{"id":9442,"date":"2025-04-22T06:58:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T06:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=9442"},"modified":"2025-04-22T06:58:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T06:58:12","slug":"most-boring-premier-league-season-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/most-boring-premier-league-season-ever","title":{"rendered":"Has this been the most boring Premier League season ever?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you\u2019ve been following the 2024-25 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\">Premier League<\/a> season, you\u2019ve probably heard the whispers &#8211; whether online, in pubs, maybe even from your own exasperated sighs &#8211; that this might just be the dullest campaign in the competition\u2019s glittering history. But is it really? Let\u2019s pull up a seat at the bar, crack open a cold one, and dissect whether this season deserves the \u201csnoozefest\u201d label or if there\u2019s more to the story than meets the tired eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2024-25 season has been a curious beast. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/liverpool-108\">Liverpool<\/a> are romping toward the title with the inevitability of a tax bill, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/southampton-21\">Southampton<\/a> were relegated before Easter, and the race for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\">Champions League<\/a> spots feels like a polite queue at a tea shop rather than a gladiatorial scrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, amidst the moans, there are glimmers of magic\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/nottingham-forest-29\">Nottingham Forest\u2019s<\/a> fairy-tale surge, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/mohamed-salah-1439\">Mohamed Salah\u2019s<\/a> record-smashing heroics, and tactical quirks that have nerds like us scribbling notes like we\u2019re back in school. So, let\u2019s dive into the chaos, the complaints, and the counterarguments to figure out if this season is truly the football equivalent of watching paint dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Premier League Rundown<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-case-for-boredom-why-fans-are-yawning\">The Case for Boredom: Why Fans Are Yawning<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-tactical-trap-has-football-gotten-too-smart\">The Tactical Trap: Has Football Gotten Too Smart?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-case-against-boredom-hidden-gems-and-wild-stories\">The Case Against Boredom: Hidden Gems and Wild Stories<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-neutrals-dilemma-is-it-us-or-the-game\">The Neutral\u2019s Dilemma: Is It Us or the Game?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-case-for-boredom-why-fans-are-yawning\">The Case for Boredom: Why Fans Are Yawning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the elephant in the room: the title race, or lack thereof. Liverpool, under Arne Slot\u2019s quietly brilliant stewardship, have turned Anfield into a fortress and the league table into their personal playground. By mid-April, they\u2019re 13 points clear of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/arsenal-104\">Arsenal<\/a>, needing just one more win second Premier League crown. It\u2019s not just that they\u2019re winning; it\u2019s how inevitable it feels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">? TRENT WITH A SCREAMER OFF THE BENCH! ?<br \/><br \/>5 minutes. One unstoppable strike. Liverpool now ONE STEP CLOSER to Premier League glory!<br \/><br \/>But wait\u2014was that a farewell gift before a shock Real Madrid move? ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8dGSHl5zCO\">pic.twitter.com\/8dGSHl5zCO<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1914027422330311096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 20, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slot\u2019s side, powered by Salah\u2019s 45 goal contributions, have been a machine\u2014flexible, humble, and ruthlessly efficient. But for neutrals, inevitability is the enemy of excitement. Compare this to the 2018-19 season, when Manchester City and Liverpool slugged it out to the final day, or 2011-12, when Sergio Ag\u00fcero\u2019s stoppage-time dagger broke United hearts. This year? It\u2019s less a race, more a coronation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s the relegation battle, which has been about as suspenseful as a pre-recorded sitcom. Southampton were mathematically doomed by April 6, setting a grim record as the first team to go down with seven games left, their goal difference a comical minus-60. Leicester have also since been relegated and Ipswich Town are wobbling precariously. It feels like a rerun of last season when all three promoted teams\u2014Luton, Burnley, and Sheffield United\u2014went straight back down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the fight for Champions League spots, usually a hotbed of intrigue, feels oddly tepid. Add to that the struggles of the so-called \u201cbig six\u201d. Spurs and United have spent an age in the bottom half of the table, and you\u2019ve got a season where the usual heavyweights are punching below their weight. Gary Neville\u2019s post-Manchester derby rant summed it up: \u201cThis robotic nature of not leaving our positions, being micro-managed within an inch of our lives\u2026 is becoming an illness in the game.\u201d Ouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Man United hit rock bottom with a historic low: 15 Premier League losses in a single season. ?\u274c<br \/><br \/>From Fergie\u2019s era of dominance to this \u2013 a brutal reality check for the Red Devils ?<br \/><br \/>Rebuild? More like a revolution needed ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5FxXLuQB9L\">pic.twitter.com\/5FxXLuQB9L<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1914015634716844284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 20, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-tactical-trap-has-football-gotten-too-smart\">The Tactical Trap: Has Football Gotten Too Smart?