The Power of the Commentary box!

[Chelsky Boy Luke 21]

One thing I have always found curious watching Chelsea is how one interprets our performance.

On many occasions I have watched a game, gone on Facebook to applaud our performance - but as I read down my news feed to look at the opinions of my fellow Chelsea fans, I find that they have interpreted a specific game differently to me. I set out in search of answers to this phenomenon and have found that commentary plays a huge part in how I perceive a game. Wednesday night’s game is the perfect example. I watched the game on Sky Sports 5 in a bar; I was unable to hear the commentary throughout the match.

From what I saw, we looked in complete control. PSG hadn’t registered a meaningful attack or shot on target until their goal. We looked the more dangerous team, struggling only with the final ball. I was also captivated with the way we pressed PSG, limiting their possession to the middle of the park and turning defence into attack seamlessly. I felt we were the better team; I felt it was only a matter of time until we got the winner to send us through to the quarter-finals. And the fact we didn’t left me feeling that we were rather unlucky.

Once again I headed onto Facebook to express my disappointment and comment on a result I had seen as being unfortunate. I was once again surprised to find comments that berated our performance. Thus I decided to watch the game over, with commentary on. This changed the entire perspective of the game. Whether we do it consciously or sub-consciously, our minds convince us that what we hear is what we see.

Eva Lavric in her book ‘The Linguistics of Football’ states that “commentaries are verbal description of sporting events: utterances with a range of different functions. Besides vocabulary, other linguistic characteristics include non-grammatical structures such as the use of ellipsis due to the speed of delivery and errors in clause structures. Intonation can also be analysed in sports commentaries. It arises out of the desire to create excitement. Sometimes intonation is exaggerated on purpose.”

What Lavric is saying is that sports commentary is purposefully designed to be misleading in order to create excitement. And what we find exciting is a close end-to-end game, controversy and the individual action of characters we love and hate.

For example, the Zlatan Ibrahimovic red card was as clear as you like, he’s slid in with two feet using excessive force and doesn’t win the ball. The referee issued the red card with immediate effect, before Chelsea’s players had even surrounded the official. However, the commentators claimed that the red card was harsh and that the behaviour of the Chelsea players caused Ibrahimovic to see red. Thus creating the controversy we all find entertaining in these big matches. it does play on your mind, the commentator’s reaction did put doubt into my mind, and I started to believe that the red card was slightly harsh.

I also noted that the commentators had seemed to pre-meditate whom their hero and villain would be. Predictably they chose David Luiz as their hero, the £50m star hard done by at Chelsea returning to his former home in an act of bravery with a point to prove. Predictably, Diego Costa was chosen as the archenemy, his every touch of the ball, his every tackle scrutinised with a microscope in dramatic fashion. “The street fighter from Brazil”, “the bully”, “the man on the edge”… Just some of the statements used to describe Costa.

It is clear that commentators are persuasive when it comes to making us believe a certain narrative. I would recommend to all Chelsea fans that if they want to watch a game for how it is then do so without commentary… I promise you, your experience will be completely different.

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[CHOULO19 24,332]

Very interesting points that, imo, often hold ground.

I guess one of the positives of having to hear Arabic commentators is that they NEVER have any idea what they are talking about and hence can't influence your viewing of the game!

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

That's always been the case, really. There's no doubt that the commentators tend to influence the way many people think about a football match. That's why I immediately put it on mute once they start their anti-Chelsea bullshit.

[LAB 1,030]

Good point. I guess now the Southampton game will be on mute for me.

What music should i try though, for the background?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Good point. I guess now the Southampton game will be on mute for me.

What music should i try though, for the background?

Our fans chanting "Chelsea" to the Liquidator on a loop? Just to keep you in the mood

[LAB 1,030]

Our fans chanting "Chelsea" to the Liquidator on a loop? Just to keep you in the mood

Ah yes. Perfect music :blue scalf:

[zolayes 14,489]

I will sometimes switch to find Spanish commentary especially if that TWAT Gale is on air. My Spanish is quite poor .. but 10000% times better than his

commentary

[Viper22 2,418]

Fantastic article. Annoyingly find myself being influenced also. Great insights into the nuances of watching football .