In an article of yours published on Sunday May 13th 2012 (the final day of the 2011-2012 Premier League football season), you said that a decision to vote the aforementioned campaign as the best in the 20 year history of the Premiership was a ‘‘dumb verdict.’’ You then said, ‘‘if you don’t believe me, listen to the recent words of David Moyes, the wise and experienced Everton manager,’’ who said that, ‘‘the players in the Premier League 10 years ago were at a superior level than those of today in terms of technique and ability.’’
You’re talking as if his words are to be taken as Gospel. How about other wise and experienced figureheads such as Alan Hansen, Gary Neville, Greame Souness, Jamie Redknapp and a substantial amount of others in the game who think that this is, not just arguably, but most likely the best season of the Premier League’s history thus far? Referring to Moyes, you asked ‘‘care to look into his eyes and disagree?’’
Well, yes I would actually (that’s if he was even disputing that this was the best in 20 years. He may not have been discussing that subject when he was stating that there were better players on these shores 10 years ago. But anything to support your opinion). It’s anyone’s opinion in what they think is the best – it doesn’t mean you’re wrong – but to give a resounding ‘‘no’’ in relation to this is, to use a word of yours, ‘dumb’.
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So what if the players are not ‘technically’ as good as 10 years previously (although I beg to differ). It’s the way the games pan out that is of relevance. And no other season has provided so much drama and defied so many expectations as the one just gone. It is one where many Premier League records have been broken. But it seems you’re forsaking that in favour of players’ technicalities. And before you think, ‘‘oh, but you can witness that kind of drama in the Essex Senior League,’’ this year’s players are not exactly pushovers are they? We want to see great technical players and we have them at our disposal.
Players such as Sergio Aguero, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Hatem ben Arfa, Juan Mata and many others could have strolled into any Premiership team of 15 years ago, 10 years ago, nine years ago, eight years ago etc…
I wonder if you have changed your mind after Sunday’s drama. I don’t have to say much about that and the other things you mentioned in your article (the high scoring games and the surprising rise of Newcastle United, Swansea and Norwich City). Mind you, I would say Swansea are technically pretty good. Having players with a more successful passing rate than some of those in the current Barcelona side is nothing to be sneezed at. And they were only promoted last year!