Thoughts on this season?

Aside from just United.

Obviously been a terrible season from our point of view, can't remember a time when i've been less enthused about watching us play. You can only hope that this is rock bottom and at some point the club's fortunes will have to take an upward turn. If you'd have told me in the summer that the season would be a slow motion car crash on the pitch but that the glazers would sell over a quarter of the club and give up control of the football side i'd have probably taken it - so, swings and roundabouts i guess.

Speaking about the league in general I think aside from City and Arsenal it's as weak as it's been in a long, long time. You've got teams at the bottom staying up with 27 points now which would have been unheard of 10 years go. Sheff Utd setting records for conceding goals (104) , even the two frontrunners aren't all that. Arsenal getting dumped out of Europe by the worst bayern team in 10 years and City going out a Madrid team with no striker.

It's a really weird league now where the pervading theme seems to be teams that are more concerned about being being seen to play to a 'philosophy' rather than £#%&!ing win, which to me is absolutely crazy. The worst part is these teams get praised for it That @#%&! di zerbi was getting praised to the heavens every week while his team lost about 13 games in a row, and Kompany at Burnley thinking he could just out play teams with vastly superior players. Years ago they'd have both been sacked because back then clubs actually prioritised results rather than meaningless stat-padding. It's all Utter idiocy.

The competitiveness has slowly been eroded, where it seems that there's so many teams just coasting through the season. You've got teams like west ham who turn up at the eithad last weekend and just sort of toss the game off, completely un-arsed. Compare that to final day 1995 at Upton Park when United came to town vs a West Ham team who'd finished 15th and lost 18 games. Hilariously though they finished with the same amount of points as west Ham got this season but finished 6 places lower. If that doesn't say a lot about the points drift i don'd know what does. In 1995 teams got relegated with 45 points. Nowadays 45 points would get you 14th.

We have on the face of it a league that's confusing being popular with being competitive.

£#%&!. £#%&!ing £#%&!.

well City aren’t winning the treble so in the plus side it’s better than last year

Wasn’t remotely nervous for a single match. Sad to see etc I expected to lose more or less every match from Feb aside from Burnley, Sheff Utd and Coventry.

Your last sentence nailed it. The PL is drowning in its own greed. The city affair will simply speed it up and it's stuck between a rock and a hard place; sanction it's greatest asset properly, or be known the world over as basically a farce, a joke league.



I'd personally start the whole £#%&!ing thing again. All squads must have at least half of the players home grown and born within 30 miles of the ground or something.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

I'd personally start the whole £#%&!ing thing again. All squads must have at least half of the players home grown

Wouldn't that take the pace of it down a bit

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

Your last sentence nailed it. The PL is drowning in its own greed. The city affair will simply speed it up and it's stuck between a rock and a hard place; sanction it's greatest asset properly, or be known the world over as basically a farce, a joke league.

The conclusion surely has to be that the only way to restore integrity is to £#%&! them completely. Anything less than relegation and stripped titles will make continuing to watch the premier league a complete waste of time.

Sadly the government being involved likely means there’ll be a slap on the wrist. A modest point deduction and fine - ‘the matter is now closed’.
They allowed state ownership and in doing so destroyed the whole thing.

Disappointing but understandable.....

Coming off last year's success I thought we'd go better in the league and was looking forward to the champions league ... But injuries, luck and outside influencers did us in....

Still had some magic moments though....

Garnacho overhead
Knocking Liverpool out
Cup finals
Mainoo
Rasmus first goal
The The Scottish Player comebacks

Etc...

Don't really look or care about points totals of other clubs or historical totals ...

My main takeaway ignoring United and from watching top level football is VAR has absolutely ruined it. I've had better enjoyment from watching Championship games than any Premier league game.

In fact I do think VAR has been a success in actually making people move away from watching on TV a good handful of mates have started going to watch their Local town side etc.. which has never happened before

Everything in Wolves statement was absolutely spot on and it goes further.

