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Heynckes' Bayern exemplified how football should be played

Roar Pro
14th October, 2014
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Bayern Munich secured a vital win in the Champions League. (TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO/ODD ANDERSEN)
Roar Pro
14th October, 2014
8
4745 Reads

One thing that makes the beautiful game so beautiful is that there are so many way in which it can be played.

The contrasting styles and mentalities are present throughout each team and this leads to fantastic match-ups between sides.

Tactics are the centrepiece of football, the saying that a team of champions can be overcome by a champion team is one repeated often, but it still holds true to this day.

Tactics form the nucleus of a team, providing the balance between all phases of play. Does a side sit back and look to exploit on the counter? Take advantage of the wings and seek to play an aggressive style of football? Or completely obliterate their opponents through possession?

The fluid 4-2-4 of Il Grande Torino that inspired Brazil during the late 1950s is thought to have been an inspiration for total football. Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers favoured fast-paced one-touch play, sacrificing defensive strength in an effort to completely overwhelm their opponents.

Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 saw the demise of the Catenaccio, a defensive system which had been a forefront of Italian tactical thinking for generations. It was attacking football which only had one objective in mind, the complete decimation of opponents through the sheer weight of pressure laid upon the opponents defence.

In contrast, recent times have seen the evolution of counter-attacking play in the face of tika-taka and the subsequent rise of Barcelona to the top of the world stage. Tika-Taka is a possession-based tactic heavily reliant on skilled passers and constant movement in order to both open up opportunities for forwards and enable the side to retain possession and control the game.

The reliance on defenders now being able to play out of the back in the face of predominantly sticking to their defensive duties has arguably led to an evolution in the centre back position. Players no longer have the defensive presence they once did, yet are more technically skilled than ever.

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There have been many methods to combat tika-taka. Jose Mourinho, arguably the most gifted tactical manager on the planet at the moment, masterminded one of the greatest defensive performances in history in the 2010 Champions League. He guided Inter to a 1-0 defeat at the Camp Nou, knocking out Barcelona due to their 3-1 victory at the San Siro.

Playing 4-6-0, effectively meaning Barcelona had to play past ten defenders in order to score, has been one of the ways in which to combat the Barcelona style. The defensive presence of the Inter side frustrated Barcelona and in the end they chose to rely on long distance shooting, ultimately failing to overturn the deficit.

The question though is: are both styles of play entertaining?

Tika-taka has often come under criticism for being boring, teams effectively grinding out 1-0 victories through scoring and then denying their opposition access to the ball for the remainder of the game. The Spanish side of the 2010 World Cup was quite skilled at simply gaining a goal and then denying the opposition the chance to equalise, comfortably winning the majority of their matches.

While some cite Barcelona’s playing style as elegant and beautiful to watch, others label it as boring and dull. The sheer technical brilliance of the Barcelona team can be both awe-inducing to some and incredibly frustrating for others.

In comparison, many tactics employed by managers to combat tika-taka has seen the label of ‘parking the bus’ emerge. Inspired by the Catenaccio, once teams enter the lead they then employ a highly defensive style to outlast opposition instead of going for the kill and adding to their lead.

Such play has even begun to be used without a lead as teams attempt to stop the creative onslaught of superior opposition from the first minute. It’s lead to the growing complaints about ‘anti-football’ where teams sacrifice any chance for victory in the face of sheer survival.

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Both tactics have their admirers and their detractors. To watch an incredible defensive display can be quite pleasing to the eye on occasion. AC Milan’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona in last year’s Champions League was an incredible defensive display as the Barcelona system was handled with aplomb. Unfortunately they were not able to back-up the performance at the Camp Nou and Barcelona cruised to the next round with a 4-0 win.

A display of tika-taka can almost be referred to as a piece of art, where every pass, shot and movement can be seen to be inspired and magnificent in its own right.

For me, I find the perfect style of football to be attacking play. The Bayern Munich side under Jupp Heynckes played stunning football. The chemistry between the players allowed Bayern to play a fluid style where every area of the pitch was successfully exploited, whether it be the rampaging runs of Philipp Lahm and David Alaba or the wing-play of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.

Both were complimented by the midfield pair that was Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, who dominated the Bayern engine room with exquisite passing that brought Thomas Mueller into full effect with his roaming role. They provided him with opportunity after opportunity while his presence also split defences to the benefit of his teammates.

Bayern employed a style which thrilled fans across the globe through the completeness of their squad. A well-drilled defence, a creative force in Schweinsteiger and the defensive skill of Martinez helped Bayern combat any midfield which competed against them. While the quartet of Ribery, Robben, Muller and Mario Mandzukic terrorised defences with their speed and skill.

Instead of sacrificing one area for greater control in another, Bayern were ruthlessly efficient in all aspects of the game, much like the German side which won the World Cup this year. The blend of defence, possession and attacking force exemplified the way which football should be played.

The beauty of football lies in its ability to be interpreted in many different ways. Each manager brings something new to the game through their philosophy. Diego Simeone embodies intensity, inspiring his Atletico Madrid side to deliver such performances, suffocating their opponents through relentless pressure in each match.

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Marcelo Bielsa is cut from the same cloth, deploying his team to play as much of the match within their opponent’s half as possible. Mourinho employs a counter-attacking style which seeks to defeat opponents by catching them on the break and finishing their chances with ruthless efficiency.

All have their inherent beliefs as to how the game should be played, and all represent that with their tactics and the mentality of their sides.

For me though the Bayern side of 2012-2013 exemplified the way football should be played and are one of the greatest club sides in history, if not the greatest. Not simply in their results, but the way they played the game.

So Roarers, how do you view your football?

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