It's so boring

[Eaglehamster]

All playing to the Barcelona method. Keep possession, short passes back and forth, slow build up.

In spite of working a good goal, Grealish must have been told not to attempt to beat the defender, so he ponces about a bit and then backpasses every feckin time!

I couldn't watch all of it yesterday but there were several occasions when England could have launched a break away but no, they tippy-tappy it about, often in the box eventually getting into the opponents half where they try to tippy tappy it into the net against a massed defence.
Each pass is nearly always direct at the player not a space in front of him where the reciever can run on to and have a bit of momentum. It's so dull. Bores the pants off me.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Me too EH. There is a difference to Barcelona doing this with Xavi and Iniesta looking to play Messi in and everyone else pointlessly tapping the ball to each other - especially when it's full backs passing it square across their own area which I was always taught to never do.

 

[Eagleman13]

All playing to the Barcelona method. Keep possession, short passes back and forth, slow build up.

In spite of working a good goal, Grealish must have been told not to attempt to beat the defender, so he ponces about a bit and then backpasses every feckin time!

I couldn't watch all of it yesterday but there were several occasions when England could have launched a break away but no, they tippy-tappy it about, often in the box eventually getting into the opponents half where they try to tippy tappy it into the net against a massed defence.
Each pass is nearly always direct at the player not a space in front of him where the reciever can run on to and have a bit of momentum. It's so dull. Bores the pants off me.

But, apart from that . . . 😀

 

[BromleyMonkey]

Been saying for a long time, even non-league teams, especially on these smooth artificial surfaces do it. Tippy tappy pass pass pass across the back while the other team stands there watching them, anything but be brave and pass it forward for risk of losing possession. Then you read these stupid stats where one team has 70% possession so their manager can say we were the better team. It’s called a‘possession based’ style of play, it means sod all if you don’t do anything with it.
All these youngsters who say to us olduns football WASN’T better back in the day, well let me tell you it F***ing was!!! more intensity, more tackling, more passion from players who played like it really meant something to them…..oh yeah and more mass brawls, which always livened up a crap game😇😁

 

[Daddyorc]

I can't stand watching Man City when they're 1 or 2 up (or probably more). They pass around the back and just wait for an opening, only to pass forward to a midfielder, who then passes back to the defenders.

It's not a bad strategy - wear out the other team and wait until they break and give you an opportunity. But it's generally boring to watch.

However, I love watching them when they're trailing. They have to come out of their shell and attack. Also, if they face a team that has the ability to retain possession and attack (like Arsenal or Liverpool) it's quite fun to watch.

As England had no real reason to attack when up, it was fitting into that box. Something tells me Glasner would never revert to that.

 

[Palace Old Geezer]

Been saying for a long time, even non-league teams, especially on these smooth artificial surfaces do it. Tippy tappy pass pass pass across the back while the other team stands there watching them, anything but be brave and pass it forward for risk of losing possession. Then you read these stupid stats where one team has 70% possession so their manager can say we were the better team. It’s called a‘possession based’ style of play, it means sod all if you don’t do anything with it.
All these youngsters who say to us olduns football WASN’T better back in the day, well let me tell you it F***ing was!!! more intensity, more tackling, more passion from players who played like it really meant something to them…..oh yeah and more mass brawls, which always livened up a crap game😇😁

I'm in full agreement with you Monkey. Personally I blame Guardiola for introducing tippy tappy football to this country.

The OP is right, too often today's football is boring, dull, tedious and unexciting to watch. International and PL matches are the biggest culprits because players are in fear of losing rather than fired up to win. There's more drama and excitement in the games played in the park on a Sunday morning.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

I'm in full agreement with you Monkey. Personally I blame Guardiola for introducing tippy tappy football to this country.

The OP is right, too often today's football is boring, dull, tedious and unexciting to watch. International and PL matches are the biggest culprits because players are in fear of losing rather than fired up to win. There's more drama and excitement in the games played in the park on a Sunday morning.

