Midfields - moving back to all round players in midfield.
Football should be a simple game.
The beauty of football is that it is anything but.
Yes, the end objective is clearly defined. You need to score more goals than your opponents to win.
The laws of the game are fairly straightforward too, defining concepts such as foul play, offside, and where a goalkeeper can handle the ball.
But the endless variety of approaches is what makes the game fascinating.
And perhaps the most fascinating area of the pitch is the midfield.
Whilst there are defenders who attack, and attackers who defend, the true all rounders of the pitch are surely the central midfield players.
Traditionally football talked of midfield partnerships; a pair of all round midfielders both capable in defence and attack. However as tactics have evolved we tend to find teams field three central midfielders.
Now this is the point where slightly older football fans, like me, have to point out that nothing is really new and that successful teams have always dominated midfield either by playing a split striker role (think Kenny Dalglish, Peter Beardsley, Eric Cantona) or having a defender who could bring the ball out from the back (Franz Beckenbauer, Alan Hansen).
But what does dominating midfield mean? This is where I do think there have been significant changes over the past 30 years. Although there have always been midfielders who were comfortable in possession, and no shortage of technique or vision, this had to be coupled with an ability to cope with physical intimidation and football pitches more suited for agricultural production than intricate passing moves.
Toughening refereeing standards and improving playing surfaces lead to a new type of midfielder emerging.
Initially this took the form of highly specialised midfielders like Claude Makelele. Pair a specialist defensive midfielder with an attacking one, like Zidane, and get the best of both worlds. This worked, although only for a relatively short period, surpassed by a new sort of midfield set up, and a new type of midfielder.
Smaller, less athletic, slower, but who, when part of a highly technical team, could dominate possession of the ball to such an extent that the Makelele player couldn't rob them of it, and the Zidane type player had their supply cut off. Although sometimes joined by a more physical presence the midfield trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta defined Barcelona, and the Spanish national team, for a decade.
The language has also changed around the way we describe midfielders and phrases like single or double pivots and registas have entered the footballing lexicon.
But what hasn't changed is the evolution of football, and like life, football always finds a way to adapt.
Teams not blessed with Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta have found that replicating the Barcelona style exactly is very difficult. However most have adopted the idea of three central players, either a single pivot with two players ahead playing box to box roles, or a double pivot with one player ahead as an attacking midfielder.
It is the make up of the personnel that defines the style. Manchester City can swap De Bruyne for Gundogan, keep the same formation and style, but benefit from a different set of skills in a similar area of the pitch.
The most contrasting interpretations of the current three man midfield can be found on Merseyside.
Liverpool seem to be moving towards a set up with 3 all round midfielders. By fielding all round players, capable of making passes, carrying the ball and covering for each other, with the width coming from the full backs, they can rotate roles easily.
A contrasting set up can be found at Everton. Up until the last two matches Everton have fielded a midfield of Gana, Gomes and Sigurdsson. This trio is made up of individually impressive players with Gana wanted by PSG, Gomes on the books of Barcelona, and Sigurdsson consistently among the league's highest scoring midfield players. The problems come because their roles are obvious. They are specialists. With specialisms come weaknesses. Opposing teams can force the defensive midfielder to take on the playmaker role by shutting down the ball carrier. They can reduce the pockets of space the attacking midfielder likes to operate in.
Slightly controversially I don't think that individually the Liverpool midfield is that special. But by having three players from Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum, Keita, Henderson, andMilner (with Oxlade-Chamberlin coming back soon) all able to play in two directions, tackle, carry the ball and pass competently they prevent teams from cutting off passing lanes by targeting individuals.
Specialist midfielders aren't going to die out, but they'll have to work on their weaknesses to ensure they can't be targeted by more tactically astute managers.
The beauty of football is that it is anything but.
Yes, the end objective is clearly defined. You need to score more goals than your opponents to win.
The laws of the game are fairly straightforward too, defining concepts such as foul play, offside, and where a goalkeeper can handle the ball.
But the endless variety of approaches is what makes the game fascinating.
And perhaps the most fascinating area of the pitch is the midfield.
Whilst there are defenders who attack, and attackers who defend, the true all rounders of the pitch are surely the central midfield players.
Traditionally football talked of midfield partnerships; a pair of all round midfielders both capable in defence and attack. However as tactics have evolved we tend to find teams field three central midfielders.
Now this is the point where slightly older football fans, like me, have to point out that nothing is really new and that successful teams have always dominated midfield either by playing a split striker role (think Kenny Dalglish, Peter Beardsley, Eric Cantona) or having a defender who could bring the ball out from the back (Franz Beckenbauer, Alan Hansen).
But what does dominating midfield mean? This is where I do think there have been significant changes over the past 30 years. Although there have always been midfielders who were comfortable in possession, and no shortage of technique or vision, this had to be coupled with an ability to cope with physical intimidation and football pitches more suited for agricultural production than intricate passing moves.
Toughening refereeing standards and improving playing surfaces lead to a new type of midfielder emerging.
Initially this took the form of highly specialised midfielders like Claude Makelele. Pair a specialist defensive midfielder with an attacking one, like Zidane, and get the best of both worlds. This worked, although only for a relatively short period, surpassed by a new sort of midfield set up, and a new type of midfielder.
Smaller, less athletic, slower, but who, when part of a highly technical team, could dominate possession of the ball to such an extent that the Makelele player couldn't rob them of it, and the Zidane type player had their supply cut off. Although sometimes joined by a more physical presence the midfield trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta defined Barcelona, and the Spanish national team, for a decade.
The language has also changed around the way we describe midfielders and phrases like single or double pivots and registas have entered the footballing lexicon.
But what hasn't changed is the evolution of football, and like life, football always finds a way to adapt.
Teams not blessed with Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta have found that replicating the Barcelona style exactly is very difficult. However most have adopted the idea of three central players, either a single pivot with two players ahead playing box to box roles, or a double pivot with one player ahead as an attacking midfielder.
It is the make up of the personnel that defines the style. Manchester City can swap De Bruyne for Gundogan, keep the same formation and style, but benefit from a different set of skills in a similar area of the pitch.
The most contrasting interpretations of the current three man midfield can be found on Merseyside.
Liverpool seem to be moving towards a set up with 3 all round midfielders. By fielding all round players, capable of making passes, carrying the ball and covering for each other, with the width coming from the full backs, they can rotate roles easily.
A contrasting set up can be found at Everton. Up until the last two matches Everton have fielded a midfield of Gana, Gomes and Sigurdsson. This trio is made up of individually impressive players with Gana wanted by PSG, Gomes on the books of Barcelona, and Sigurdsson consistently among the league's highest scoring midfield players. The problems come because their roles are obvious. They are specialists. With specialisms come weaknesses. Opposing teams can force the defensive midfielder to take on the playmaker role by shutting down the ball carrier. They can reduce the pockets of space the attacking midfielder likes to operate in.
Slightly controversially I don't think that individually the Liverpool midfield is that special. But by having three players from Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum, Keita, Henderson, andMilner (with Oxlade-Chamberlin coming back soon) all able to play in two directions, tackle, carry the ball and pass competently they prevent teams from cutting off passing lanes by targeting individuals.
Specialist midfielders aren't going to die out, but they'll have to work on their weaknesses to ensure they can't be targeted by more tactically astute managers.
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