Style of our play

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I dont realy like this defensive football, we played for past season, despite we won the CL.

I remember we had very good counter attacking football (ala current Real Madrid style) and it was much more entertaining to watch. We might didnt won CL those times, but we made some very impressive performances against United, Barca, Liverpool, Bayern, Juve,...

We had fantastic defence and still, we did play attacking style (something like defending, but we quickly steal the ball from opponent and made fast deadly counter) I realy miss that style. We scored more goals and conceded less, the ball travelled faster and we had some realy impressive actiotions with goal in the end.

What I fear most is, we simply wont have 'big match players' ala Drogba or Lamps. Nowdays, younger players are under bigger pressure because of bigger transfer fees and I just hope whoever we sign, he will be able to decide bigger matches too. But I certainly dont want that barca tiki-taka shit, I get tired after watching those games, that passing is nice, but its damn boring and nowdays, they trouble to score and goals (not actions) are nothing special. I prefer more direct, quick style with strong defence, like City or RM.

I hope with new players, we will regain that nice-looking style again.

What do you think, can we play that style again and is RDM capable to do it? And the players, who to sign?

[Bambiny14 25]

Jose already answered your question

"The style of how we play is very important.

But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no

omelettes! It depends on the quality of the

eggs. In the supermarket you have class one,

two or class three eggs and some are more

expensive than others and some give you better

omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in

Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a

problem."

[Strike 7,533]

Watch Frank Lampard's interview after the CL final. We don't have the flair or the pace to play dominating attacking football. what we do have is sheer bloodymindedness that few other clubs possess. u couldn't possibly imagine arsenal or spuds coming back from a goal down with such little time left

agree that we have to build on our defense and become a better attacking threat next season. i would love to see this team for next season

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Cole

Ramires Lampard

Hulk Mata Hazard

Torres

subs: Turnbull Luiz Bertrand Meireles KDB, Marin Sturridge

reserves: Piazon Fereira Romeu Lukaku

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

^I believe u mean to add mikel and romeu to that squad too, as well as new rb.

And would Ramires be happy cdm, he wouldn't have same space as on wing? Which is really worrying me in this 4231, Ramires needs wing position to be able to affect mathc. In 433 atleast he could be mid field and be B2B player we need.

[Spike 12,049]

I consider Counter-Attracking Football an aspect of Defensive Football. I love the DEFENCE!

[Henrique 9,133]

We played like that in Barcelona's games and in the final because we were the weaker side. The problem was Mourinho, the guy had all the money to spend, had players like Robben, Duff, Didier, Crespo, Kezman, Lampard and other guys, but somehow his teams were boring, and thats wasnt a problem when we were winning, but his boring football was the reason whe lost to Liverpool in two semi-finals: we scored only once in 360 minutes against them.

I really enjoyed the football we played under Carlo Ancelotti first season and the 103 goals in one single PL season.

[Blue Armour 4,466]

We played like that in Barcelona's games and in the final because we were the weaker side. The problem was Mourinho, the guy had all the money to spend, had players like Robben, Duff, Didier, Crespo, Kezman, Lampard and other guys, but somehow his teams were boring, and thats wasnt a problem when we were winning, but his boring football was the reason whe lost to Liverpool in two semi-finals: we scored only once in 360 minutes against them.

I really enjoyed the football we played under Carlo Ancelotti first season and the 103 goals in one single PL season.

That was an incredible period. Our squad was full of Experienced star players in their prime. I wonder whether we'll ever have a squad like that again.

[Santiago. 1,500]

---------------Drogba-------------

Malouda -----------------Anelka

------Lampard-----Ballack--------

---------------Essien-----------------

A.Cole-----------------------Ivanovic

---------J.Terry---Carvalho---------

-----------------Cech--------------------

2009/10 was our best ever squad

[Spike 12,049]

---------------Drogba-------------

Malouda -----------------Anelka

------Lampard-----Ballack--------

---------------Essien-----------------

A.Cole-----------------------Ivanovic

---------J.Terry---Carvalho---------

-----------------Cech--------------------

2009/10 was our best ever squad

I don't know.. 05-06 was pretty nice.

Drogba

Robben- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cole

Lampard

Makélélé - - - - - - - Essien

Gallas - - - - - Carvalho - - - - - Terry - - - - - Ferreira

[Jase 43,479]

Do not want us to have a definite style of play like Arsenal, Manchester United or Barcelona. Would much prefer us to have a varied style of play where against the smaller teams, we can play attacking football and when it's against the big teams/matches, we can adapt to a more defensive & counter attacking approach like we have done this season. A good example of that would be like how we played under Carlo in his 1st season with us. Having just one style of play all the time like Arsenal and Barcelona is suicidal because you can easily come unstuck against certain teams or teams who adopt a similar type of tactics.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

yeah a agree the one style kinda sucks but, really i like man u system a lot! the pass and move varying runs and dummy runs, great wing play, its really nice.

