Playing from the back,

[bobby01]

A point that I have been pondering on playing from the back in Slavs teams and Parker's is that maybe the rule change works against this style under Parker.
Ie, we can now have players in the 18 yard box and quite often have our centre backs on the edge of the 6 yard box. The full backs push on as do the centre midfield, under Slav the ball had to leave the 18 box, this had the effect that the full backs could be deeper, the centre backs would be in the centre midfield spot on the edge of the box and the midfielders could push further forward, creating space. This also had the effect that we made the pitch wider and a change from wing to wing at speed would open up defences.
Currently we are playing 5-10 yard passes between the centre backs either in the 18 yard box or just outside, this enables a press to be easier as one forward can cover both our centre backs and if two other opposing players come in wider it drastically reduces our options to play out.
Just because the rule has changed we have decided to use the space, but I feel it is actually detrimental to the way we want to play.
By stretching the pitch out of the 18 yard box teams that want to press have a lot more ground to cover, resulting in tiredness and used to lead to a lot of  middle to late second half goals.
I am aware there are other factors to be considered, I wondered what other people's views are, I am not advocating not playing from the back just thinking maybe it could be done differently.

[colinwhite]

The advantage of the new rule is that defenders (only) can stand inside their own box when a goal kick is taken ,meaning that teams playing man man cant mark them tight. I think its worked best when stef jo and TC have played as two deep sitting,balll collecting central midfielders. Both have a track and can beat a man on the turn or play back or wide. Still think the important thing is how the other players move off the ball creating angles etc.
The advantage under slav was that the second option from the keeper was to play to the FB who was often high and wide taking up aposition just south of the half way line. This pass was also risky and often went out or we lost possession. In my world you never play the ball acrooss your own goal but the modern day player is coached that as an option.

[Beamer]

I see little point in throwing/rolling the ball to a defender standing 6 yards from the goal and about 6 yards wide of it, if the keeper has it he can at least go to edge of the box and look for options there. Looking at some of the 'better' Prem sides they are happy to play out but the ball will be given to a player who has a sensible amount of space (thus time) to use the ball without instant pressure of opposition players all over them. In the event that no option is readily available the keepers are quite happy to play long towards a forward or kick in behind if the opportunity is there. What they tend not to do is get carried away with a short passing game in and around their goal area. If the ball is collected by a defender inside his own box they will almost always look for a player in space out wider rather than trying suicide passes across the face of their own goal. Finally it is a total no-no to attempt to dribble out from deep. It isn't a sin to simply put your foot under it and hoof it up the park when necessary. All this isn't rocket science and should be drilled into players on the training ground. It used to be a pleasure to watch Edwin VdeS warming up before a game spraying the ball up to coaches up by the halfway line and them catching them rarely having to move. We do after all have one of the best target men in the league playing for us and it should be an option we use whenever an alternative safe option isn't readily available. 

[davew]

I see little point in throwing/rolling the ball to a defender standing 6 yards from the goal and about 6 yards wide of it, if the keeper has it he can at least go to edge of the box and look for options there. Looking at some of the 'better' Prem sides they are happy to play out but the ball will be given to a player who has a sensible amount of space (thus time) to use the ball without instant pressure of opposition players all over them. In the event that no option is readily available the keepers are quite happy to play long towards a forward or kick in behind if the opportunity is there. What they tend not to do is get carried away with a short passing game in and around their goal area. If the ball is collected by a defender inside his own box they will almost always look for a player in space out wider rather than trying suicide passes across the face of their own goal. Finally it is a total no-no to attempt to dribble out from deep. It isn't a sin to simply put your foot under it and hoof it up the park when necessary. All this isn't rocket science and should be drilled into players on the training ground. It used to be a pleasure to watch Edwin VdeS warming up before a game spraying the ball up to coaches up by the halfway line and them catching them rarely having to move. We do after all have one of the best target men in the league playing for us and it should be an option we use whenever an alternative safe option isn't readily available. 

Agreed all this talk and analysis about passing around in your own penalty area is nonsense and senseless, has it worked for us this season, I don´t think so! How many other teams are trying it in our league, please name them!

[filham]

I think Parker may have learnt his lesson, we saw less of it against Stoke.

[Twig]

I think Parker may have learnt his lesson, we saw less of it against Stoke.

Absolutely, we still played out from the back but the ultra short goal kicks weren't there and we also mixed things up a bit and hit it long occasionally. Much better balance of tactics.