Then take into account the general style of play which everyone tries to play. Force press, pass through line, run it to byline cut back and shot.

I'm glad united have maintained some level of individualism as evidenced by having about 10 goal of the season contenders but of course 'CHAOSSSSS'

But it's all very mehh

Also thank you Ancelotti

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

Disappointing but understandable.....

Coming off last year's success I thought we'd go better in the league and was looking forward to the champions league ... But injuries, luck and outside influencers did us in....

Still had some magic moments though....

Garnacho overhead
Knocking Liverpool out
Cup finals
Mainoo
Rasmus first goal
The The Scottish Player comebacks

Etc...

Don't really look or care about points totals of other clubs or historical totals ...

Last years success? We got humiliated at Anfield.

Originally Posted by History

My main takeaway ignoring United and from watching top level football is VAR has absolutely ruined it. I've had better enjoyment from watching Championship games than any Premier league game.

In fact I do think VAR has been a success in actually making people move away from watching on TV a good handful of mates have started going to watch their Local town side etc.. which has never happened before

Everything in Wolves statement was absolutely spot on and it goes further.

Then take into account the general style of play which everyone tries to play. Force press, pass through line, run it to byline cut back and shot.

I'm glad united have maintained some level of individualism as evidenced by having about 10 goal of the season contenders but of course 'CHAOSSSSS'

But it's all very mehh

Also thank you Ancelotti

I'm the opposite with regards VAR. Initially opposed to it, I'll hold my hands up and admit I got it wrong. I thought it would take all controversy out of the game, and the resulting interest that follows. Post-game phone-ins were 50% moaning about the officials. Now they're 80% raging at VAR. Then there's the resulting conspiracies. It's belting stuff. Table tennis or badminton would love that sort of pull. Cricket, rugby, golf, boxing, and darts too. They'd all love a slice of the football pie.

As a lad, the back pages would be largely cricket in the summer, and football the rest of the year. No more - football dominates year round. I thought VAR would hurt that a little. However, it's had the opposite effect. It's that farcical, with the fans more steamed up and confused than ever before, it dominates in the media even more than pre VAR. I don't buy it that it's affected the popularity of the game. As Floyd once said - "love me or hate me, you're gonna watch me".

Stadiums have been 98.7 per cent full at Premier League matches in 2023/24, which equals the record utilisation figure that was set last season. Of the 20 clubs, 18 have stadium utilisation of over 97 per cent.

There have been 10 live matches with a TV audience over 3million in the UK this season, the highest amount on record - one more than was recorded in 2019/20.

In total, 35.7m individuals have watched live matches and the BBC’s Match of the Day highlights, equivalent to 59 per cent of the total UK TV audience.

The Premier League has become one of the UK’s biggest and most-popular global exports. It is broadcast to 189 countries out of 193 UN member states, with 900m homes across the world able to watch Premier League football.

An incredible 1.87bn people follow the Premier League worldwide, interacting at least weekly through the media. Thirty-four per cent of Premier League followers have become interested in the past four years.

The Manchester City v Arsenal match on 31 March became the most-watched Premier League match in United States history, with 2.12m viewers across NBC’s platforms. Five of the six most-watched Premier League matches in U.S. history have aired this season.

Be honest now, how many times have you tuned into a random FA Cup/League Cup tie on the box and felt a slight tinge of disappointment when the commentator points out there is no VAR for the game. It's not the same. Unless it's your team on the receiving end, the current £#%&! ups and bemusement only enriches the soap opera that is Premier League football. And the more they incorporate technology to rule on subjective calls, the more farcical it will get.

And at the end of the day, the best side still wins the league. Even if they are cheating bastards.

The sterilisation of top flight football into a neatly packaged entertainment product continues. With the reaction to Sunday's title win from fans from all clubs, I was wondering how the Premier league could allow City to get away with the 115 charges without alienating fans of all clubs. And they can't. But the more I thought about it, the more I think that they don't really give a shit either. As long as they can still promote the Premier League as a product to a global market, I don't think they're going to care whether Kieth and Darren think twice about renewing their season tickets. Even moreso when I remember that the prospect of domestic games being played abroad is ever more likely year upon year.