I think it’s gradually turning into a non contact sport which isn’t helping., back in the day players weren’t frightened to get stuck in, the slightest mistimed tackle or trip and you’re in the book now. Sometimes a poor quality game back in the 70’s and 80’s didn’t feel like a bad game if you had two committed teams getting stuck in which would fire up the crowd as well. Sometimes now I look around any football ground and it looks like most people are waiting for the vicar to start his sermon

 

[CrazyBadger]

Absolutley. Pep has a lot to answer for. tippy-tappy football, however elegant, can be boring as sin to watch.
Even Barca at their pomp I found dull. Xavi, Iniesta and Messi garnering 80% posession, endlessly passing back and forth until a crack is exposed in the defence, the oppo never getting a look in. It was a non-contest much of the time, impressive, but boring inevitablity.
It's changed football for the worse. Without those class of players, this system is no where near as effective, and the cracks are never found. The majority of football is now the 'better' team getting 70% possession and never doing anything with it.
Where Pep is so revered is that his ManCity side, has merged into a system which is an amalgamation of his tippy tappy Barca side, and one that considers the strengths of his players, so can play direct when needed.

The Main problem is that to those that do not Understand the system, (so anyone but Pep and Arteta) 'Patience' has become the buzzword. "the attacking team need to be Patient, and a chance will present itself". This is a heinous misunderstanding of the style in my opinion, and develops a lacklustre attitude to attacking, where things are never attempted promoting keeping the ball over actually creating chances. It slows the play unnecessarily, allowing teams to get back into shape to defend properly. Southgate was one of the biggest protagonists in this crime.

England and their players have never been good at this style. The most Successful England domestic team(s) were Cavalier, Swashbuckling and Gung-Ho. playing with speed, desire and skill. ManU and Newcastle in the late 90's, and the early Wenger arsenal side was the epitomy of this. Incredibly entertaining football and incredibly successful (well, not nearlyboys-newcastle). My footballing history doesn't go back much further than that, but I bet 70s 80s football was much more like this too.
I for one, miss it.

What I like is that there are still clubs that do not adopt this strategy. Villa and (Klopps) Liverpool the most obvious ones. I would hope that this filters through the ranks and clubs see there is more to football than the dreaded 'Patient Build up'.

 

[Palace Old Geezer]

Good post Badger. I'm very fond of a good old swash buckle. Maybe someone could start a campaign to 'Bring Back Swashbuckling Football'. The game needs livening up - get stuck in my son. Where's Vinnie Jones when you need him?

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Absolutley. Pep has a lot to answer for. tippy-tappy football, however elegant, can be boring as sin to watch.
Even Barca at their pomp I found dull. Xavi, Iniesta and Messi garnering 80% posession, endlessly passing back and forth until a crack is exposed in the defence, the oppo never getting a look in. It was a non-contest much of the time, impressive, but boring inevitablity.
It's changed football for the worse. Without those class of players, this system is no where near as effective, and the cracks are never found. The majority of football is now the 'better' team getting 70% possession and never doing anything with it.
Where Pep is so revered is that his ManCity side, has merged into a system which is an amalgamation of his tippy tappy Barca side, and one that considers the strengths of his players, so can play direct when needed.

The Main problem is that to those that do not Understand the system, (so anyone but Pep and Arteta) 'Patience' has become the buzzword. "the attacking team need to be Patient, and a chance will present itself". This is a heinous misunderstanding of the style in my opinion, and develops a lacklustre attitude to attacking, where things are never attempted promoting keeping the ball over actually creating chances. It slows the play unnecessarily, allowing teams to get back into shape to defend properly. Southgate was one of the biggest protagonists in this crime.

England and their players have never been good at this style. The most Successful England domestic team(s) were Cavalier, Swashbuckling and Gung-Ho. playing with speed, desire and skill. ManU and Newcastle in the late 90's, and the early Wenger arsenal side was the epitomy of this. Incredibly entertaining football and incredibly successful (well, not nearlyboys-newcastle). My footballing history doesn't go back much further than that, but I bet 70s 80s football was much more like this too.
I for one, miss it.

What I like is that there are still clubs that do not adopt this strategy. Villa and (Klopps) Liverpool the most obvious ones. I would hope that this filters through the ranks and clubs see there is more to football than the dreaded 'Patient Build up'.

I suspect this is the difference between tactics and style. The former stifles players' creativity. It would be difficult now, it always was to be fair but it would be harder now, for any team to play with the Dutch Total Football approach because so many players are specialists at one thing or another.

 

[iheartcpfc]

You all sound really f***ing old

 

[Teddy Eagle]

You all sound really f***ing old

There's a good reason for that.