The problems with soccer
A majority of the time, I think that soccer is one of the greatest games ever played, up there with basketball and men’s gymnastics. The World Cup is awesome, girls soccer season is the best time of the year, and people just look really cool when they play the game.
But, there are problems with the sport.
As I played “FIFA 07” on my brother’s PSP, an obsession of mine, I pondered some of soccer’s more unfair aspects. I am not the best gamer, and though I have mastered the Amateur and Semipro levels, there are times when I get behind, times when I lose, and times when I turn off the PSP and restart the game.
The problem is, no matter how hard you try or how good you are (and this is true in the game and in real life), the other team can get that lucky shot, or there can be that little glitch where an unmarked man gets through your defensive line and scores.
Since soccer is such a low scoring game, it’s not always easy to overcome this deficit. After the goal, the team can pack its box and forfeit its offense in an attempt to keep you from scoring.
Of course, getting up by one and then just trying to maintain a lead isn’t a foolproof plan, but it is consistently effective. Look at the Uni High boys soccer team in the fall of 2005, when they lost to Bloomington Central Catholic in the sectional semifinals; BCC got up by one after Uni committed an error, and then was able to maintain its lead for the rest of the game.
The France-Portugal game in the 2006 World Cup is another example. Zinedine Zidane scored one goal off a free kick, and then France was able to stay ahead to win 1-0.
Then there are the penalty shootouts. Talk about a lame way to break a tie. That is how France lost to Italy in the 2006 World Cup and how China lost to the U.S. in the Women’s World Cup of 1999. Why should a championship game come down to an almost meaningless competition between a shooter and a goalie?
I am a firm believer that the better team should win. In basketball, the worse team may lead for a while, but the consistency, skill, and teamwork of the better team will eventually triumph. That isn’t guaranteed in soccer. There are upsets in every sport, but the fact that they are a common occurrence in soccer should indicate that there is a problem.
I love soccer. I don’t dispute its rightful spot as the most popular sport in the world. But, I think that things could be spiced up. Getting rid of penalty shootouts and creating higher scoring games would broaden the appeal and make soccer the essence of perfection.
— Sarah Pfander
Comments
You have to realize that by the time penalties come into play, the teams have played 2 full hours of world-class soccer and are most likely exhausted to a degree you have never experienced.
The sporadic and sometimes “unfair” scoring is part of what makes soccer such a thrilling game to watch. A win is never guaranteed, even for the most talented team in the world (i.e., Liverpool’s glorious victory over FC Barcelona last night) and the fact that one shot by one player can decide the game is a universally inspiring thought.
The only thing I would even think to change about club and international soccer would be permission to enter 1 or 2 additional subs - on top of the given 3 - if the game goes into extra time. That’s really it. Soccer is pretty much the perfect game. Beats the hell out of basketball/baseball/football.
Posted by: Kumars Salehi | March 15, 2007 10:50 PM
I thought the last time Barca and Liverpool faced up was the 6th when the Reds actually lost 0-1.
Posted by: Daniel | March 19, 2007 11:29 PM
To Kumars, I’d just like to point out that Liverpool played Barcelona on March 6th and that Liverpool actually lost that game but advanced on away goal. It is also disputable whether or not Barcelona is in fact the most talented team in the world, as I would argue that Manchester United has retaken that honor. However, I do agree with your point. I would add that the beauty of soccer lies in the game play itself, not necessarily the outcome. Also, although upsets do occur quite often, these lesser teams rarely advance more than one or two games in competition. Simply look at the Premiership standings or the winners of the World Cup since its conception. You do not see the weaker teams with a lot of championships if any.
Posted by: Tomasz Kalbarczyk | March 20, 2007 12:44 AM
what r u talkin bout?? getting rid of penalty kicks? that is the best part in soccer game!!! same thingif u get rid of shootout in hockey
Posted by: Vlad | May 2, 2007 11:25 AM