Long Ball

[Bohinen1983]

Seems to be a hot topic at present..

Personally I like to see a bit of tactically fluidity, love to see a direct approach. Why not boot it high up and drop it up and over a centre half or make them head it. Defenders hate it.  We saw Ohashi get a lad sent off from exactly that.
 

You don't have to 'play through the lines' when you can ping it long. Wimbledon used to play diagonals just to win throw-ins and corners before loading the box.

I hate the rigidity and arrogance of modern managers.  They think they've re-invented the game.. 

I listened to the Pep and Warnock interview, Warnock talking of the importance of man management- understanding how to get the best out of players whilst Pep, if I'm remembering correctly (Long time ago so apologies if I'm wrong) was talking about how the game's moved on and it's all about tactics now..

A bit of a digression, but whilst I don't disagree tactics are important, very, very important, they're pretty pointless if you don't have the lads on side.

I think this is massively under appreciated, it's almost deemed a bit of an 'old school' approach. However,  I see it as the smart approach- evidence based even.  I know in Psychology the therapeutic relationship between client and practioner is the most important variable as to the success of therapy.  

What I think I'm getting it, other than missing how football used to be. Is it's rather generic and complexified- we're not talking quantum physics. 

I'm all for a resurgence if proper wing play, two strikers up front. Long balls into the big man to hold up or flick on. Sick to death of watching wingers and strikers do nothing but press and pass backwards.  

 

 

[Bronzed A Donis]

Absolutely.  It was inevitable that once teams got filled with centre mids playing centre half the big man would return and then the direct stuff to exploit it.

If I hear a manager has a philosophy other than win games of football I'm immediately suspicious.

Data geeks and middle class gentrification of football does my head in, half space, pivot, double pivot,  2 6's and an 8. Load of nonsense to make people seem smart.

"Play the right way"- says who? I loved being the bully boys.

[Andy]

Yeah, good football management is about making the most of the squad at your disposal.

It'd be arrogant to enforce your preferred style of play where it's not a good fit.

Big Sam is a good example of the former, whatever you may think of him.

I'd love nothing more than seeing a physically tough, direct 4-4-2 with wingers and a big man/little man front pairing.
Fullbacks being fullbacks and 2 central midfielders who cover the whole central area between them.

It'll come back around one day, I'm sure of it.

[roversfan99]

The problem is, managers (or "head coaches") have comparably less power than ever before.

You have non footballing men in suits deciding how the team will play. You have swarms of geeks spitting out "data" and it comes at the cost of individuality and variety.