Playing out from the back

[MJG]

To be successful at the game we are trying to play demands players of real quality, there is no place for those without a good first touch or with poor ball control. Players of that quality will be looking for clubs above Championship level and therefore Championship managers tend to concentrate more on players with pace and physical strength.

Also it was established a long time ago that more goals are scored following moves with long balls and two or three quick passes than from complicated short passing moves.
Our game has fallen apart this season without the quality of Cairney and Aluko in our attack.

A Charlie Hughes disciple.
Sod all that fancy passing and having skill get the ball long and play percentage stuff.

EDIT: Just to add the top 4 teams for the average number of passes all ended up in the playoffs and yes we were one of them.

[toshes mate]

We play a passing game

I have snipped the rest of an excellent analysis of what our game plan is.  Thank you for that, colinwhite.

Of especial significance is the OP concept of 'starting again' the whole reason for retaining possession since it is also integral to moving your opponent around to create space.  It is hard work to achieve.  It does take time and effort and lots of practice on the training ground.  It does reward patience and perseverance and it does yield results from players who are not necessarily 'the best money can buy'.  It favours players like Scott Malone to use skills they always knew they had but probably never had much of a chance to display them in teams that are set up to play a more normal Championship game.  It favour coaches who like like to see football played that is eye catching, effective, crowd pleasing, and, dare I say it, entertaining.   We can achieve the levels of performance we witnessed last season provided we stick with the plan and bravely work at it until it comes right again.  All players make mistakes, even the very best, and they all have nightmares too.

I hope we stick with the plan and get it working to perfection once again, because it is such a entertaining watch, all the more so when it reaches peak effectiveness.  The way to beat a bully is to outmanoeuvre them.

[filham]

To be successful at the game we are trying to play demands players of real quality, there is no place for those without a good first touch or with poor ball control. Players of that quality will be looking for clubs above Championship level and therefore Championship managers tend to concentrate more on players with pace and physical strength.

Also it was established a long time ago that more goals are scored following moves with long balls and two or three quick passes than from complicated short passing moves.
Our game has fallen apart this season without the quality of Cairney and Aluko in our attack.

A Charlie Hughes disciple.
Sod all that fancy passing and having skill get the ball long and play percentage stuff.

EDIT: Just to add the top 4 teams for the average number of passes all ended up in the playoffs and yes we were one of them.

A few weeks ago Cardiff were statistically the worst passers in the Championship and at the time were top of the table.

[MJG]

To be successful at the game we are trying to play demands players of real quality, there is no place for those without a good first touch or with poor ball control. Players of that quality will be looking for clubs above Championship level and therefore Championship managers tend to concentrate more on players with pace and physical strength.

Also it was established a long time ago that more goals are scored following moves with long balls and two or three quick passes than from complicated short passing moves.
Our game has fallen apart this season without the quality of Cairney and Aluko in our attack.

A Charlie Hughes disciple.
Sod all that fancy passing and having skill get the ball long and play percentage stuff.

EDIT: Just to add the top 4 teams for the average number of passes all ended up in the playoffs and yes we were one of them.

A few weeks ago Cardiff were statistically the worst passers in the Championship and at the time were top of the table.

Yes they were and Leicester won the PL.
But on balance the majority of the time the teams that have the ball more win more games.

[colinwhite]

Jokes apart sanchez  got his Fulham side to play the worst footboll I can remember at the club. Jokanovik is up there with Tigana in my view in terms of getting his side to play effective ,attractive footboll. 
I ronicly enough the six home points we dropped in the last minutes of games could be put down to us trying to attack rather retaining possession for its own sake in order to see out the game.

[Robbie]

Just reading Big Sam ... Allardyce's autobiography ... interesting comments on playing out from the back ...

Basically it is fine if you are a quality/confident side ... else often a disaster !!

Last season we were a lot more confident ... this season, not so good ...

[BedsFFC]

Good debate.

Those of you who are sad enough to remember my posts, will know that I am a big fan of our style. I do think we will come good eventually. Just hope we are in the mix come January as I believe we will strengthen significantly if we are.

The whole playing from the back debate has been explained very well by a few posters on this thread. Moving opposition, creating space etc.

The Allardyce quote was interesting as when I watch England (which I do less and less) they try and play a building from the back approach. However, they seem to do it as if they are coached that it is what good teams do. There doesn't seem to be any strategy to it. I'd go as far as to say we are awful at it at International level. To the point where it seems pointless. Our passes at the back seem to lead to the inevitable hoof from fullback or deep-lying midfielder....and we lose the ball...again...and again. We get away with it in qualifying and as soon as we meet a team that is of any quality, our awfulness is horribly exposed.

You need the right coaches, at least 3 or 4 key players and plenty of time.

The point about Cardiff is a good one. I have no problem with teams like Cardiff. They play to their strengths. Ultimately, they will get found out and then be fairly easy to combat.

I actually think when it gets to the finals, England should play to our strengths. Not this mash-mash of nonsense. I think England should play at 100 miles an hour and play like a premiership side, not give anyone any time on the ball.

Will it win a cup? Probably not. But it will give us half a chance and I'm sure we will beat teams like Iceland.

[colinwhite]

Coaches in the most northern european countries are taught that the first pass after transition to attack (winning the ball back form the opponent) should go forward and try to break out as a team on the counter as quickly as possible before the opposition has time to organise its defensive shape.The basic philosophy being `if they are organised it will be much harder to score`.

Interestingly enough, most southern european teams (and in particular former yugoslavian countries such as serbia ) have the the approach of the first pass of transition to attack can even go backwards as long as we have control of the ball. The basic team philosophy being`if we have the ball we will score and its up to them to try and stop us `.