England passing the ball across the pitchđ«
- Thread starter Block j
- Start date
BFC_53
Well-known member
The England team has changed it's style of play considerably in the last few years. Unfortunately, it will take quite a few more years for the england fans' psyche to be ok with trying to keep the ball under pressure and being patient, rather than 'getting rid' at the first opportunity. It is frustrating - but ultimately it's proving much more successful. A few more years of getting to the latter stages of tournaments playing this way will change the way we feel about it I suspect. I haven't been comfortable with it either, and it does look negative but I think it's the right way to go.
Johnno
Well-known member
Had the same conversation with my son-in-law during the game. The defence played the same passing routine almost every time, but it was important to watch the movement further up field to see what was happening.
Theyâre also looking to frustrate one of the oppositions forwards/mids into committing an error in the press.
Macseasider
Well-known member
If you hadn't noticed Blackpool FC did exactly the same thing when in possession of the ball all season. Think they call it "recycling" the ball in which you simply keep possession until a player sees an opening.
It's not very entertaining but it certainly seems effective.
It's not very entertaining but it certainly seems effective.
Last edited:
No different to Blackpool and a lot of teams now where coaches have been put through recent FA courses or are following guidance. Try to keep the ball for as long as possible and be patient until an opportunity to work the ball forward opens up.
This explains more about it as bullet points
England DNA | The Boot Room
The long-term aim of the England DNA is to help create winning senior teams, in the menâs and the womenâs game. To help to achieve this aim, England development teams will be prepared to play in a specific way, Find out more about England DNA here.
thebootroom.thefa.com
glasshalffull
Well-known member
Tedious as hell at times, but it seems to be working so I can live with it for now.
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes
Well-known member
Into the semi-finals after a 4-0 win, not conceded, +8 goals scored, looked one of the least brittle sides and have played two holding midfielders for most games - not sure now is the time to whinge about midfield transitions really.
voyeur
Well-known member
We play a particularly cautious version of the style, we go back a lot, even to the keeper. I reckon we are not that confident in our ball retention skills so play safe, if in doubt, go back. We haven't got very good at the forward bit either. Three of the 4 goals against Ukraine were simple crosses and headers, 2 from set pieces. And we only scored twice in the group games. Our forwards don't really know how to move the defenders around and the midfield is defensive rather than skilled at picking out the strikers' runs. I think Mount gets picked cos he's relatively good in that respect. Very much a work in progress.
It can be frustrating because the full squad isn't technical or intelligent enough yet to do it at a tempo with one touch passing and forward movement so it's football but with the handbrake on. The 2018 WC was the first time we'd not had an FA root and branch investigation into what went wrong after though so hopefully it's pointed in the right direction. Younger players are starting to gain a lot more experience domestically and abroad and mixing with different cultures who all get football right a lot more consistently than we do.
Biggest thing I was impressed with the other night, and I've not seen it stand out as much before, was how hard every outfield player worked to win the ball back and shut any Ukraine threat down. Just the one brainfart from Kyle Walker, which you expect when asking someone who is essentially an athlete first and a footballer second to play this way. And Pickford's concentration levels dropping when the game was won late on which is something I think they've been working on behind the scenes.
Biggest thing I was impressed with the other night, and I've not seen it stand out as much before, was how hard every outfield player worked to win the ball back and shut any Ukraine threat down. Just the one brainfart from Kyle Walker, which you expect when asking someone who is essentially an athlete first and a footballer second to play this way. And Pickford's concentration levels dropping when the game was won late on which is something I think they've been working on behind the scenes.
TangerineBayern
Well-known member
Beat me to it Mac and we did it a lot.
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
I just wish Fat Sam hadn't got sacked, we could now be punting it long to a big lad and hoping someone picks up the second ball before getting knocked out in the second round 
Wizaard
Well-known member
Why, oh why is Andy Carroll not in the squad?I just wish Fat Sam hadn't got sacked, we could now be punting it long to a big lad and hoping someone picks up the second ball before getting knocked out in the second round
There's a few at Bloomfield Rd who can't wait to bellow "Get it for'rard" every time we put two passes together.
