20 Feb 2018 22:55:30
ed001, without sounding like a old fogey mate, what is your opinion on this latest craze on having ball playing centre halfs and goalkeepers? surely the only attributes that count is the ability to defend and keep the ball out of the net, also possession stats who really cares, the only stat that counts can be found on the scoreboard, just finished watching the Chelsea match and I have to be honest pal, I found it boring.

{Ed001's Note - it is not really the latest craze, it has been around a while, it is just becoming more pronounced. The theory has been around since the Dutch Total Football days, when they decided the best way to defend was to keep hold of the ball. It is just one way of playing, if done right it is good, if done badly then it just becomes tedious.

I just wonder why they seem to produce ball playing centre halfs who can't defend as well as pass a ball? Surely by now footballers should be capable of doing both?}

1.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 04:03:14
your last paragraph sums it up nicely for me, appreciate your reply pal, it certaintly has cost Chelsea a vital win that's for sure.

{Ed001's Note - it is ridiculous. There is being ball playing and then there is taking stupid risks that are unneeded. There are times when you just have to accept you can't pass it out and need to clear your lines, as Pique did when he got trapped in the corner and just put the ball out for a throw in.}

2.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 04:49:01
Wasn’t Alan Hansen a fairly decent ball playing centre half?

{Ed001's Note - yes but first and foremost he was an excellent defender who could play, rather than a midfielder stationed at the back.}

3.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 05:00:56
his reading of the game was also exceptional, now we have defenders like Maguire who get praised for charging forward yet are utterly incapable of doing the basics right when it comes to there primary job defending.

{Ed001's Note - he is an awful defender, yet he is lauded in the media despite his constant errors defensively and his repeated turning over of the ball when he does those needless runs forward.}

4.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 05:09:31
Defending and ball playing are both important but the best quality which Ed eluded to is the decision making intelligence to know when to do the appropriate thing.

{Ed001's Note - spot on mate.}

5.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 05:36:38
I totally agree with you preso and you ed001, sad to see such mediocrity get lauded even sadder that Maguire is just one of many examples I could have chosen.

{Ed001's Note - people have just forgotten the basics of earning the right to play. That did not always mean being aggressive to deal with a team trying to outmuscle you, it could also mean forcing the opponent back by moving the ball forward quickly to create the space at the back to pass it around. Teams like Barcelona have become complacent and arrogant and think they do not need to earn anything.}

6.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 07:52:27
Bobby Moore, Frans Beckenbauer. 2 of the best exponents ever from 50 yrs ago 🤝.

7.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 08:58:12
Gives me bloody goosebumps thinking of how Beckenbauer played, what a player.

8.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 09:32:33
Thought on Pique, ed001? Always thought he looked average and it was Puyol who carried their partnership.

{Ed001's Note - he is ok. Nothing special. Put him in a team that actually have to defend and he would be exposed as the very average defender he is.}

9.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 10:03:23
My favourite are when people use he's so good going forward, he can learn how to defend.

Defending is the unteachable it is the same quality as finishing 1 opportunity to win the game in the 90th minute of the champions league final on your weaker foot with your eyes closed. It's just so so so undervalued.

10.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 11:15:58
What is wrong with ball playing defenders? Why mock others when Liverpool has only ball playing defenders?

Matip - terrible defender, brilliant passer
Lovren - average defender, good passer
VVD - decent defender, Excellent passer ( in fact the best )
Klavan - The only no nonsense defender.

Just like you don’t rate stoppers ( DM ) some managers prefers a lot more than just defenders at the back.

There has been some brilliant ball playing CB’s who were equally good defenders. Koscielny, Thiago Silva, Jay vetronghen and many more

Ball playing defenders helps you to play out from the back which is a brilliant technique to pull the opposition out form their shape. They also act as a deep Lying playmakers in case you don’t have a a half decent CM who could pick a pass.
David Luiz and VVD acts at Liverpool when our midfielders possess zero vision to pick the runners. ( Matip picking Salah for the second goal against Porto )

Rafa never had a ball playing defender coz he had Xabi taking care of things from the middle.

11.) 21 Feb 2018
21 Feb 2018 13:10:42
Harry, clearly your post shows you have missed the very point everyone is making. The issue is not being a good pall playing CB. The issue is that it is being used to rate defenders instead of their ability to actually defend. Playing risky balls into midfield just to prove that you are a good ball-playing CB is stupid and is one of the reasons we slaughtered City, IMO. They kept doing it even tho our boys were right in their faces. What were they expecting them to do? Just stand there and not press them? Nonsense. For me, I like defenders who are good on the ball and can pass BUT like many others, I'm old school and if you can't pass out the back, boot it into touch and assess your options later. Also, you are wrong about our CB's. They can all play out of the back solidly esp. Klavan when given time.