[OneMoSalah 8,889]

Seen somewhere that Roman "demands" we are known for attacking football rather than defensive football from next season on... hmmm

[Bluechip 5]

At the end of the day although the system we play isnt the most entertaining to watch it did win us the champions league. Would prefer us to play higher up the pitch but would we of won the champions league with this style of play?

[Joker10 946]

Do not want us to have a definite style of play like Arsenal, Manchester United or Barcelona. Would much prefer us to have a varied style of play where against the smaller teams, we can play attacking football and when it's against the big teams/matches, we can adapt to a more defensive & counter attacking approach like we have done this season. A good example of that would be like how we played under Carlo in his 1st season with us. Having just one style of play all the time like Arsenal and Barcelona is suicidal because you can easily come unstuck against certain teams or teams who adopt a similar type of tactics.

I kinda completely disagree.

I rather have one style of football, it makes hiring managers, integrating youths, and signing the right players for your team a lot easier.

So we don't have to go throw another AVB or a signing like Torres, and have a player come through the ranks one that is not named John Terry.

Having an identity and playing style is a way we can achieve stability, and stability is a key to constant success.

Constantly changing your style is a recipe for failure.

Bold part: What you are basically describing is a small team mentality, kinda like most of the mid table team that plays us.

[communicate 2,703]

I kinda completely disagree.

I rather have one style of football, it makes hiring managers, integrating youths, and signing the right players for your team a lot easier.

So we don't have to go throw another AVB or a signing like Torres, and have a player come through the ranks one that is not named John Terry.

Having an identity and playing style is a way we can achieve stability, and stability is a key to constant success.

Constantly changing your style is a recipe for failure.

Bold part: What you are basically describing is a small team mentality, kinda like most of the mid table team that plays us.

I completely agree with you, especially in term of integrating the youth. Arsenal,Manu and Barca have a system and It make it so much easier for them to play their youth player to the 1st team.

Even though we won UCL and FA cup, I really hate the way we play. 10 men behind the ball + long ball to drogba. It was really ugly. I don't mind playing defensive football but at least try to win the game.

[Hysteria 159]

I would like something like Real Madrid, fast to front. I really dont like tiki taka.

[manpe 10,861]

Even though we won UCL and FA cup, I really hate the way we play. 10 men behind the ball + long ball to drogba. It was really ugly. I don't mind playing defensive football but at least try to win the game.

We won the FA Cup pretty convincingly. Dumped a load on spuds in semis, then went on to dominate turdpool for 60 minutes of the game in the final. As far as I remember we played ultra defensively only in the 2 games against barca and against bayern - two teams far ahead of us at keeping possession and attacking potency.

[Jase 43,479]

I kinda completely disagree.

I rather have one style of football, it makes hiring managers, integrating youths, and signing the right players for your team a lot easier.

So we don't have to go throw another AVB or a signing like Torres, and have a player come through the ranks one that is not named John Terry.

Having an identity and playing style is a way we can achieve stability, and stability is a key to constant success.

Constantly changing your style is a recipe for failure.

Bold part: What you are basically describing is a small team mentality, kinda like most of the mid table team that plays us.

Get your point but what I meant was the need for us to adaptable. Yes, you can have a certain style of play but you also want your players to be able to play a different way, to have a Plan B when the need arises and not just go blindly playing the same way in every game. I know Barcelona have been successful with that but not too fond of that idea. Arsenal and Man United tried to play Barcelona at their own game in recent years because it's their supposed philosophy to be playing attacking football but look what happened to them in those encounters.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I kinda completely disagree.

I rather have one style of football, it makes hiring managers, integrating youths, and signing the right players for your team a lot easier.

So we don't have to go throw another AVB or a signing like Torres, and have a player come through the ranks one that is not named John Terry.

Having an identity and playing style is a way we can achieve stability, and stability is a key to constant success.

Constantly changing your style is a recipe for failure.

Bold part: What you are basically describing is a small team mentality, kinda like most of the mid table team that plays us.

Well said, Joker; 4-5-1, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 Mourinho style is that stable style thats brought us the most amount of success. It's far from boring, counter attacking football is always great fun.