Monday, September 13, 2010

Playing out from the back - I see the point but not the attraction (stupid stupid-faction)

Ange Postecoglou said in the Courier Mail today:

'The first goal we conceded, while it came from Luke's pass, I'll defend that till the day I die. That was a mistake out of player trying to play out from the back which is what we want to. I've got no issue with Luke playing that kind of pass.'


This is U15 stuff. In fact since the FFA edict on 4-3-3, just about every team from U11 up. But few A-League teams play that way. Why? Because their first job is to make sure they have a fan base. Not some slavish following of the 'experts' view on how the game should be played.

But what does 'playing out from the back' achieve? Well if your team has more skills than your opposition - a lot. Possession turns into goals. But if you are on a par or below the standard of your opposition, expect to loose. After 2 or 3 years you may be good enough at this approach to win a league. After 6 years without success are there any Brisbane fans prepared to wait?

A quality team may use playing out of the back together with a range of tactics including the occasional long ball. They want to mix things up and keep the opposition guessing what could happen next.

Rather than signal their punches with repetitive passing moves.

Mid way through the first half of the Melbourne v Brisbane game Carlos Hernandes could be seen gesturing to his team mates to push up with him and hem Brisbane in. Once they did so, and pressed Brisbane across the pitch, Brisbane began to wilt. The blunt truth is that Brisbane's team does not have the skills to ensure that every pass finds its mark - particularly when the pressure is on. And the more pressure Melbourne applied, the more of the critical passes were spilled.

Up front the Brisbane picture was worse. They dominated possession outside Melbourne's box. Yet none shot from distance.

Brisbane's game, and its key passes spilled, looked about the quality of the U14, U15 and U16 games we see around Brisbane.

Slavishly following 'play out from the back' and then defending it, underlines how unsophisticated Brisbane's game was.

Expect every team to copy Melbourne's approach and press Brisbane in their defensive 3rd. How will Brisbane respond? The next two home games could determine Brisbane fans' decision about whether to come back to the team. It is a bad time of year to be found out.

2 comments:

Eamonn said...

Actually thought Brisbane were excellent in the first half, and have enjoyed their uptempo passing game.

The old argument - if you make mistakes let's hoof it and of course we're back to route one and we'll never move on as a team.

More power to Ange for having the strength of mind to keep with it; the passing game, out from the back or across the field is the only way our players will improve and technically as well.

De Vere made a mistake - big deal he won't make many of them, let them keep going.

You've tried a few other methods over the years -Miron's all out attack, Frank's ahem and neither of them brough the fans in.

All Brisbane lack is a couple of goalscorers the method Ange is playing is outstanding.

Hoofing it won't solve the goalscoring problem will it.

Guess you don't like Spain either:)

john said...

Actually, no Eamonn I am a big fan of Spain.

And I am not advocating hoofing it - see my posts on Sydney FC from season 2.

My concern is that Brisbane is just learning this system and it will take 3 years. 3 years the club and the A-League doesn't have.

Love to be proved wrong.