Still think the Premier League on its current trajectory is incompatible with the English football pyramid, and that the best thing that could happen to English football as a whole is a Super League. And if that includes United then so be it.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

It's a really weird league now where the pervading theme seems to be teams that are more concerned about being being seen to play to a 'philosophy' rather than £#%&!ing win, which to me is absolutely crazy. The worst part is these teams get praised for it

One of the highlights of this season for me was watching Real Madrid against City for this reason. Not just because they knocked them out (although that helps), but the manner in which they did it. No bullshit and no overriding arm waving, face gurning philosophy. Just setup and play in a manner that gives them the best chance to win. Rigid, defensive setup with men behind the ball, and as soon as they win the ball back just move it up the pitch as quickly as possible. It was a big change from how easy they usually have it, pretty much football in it's most simple form, executed to perfection. And all their players fully bought into it and worked their nuts off for it. Felt like a throwback to football a couple of decades ago, and it worked against a stronger team dripping in designer sweater philosophy. Lovely to watch.

The greed of the PL is leading to its self destruction as a spectacle. Creating a product that led to both the Glazers and the CFG wanting for different reasons (ironically one putting money in and one taking it out) without robust governance has been a disaster - with chickens coming home to roost this season.

It has led to the neutering of the Club that was the symbol of the drama, vibrance and excitement of the Premier League whilst allowing another to stifle the competition through sheer weight of cash.

There are 2 positive signs. The potential rebirth of United under Ineos and the PL seemingly acting on rule breaches - the Forest and Everton cases are hopefully the undercard to the main event.

Originally Posted by poppy

I'm the opposite with regards VAR. Initially opposed to it, I'll hold my hands up and admit I got it wrong. I thought it would take all controversy out of the game, and the resulting interest that follows. Post-game phone-ins were 50% moaning about the officials. Now they're 80% raging at VAR. Then there's the resulting conspiracies. It's belting stuff. Table tennis or badminton would love that sort of pull. Cricket, rugby, golf, boxing, and darts too. They'd all love a slice of the football pie.

As a lad, the back pages would be largely cricket in the summer, and football the rest of the year. No more - football dominates year round. I thought VAR would hurt that a little. However, it's had the opposite effect. It's that farcical, with the fans more steamed up and confused than ever before, it dominates in the media even more than pre VAR. I don't buy it that it's affected the popularity of the game. As Floyd once said - "love me or hate me, you're gonna watch me".



Be honest now, how many times have you tuned into a random FA Cup/League Cup tie on the box and felt a slight tinge of disappointment when the commentator points out there is no VAR for the game. It's not the same. Unless it's your team on the receiving end, the current £#%&! ups and bemusement only enriches the soap opera that is Premier League football. And the more they incorporate technology to rule on subjective calls, the more farcical it will get.

And at the end of the day, the best side still wins the league. Even if they are cheating bastards.

So true

The season I really dragged my feet when it was time to leave the house and go to the game…..and I live 5 Met stops away

Kudos to those who travel for hours, great staying power

Enjoyed…

Forest, villa, Liverpool x 2 home games


…and that’s about it

Manchester City won the league and I feel absolutely zero emotion about it.

Not annoyed, pissed off, miffed, gutted or relieved its not the Scousers (if that's your tipple).

That's what has been done to me by the ruination of the game. The bert @#%&!s won a record fourth title in a row and I just don't care.

And I seem to see this amongst other fans. When us or Liverpool (Arsenal to a lesser extent) were dominating, outside that club other fans absolutely hated it and actively wanted to see them fail. But nobody cares if City win it for the umpteenth time. Everyone has just been worn down by the whole charade.

I’m not so sure it’s worn down, more so nothing they do holds any weight.

They won the treble and nobody really seemed to care beyond faux enthusiasm in the studios etc ffs - it didn’t even feel like a big achievement.

