Premiership the New Italian League?

[SloopJohn 0]

from Football Italia;

 

Sacchi slams "dull" Brits - Saturday 26 April, 2008

 

Former Milan and Italy Coach Arrigo Sacchi has given a scathing review of the Champions League contenders as “boring, uncreative and defensive.”

 

For the second consecutive campaign the competition has seen three English clubs in the final four, but Sacchi was far from impressed.

 

“Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester United – one of these four will win the Champions League, but they’ll hardly live long in the memory,” he wrote in his column for the Gazzetta dello Sport.

 

“It is not by playing this way that you can hope to give fans and sportsmen alike emotions, joy and memories.

 

“Considering the enormous investments and the quality of players on show, they have a duty to win and be convincing.

 

“The spectacle on show was uninteresting, lacking in all suspense and real football. The only protagonist was the fear of defeat and that blocked off what little ideas and belief the teams had in the first place.

 

“In this situation filled with tension and worry, the collective was drowned out and when that happens even the individuals disappear.”

 

Italian football has long been criticised by the foreign media for being dull and defensive, but Sacchi insists the English clubs have overtaken them in this respect.

 

“Is it worth investing so much money to see a team that is so devoid of entertainment and harmony?” he said of Chelsea.

 

“The lack of ideas, creativity and any kind of plan are so evident that they justify the Blues fans’ malcontent.”

 

Their rivals in the 1-1 semi-final draw at Anfield didn’t get off lightly either.

 

“The technical quality of their individuals is overall not very good, along with their dribbling skills, possession play and creativity.”

 

The other semi-final at the Nou Camp ended goalless, as Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty and from then on Manchester United sat back.

 

“The Red Devils were meant to be in great form going into this game, but played in a way that betrayed the English culture and history,” slammed Sacchi.

 

“They only thought of defending and put everyone behind the ball, attacking only in a few numbers on the break and keeping possession purely for the sake of it. They never once mounted a credible move. With so little help, their individual talents also failed miserably.”

 

Barcelona at least attempted to go forward, but Sacchi’s former Milan player Frank Rijkaard got a telling off too.

 

“Barca have lost the sharpness they once had and showed inadequate fitness levels. A team where envy, jealousy and in-fighting have damaged their professionalism, motivation and play.”

 

what do you think?

[Howay 12496]

I disagree tbh I see where he's coming from but I think they are far more interesting to watch compared to Italian football, It was intelligent tactics for Man utd to defend against Barcelona away from home. Man utd imo are one if not the most exciting team in the world to watch at the minute I think they will be much more like themselves in the home fixture. Chelsea can be defensive but I think they've looked more attacking under Grant. To be honest though I don't see how he can complain when he's a man that spent years coaching teams to play dull defensive football the hypocrite.

[manc-mag 1]

Obviously didn't foresee the results from todays games then.

[Guest alex]

Saachi's got a bit of a cheek like labelling the teams 'defensive'.

[I R Toon Fan 0]

What a prick. Sounds like he doesn't watch the actual Prem just Champs League. There's such a big prize for CL now it's obvious teams aren't going to play 2 at the back Jesus. If he watched the Prem League sometimes he'd see we are still an attacking league. Some times.

[Torres 0]

He`s a hypocrite.

[I R Toon Fan 0]

He's a prick.

[tinofbeans 91]

silly old fart that sacchi!

 

i'd agree that teams when in a high profile game are afraid of losing, but what he said is bollocks....

[SloopJohn 0]

irrelevant of who said it, i think Sacchi has some interesting and valid points.

 

there have been more goals per weekend (average) in Serie A in the last two years than in the Premiership. yet we're apparently the most exciting / attacking league?

[Andrew 4855]

irrelevant of who said it, i think Sacchi has some interesting and valid points.

 

there have been more goals per weekend (average) in Serie A in the last two years than in the Premiership. yet we're apparently the most exciting / attacking league?

 

so our defences are better that doesn't mean we play defensive football

[Hadrian 0]

god knows what fergies playing at lately , he builds a team full of youth and attacking flair , then sends them out to play like an allerdyce team when they face the big boys, they have been so lucky with it its sick .

the more money thats came into the prem these past few years , the more we see teams to scared to go out and play incase they get beat , prem status is worth to much to some teams to gamble , so we get our allerdyces of the world being thrown up on a pedistal , the same fucking journos will be the ones saying the prems got boring soon .

Edited April 27, 2008 by Hadrian

[luckyluke 2]

What a numpty.

[Kid Dynamite 7167]

The top 4s performances in the CL are no reflection of the Premiership though. Managers jobs can ride on how early you go out of the CL these days so they are going to go in making sure they concede no goals first and foremost.

 

Arsenal vs Liverpool the other week was hardly boring though was it