What ever happened to Sweepers?

[love4ffc]

sweepers have turned to dust...

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  Now where is that vacuum? 

I think the modern back four is played with one strong CB and fast pace CB.  The stronger one playing in front of the faster one who plays more of a sweeper role.  This allows teams to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formations. 

We used to have this under Roy and desperately need it again. 

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low

Good one ;-)

[Forever Fulham]

The German national team goalkeeper is half-sweeper.  When 4-4-2 became the standard formation, there was no room for a classic sweeper.  I think the holding mid became a kind of up top sweeper if you will.  The rover.

[cmg]

Great memories.
Although it's a position whose day is done, some of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport have been described as 'sweepers'. Whether they actually were or not is another matter!

I can remember Herrera, a great coach but a producer of amazingly boring sides, withdrawing Picchi behind the line of his back 3 to become the first sweeper I ever saw.
Then Scirea became the best of all. Better than Baresi? Probably not a better all-round defender but was Baresi just a sweeper? Kaiser Franz was surely more than a sweeper, although there were few better. Moore had all the attributes of a sweeper but England never really employed that system. Add Koeman and you've got a neat group of the best defenders who ever drew breath.