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Neville\u2019s outburst points to a deeper issue: has the Premier League\u2019s obsession with tactical perfection sucked the soul out of the game? This season, we\u2019ve seen an average of 897 passes per game, flirting with the record set in 2020-21, while dribbles attempted (34.7 per game) are at their lowest since 2018-19, with a measly 46% completion rate. Crosses are down to 24 per game from 42 in 2003-04, and goalkeepers are passing more (32.2 passes per game) with fewer long balls (46.7% compared to 78.4% a decade ago). Pep Guardiola\u2019s pass-heavy gospel has spread like a catchy tune, but as former City player Danilo admitted, it\u2019s like being \u201cbrainwashed\u201d at university\u2014effective but not always thrilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>VAR hasn\u2019t helped. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/bruno-fernandes-6262\">Bruno Fernandes<\/a>, after a snooze-inducing Manchester derby, blamed the technology for killing the game\u2019s flow and opportunities to get stuck in, \u201cIt can\u2019t be like it was in the past, with VAR, everything.\u201d The season\u2019s 28 goalless draws (compared to 11 last year) feel like a symptom of teams playing it safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-case-against-boredom-hidden-gems-and-wild-stories\">The Case Against Boredom: Hidden Gems and Wild Stories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, let\u2019s flip the script. If you\u2019re calling this season boring, you might be sleeping on some absolute bangers. Take Nottingham Forest, who are living a fairy tale that would make Disney jealous. With 57 points from 32 matches, Nuno Esp\u00edrito Santo\u2019s side are defying expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s Bournemouth, who\u2019ve gone from relegation scrappers to Champions League hopefuls under Andoni Iraola. Fulham, too, deserve a shout, with Marco Silva turning them into a potential European force despite losing stars like Mitrovic and Palhinha. Their wins over Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool were fantastic. These underdog stories are the Premier League\u2019s lifeblood, and they\u2019re alive and kicking.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"749\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2200608541-1024x749.jpg\" alt=\"BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Marcus Rashford of Aston Villa applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Chelsea FC at Villa Park on February 22, 2025 in Birmingham, England.\" class=\"wp-image-9114\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Neal Simpson\/Sportsphoto\/Allstar via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Individual brilliance hasn\u2019t been in short supply either. Mohamed Salah\u2019s season is the stuff of legend, breaking records for goal involvements and cementing his case as one of the Premier League\u2019s all-time greats. Ryan Gravenberch\u2019s transformation into Liverpool\u2019s No. 6 has been a revelation, his body-opening, dribble-past-the-opponent move a thing of beauty. Bruno Fernandes&#8217; consistency amid United&#8217;s chaos and Alexander Isak\u2019s flair at Newcastle have lit up Premier League matches that might otherwise have flatlined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Sailing towards the title and breaking records ?<br \/><br \/>Mo Salah has set a new record for goal involvements (45) in a 38-game Premier League season! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6bKJUkIxWG\">pic.twitter.com\/6bKJUkIxWG<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1911411948161298532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 13, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-neutrals-dilemma-is-it-us-or-the-game\">The Neutral\u2019s Dilemma: Is It Us or the Game?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, why the disconnect? Part of it might be expectations. The Premier League markets itself as the world\u2019s most exciting league, a rollercoaster of drama and unpredictability. When it delivers a season where the top and bottom are sewn up early, it feels like false advertising. Opta noted that the point gaps between first and second and 17th and 18th is the third-highest in 25 years, a sign of a lopsided campaign. Yet, as they point out, fans of Liverpool, Forest, or Bournemouth would laugh at the \u201cboring\u201d label\u2014this season\u2019s been a dream for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s also the Champions League factor. While the Premier League has been accused of going robotic, Europe\u2019s knockout stages have delivered heart-stopping drama, making the domestic grind look pedestrian by comparison. But let\u2019s not forget the numbers: this season\u2019s 2.94 goals per game is the second-highest since 1992-93. If anything, the problem might be our own fatigue\u2014too many matches, too much analysis, too many VAR debates clogging up the vibes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2191110996-1024x746.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring the first of his two goals during the Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2024 in London, England.\" class=\"wp-image-8878\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Visionhaus\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>By Nicky Helfgott &#8211; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NickyHelfgott1\"><em>NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter<\/em>)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\">latest football news<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\/news\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\/news\"> Premier League news<\/a> on 365Scores!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve been following the 2024-25 Premier League season, you\u2019ve probably heard the whispers &#8211; whether online, in pubs, maybe even from your own exasperated sighs &#8211; that this might just be the dullest campaign in the competition\u2019s glittering history. But is it really? Let\u2019s pull up a seat at the bar, crack open a &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":8886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2338,9],"tags":[1966,821,320,190,1151,2099,214,2148,15,2942,27,2722,3095,158,254,13,2717,2723,24,2247],"class_list":["post-9442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-premier-league","category-soccer","tag-alejandro-garnacho","tag-bernardo-silva","tag-bruno-fernandes","tag-erling-haaland","tag-harry-maguire","tag-joshua-zirkzee","tag-kevin-de-bruyne","tag-kobbie-mainoo","tag-manchester-city","tag-manchester-derby","tag-manchester-united","tag-old-trafford","tag-omar-marmoush","tag-pep-guardiola","tag-phil-foden","tag-premier-league","tag-rasmus-hojlund","tag-ruben-amorim","tag-ruben-dias","tag-savinho"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}