Quite often I'm sitting waiting for a Charlie Adam-eque long diagonal. But it never comes. Seems the two in vogue methods are now play back before testing the other wing, or the very very occasional incisive pass through the middle. Rarely see the long diagonal any more.
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
Kane played a long diagonal literally one minute in on Tuesday.
Wizaard
Well-known member
Let's hope the Danish coaches haven't seen any of thisNo different to Blackpool and a lot of teams now where coaches have been put through recent FA courses or are following guidance. Try to keep the ball for as long as possible and be patient until an opportunity to work the ball forward opens up.
This explains more about it as bullet points
England DNA | The Boot Room
The long-term aim of the England DNA is to help create winning senior teams, in the menâs and the womenâs game. To help to achieve this aim, England development teams will be prepared to play in a specific way, Find out more about England DNA here.
Charlie Gracie
Well-known member
They scored 4 goals in a very entertaining match.
td53
Well-known member
td53
Well-known member
I love Andy Carroll. As Barney Roney put it...
"This is a footballer gifted a wonderful range of pre-industrial talents just as we entered the digital age; cursed by serious and repeated injury; and now left rusting like a cold-war destroyer"
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes
Well-known member
What's troubling me is that in all these years of failure, we haven't manage to find the next Carlton Palmer either. Something is wrong at grass roots level, clearly. Meanwhile we'll just have to put up with another semi-final in a major tournament.
20togo
Well-known member
Have you watched Blackpool last season. It's what they do to. Or is it ok for us to do it but not England?
Wizaard
Well-known member
fcblackpool
Well-known member
Same against Denmark should be OK. Against the other two........mmmmm
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
Why, you'd rather go and leave more space for Italy or Spain?
fcblackpool
Well-known member
Not a case of that, it's whether England would be allowed to play that way. Hopefully we'll get to find out.
I'll grant you that, although some would say more square than diagonal but I'm not going to bring Pythagoras into this.
Sounds like Blackpool style.
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
I can get my protractor out?
straightatthewall
Well-known member
I once read a great piece on Andreas Iniesta. He said that over time, he and Xavi developed their ability to see âpicturesâ around them. Theyâd understand the next pass theyâd be making 2 or 3 passes before they received the ball. He added that when they couldnât see a pass they knew they could go back to whoever had played them the ball (and offer for the next return) and it would be a safe way of keeping the ball. This is coming from one of the greatest exponents of passing football. If he saw this as a good way of retaining possession itâs hardly surprising that players like Rice and Phillips are doing it more often.
Far better to keep the ball and maintain hope of scoring than giving it away and removing all chance.
Far better to keep the ball and maintain hope of scoring than giving it away and removing all chance.
TangerineBayern
Well-known member
or Keith Curle, both players were the backbone of that fine England squad at the Euros in 1992!
Wizaard
Well-known member
Don't you have a restraining order for doing that previously?
1966_and_all_that
Well-known member
What's the problem? Critchley had our lot doing it all season.
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
That was a misunderstanding and I was cleared by a jury of my peers.
Matesrates
Well-known member
Man City do this all the time, the difference is that when they pass it back to Ederson, he almost always makes a meaningful pass, Pickford on the other hand, waits until an opponent is pressing and then boots it upfield, making the whole exercise pointless
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes
Well-known member
Pickford has also played some blinding balls out, been calm on the ball and passing it out, with his distribution being much better this tournament. Variation is the key. Him and Stones have also been discussing when to play it and when to launch it. Stones wants to play the ball out more. Maguire has also driven out from the back and picked some good passes from midfield.
voyeur
Well-known member
Hey it worked for us as a brief transitional phase.Needs a big lad like Madine to encourage them to be bit more direct?
It would be more acceptable to me if they sometimes looked like they wanted to pass it forward. I understand the whole idea of trying to drag the opposition around, but that requires movement and, from what I see, there's really not much of that at all. I find myself getting annoyed because players have the ball and everyone else is so static. If you were a defender you'd love it - just keep your shape and wait. No getting tired chasing runners because no one is moving.
