On The Deck!

[Jaggernaut]

Last night I watched Arsenal's demolition of Blackpool, and was struck by the fact that about 99% of Arsenal's passes were no more that an inch or two above the grass. Five of their goals came from fast, on the deck passing (the penalty came from such a move), and the other from a header from a corner. I can't remember seeing a game with so few headers. The notion of punting the ball vaguely up the park just didn't seem to figure in the players' mentality. Okay, they've got players who can keep the ball moving and who can create space for themselves and each other, but even at our level that's the kind of approach we should be taking.

[Jaggyman]

Last night I watched Arsenal's demolition of Blackpool, and was struck by the fact that about 99% of Arsenal's passes were no more that an inch or two above the grass. Five of their goals came from fast, on the deck passing (the penalty came from such a move), and the other from a header from a corner. I can't remember seeing a game with so few headers. The notion of punting the ball vaguely up the park just didn't seem to figure in the players' mentality. Okay, they've got players who can keep the ball moving and who can create space for themselves and each other, but even at our level that's the kind of approach we should be taking.

 

I agree 100%, but lots of dudes at firhill call the team for everything if they pass the ball about trying to look for an opening instead of lumping it forward. Its seems to be a Scottish / British thing to get the ball forward quickly other countries around the world are quite happy to play the patient build up game

[Vom Itorium]

I agree 100%, but lots of dudes at firhill call the team for everything if they pass the ball about trying to look for an opening instead of lumping it forward. Its seems to be a Scottish / British thing to get the ball forward quickly other countries around the world are quite happy to play the patient build up game

That really gets on my teets too that some folk just can't sit and watch a ball being knocked around. Retaining possession is a big part of the game and there's nothing worse than just seeing a route one approcah being taken all the time.

[Semi Nurainen]

The fact is that fans only complain when the long ball game doesn’t work. If we were humping it up to a big lad, and scoring bucketloads, no-one would be squealing. It the high balls to midgets – and midgets who are easily nudged off the ball – as well as Bunter’s inability to see that it isn’t working, that p1sses us off.

[twinny]

I think that part of it is down to the physicality of the game here. Traditionally the game in Britain has been much more physical than the rest of the continent (world?) and you could argue that referees will give less protection to those being tackled as a result, meaning a kick and rush game could be more effective as you're not being thumped every two seconds. Recently the game in England, at least in the Premier League anyway, has become much less physical, with referees seeming to give many more fouls than they used to, leading to less physicality making it easier to keep the ball down.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

That really gets on my teets too that some folk just can't sit and watch a ball being knocked around. Retaining possession is a big part of the game and there's nothing worse than just seeing a route one approcah being taken all the time.

This is so true. Somehow there seems to be a bit of confusion amongst some fans who appear to believe not adopting kick and rush is akin to not trying.

On the other hand what really annoys me is that a handful of players are very guilty of passing to a fellow player who's in a worse position than themselves. Fine if you've got a Harkins or even a Stevie Murray with good close control to redeem the situation but in most cases it's just buck passing leading to giving away a throw in or worse loss of possession. Annoys me that!

 

The fact is that fans only complain when the long ball game doesn’t work. If we were humping it up to a big lad, and scoring bucketloads, no-one would be squealing. It the high balls to midgets – and midgets who are easily nudged off the ball – as well as Bunter’s inability to see that it isn’t working, that p1sses us off.

This is frustrating and I really can't figure out the logic. A lot maybe to do with our defenders and midfielders being uncomfortable on the ball, similar to the buck passing I mentioned above. Can't say I've noticed but I'd be surprised if Flannigan who's happy with the ball at his own feet is as guilty of the punt to midget policy as his other teammates .

[Paulo]

Another factor might be that the surface at the likes of Fir Park on a February afternoon isn't exactly conducive to a pass along the deck. Turns into a pass in the air whether you like it or not.

[angry gaz]

That really gets on my teets too that some folk just can't sit and watch a ball being knocked around. Retaining possession is a big part of the game and there's nothing worse than just seeing a route one approcah being taken all the time.

The other half of the equation is that there is no movment off the ball to receive a pass.There is often never an option of passing it in the first place and games just spiral into a match of long kicks.I think realativly speaking, we have as much young talent coming through as any country but as soon as they reach first team level,in any of the divisions,the development of their football brains is put on hold.A big factor in the style of football we're watching now is the pressure cooker set up of the league system also.No breathing place for managers to experiment with a passing game.When you hear media and usually Old Firm fans talk of having "meaningless Games" if the set up was altered these would be excatly the games in which football in Scotland could actually develop and go forward.Ther has been a noticeable decline in the stanard of football in the last few years and still nothing is done to stop it. Having witnessed the Morton and Dundee games I can only imagine that that is what watching football in the Nineteenth Century would have looked like.

