Any side that bullies its way into the top flight and attempts to impose long ball “football” onto the big stage deserves condemnation from purists everywhere.
It is a blight on the game and a bad example for our kids to watch sides like Stoke and Bolton continuing to repel the viewer in this way.
Fortunately for the right-minded football purist, such an approach may deliver results for all of one year but is doomed to fail in the longer term.
Any team that slavishly plays to a system without any real variance of play is bound to be the first to fall.
Such was the case of Millwall under John Docherty, Cambridge United under John Beck, and Northampton Town under Ian Atkins- all crude, limited, negative teams.
All of those sides massively overachieved for one year, but were quickly found wanting.
In contrast, teams that vary their play, and can marry their game to flair and guile, are far more likely to survive in the longer term.
Such is the case of Graham Taylor’s Watford, often derided as long-ball merchants, relying on fast attacks from the back to the wings, yet boasting tremendously gifted wing players in John Barnes and the similarly gifted but tragically flawed Nigel Callaghan.
Even Stoke today can boast Liam Lawrence, Ricardo Fuller and Matthew Etherington. So they are not quite as limited either.
But history shows that very few, if any teams, can succeed in the longer run on such repellent methods.
Even Don Revie’s infamous Leeds United teams could play superb possession football because they had the players (Bremner, Giles, Gray, Lorimer) who were able to do that.
The fact that Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest sides were at the upper end of the League for virtually the entire time they were in the top flight also bears testament to the virtues of patient and incisive passing football.
If anything, Arsenal had the most success with dull, negative football under George Graham – which was arguably more based on the similarly repellent Catenaccio gameplan than anything else.
So who are we to argue with proponents of the Beautiful Game?
David V.
Guest
I will give you three examples of glorious passes that demonstrated grace, vision and reading of the game beyond compare: 1) Glenn Hoddle's pass to Steve Archibald to score for Spurs against Bayern in 1983 2) Garry Parker's pass, from virtually walking pace, to Steve Hodge to score for Forest against Derby in 1990 3) Gordon Cowans' pass to David Platt to score for Villa against Inter in 1990 All three demonstrated vision and an ability to read the game before anybody thought of it, which is what good midfield play is all about.
Midfielder
Guest
SJ Says it all ... maybe the old saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder...holds true
Slippery Jim
Roar Rookie
David V - by way of an apology for my unforgivable digs at creative football in general, here's a link you will appreciate. The world's best playmakers ranking as determined objectively and meticulously by the International Federation of Football History (settle) and Statistics (IFFHS). http://www.iffhs.de/?a433ccd423dce837ccaca7dca84505fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeedb8a3915 Just shield your eyes from number four (ahead of Kaka). Personally I think they made a grevious error and by mistake swapped number three for number ten. Number 18 definately reminds me of an episode of "one of these things is not like the others" on Playschool... Enjoy!
David V.
Guest
Spurs v Newcastle is on right now. 1-0 to Spurs at half time doesn't even do justice to their dominance of this game with passing and possession, with Newcastle completely bereft of confidence and making Spurs look like Barcelona!
Midfielder
Guest
How I am feeling right now is a bit like the words to this old song.. Well I woke up Sunday morning, With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt. And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad, So I had one more for dessert. Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes, And found my cleanest dirty shirt. An' I shaved my face and combed my hair, An' stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
Midfielder
Guest
Same link better quality http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eayV1x-Vzc
Midfielder
Guest
Now this is skill http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2858281161455552130
David V.
Guest
But that's because Bolton, to a certain degree, also had skillful players like Okocha who could provide some form of variation. My argument is that these sort of teams will require a "plan B" to be able to sustain success, something some of the crudest and most limited teams I've known (Cambridge, Millwall) did not have. The fact that Nottingham Forest under Clough were consistently a top half team playing football easily up there with the most stylish teams around would also show that attractive, attacking football prevails. In fact, the most successful long-term sides- Real Madrid, Ajax, Benfica, Santos- were just that.
Colin N
Guest
"In the long run, possession football and class generally prevail. There are always exceptions as upsets do occur but that’s more of a rarity." But that's because they have the players to play that way. David. V seemed to be criticising the teams that play the long-ball game and that football should be played a certain way, but despite their limitations, Bolton under Aladyce were consistantly in the top seven or eight.
dasilva
Roar Guru
I think the short passing game is more successful then hoof ball football For every team that wins a trophy solely relying on hoofball tactics. There are many more teams that win it with reasonably classy football. In the long run, possession football and class generally prevail. There are always exceptions as upsets do occur but that's more of a rarity. SJ Chelsea aren't a hoofball side. Yes they got a goal due to a long ball but they didn't play the entire match solely (or predominantly) relying on long balls to beat Arsenal. Which I think is the main gist of this article.
David V.
Guest
I think the premise of my article was that teams that are too limited in what they can do may achieve success for one year or so, but ultimately doomed to fail in the longer term when other teams figure out their system. Better planning gets around it, such as having at least a player or two with some spark and guile in the side so that you can vary your play, can pay off in the long term- and even Stoke aren't so limited since they have decent wingers.
Slippery Jim
Roar Rookie
Damn, I was trying to post a picture of it, never mind technology has defeated me once again :(
Slippery Jim
Roar Rookie
KB, during my recent inspection in March I expressed concerns to my good friend Roman about the lack of space in the current trophy cabinet at Stamford Bridge, and the need to increase capacity. My suggestion was to move the WAGs seating out of the Chelsea Museum and make them sit in the stands to make room for old Big Ears, but unfortunately Roman could not see eye to eye with me on that one ;)
Koala Bear
Guest
David V, I forgot .... Everton to beat Man U ... 3-0 ... see you in Wembley... PS good night all..... ~~~~~~~ KB
Colin N
Guest
"And what did Spain use to win Euro 2008?" If you're being so simplistic, how did Greece win Euro 2004? I don't quite know what your main point is. Your article seemed to implore that the ball should be played on the ground more, which is a fair point (everyone has a preference and an opinion), for the apparent 'sake of football.' Yet you go onto say that the short passing game is more successful than the long ball game, which you could argue is a false statement. Couldn't I also say that certain teams don't have the players to play the short passing game and teams like Bolton and Stoke have been successful with this 'hoofball' style of football? I very much doubt Stoke would have stayed up playing the 'beautiful game' and neither would have Bolton. It's what makes the Premier League different, different styles coming up against each other Dare I say it, but your beloved Everton, with Duncan Ferguson and later on with James Beattie (?), certainly had the tendency to play it long.
Koala Bear
Guest
Slippery Jim, The best is yet to come beating Man U twice in two cup finals ... Contact the carpenters, FA cup and Big Ears on the way to Stamford Bridge's trophy room.... :lol: ~~~~~~~ KB
David V.
Guest
Of course, only because arrogance will be punished appropriately in the FA Cup Final and the CL! :)
Slippery Jim
Guest
Here's hoping Everton manage to knock out the red devils overnight, eh David V!
David V.
Guest
I was glad to see Chelsea knock out Liverpool because I will cheer on anyone playing against Liverpool.
Koala Bear
Guest
Midfielder, your man Pimbo knows how to beat pace ... just park the team bus in front of the goal .. no need for a technical Nicky Carle or speedy player ... just play it ugly.... :lol: ~~~~~~~ KB