It's telling that the players who suddenly decide to run at the defenders make things happen. It doesn't need to be a big long hoof, but unsettling defenders, keeping them guessing is what it should be about. Wondering every time whether they are going to hit an incisive pass, knock it in behind, play out wide and run at them, or even run through the middle. Keep them on their toes. But when they know it's sideways, backwards, without even looking forwards, it's all too predictable and, for us fans, boring.
It's telling that the players who suddenly decide to run at the defenders make things happen. It doesn't need to be a big long hoof, but unsettling defenders, keeping them guessing is what it should be about. Wondering every time whether they are going to hit an incisive pass, knock it in behind, play out wide and run at them, or even run through the middle. Keep them on their toes. But when they know it's sideways, backwards, without even looking forwards, it's all too predictable and, for us fans, boring.
voyeur
Well-known member
I really agree with that.
20togo
Well-known member
Who are you talking about? Blackpool or England? As has been said Blackpool pretty much play the same way all the time. And really barring the odd occasion, no game is ever comfortably won for either too.
voyeur
Well-known member
He hit a cross field ball at 3 minutes, nothing at all earlier. Is that what you mean?
BFC_53
Well-known member
It's interesting people saying England and Blackpool play pretty much the same way - we had the best defensive record in the league last season, and so far England haven't conceded a goal. I think that supports the point, and while it may not always be easy on the eye it gives you a great platform to actually achieve things. The watertight defence also helps build confidence over time - that you can try a pass or run with the ball and if you lose it, it won't matter so much because the team is set up to win it back quickly. You could see with 'pool later in the season we saw some outstanding performances with increasing regularity - Peterborough, Gillingham at home, and all three play off games.
braymarina
Well-known member
Please don't Lytham, you know the trouble it gets you in!
JJpool
Well-known member
I agree about the passing, there's probing and moving the team around but there's not enough who can turn that possession into chances more often, they're probably on the bench.
We often miss the chance to go forward after creating the space and we go back.
What we have seen when we do do it right is for eg when we get into a good position in defence its passed to either midfield or a attacker coming short.
This is when you need a 1-2, a feint, a player to beat a man like sterling did for a goal and sancho and others showed they can do at times.
That is how you turn those moments of possession into attacks but too many times we hesitate and we go back and start again, or back to keeper and he boots it and the whole thing is wasted.
If we can get players taking the ball on the half turn in midfield and play a ball then into an attacker then thats the part we need to improve on more and why I've argued for more players like Foden and Grealish as I think we would be a better side at creating more chances.
What we are doing is working for now but doesn't mean it couldn't be improved.
Lytham_fy8
Well-known member
Cross field, 3 minutes, all the same thing.He hit a cross field ball at 3 minutes, nothing at all earlier. Is that what you mean?
voyeur
Well-known member
Not literally the same though. (I've been taking notes on 20s debating tactics).
Costero Poderoso
Well-known member
i said this the other day, that this england team can just play slow boring cross field passes for 15 minutes and then it seems simply decide to go forward and score or come very close to scoring. its truly weird to watch. i was starting t think that this team is so good that they can conserve their energy and only play at pace and with movement for about 20 mins per game, which makes them very dangerous late on, i might be deluding myself.
And didnât it work well!
TangerinePeel
Well-known member
They can back pass it all the way to the final, doesn't bother me one bit.
JJpool
Well-known member
No definately not through planning mostly, ok when its a hot game like the last one they will be preserving energy and making th ball do the work.
But once we've passed the ball around and switched sides creating that space I've been shouting in earlier games for Walker or whoever has it to the burst into that space. Once we do that we actually advance that position and that is when we need what I mentioned above, a 1-2 or someone to drift past someone and then you've opened up the chance and can play a ball into a dangerous area.
Doesn't happen enough, however we're in a semi against a Denmark side we should be able to beat do were doing alright.
But to go all the way we'll have to face a side who will play better than Germany did so will have to do what I said above more often I feel.