Sam Allardyce: Epitome of why English football has lagged behind

[Franny's toilet roll]

pulling many sh*t clubs from the brink of relegation and in some cases leaving them in Europe on little budget doesn't class as a serious failure to me

Agreed, i think he was correct to point out that its pretty foolish to try and play out from the back when you are being pressed so effectively by us. I'd also agree with him that playing it out from the back is not the only way to play. There is a time to play it long as well. I'd also say that Big Sam was not 'lucky' at Bolton in getting the results he did. He's not the best manager, but he gets results. I don't think Southgate is any great shakes, just riding the crest of a feelgood wave brought about by beating some below average sides, who knows perhaps Allardice could have got us to the finals

 

[aguero93:20]

There are several shades in between passing it out from the back or hoofing it up the pitch, it doesn't have to be one or the other.

Teams that aren't capable of playing it out from the back are going to be sussed out fairly quickly and other teams will just pick them off.

It won't be much consolation to Emery if he's looking for another job by the time Arsenal adjust their approach.

Emery's counter attacking style is extremely effective and relies on getting the ball into feet in midfield during transition. He'd be a fool to abandon it because Guardiola or Klopp might get the better of him early in his time at Arsenal while the style gets bedded in.

Arsenal are very capable of playing it out from the back, they just need the repetition of doing it in training and matches. People were saying Walker and Otamendi couldn't do it ffs.

 

[aguero93:20]

There are several shades in between passing it out from the back or hoofing it up the pitch, it doesn't have to be one or the other.

As for this part City hack it clear when it's the best option. We're extremely good at judging WHEN it's the best option, as we've learned through experience, gained by sticking to our style and not bottling it every time we came up against a high pressing team.

 

[Vienna_70]

There's a lot of sniffiness on here.

We are playing football from the gods. This is not the norm. We have the best coach in the world, some of the best training facilities and one of the world's biggest budgets. Our football is unique.

Allardyce has consistently overachieved in every job he has taken. Whether that is getting mid table teams into Europe, relegation threatened teams safe, or teams promoted - he has done it every time. Usually on a shoestring budget.

I watched his Bolton side on a number of occasions (my mate is a fan), and their football at home was no worse on the eye than the majority of English teams. And it was usually effective.

Cast your minds back too - most of us would gladly have taken him at City 04-07 period.

His record in saving/promoting/improving clubs is not disputed.

It’s the fact that he is criticising other managers/head coaches for their tactics, when his are terrible and from another era.

 

[SWP's back]

got us to a semi final and left us in Europe.

Loved that semi. I forget the score though.

 

[SpiritofBurnden]

As for this part City hack it clear when it's the best option. We're extremely good at judging WHEN it's the best option, as we've learned through experience, gained by sticking to our style and not bottling it every time we came up against a high pressing team.

...and by buying loads of good players who were coached by the best in the business at playing that way.

What you're describing works for City, it won't necessarily work for other teams, including Arsenal.

 

[aguero93:20]

His record in saving/promoting/improving clubs is not disputed.

It’s the fact that he is criticising other managers/head coaches for their tactics, when his are terrible and from another era.

Yep. Emery has achieved far more than Allardyce and he's done it with Sevilla and Valencia who aren't exactly fancied teams.

 

[SWP's back]

You'd be wrong then, they finished 8th.

Of the seven teams that finished above them, they could have only have been realistically expected to finish higher than Burnley, who had an exceptional season.

That’s mid table.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Loved that semi. I forget the score though.

I lost count

 

[aguero93:20]

...and by buying loads of good players who were coached by the best in the business at playing that way.

What you're describing works for City, it won't necessarily work for other teams, including Arsenal.

Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Lichtsteiner, all good footballers and capable of playing out from the back. Leno built his reputation doing it. BFS's problem (and yours seemingly) is he only ever sees the times playing out from the back goes wrong and never sees the times hoofing it aimlessly forward sees the ball come straight back into your defensive third and puts you back on the back foot again. Fine for Bolton or Sunderland, not so fine for Arsenal or City. Madrid play out from the back, 4 Champions League wins in 5 years. Barca do it and they've won nearly everything else.
Emery has 3 Europa League titles in 3 years doing it at a club with a much smaller budget than Arsenal, why on Earth should he adopt Allardyce tactics at Arsenal?