Negativity

[Tonywa]

I know there's little comparison but didn't Tigana use the play from the back system and even make
Andy Melville and Kit Symons look comfortable 'on the ball' and in the role.
I know we also had Stave Finnan, Rufus, Goma and Edwin VDS but it worked very well, obviously.

I wonder if Eric Cantona can recommend anyone else if/when necessary  ?

Indeed and it worked marvellously until we were promoted when it soon became obvious that the build-up was far too slow. I really think that keeping possession is an essential. but that we have to play at a much higher tempo for it to be really effective.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I'm not being a smart a**e but I'd be perfectly happy if it worked again until we got promoted  :0)

[Twig]

I know there's little comparison but didn't Tigana use the play from the back system and even make
Andy Melville and Kit Symons look comfortable 'on the ball' and in the role.
I know we also had Stave Finnan, Rufus, Goma and Edwin VDS but it worked very well, obviously.

I wonder if Eric Cantona can recommend anyone else if/when necessary  ?

Indeed and it worked marvellously until we were promoted when it soon became obvious that the build-up was far too slow. I really think that keeping possession is an essential. but that we have to play at a much higher tempo for it to be really effective.

I can't say I recall our build up being too slow under Tigana.  We played a different formation but we had players capable of getting forward far more quickly and we played the ball through more incisively too.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

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I can't say I recall our build up being too slow under Tigana.  We played a different formation but we had players capable of getting forward far more quickly and we played the ball through more incisively too.
[/quote]

As you say, I don't think the build up was so slow.
My point was (and I probably didn't explain too well) that Tigs turned Melville and Symons into 2 'skillful' players on the ball capable of making forward passes to available midfielders and often to running forwards.
I can't recall if they had similar pressures put on them by opposition players who's managers perhaps hadn't
worked out that method of play, but they did seemed really comfortable on the ball.
With Finnan and Rufus, 2 very attacking fullbacks we did play from the back but not tippy tappy
I hope this makes sense ??

Enter Ray 'the crab' Wilkins