Tactical Theorems '10

[Royalee]

A friend sent me this earlier today and I found it an interesting read - brings home how football has changed over the years and is very-well written and interesting to ponder.
http://www.fm-britain.co.uk/tactics-ebooks/tactical-theorems-10/

[papereyes]

Its theorem btw

And

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_W ... ist/author)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/jonathanwilson

He writes such gems as:

"This, arguably, was the main reason for the farrago of the golden generation: England were blessed with a remarkably talented generation of players; the problem was that Michael Owen and David Beckham needed a 4-4-2, while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard needed an additional holding player. Neither Sven-Göran Eriksson nor Steve McClaren ever had the clarity of thought to opt for one system over the other and cull players accordingly. It was almost as though football itself were taunting England for its lack of tactical sophistication and its concomitant obeisance to the cult of the celebrity player."

which pisses all over "Well, Lampard and Gerrard are the best midfielders in the world"

[papereyes]

If we're talking about FM, my greatest idea was making each defender advance to the defensive midfield line, with a solid, experienced defensive midfielder there as well. Play offside trap and value pace in your defence.

When you have the ball, you have a wall of five players to block out through balls and you're high up the pitch so your offside trap actually works. When you don't have the ball, the players drop back but the key is in what happens upon a change in possession.

[ZacNaloen]

Minus the solid defensive midfield player that's pretty much how Reading played the 106 season iirc.

Sonko's pace was pretty much what allowed it to happen.

[Royalee]

Its theorem btw

And

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_W ... ist/author)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/jonathanwilson

He writes such gems as:

"This, arguably, was the main reason for the farrago of the golden generation: England were blessed with a remarkably talented generation of players; the problem was that Michael Owen and David Beckham needed a 4-4-2, while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard needed an additional holding player. Neither Sven-Göran Eriksson nor Steve McClaren ever had the clarity of thought to opt for one system over the other and cull players accordingly. It was almost as though football itself were taunting England for its lack of tactical sophistication and its concomitant obeisance to the cult of the celebrity player."

which pisses all over "Well, Lampard and Gerrard are the best midfielders in the world"

This is true...I will have to read some of his stuff based on that. I think there lies the problem with many a football fan though, in this country we are often unable to get our heads around different systems and types of player.

[papereyes]

It just seems really stupid when you look at it.

I think I even got it to work in a 3-2-4-1 type thing.
Stayed up by playing 9 defensive midfuelders

This is true...I will have to read some of his stuff based on that. I think there lies the problem with many a football fan though, in this country we are often unable to get our heads around different systems and types of player.

Inverting the Pyramid is available at all good bookshops. You can read his guardian columns for free.

[Arch]

If we're talking about FM, my greatest idea was making each defender advance to the defensive midfield line, with a solid, experienced defensive midfielder there as well. Play offside trap and value pace in your defence.

When you have the ball, you have a wall of five players to block out through balls and you're high up the pitch so your offside trap actually works. When you don't have the ball, the players drop back but the key is in what happens upon a change in possession.

Germany 1990.

[Dirk Gently]

Inverting the Pyramid is available at all good bookshops.

Definitely massively receommended - not just about tactics but the whole culture of football in different countries.

[RG30]

Inverting the Pyramid is available at all good bookshops.

Definitely massively receommended - not just about tactics but the whole culture of football in different countries.

Not his best effort DG, Iron Curtain was much better. I find this book better for tactics and general history of football;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ball-Round-Global-History-Football/dp/0670914800/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260914219&sr=8-2

[Dirk Gently]

On the subject of football books, can I receommend here : http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/stocking-filler.php

A review of this year's best football books - with a competition to win some of them .