Sam Allardyce: Epitome of why English football has lagged behind

[aguero93:20]

You've noticed that as well? Thank fuck; I thought I was the only one. He does like to drop it into conversation now and again.

It's a few years back now tbf. Time to stop going on about it.

 

[mccity]

You make a good point and I agree. I just hope they play like that against us.

Yes I hope everyone gives it a go, for the good of the league and also so they're easier to play against too.

 

[aguero93:20]

The irony being that the one team that you don't want give the ball back to straight away is us. I remember watching us against Napoli (for me the best team we played against last season) at home and one of the only times Eddie cleared the ball due to their press it fell to a Napoli player and within seconds they'd had a decent shot at our goal. Invariably, teams that press you want you to hoof the ball away because they know they'll have it back, more often than not, very quickly.

This was one of my points. City have players waiting to pick those clearances up and cycle the ball back into the forward line while the opposition defence are still clearing out.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Now I know Pep's plan B is Plan A but better, but I can't help but think a long ball game in certain circumstances is very useful. Take the dippers for example, gave us a bit of a torrid time in the second half of last season, but then they came up against the rags, and looked proper poor. Why? because a high press is useless when the ball's sailing over your head to the big men up front. The rags were able to quickly and easily get to the dippers soft underbelly. Shit football, but effective on the day.

There's nowt wrong with a long pass. But there is a big difference between this and just hoofing it up field in hope and to clear your lines.

 

[Patientman63]

There's nowt wrong with a long pass. But there is a big difference between this and just hoofing it up field in hope and to clear your lines.

Completely agree. I was observing a shite rag side beat a (supposedly) better dipper side, making them look toothless, all by just twatting it long.

 

[Nascent Blues]

This was one of my points. City have players waiting to pick those clearances up and cycle the ball back into the forward line while the opposition defence are still clearing out.

Exactly mate. I agree. Hoofing the ball out is the one thing we want opposite teams to do.

 

[Neville Kneville]

What makes you think that the players Arsenal currently have can play that way?

Wenger liked his teams to pass it around and even he didn't insist that they played it out from the back.

There's more than one way to play football.

Nothing.

So let's get a nice solid 442, & knock it, that'll do,

And if anyone tries anything different, in their FIRST FUCKING GAME AS A MANAGER IN THIS COUNTRY, let's ridicule them.

It's worked so well, for the national team until, oooh what, a manager got them passing it out from the back.

Semi final.

 

[Vienna_70]

Nothing.

So let's get a nice solid 442, & knock it, that'll do,

And if anyone tries anything different, in their FIRST FUCKING GAME AS A MANAGER IN THIS COUNTRY, let's ridicule them.

It's worked so well, for the national team until, oooh what, a manager got them passing it out from the back.

Semi final.

Well said, mate.

It’s no coincidence that England's best player at the World Cup, IMHO, was John Stones.

 

[jimharri]

Well said, mate.

It’s no coincidence that England's best player at the World Cup, IMHO, was John Stones.

Lingardinho, surely?

 

[crazyg]

Lingardinho, surely?

Thought he was called Jessie, not Shirley.