Roiling football blather

[crackerjack]

That Terry 'excuse' is unbelievable. Words fail.

great response too from Andre V-B

"John is a player who [represents] this country to the highest level internationally. He is a player of great responsibilities.

"I find it strange when people don't trust the words of a representative from your country.

Well, obviously the England captain would never do such a thing. How could he?

 

[baboon2004]

That's really poor, and stupid. AVB = less charismatic version of Mourinho, retaining all his annoying qualities?

 

[nomos]

5 at the Bridge RVP 28 goals in 27 games.

Terry's slip-up was sublime.

 

[bandshell]

RVP is wonderful atm. Arsenal looking pretty sharp from what I saw of the game.

 

[baboon2004]

The Prem is just glorious at the moment. Already three results this season that must've made everybody's jaws drop, without exception.

Terry - ahaha ahahaha hahahaha.

 

[paolo]

Chelsea concede five at home for the first time since 1989
Three games lost already and will be fifth if Newcastle and Spurs get points from their games in hand

At least I had van Persie in my fantasy team

 

[crackerjack]

At least I had van Persie in my fantasy team

Me too, but I dropped him as captain for Silva

City's 3.6 goals a game ratio apparently the best since at this stage the 19th century.

 

[IdleRich]

Ibrahimovic's explanation for his failures at Barcelona - "they bought a Ferrari and drove it like a Fiat"

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03112011/58/la-liga-ibrahimovic-guardiola-bullied.html

I also like his thoughts on Guardiola "there is my enemy scratching his bald head".

 

[nomos]

Interesting piece here on criticisms of Andre Santos and differences between the Brazilian and English games when it comes to full backs...

http://www.zapkam.com/blog/index.php/2011/11/andre-santos-exposes-an-english-blind-spot/

André Santos is known as a ‘lateral’ in Brazil, which in English would often be described as a full-back, or wing-back. However, they are far from defenders, playing an almost box-to-box role from the flank.

 

[IdleRich]

Some interesting stuff there - this bit stood out though

But, with most teams width provided solely by the ‘lateral’, there is not any need for greater protection on the flanks and thus the centre-backs, supported by the two holding players are enough of a defensive cordon to succeed.

In other words - most teams don't have a winger so you don't need a full-back. I guess the interesting thing, which isn't discussed there, is when a team playing only a lateral meets a non-Brazilian side with a winger.
It reminds me of when I used to play in a seven-a-side league in North London on a fairly big pitch for the number of players. Most teams used to line up with a three-two-one triangle kind of formation and therefore the full-backs were basically playing as described in that article with the whole flank being contested by one player from each side most of the time. It was fucking tiring. I think I was fitter then.

 

[IdleRich]

So, I didn't watch the match last night, what was it like? Is there a nagging suspicion that Spain are Barcelona without Messi to provide that extra bit of magic that can be needed to unlock a mean defence? Of course they are World and European champions so they are doing something right?

 

[don_quixote]

steve mcclaren attempted "box to box" full backs at forest. utter disaster. we conceded an unbelievable amount from crosses

 

[Ulala]

So, I didn't watch the match last night, what was it like? Is there a nagging suspicion that Spain are Barcelona without Messi to provide that extra bit of magic that can be needed to unlock a mean defence? Of course they are World and European champions so they are doing something right?

It was like an Arsenal vs Stoke match, with Spain as Arsenal and England as Stoke. Not a brilliant analogy, but what I mean is Spain were very attractive and polished but wanted to score the perfect goal (and ultimately didn't), whereas England defended stubbornly (employing the seldom used 9-0-1 formation for much of the time) and nicked a goal from a set-piece.

I wasn't really giving it my full attention, but I'd say Scott Parker was the stand-out England player, not only did he tackle well but also judiciously, not throwing himself in unnecessarily. I really hope he doesn't get dropped for Gerrard or Barry come the Euroes, though I suspect he might. Lescott and Jagielka defended well too, the arch-racist Terry was not missed. Everyone else was pretty anonymous.

