesn't expect and so increase your chances. Of course the same piece concluded that statistically corners were largely worthless and rarely led to goals, and then on the first weekend of the season it seemed there were countless goals from corners

When you've got someone like Benteke in the box, lumping it in is going to cause chaos regardless... I guess that's what the more frustrating thing is about it...

[bear]

Same thing down the other end where people have written of De Boer after 2 games of actual football, though if it was his decision to have two short corners when chasing the game on Saturday then that's a tick against him...

I read some statistical analysis before the season started that suggested you're more likely to score from a short corner than crossing it in.

There should be an asterisk next to that for when teams are Liverpool along the lines of "Liverpool are no good at defending setpieces, launch it in".

[Dowbocop]

I like how we are two games in and the press seemed to have decided that United have already won the league.

It's nothing unusual. Last season Man City won the league at this stage. Then Liverpool put together a good run September/October and won the league then. It's all nonsense to hype up the teams that's doing well at the time.

Man City actually won last season's league halfway through the season before because Pep.

Quick comment on Anfield; are all the big grounds like this now against the 'lesser' teams? Like there's such history and mystique around Anfield as a ground with one of the best atmospheres, yet silence for 70 minutes... The cheer when they did score made me wonder what the place would be like with a crowd making an effort for a continuous basis... Dread to think what the Emirates is actually like if that's the 'worst' in terms of atmosphere...

I went to Stoke in 2010 when they were at the height of their fame for being loud and I thought the atmosphere was crap. I think it always seems worse when you're in the away end because you've got the siege mentality coupled with being highly partisan. They also don't seem loud because you're a lot closer to your fans.

Certainly with Arsenal in the last decade or so of the Highbury era we all knew we were watching something really special, so when the smaller teams came it was sometimes more a case of waiting for the floodgates to open. We then moved to the Emirates and I think it's fair to say we've had a few lean years (I know that's a controversial opinion but bear with me!) I think for a lot of fans the Emirates isn't home yet, and instead of laps of honour with league titles we've got Wenger Out banners and Arsenal Fan TV. We've won cups, but you don't win cups at your ground, so there's no great triumph at home.

Certainly the opinion on The Tuesday Club was that most huge clubs don't want local fans like me who will go to a few games when we can afford it/get tickets, maybe buy a programme, drink and eat outside the ground and generally try and spend as little money as possible! One-off tourists will generate a lot more in shirt sales and will lap up the matchday experience, but they don't generate the same atmosphere.

[Moggy]

Title's already in the bag, lads, UNITED!

You're level on points with Huddersfield - get Mourinho out now!

[shadow202]

Same thing down the other end where people have written of De Boer after 2 games of actual football, though if it was his decision to have two short corners when chasing the game on Saturday then that's a tick against him...

I read some statistical analysis before the season started that suggested you're more likely to score from a short corner than crossing it in.

There should be an asterisk next to that for when teams are Liverpool along the lines of "Liverpool are no good at defending setpieces, launch it in".

No good at defending them but second the second most from set pieces last season, which was a surprise to me.

[Mafro]

Have to say the Totally Football show hasn't really been that good so far. Still prefer Football Weekly despite the lack of James Richardson, but the lack of Ian MacIntosh cancels that out.

[KK]

Been showing off Man City's new tunnel/fan zone section on Sky Sports. Looks very swish.

[Zellery]

Been showing off Man City's new tunnel/fan zone section on Sky Sports. Looks very swish.

It looked like an airport.

[KK]

They've set off so many fireworks nobody can see bugger all.

[BOR]

They've set off so many fireworks nobody can see bugger all.

Yeah, now it's clearing up at the moment but I won't be surprised if they make a complaint about it.

[Mafro]

Why is Sane starting as a wing back when City have spent world record fees on buying new full backs?

[Blue Eyes]

Why is Sane starting as a wing back when City have spent world record fees on buying new full backs?

They've got too many attackers so have to try and fit them in somehow, I guess. Their squad is incredibly unbalanced.

The FA have shown themselves to be absolute scum yet again with this Eni Aluko case. It's great she took their money and still reported that banana split Sampson. Maybe they will think twice when trying to bribe people now.

[Mafro]

Why is Sane starting as a wing back when City have spent world record fees on buying new full backs?

They've got too many attackers so have to try and fit them in somehow, I guess. Their squad is incredibly unbalanced.

The FA have shown themselves to be absolute scum yet again with this Eni Aluko case. It's great she took their money and still reported that banana split Sampson. Maybe they will think twice when trying to bribe people now.

Yeah that FA stuff is pretty vile, they totally hung her out to dry. Apparently there's more dodgy stuff about Sampson that hasn't came out yet.

Rooney

[KK]

Woooney!!!