That widespread apathy feeds into people not caring if they win the league, as it stops teams that the population feel something about from winning them. It’s not Man City really is it, like really? They even know it themselves hence putting up statues of their so called legends of yesteryear to maintain some sort of connection to the real club.

Ultimately, despite recent years, we're still the biggest name. The country still has a nervous breakdown when we get a borderline decision in our favour while ignoring multiple poor decisions against us.

I can't even imagine what would have happened if it was United winning titles four on the bounce with hundreds of cheating charges against us and owners secretly lobbying the government to make them go away.

There would have been a huge national campaign against us, I suspect we'd have been suspended from all matches long ago and no pundits would be saying it 'takes nothing away from their achievements'.

As it is, it's city, they're cheats, everyone knows it so nobody really cares what they do. It really is as if Lance Armstrong was allowed to carry on winning the Tour de France every year.

On this season, the only positives are a cup final (which we could yet win, stranger things have happened), Mainoo, Hojlund and Garnacho, and some dramatic winners v Liverpool and the mighty Wolves, Brentford and Coventry

Apart from that it was absolutely awful.

Enjoyed that

Originally Posted by Patty_b

The sterilisation of top flight football into a neatly packaged entertainment product continues. With the reaction to Sunday's title win from fans from all clubs, I was wondering how the Premier league could allow City to get away with the 115 charges without alienating fans of all clubs. And they can't. But the more I thought about it, the more I think that they don't really give a shit either. As long as they can still promote the Premier League as a product to a global market, I don't think they're going to care whether Kieth and Darren think twice about renewing their season tickets. Even moreso when I remember that the prospect of domestic games being played abroad is ever more likely year upon year.

Still think the Premier League on its current trajectory is incompatible with the English football pyramid, and that the best thing that could happen to English football as a whole is a Super League. And if that includes United then so be it.


One of the highlights of this season for me was watching Real Madrid against City for this reason. Not just because they knocked them out (although that helps), but the manner in which they did it. No bullshit and no overriding arm waving, face gurning philosophy. Just setup and play in a manner that gives them the best chance to win. Rigid, defensive setup with men behind the ball, and as soon as they win the ball back just move it up the pitch as quickly as possible. It was a big change from how easy they usually have it, pretty much football in it's most simple form, executed to perfection. And all their players fully bought into it and worked their nuts off for it. Felt like a throwback to football a couple of decades ago, and it worked against a stronger team dripping in designer sweater philosophy. Lovely to watch.

Originally Posted by Dacter

Manchester City won the league and I feel absolutely zero emotion about it.

Not annoyed, pissed off, miffed, gutted or relieved its not the Scousers (if that's your tipple).

That's what has been done to me by the ruination of the game. The bert @#%&!s won a record fourth title in a row and I just don't care.

And I seem to see this amongst other fans. When us or Liverpool (Arsenal to a lesser extent) were dominating, outside that club other fans absolutely hated it and actively wanted to see them fail. But nobody cares if City win it for the umpteenth time. Everyone has just been worn down by the whole charade.

All of what Sparky said and both of these. City and VAR are killing it (the old meaning, not the new hip one).

I watched Madrid vs City because I was desperate for Madrid to end Citys double Treble dreams. They dis, marvellous.

I watched Everton vs Liverpool in the hope Everton would finally end Liverpools title hopes. They did, marvellous.

Not sure how many other non United games I watched with any kind of excitement and I'd usually watch anything. The excitement has gone because of VAR, no question.

And I've never known a final day to be less exciting. City winning it generated zero excitement or entertainment - just apathy. Nobody cares because of how they've got to where they are. It's not a fairytale, it's predictable and boring. And it'll only get worse.

Then there's teams like Brentford, Palace etc who, as soon as they're 'safe', stop playing because what's the point. You hear commentators saying "Palace will really want to win this because even moving up a single place in the table, means millions to the club" - AS IF THE PLAYERS CARE

It's been tedious (made worse by how utterly shit we are).