I think Spain could have gone up another gear if they'd wanted, but they weren't as penetrative as you'd expect. No Pedro, though, and the 'Best Player In The Premiership' (TM) David Silva was fairly ineffective in his place. They then brought on loads of subs after going behind which muddied the picture somewhat. I would still take them to win if they meet England in the Euroes.

 

[jenks]

Some interesting stuff there - this bit stood out though


It reminds me of when I used to play in a seven-a-side league in North London on a fairly big pitch for the number of players. Most teams used to line up with a three-two-one triangle kind of formation and therefore the full-backs were basically playing as described in that article with the whole flank being contested by one player from each side most of the time. It was fucking tiring. I think I was fitter then.

That formation is pretty much how 7 a side kids' football is played - it's ok if you are centre def or forward - the poor sods on the wings had to work their knackers off and often ended up just not getting back after charging upfield.

Currently Junior Jenks' side are on a six game losing streak. today they played a side with the highest defensive line seen since Bould and Adams...and a dad from the opponents side running the line - strangely not one offside decision went their way. Never understood why we have to do the line with our left back - would make sense to stay on the same side for both halves - our left back one ahlf , theirs the other. Anyone else here have to run the lines - it's fucking Purgatory.

 

[IdleRich]

Remember a lot of controversial decisions by the man running the lines when I was a child playing in leagues. I guess you can't win if you volunteer to do it but I'm sure some of them did exhibit a bit of home bias.
Speaking of losing streaks, the team I play in featuring a couple of people from this board recorded its first victory last Tuesday with goals from Baboon and me featuring significantly in the final score.

 

[e/y]

In other words - most teams don't have a winger so you don't need a full-back. I guess the interesting thing, which isn't discussed there, is when a team playing only a lateral meets a non-Brazilian side with a winger.

I think in that situation, you have two possibilities:

1) the presence of a lateral / wing back forces the winger to start deeper in order to provide support for his full back (otherwise the lateral would have lots of space to run into, or the opposition fullback would have to be very high up, exposing his central defenders, thus rendering him (winger) less effective.

2) the holding midfielder of the Brazilian team could drop back to form a back three, which would allow one of the (now outside) central defenders to move across and cover the winger, allowing the lateral to keep attacking .

this guy has a good blog about tactics (in particular Spanish / Brazilian), though he hasn't posted in a while: http://santapelota.blogspot.com/

 

[IdleRich]

"1) the presence of a lateral / wing back forces the winger to start deeper in order to provide support for his full back (otherwise the lateral would have lots of space to run into, or the opposition fullback would have to be very high up, exposing his central defenders, thus rendering him (winger) less effective."

So it ultimately becomes a matter which team can impose their system on the other. Whether the fullback is stronger than the lateral or vice versa is gonna decide the effectiveness of each system to some extent. I suppose that football is always a matter of resources as well as tactics.

 

[crackerjack]

Is there a nagging suspicion that Spain are Barcelona without Messi to provide that extra bit of magic that can be needed to unlock a mean defence?

I think that's been more than a nagging suspicion for some time – which is why they tend to win 1-0 rather than by 3 or 4. But in the absence of an international Real, that's still plenty enough for now.

 

[baboon2004]

Remember a lot of controversial decisions by the man running the lines when I was a child playing in leagues. I guess you can't win if you volunteer to do it but I'm sure some of them did exhibit a bit of home bias.
Speaking of losing streaks, the team I play in featuring a couple of people from this board recorded its first victory last Tuesday with goals from Baboon and me featuring significantly in the final score.

I'm proud to report that I evened out my attacking efforts with a well-taken own goal. I'm nothing if not strictly fair.

How did England beat Spain? Should this 'experimental' side completely replace all the usual names now?

 

[baboon2004]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/17/gus-poyet-luis-suarez-racism

Deserves abuse himself for being so unbelievably thick.

"You cannot accuse people without a proper investigation, especially when it's a foreigner who is coming from a different place where we treat people of colour in a different way"

Mindbogglingly stupid.