[Semi Nurainen]

This is so true. Somehow there seems to be a bit of confusion amongst some fans who appear to believe not adopting kick and rush is akin to not trying.

On the other hand what really annoys me is that a handful of players are very guilty of passing to a fellow player who's in a worse position than themselves. Fine if you've got a Harkins or even a Stevie Murray with good close control to redeem the situation but in most cases it's just buck passing leading to giving away a throw in or worse loss of possession. Annoys me that!

 

 

This is frustrating and I really can't figure out the logic. A lot maybe to do with our defenders and midfielders being uncomfortable on the ball, similar to the buck passing I mentioned above. Can't say I've noticed but I'd be surprised if Flannigan who's happy with the ball at his own feet is as guilty of the punt to midget policy as his other teammates .

 

ToO be fair I don't think Pddy Boyle is instinctively a punt to midget man either.

[Ma Ba']

The other half of the equation is that there is no movment off the ball to receive a pass.There is often never an option of passing it in the first place and games just spiral into a match of long kicks.I think realativly speaking, we have as much young talent coming through as any country but as soon as they reach first team level,in any of the divisions,the development of their football brains is put on hold.A big factor in the style of football we're watching now is the pressure cooker set up of the league system also.No breathing place for managers to experiment with a passing game.When you hear media and usually Old Firm fans talk of having "meaningless Games" if the set up was altered these would be excatly the games in which football in Scotland could actually develop and go forward.Ther has been a noticeable decline in the stanard of football in the last few years and still nothing is done to stop it. Having witnessed the Morton and Dundee games I can only imagine that that is what watching football in the Nineteenth Century would have looked like.

 

.....that just about sums us up!

Edited August 24, 2010 by Ma Ba'

[Mr Bunny]

Ther has been a noticeable decline in the stanard of football in the last few years and still nothing is done to stop it. Having witnessed the Morton and Dundee games I can only imagine that that is what watching football in the Nineteenth Century would have looked like.

 

To be pedantic, for most of the 19th century the game was a game of dribbling (no, not fans foaming at the mouth) in fact more like rugby where the player in possession was expected to dribble and beat man after man - with the rest of the forward line, 8 or 9 players, running beside him - until he lost it when the next guy in possession, from either side, would get the head down and run forward again.

 

Oddly enough a proper passing game first developed in Scotland with clubs like Queens Park and spread south with the development of professionalism and Scottish players emigrating to teams like Preston NE. The true passing game was known in some circles as the "Scottish game" back then, ironic considering we're probbaly amongst the worst in the world at this nowadays.

[1 John Lambie]

We play the best when we play the ball on the deck, we look dangerous & create more chances. However, the easy option is to 'punt the baw', which the players do FAR too often.

 

Obviously we can only do that on good pitches, come later in the year, the longer route has to be done sometimes. Sadly, we do it even when it doesn't need to be done!

[Steven H]

To be pedantic, for most of the 19th century the game was a game of dribbling (no, not fans foaming at the mouth) in fact more like rugby where the player in possession was expected to dribble and beat man after man - with the rest of the forward line, 8 or 9 players, running beside him - until he lost it when the next guy in possession, from either side, would get the head down and run forward again.

 

Oddly enough a proper passing game first developed in Scotland with clubs like Queens Park and spread south with the development of professionalism and Scottish players emigrating to teams like Preston NE. The true passing game was known in some circles as the "Scottish game" back then, ironic considering we're probbaly amongst the worst in the world at this nowadays.

 

Add to that the fact most footballs weighed about 4 stone in those days, nae high baws to midgets back then.

 

The Scottish way of playing football these days is shocking, and it starts from a young age. Did anyone listen to the Real Radio phone-in last week? Mark McGhee spoke about coaches taking big boys who were no bad at football and trying to make them better players, whilst ignoring the talented players who were considered too wee. Better young players not 'making it' because teams went for size and strength. There's where the changes need to be made, some of the legendary Scottish players were toatsie, Bremner, Jinky, Gemmill et al.

[Dr.D]

another problem we seem to adopt too often is giving the ball back to the Keeper so he is forced to lump the ball forward to midgets