Blog written by tractorboykent
Published: 6th November 2024 16:06
After ten games back in the Premier League, no doubt we all have our impressions of how life in the supposed Promised Land has so far panned out. Here are mine –
<b>It’s a whole different game</b>
Prem football has apparently turned into a non-contact sport (I must have missed the memo whilst we were in the EFL). That’s the only explanation for the slew of cards brandished so far despite no games being dirty or even especially bad-tempered.
It must be hard for players to adapt, aggression is a necessary part of the game and actually a significant element of successful teams at this level and yet refs seem to work to a whole new definition of legal and illegal.
VAR compounds this. The bizarre inconsistency around if and when it’s used is bad enough but the fact that its interpretation is so subjective seems to invalidate its whole purpose as an objective way of avoiding mistakes.
The fact that we have been on the wrong end of so many decisions merely underlines it and even if, as Kieran McKenna hopes, those decisions even out over the season, the facts don’t change. Prem football is much the worse for it.
<b>The TV companies run everything (including us)</b>
The extent to which our diaries are subject to late (or last) minute changes at the whim of the TV companies has become very real lately. Two on a Sunday, 8.15pm on a Friday, 4.30pm on a Sunday – best not plan anything around three o'clock on a Saturday anymore.
<b>Without a Golden Ticket, you’re on the outside</b>
Great though it is to be so successful, a full Portman Road inevitably means that really only those with a season ticket can be sure to be up close.
That’s even more so for away games, you can only go if you’ve been (lots) before. I’m not complaining, it’s right that the most loyal and travelled are at the front of the queue, but it’s another part of supporting the club that’s no longer available to many now that we’re in the Prem (although, to be fair, this was much the same last season too).
<b>24/7 spotlight</b>
We all knew that the media displays disdain for anything outside of the Prem but we can now see that much of it does the same for teams outside of the top six in it; the derision shown for clubs at the bottom has surprised me.
This is magnified by the increased number of talking heads – both our own supporters and national neutral ones – who seem to spend time analysing the analysis. Personally, I’m increasingly of the view that less is more which is why I am tuning out of much of it.
<b>It’s even more brutal and ruthless than expected</b>
Everyone knew that the chasm would be huge but it’s actually bigger than that. You can play well for 94 minutes and still lose to a momentary lapse.
Alongside these new aspects of the game are some nasty old ones. Some people like to latch on to a scapegoat and stick everything on them – in the past players like James Scowcroft have been selected whereas now it’s Aro Muric who, for some ‘fans’, despite making a string of fine saves is apparently responsible for every point dropped.
There’s even been one or two rare calls on social for KM to be shown the door! Fortunately such abject stupidity has been shouted down quickly and in large numbers.
We all knew this was going to be a rollercoaster and pretty much every pundit was unanimous that we’d go straight back down (this being, after the last two glorious seasons, a step too far).
We ought not therefore to be too surprised at the first ten games. Winless yes but, in my opinion, KM’s careful use of the phrase ‘to be competitive in every game’ as his objective is very wise. We generally have been and, if the new players can bed in, injuries ease and some decisions start to go our way, being competitive will yield more points.
One of the common views back in the summer was that, whatever happens this season, we should all ‘enjoy the ride.’ As I left PR at the final whistle against Leicester, I’d have been very hard pressed to say that I am.
At that moment, however, we can all be a bit too close to the emotion. Within 48 hours I was pondering the words of Tony Cascarino in the national media who said that Town have the quality, character and the manager to get out of trouble (especially when their luck turns). I think he's right.
The shortcomings of the Prem ‘experience’ may serve as some consolation if the worst comes to the worst. However, we all want the club to be as high as possible so I for one will be happy to still be griping about them come August 2025.