...and Bradford City

[MikeSB]

The Alex currently play with 4 forwards, so not far off! Where MSB will part company is that those 4 have more than being a forward in their remit. Gone are the days of 3 players waiting, hands on hips, on the halfway line for the ball to be booted towards them while inside forwards trundle just behind. Players cover infinitely more ground and passing is a key part of the game as is hard work.
The days of '5 forwards', ended with 3-6 and 1-7 defeats to the Mighty Magyars who were a truly footballing (and coached!) nation that used tactics and skill not really used to the same extent in England at that time.
This era was then succeeded by the 'Revie Plan, then Walter Winterbottom's 'revolutionary' 4-2-4, soon followed by Ramsey's 'Wingless Wonders'. So you see, the 'Old days' really were a long time ago.��

The old days were a long time ago and pity really as football was. fair more enjoyable game to watch imo of course. What IS the point of 20 players running about like headless chickens and trying to pass to each other instead of heading for goal? The players may be fitter than back then. Maybe but I wonder how many today could play on those surfaces where grass was a premium. There are almost no grounds now where mud can be seen! You really cannot state and restate a couple of England results to change the game completely as they have. How many players get the ball like my friend JG and George Best and run through the defences like they did or even some at Crewe when they got the ball like Rodney Jack. Problem is.....too much teaching naturally gifted players to play the way the ten managers and coaches tell them too...and then get dropped if they don't! They don't know what to do with the ball except play sidewards and backward and possibly one shot on goal in 97 mins? Apologies but these are games that I personally don't want to watch and 60 odd years watching football instead of newbies that grew up with academies has never changed my mind and never has and just to add there were never three players standing on the half way line waiting for the ball...Maybe you are confusing yourself with net ball? .