It may be me getting older and yearning for the good old days of free flowing football but I turned the Swansea game off because it was so boring Yes they pass neatly crisply and quickly but there were so many sideways and backward interchanges across the back 4 and attacking positions worked backwards Is it because retaining possession is vital on the basis that the other side can not score if you have the ball ( sounds like a PULISISM ) or is it because most sides get everyone back behind the ball when not in possession to make progress difficult I appreciate that hoofball is the other end of the spectrum but a compromise of fast direct possession going forward should be possible Hope I am not getting jaundiced even before the season starts!!! SiS
I didn't watch the game SIS so can't comment on it but they did score 4 goals which is pretty good. I see Bony scored twice on his debut and it will be interesting to see how he and Michu perform in the PL this season. Pretty passing football with no end product is not for me for sure. As for hoofball let's hope that the performances from Stoke are easier on the eye and more entertaining than what was served up in the last couple of seasons. We may be pleasantly surprised.
Fair point PP Iobviously turned it off too soon but yesthey have a potentially very good pair of strikers Just wish we could get at least one Still Sparkie appears to have gotten us passing to each other rather than the opposition SiS
I mentioned this when we've played Swansea at the Brit, I think it was while Rodgers was still in charge. They kept passing across the back, going nowhere, half the time boring me almost to death, and half the time getting in some horrible mix ups between fullback and goalkeeper when Walters started charging at them. I said at the time, I'd love to us keep the ball and pass it, but not if it meant inviting pressure so deep in your own half, or just passing between the same 3 players for the sake of it.
Anybody remember the original ? Cruyff's (sp) 'total' football. Brilliant. Loved those fullbacks. No SIS it's not just you.
Who c ould foget Nick and of corse our own version when we had the likes of Huddy Violet Dobing Mudie McIlroy Sir Stan etc and atrue C F in big John SiS
Welcome back stranger! Possession football is about boring the opposition into mistakes. Barca are the prime example, the only difference is they win the ball back higher up the picth so most of the action is in the other teams half. The principle is the same, draw the opposition out of formation to creat gaps in the other areas of the pitch - its what you do at that point that dictates if you are any good at it.
Hiya Smithers, Haven't been too good of late (see other post)...but recovering well. Looking back all I was doing was being a miserable old sod (no comments please) and being negative. For a change, am looking forward to the start of the season, as said, there are a lot of positive vibes about, let's hope that transfers on to the pitch. This has to be the craziest transfer window for quite some while, Swansea and Norwich chucking money around like it's going out of fashion. Having said that £12 Million for Bony (23year old?) £5 million for Wolfswinkle, sounds much better than £18 million for Crouch and Palacious eh. £5 million for Whitehead absolute lunacy, cheers Tony Up and at em Chatham
Of course Nick How could I HAVE LEFT HIM OUT Apart from his silky skills if I Remember correctly one of his best goals was agst Brum at ST Andrews with his back to goal and over his shoulder from the corner of the pen box Seem to recall he also got his nose broken i that game Must be 30 years ago??? SiS
In my opinion how Spurs have played the past 2 seasons is exactly as football should be played, fast, attacking and entertaining, I personally get a bit bored watching Barcelona sometimes as a lot of the times they dont really get anywhere, dont get me wrong though when it does come together for Barcelona its incredible.
Spurs imho are as close to the style some of us can recall Tic, 2 wingers and attack every game. Nice team to watch.
As have Stoke to a certain extent. You got promoted and have maintained your PL status. When I have seen Stoke they have shown they can play good football when they want to - but too often revert to negative football especially away from home. I dont think Mark Hughes will change much from what Pulis already achieved.If the Board wanted change they should have gone for a more attacking minded manager
We will have to wait and see. I am probably the most anti Hughes poster on here btw. Oh and his 'hangers on' - the welsh Taffia!!
PS forgot to say, one of the most, if not the most impressive things about Swansea; is the continuity show by 3 successive managerss, Rodgers, Martinez and now Laudrop.
Hughes was doing a good job for Wales, but when it came to a match away to Serbia, which we were in a good position to win, he opted to play negatively and we lost 1-0. As a result we didn't qualify for the Euro champs. Since then I have not been a fan of his! Regarding the Swans managers, you are right. The continuity has been amazing - the Board have to take credit for that. When Martinez was appointed we groaned. When Rogers was appointed we groaned. When Laudrup was appointed we held our breath! But the aim has always been to play passing football and we have had that philosophy for many years now. So fair play to our Board, who are all local fans, they have done a fantastic job
