Plus the Premier league/the media/social media would have a hissy fit if the players antagonised the fans or got into a scuffle. Abuse and possibly a fine for weeks. I don't actually blame them, the stakes are higher now.

They're highly managed and trained to behave like that from a young age. The last player I can remember who came through at Arsenal and liked to engage in that stuff was Szczesny and Wenger hated his lack of professionalism.

I think there are a few reasons

  • dilution of local fans due to higher match prices
  • agree with Flobaba on more international players. Our original French players arrived into a team with an English core who had grown up understanding the rivalries. The current teams have more international players. Plus the players are significantly wealthier and more integrated - they grew up in the same academies, holiday together, do social media/online gaming together. Their community is probably much more other players than their immediate club
  • the game being turned upside down by money - the increasing importance of the Big 4 and their dominance diminishes other rivalries
Qwiss! wrote:

They're highly managed and trained to behave like that from a young age. The last player I can remember who came through at Arsenal and liked to engage in that stuff was Szczesny and Wenger hated his lack of professionalism.

Douzi got in trouble for the Brighton incident as well. Can't say that I mind that footballers generally behave better now than they did before although it was entertaining.

I dunno, I don't buy most of these reasons. I think the 4-2 win where Torreira scored was as impassioned as any NLD I've seen.

Still think it's mostly just about circumstance and long term competitiveness, there hasn't been anything to spark a rivalry for a while. Liverpool and United for example has been dead since I started watching football. Arsenal-United on the other hand really kicked off despite mostly being a modern invention. You had Liverpool and Chelsea for a bit under Rafa and Jose.

You have that less now because it's generally much harder to stay at the top, managers come and go quicker, players come and go etc. But I don't think it's a thing of the past, you just need a spark.

goon wrote:

I dunno, I don't buy most of these reasons. I think the 4-2 win where Torreira scored was as impassioned as any NLD I've seen.

Still think it's mostly just about circumstance and long term competitiveness, there hasn't been anything to spark a rivalry for a while. Liverpool and United for example has been dead since I started watching football. Arsenal-United on the other hand really kicked off despite mostly being a modern invention. You had Liverpool and Chelsea for a bit under Rafa and Jose.

You have that less now because it's generally much harder to stay at the top, managers come and go quicker, players come and go etc. But I don't think it's a thing of the past, you just need a spark.

This is it pretty much. There is a reason Arsenal-Spurs really kicked up a notch once we started sliding down the table to their level.

Also why Arsenal-United died down in the late 00s because we weren't a threat, and why United and Liverpool was pretty much nothing until the record for league titles was up for grabs.

Liverpool and City, if they can both stay the top 2 teams in England, will definitely spice up over the next few years.

Setting up a weekend parlay as my betting site has a 20% profit boost.

Thinking Leeds (over Fulham), Arsenal (over West Ham), and Chelsea (over West Brom).

Any other locks?

Don't bet on Leeds, T. Could easily swing the other way. I'd go for Everton at home to West Brom instead.

Klaus wrote:

Don't bet on Leeds, T. Could easily swing the other way. I'd go for Everton at home to West Brom instead.

Leeds always fucked over my bets. Always. Regardless of whether I take them to win or lose, guaranteed they'll do the opposite. I'm sure it's personal.

I haven't taken them in a couple of years now. 

Tam wrote:
Klaus wrote:

Don't bet on Leeds, T. Could easily swing the other way. I'd go for Everton at home to West Brom instead.

Leeds always fucked over my bets. Always. Regardless of whether I take them to win or lose, guaranteed they'll do the opposite. I'm sure it's personal.

I haven't taken them in a couple of years now. 

Could you take them again and let us know here?

Classic james performance. Passenger for 45 minutes, then a cracker out of nowhere

James doing really well, cracking goal. Gibbs sent off for shoving James on the face, madness 😆

Two goals conceded in ten minutes and now a red card on Kieran Gibbs. When it rains it pours for West Brom.

Bilic gets a red card at the ad break 😆

Genuinely can't believe Gibbs played 230 games for us by the way. Has to be hands down the poorest footballer in modern history to ever reach those kind of numbers for the club.

Mike Dean now giving Bilic a red for daring to approach him at half time. This guy.

That James goal was a peach. He’s quality. Hope he has a great season

A ten-man West Brom with their manager sent off too gets another goal right after the break. You kinda want them to win this.