Is Tackling a Thing of the Past

[legs77]

Was it Maldini who said 'if I have to make a tackle, I've already made a mistake'?

Think defending as a team is far more about that kind of thinking now - positioning and players keeping their defensive shape. Tackles only really happen when that breaks down.

Yeah he did say that and what a defender he was he had everything.

[legs77]

On the MOTD analysis of Connor Bradley's performance he was credited with the joint highest number of attempted tackles. Just twice in the 90 minutes he tried to tackle an opponent. He also had a goal and 2 assists.

Has the elite modern game all but evolved past the need to tackle?

Staggering.

Its a low number but defenders are more aggressive now at intercepting the ball before the attacker gets it.

In the "old" days they would be told stay goalside its a risk/reward method.

On Bradley what a full back he looks probably deserves to keep TAA out the side but its a big call.

[ancientpie]

No doubt the out of control clogging type of tackling needed stopping but as others say a good tackle was a joy to behold, lets be honest it is turning into a non contact sport & so called experts who claim that if they feel any slight contact a player is entitled & indeed should go down don't help, in my day this was called diving & cheating.

[jonnyt1]

No doubt the out of control clogging type of tackling needed stopping but as others say a good tackle was a joy to behold, lets be honest it is turning into a non contact sport & so called experts who claim that if they feel any slight contact a player is entitled & indeed should go down don't help, in my day this was called diving & cheating.

I miss the days when either Killer or Stubbs used to put people in Row Z with slide tackles. I remember on in particular from Stubbs at a very wet City ground on an occasion we won a league match their

[Glad2BeAPie]

Our defenders continually show us, defending is in fact a thing of the past.

[tommopie8]

No doubt the out of control clogging type of tackling needed stopping but as others say a good tackle was a joy to behold, lets be honest it is turning into a non contact sport & so called experts who claim that if they feel any slight contact a player is entitled & indeed should go down don't help, in my day this was called diving & cheating.

I'd counter that by saying honesty isn't rewarded and staying on your feet even when you've genuinely been impeded even slightly is counter-intuitive.

I absolutely hate when an attacker runs straight into a defender who hasn't stepped across their path and the referee expects them to evaporate or move out of the way for the attacker to continue. That alongside the brainless fouling when a defender is penned in near the corner in their own half are my footballing pet peeves.

I hope one of the things Maynard does change is the obvious instruction to focus on the man and not the ball at defending corners. It looks so blatant when you're grappling a runner not angled remotely towards the ball.

[Elite_Pie]

No doubt the out of control clogging type of tackling needed stopping but as others say a good tackle was a joy to behold.

That's why I'm still infuriated by the deliberate kick on Jones against Barrow that only got a yellow. The ref only seeing it as a yellow encourages rather than discourages that type of cynical challenge. It suggests it's well worth doing to "take one for the team" because you stop a dangerous attack with minimal punishment. Barrow immediately subbed the guilty player because they knew he had got away with it. That sort of decision actively encourages foul play, how can that be right?

[ancientpie]

That's why I'm still infuriated by the deliberate kick on Jones against Barrow that only got a yellow. The ref only seeing it as a yellow encourages rather than discourages that type of cynical challenge. It suggests it's well worth doing to "take one for the team" because you stop a dangerous attack with minimal punishment. Barrow immediately subbed the guilty player because they knew he had got away with it. That sort of decision actively encourages foul play, how can that be right?

Totally agree & as tommo says trying to stay on your feet isn't rewarded, it's almost as if refs or the people who instruct them actively encourage cheating at times. On MOTD I keep seeing VAR turn down Pens because there isn't any or very little contact but it's very rare to see someone punished for simulation. COYP

[OchPie]

On this note, it annoys me when certain of our defenders go down rather too easily, but it REALLY annoys me that they don't jump up the instant they realise no immediate whistle is coming and try to sprint back into our box...

[magpie_mania]

Totally agree & as tommo says trying to stay on your feet isn't rewarded, it's almost as if refs or the people who instruct them actively encourage cheating at times. On MOTD I keep seeing VAR turn down Pens because there isn't any or very little contact but it's very rare to see someone punished for simulation. COYP

It doesn't help when pundits on TV say things like, 'He had every right to go down', or 'He took one for the team'.

The one that annoys me most is, 'Tactical foul'. It's cheating.