General football 2015/16: Page 54 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

General football 2015/16

QuincyAbeyie

The real question is why Barca didn't buy him in January.

Mirth

Turan? I know that didn't work out as they hoped but back then they must have thought they were sorted.

goon

Nolito probably wouldn't work for the same reasons.

jones

I think Celta and Nolito both didn't want a transfer during the winter window. Turan has little to do with it, he doesn't really fit Barcelona's system so far but he's most likely going to be part of the midfield three while Nolito would replace one of the front three

Clrnc

I don't agree that he is more talented than Payet but he is certainly more than good enough to play for us even at this age.

jones

There's not much between them but I'd confidently say I rate him a tad higher. I've watched Celta many times these past two seasons and he's the real deal, he's outrageously good on the ball. Not always consistent in his performances but when he's in form you'd be very hard pressed to find anyone who can offer what he does.

Biggus

As a finale to this weird (but consistent) season I see Wimbledon have made it to league 1 (thats 6 promotions in 14 seasons remarkable) where they'll meet their old friends MK Dons going the other way, should be fun.

Burnwinter

😆 There's a beautiful poetry in that.

Burnwinter

Cantona is now facing legal action from Deschamps but could not resist another dig at his former France team-mate.

“Deschamps seems to be willing to sue me. It will be the first time he moves from a defensive position into an attacking one ... He will find out whether it’s easy,” he said.

😆

(from the ongoing Benzema at the Euros saga)

Gazza M

😆

Biggus

😆

Hmmm......

jones

Uncanny 😆

Biggus

I have more.

Man Utd, a portrait in evil.

Burnwinter

"The lost art of defending"—Biggs you been ghostwriting for Amy Lawrence?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/06/defending-england-dna-roy-hodgson-centre-backs-euro-2016

Biggus

When I was young there were no other sports that didn't require money to engage in there were no computer games if you wanted entertainment you went to a gig or the cinema there was only one game "the game".
But the game has undergone huge changes over the last 20 years or so, it is now marketed as "entertainment" in a marketplace crammed with other competing forms, goals are the mantra now and the rules have even been changed to give every advantage to attackers whilst every obstacle is thrown in front of defenders from the tight rope of the professional foul to the relaxed offside rule, its normal defending is becoming a lost art.
But all is not lost, I assist the head coach of my sons U/11's and he is still playing as a state league defender and we're trying to instil defensive discipline into them as its true most kids naturally want to attack and shoot and we are gradually having some success.

Burnwinter

I don't actually agree defending's a lost art, reckon it's a bit of a beatup to be honest.

The physiques of Premier League CBs have changed a lot because coaches have recognised two guys who can barely pass or run on the pitch are a liability—which is not much different from the way Justin Madden probably wouldn't even become an AFL footballer nowadays. Elite athleticism matters more in pro sport across the board.

Rex

The focus on educating defenders must have certainly shifted a whole lot too; being good on the ball is prioritized over areas typically associated with defenders such as tackling and positioning. Coupled with the rule changes that has made tackling more dangerous to perform by defensive players, it makes little sense to me actually; usually, when something becomes harder you need to practice it more rather than less.

Rohit

I have watched football just over 2 decades now and if anything, I feel a lot of the flair that existed in the late nineties and early noughties is lost from the game. I don't know how it was before 1994 but I personally feel that the increase in following of the sport, higher penetration of broadcast and greater influence of money has only led to the 'win at all costs' mantra.

Ricky1985

I think the inteligence of the average footballer - on the pitch, not in general - has reduced massively from when I first started enjoying football. As Burn says, athleticism is paramount, although I do feel the overall technical level has risen in parallel. Players are regularly able to do things at speed that you rarely saw 15-20 years ago.

I agree entirely with the article in the sense that I think a generation of footballers have now been produced where the age old wisdom of defending hasn't been passed down to them; because of the academy systems and how they function, what they look for, what they prioritise and the coaches they employ.

The game has improved in a lot of ways but the fact that England go to the Euros with Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling as their best centrebacks is sad.

Savz

Rex wrote:
The focus on educating defenders must have certainly shifted a whole lot too; being good on the ball is prioritized over areas typically associated with defenders such as tackling and positioning. Coupled with the rule changes that has made tackling more dangerous to perform by defensive players, it makes little sense to me actually; usually, when something becomes harder you need to practice it more rather than less.

Yup. In the future we will see more centreback who will be trained throughout their youth careers to be able to play long passes with deadly accuracy. We've started to see the start of it all with the likes of Jerome Boateng among others.

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