Some muppets reckon the golden era of the beautiful game is long gone.
The beautiful game has gone soft
They might have a point, but who gives a toss? It's all subjective bollocks anyway.
The glory days are behind us
If you were lucky enough to witness the peak Premier League era of 2004-2010, or the golden age of international footy in the early 2000s, then you might know what I'm banging on about. Gilberto Silva, the Brazilian hardman who played alongside legends like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas, reckons football ain't what it used to be.
Modern footballers are soft
According to Silva, the new breed of players are more athletic but lack the freedom and creativity of his generation. "We had more freedom to go and create and express ourselves and make mistakes," he said. "The world has changed over time and you have to adapt to it, but it's still football, I still love it."
Systems are ruining the game
Silva also reckons that the rise of tactical systems, like the "play out from the back" bollocks favored by Guardiola and Arteta, has made the game more mechanical and less entertaining. "I watch many games and sometimes all the games and the systems used all look the same," he said. "You don't see many players that are going to break the lines and go past one, two or three players."
Brazil's decline
Brazil, once known for producing a conveyor belt of creative geniuses, hasn't had a Ballon d'Or winner since Kaka in 2007. The current crop of Brazilian players are efficient but lack the flair and individuality of past generations.
The death of creativity
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney agrees with Silva, saying that modern footballers are athletes first and footy players second. "When we look at football now we have athletes who are being made into footballers. Before, we used to play with freedom," Deeney said. "You think of the time Gilberto played with Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Cafu. Yes, they were great players, but they were all individual mavericks."
So there you have it. The beautiful game has gone soft, and it's all because of these system-based muppets who can't think for themselves on the pitch. What a load of bollocks.
