The problem with English football is the same as it has been for decades and the FA are doing bugger-all to fix it. English football is all about pace and power - as has been mentioned already, football abroad focuses on technique which is why every country apart from the British are comfortable on the ball and don't need to lump it forwards. I was a 6 footer in school so immediately I was told to go up front. When I turned 20 I played semi pro and, lo and behold, as soon as the manager saw me he told me to go up front, "Get the ball to the big man so he can hold it up and bring the midfielders into play". I hated it, forever chasing lost causes and battling with centre halves who only want to kick you to a pulp. I left 2 clubs and went to a third and insisted I play as a CM, that's my position - and I made it stick. A classic comment I heard from one manager after my cousin flicked the ball to a teammate was "Oiiiiii .... none of that 'ere, you 'aint playin for Brazil". At amateur level skill is regularly coached out of you, if you can run up and down, chase back, you are an asset to the team, not the kid who can dribble past a few players but might lose it now and then. Percentage football is what is coached and it sucks ass. There are lots of very skillful players but they don't get scouted or if they do get scouted they don't make it because of attitude, some are not willing to do donkey work, some don't do the doggies - that wouldn't happen abroad - those players would be treated like kings. Bonstar is 100% correct with his analysis, kids should be focusing on technique, playing on small pitches where first touch is important. To increase speed of thought decrease the number of touches of the ball they are allowed, teach the kids techniques. I remember when Coerver Training videos first came out, me and my mates were stunned by what little 7 to 10 year olds were doing with the ball, amazing stuff, we were so far behind the continent in the 80s !! http://www.coerver.co.uk/ The FA Youth Cup winning team had stand out players like Coquelin, Wilshere, Frimpong and J.E.T. Sanchez-Watt was there and Gilles Sunu, Kyle Bartley was a CB .. don't remember any other names but from that lot JET looks to have succumbed to thinking he was too good and not working hard enough. He looked that way when he played, he was miles better than his peers and much bigger too. Shame, cos he was very skillful.
He's still young, only just 21! he will be a decent player. Not at arsenal I'll admit but still. ok not the best example but you get my point.
If you're waiting for the perfect striker, just look at Jordan Brown. This boy is going to be a top player who'll do very well for us - unfortunately, he's a United fan apparently.
There are many other restrictions in England - 1st.) first English clubs can only recruit players in a 90mile raidus of the club so the pool is heavily reduced in comparism to european leagues where they can get players from any part of the country. No offence but many kids in the midlands and the north would rather play for Arsenal/man utd/tottenham than say wolves southampton etc etc. 2nd.) The FA's kack concept of youth development - the french have clairefontaine football academy where all there talented youngsters go through, we have nothing. The Germans even though they kept reaching semis and finals went back and overhauled there youth setup in the last 10 years along with clubs and now have a ridiculously high levelof talented youths 3rd.) European clubs have actively developed youth in systemised academies pretty much since Cruyff really made the concept popular with ajax and especially barca. Lets also not forget when the concept got popular teams like Barcelona Real Lyon Bayern can recruit players from anywhere in their respective countries. 4th.) England started later especially when the money came into the teams in the 90's but there is an issue with the way our youth development works - they seem to come in batches for teams rather than the big clubs consistently producing 1/2 players a year. For example Utd when the beckham et all came or West Hams batch. I think over time things will get better but things will have to change 90mile restriction has to be removed the FA has to stop talking about the national academy and bloddy do it. 5th.) remember wenger took over in 97/98 say he took 3-4 years to overhaul the youth system 00/01 then players who come in the ideal age groups 8-9 years will take a good 8-10 years to develop so realistically our youth setup should be judged over the next 5-10 years not the last 10.
Possession in itself doesn't go anywhere. You have to have created openings, and have finishers. Barca manage that - we are not good enough. Swansea are in danger of going the same route. It must not be forgotten that you need to vary the tactics - fast breakaways, direct wing to wing, first time forward passes. Arsenal go sideways,then back, sideways, then back - sounds like a crap Salsa doesn't it? The record grinds on - there are moments of beauty, but very few goals as a result. Our players become robots who can only short pass, sideways and back ...... they cannot take corners, cannot win headers, cannot take free-kicks, will not give it welly at the back when we are in disarray. Why not? It is all pass,pass, pass.
