I think when done well, the pundits really add to the understanding of the game that the armchair fan doesn’t necessarily see for themselves. Emphasis of course on ‘when done well’.
Unfortunately, on a mainstream TV show you need a/ to make it move fast enough to keep people interested, which in turn means you don’t analyse in any real depth; b/ you need ‘star names’ to do the analysis as opposed to someone most post-pub fans won’t have heard of but holds a UEFA Pro licence and who can really explain why someone heading off towards the corner flag when the goal’s clearly over there is actually being brilliant and hasn’t just lost his bearings temporarily.
Anyone see the Pierluigi Collina refereeing masterclass program just recently? Or the Ricky Ponting masterclasses on Sky cricket? I know they aren’t covering exactly the same subject but they were both superb at explaining the game or an aspect of it brilliantly. I’d happily watch a 3 hour MOTD with 2 hours devoted to analysis, but I’ve always been a bit geeky on understanding sport rather than just watching it.