Football Changing...

Been watching a few old games on Youtube from my youth. One such game was the 1996 F.A Cup Final. It went down as one of the worst F.A Cup Finals ever.

However, as boring as it was at the time it was still more entertaining than some of games in the modern era.

Where has the cut and thrust gone from football?

 

The death of 4 4 f%#@in 2 and various managers/coaches trying to re-invent the game, to be fair some changes have improved the game.

 

Totally agree. Like watching over 50’s walking football sometimes. I yearn for Big Val, getting it in the mixer and not having to suffer playing out, the press and 559 pointless passes per half. Tongue in cheek though this is, I do yearn for what football used to be.

 

Modern football is shíté.

 

I feel the same @Stephen Dawson. PEP is credited with changing football, his teams (maybe more so at City rather Barca) focusing on possession, pressing, and playing out from the back. The objective is to pull the opposition out of shape and then exploit the spaces created. It's efficient and for the teams who do it best like City, effective. But it's mind-numbingly boring imo, particularly when poorly executed because players don't have the ability / vision to spot the space and so continue to pass without an end product.
I want more pace, more ambition and more attacking intent and if we give the ball away sometimes because we're going for it then so be it.

 

Spot on. It's tedious if you haven't got the tackle to do the job.

 

I've never heard described so clearly why it's so boring at our level but I think you're spot on. Thanks for that.

 

I think the reason Leicester won the league in 2015/16 was they shocked the system. They played simple, effective football and the League had almost forgotten how to cope with common sense football.

The way football has changed between then and now and carried on with this Pep blue print lends itself to it happening again if a team goes back to basics.

 

It's largely become a game of chess.

 

Been watching games since mid sixties. You get poor games, you get great games and all stages between.

Nowt's changed in that respect in those 60 odd years....

 

It's as if football just been invented all teams seem to want to play the same way. As others have said it's great to watch City Liverpool and teams of that individual ability pass pass football but there are more than one way to skin a cat. The two goals England have scored so far have come from wide positions and getting the ball into the box it's not rocket science is it. I wonder how a modern day Wimbledon would do in the prem don't think they challenge the big boys but I think they would bloody some noises and have more than enough to survive

 

I think there are aspects which have significantly improved. The quality of pitches has facilitated short passing styles and passing technique feels significantly better than it used to be. But generally, football feels really bland now.

There don't seem to be the characters or variety of styles and strategies. Individuality seems more limited playing second fiddle to a team approach.

Having said that, i think back when I was first getting into watching and the ball would be with a goalkeeper for what seems like half of the game courtesy of the back pass.

The other aspect that has hugely changed is tackling. Its for the better there don't seem to be as many bad challenges and impact injuries, but tackling seems to be a lesser part of the game. I think widespread diving and over zealous refereeing plays a huge part in that,

These things go in cycles though, so maybe the counter to bland very slow sideways passing as the norm is to find individual mavericks that can create space by beating people and break down the shape of an opponent.

 

It was cheaper than buying some boxing gloves .

 

Sorry mate but no way is it better without proper tackling, a foul is a foul in anyone’s language but to take tackling from game lessens it immensely. To quote Graeme Souness “Its a mans game” mate

 

Games gone that soft that the art of tackling is now a thing of the past n poorer for it….. I guess you were a mamby pamby footballer pal lol .

 

I agree. My point was its a positive there are less bad injuries from nasty tackles. Though I don't miss the heathens of Roberts, Nicholas, Souness and pretty much all of the dirty Leeds side.

 

Not sure why you commented twice on my post... Especially given your second reply descended to the sad depths it did.

 

Absolutely...pitches and rules changes are prominent.
A previous comment mentioned Wimbledon and how they would fair....well they would be down to 9 players minimum every game!
I don't mind slick passing that opens teams up but a lot of it (like England) is slow and boring.
I thought Bayern Munich had broken the mold when they beat "ticka tacka" Barca a few years ago but not now.
Something It has done seemingly at international level is a better leveling up.....but it is a poor watch genrally. We need more power and pace.

 

Oh dear, sorry to offend, only kidding