I went to the cup final today, which is something I hadn’t done for years.
I don’t watch Man City in the flesh very often or much Premier League football as it’s not really my bag, but it was fascinating to watch John Stones role in that City team.
Much has been written about it already but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it from a tactical perspective.
Basically they played a sort of 3-2-4-1 formation with Rodrigo and Stones in front of the back three, but it was unbelievably fluid.
To start with there was no sense whatsoever that the two wide midfielders - Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva - were operating as wing-backs. They just played as wide midfielders. I guess you can do that when you’ve about 75 per cent possession
Instead, when Man United attacked, Stones would just drop into a centre half role and they would seamlessly go to a back four with Walker and Akanji moving across to the full-back positions.
On a few occasions he’d drop into a right back role and Kyle Walker would player centre half. They just worked it out between them as the attack developed.
Going forward, he’d also play like a no.8 some times and get right up alongside Haaland.
It was almost like the manager had given him license to play wherever he wanted - and he then re-payed him by showing he could do exactly that.
If they can have a good period injury free and look after themselves players in their early 30s are great for us, we've had lots of great examples, nobody thought Bayo would stick around for years and Tyson seemed to get quicker and quicker.
Think people are a little obsessed with resale value too when in reality we only sell on maybe one player each year if that.
It's a pretty low risk on a short term contract, and the older players supply experience and stability, but if other teams want to write people off too early that has been a gap we can exploit. GMac had been running round parks on his own for months before we signed him and the likes of the PNL declined.
Watching a really good older player who has played at a higher level come to Wycombe for the last few years of their career and show what a champion performer they really are is still one of the most enjoyable things in the game for me.
My assisted column is largely populated with "Don't shoot from there" monents before some spectacular effort from outside the box flies into the top corner.
Comments
No doubt you popped her balloons!
Thought Caley Thistle did ok for a second division team from a town half the size of High Wycombe!
There's being soulless, and then there's you at times 🤣
It's a funeral song!
When you're playing City, it's apt 😂
I went to the cup final today, which is something I hadn’t done for years.
I don’t watch Man City in the flesh very often or much Premier League football as it’s not really my bag, but it was fascinating to watch John Stones role in that City team.
Much has been written about it already but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it from a tactical perspective.
Basically they played a sort of 3-2-4-1 formation with Rodrigo and Stones in front of the back three, but it was unbelievably fluid.
To start with there was no sense whatsoever that the two wide midfielders - Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva - were operating as wing-backs. They just played as wide midfielders. I guess you can do that when you’ve about 75 per cent possession
Instead, when Man United attacked, Stones would just drop into a centre half role and they would seamlessly go to a back four with Walker and Akanji moving across to the full-back positions.
On a few occasions he’d drop into a right back role and Kyle Walker would player centre half. They just worked it out between them as the attack developed.
Going forward, he’d also play like a no.8 some times and get right up alongside Haaland.
It was almost like the manager had given him license to play wherever he wanted - and he then re-payed him by showing he could do exactly that.
Fascinating stuff.
I find it incredible that at 33 years of age Kyle Walker is so quick.
Footy fans are often conditioned to believe everything can drop off a cliff after 30.
When The truth is if you're blessed with great pace you're still going to be quicker than most players deep into your 30s.
We only have to remember our own Tyson
Spot on @Malone.
If they can have a good period injury free and look after themselves players in their early 30s are great for us, we've had lots of great examples, nobody thought Bayo would stick around for years and Tyson seemed to get quicker and quicker.
Think people are a little obsessed with resale value too when in reality we only sell on maybe one player each year if that.
I'm also a bit biased as I know a lot of runners, the pick being one who is 60 and would obliterate pretty much everyone over 800m!
I think one of the worst elements of modern day football is how people are obsessed with age, resale value, peaks, declining and stats.
Never used to be like this.
It's a pretty low risk on a short term contract, and the older players supply experience and stability, but if other teams want to write people off too early that has been a gap we can exploit. GMac had been running round parks on his own for months before we signed him and the likes of the PNL declined.
Watching a really good older player who has played at a higher level come to Wycombe for the last few years of their career and show what a champion performer they really are is still one of the most enjoyable things in the game for me.
Somehow “assists “seem to have crept into the game, at least at the top level.
I am claiming 350 assists as a result of my shouting and bellowing complete tactical nonsense to the team from the Frank Adam’s stand over the years
My assisted column is largely populated with "Don't shoot from there" monents before some spectacular effort from outside the box flies into the top corner.
Simon Garner was the supreme example of this. Oozed class.
I have to admit I'd not really heard of Garner at the time, but Regis alongside him was an unreal feeling.