World Football Thread VIII - The beautiful game?

[Imran Siddiqui]

As I said formation orthodoxy gets you nowhere.. you have to be open to different formations if the situation calls for it. Liverpool played 4-5-1 more than a few times under Rafa Benitez and it didn't seem to hurt they any.

Any different formation will cause mismatches, it is using them efficiently that determines victory.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

and the situation for england, one of the strongest teams in the world cup, is not to play a defensive arragement like a 4 - 5 - 1. they arnt playing to eek out a win, they are playing to smash the opponent.

if youre england and you play 4 - 5-1, youve already lost. even before you make it out of the dressing room.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Liverpool didn't play very defensively when they ran a 4-5-1.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

because they dont have the personnel to play 4 - 5-1 . you need guys like on fc thun. (or guys they used to have until the owner got greedy and sold them all after they crashed outta europe)

[Lawrence of Arabia]

you cannot switch from one formation to another and expect the performance of players to remain the same. even pros have a learning curve.

[Agathon]

This cracked me up

http://s6.invisionfree.com/New_Holgate_MB/index.php?showforum=1

Especially after Bernie Slaven's little sing song the other day...

[Barnabas]

I read the future

Italy will beat Brazil

Yanks will lose the 3 matches

I just had to say this somewhere, so later I can link this thread and brag.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
I read the future

Italy will beat Brazil

Yanks will lose the 3 matches

I just had to say this somewhere, so later I can link this thread and brag.

Just had to quote this so you can't edit it when we laugh at you later on .

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
no, since midfielders are always supposed to be behind the ball...

Huh? None of the midfielders in the English Primer League is always behind the ball. Not even the back fours are always behind the ball. On occasion you'll see a left or right back dribbles the ball to the baseline, then makes a cross.

[MikeH]

I was going to quote that bit. It's absolutely ridiculous. That kind of orthodox thinking will cripple you in the modern game.

Hardly any of the top European sides play a genuine 4-4-2 anymore. If they do have 2 strikers, it's one playing off the other so it's debateable whether it's a 4-4-2, 4-5-1 or a 4-4-1-1 but the formation name doesn't really matter.

Chelsea play 4-5-1, Liverpool do, Arsenal do. Man U effectively do because Rooney has a totally free role and always drops deep. You'd probably claim Barcelona play 4-3-3 but even with them on defence Ronaldinho and Messi slot back into a 4-5-1.

And of course you can switch from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 and expect the players to stay at the same level, coaches make tactical subsitutions in pretty much every single game where they throw on an extra forward to get a winner or add a defender to defend a lead.

Top class Champions League/International players should definitely be able to adapt like that. When England has so many world class midfielders, and so few world class strikers it's natural to consider playing a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 especially as that's what most of them play at club level day in day out.

[Cort Haus]

.

[MikeH]

Boris Johnson vs the Germans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TJeCcWLvo8&search=boris%20johnson%20tackles%20german

[Imran Siddiqui]

[q=MikeH]I was going to quote that bit. It's absolutely ridiculous. That kind of orthodox thinking will cripple you in the modern game.[/q]

Yeah, I was going to point out that if he's ever seen Liverpool, Gerrard quite often ignores that 'rule', but I figured it wasn't worth the effort.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by MikeH
Boris Johnson vs the Germans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TJeC...ckles%20german

Saw that on Have I Got New For You. It's great.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

you guys . . .