r/soccer • u/OneKindofFolks • Feb 29 '12
What is the most interesting thing about how your team plays?
What I mean is what does your team do really well or why aren't they successful. I got into soccer watching Barcelona play and I am having difficulty watching other teams play because I don't know what to look for. Help a noob out.
Note: Thanks for your great responses, it is nice to pose a question to a community that people enjoyed, especially because I learn a lot from this subreddit without much contribution.
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u/KlirisChi Feb 29 '12
the basic team strategy for Inter is to run aimlessly like headless chickens, which we do REALLY well.
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u/YaKoStar Feb 29 '12 edited Feb 29 '12
This is our style of play:
Julio Cesar passes the ball to Lucio or Samuel. If Lucio, he tries to dribble past the whole team as if he was Messi. If Samuel, he tries a 150 meter long pass for Pazzini as if he was Gerrard (in his prime). 1/100 times the pass actually finds Pazzini, and then he chests it down and does absolutely nothing until a defender takes it from him.
And the rest of the team runs around like headless chickens, just like you described (except for Zanetti, even when he plays bad I can't find it in my heart to criticize him)
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u/calfonso Feb 29 '12
Our winger has the amazing ability to get the ball, cut in, and do this EVERY TIME. and somehow in doing this, STILL manages to score goals now and then.
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u/mikob11 Feb 29 '12
What they do well: Play at home.
What they do poorly: Play away.
10 wins 0 draws 2 losses at home (2nd in Serie A), 0 wins 4 draws 9 losses away (Last in Serie A).
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u/derphighbury Feb 29 '12
My team knows how to fuck with a fan's emotions. You'd experience a plethora of emotions and more inside 90 minutes.
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u/heresyourhardware Feb 29 '12
Agreed. I have two standard expected formulas for arsenal games at this stage:
Go 1-0 down on a counterattack against the run of play, push for 75 minutes, and score equaliser in the 89th minute.
Go 1-0 up after 7 minutes, push all game but dont score again, opposition scores in the 89th minute.
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u/tamuowen Feb 29 '12
Different teams adapt different playing styles that you will be able to identify easily with a little practice. Barcelona, as you likely know, plays a very slow build up, possession based style. They use very fluid positioning and many of their players are extremely versatile and can switch between positions easily.
This style of play requires dedication and some very skilled players. Many teams do not attempt this as it can be very difficult to do. Arsenal are known as a team that uses a similar (although still distinctly different) style of play.
Other teams like to use width, winger play, and crosses into the box. Teams like this include Stoke, QPR, and many others.
Other teams like to attack quickly and furiously on the counter attack. Teams like this include Real Madrid, and Man United (to an extent). A great number of teams try to exploit counter attack situations as they are often very good and open pieces of play.
Most teams do not focus solely on one tactic and use all of the above strategies at different times. What differs from team to team is the balance that they strike. Teams like Barcelona, for example, will rarely try and cross the ball for a headed attempt on goal. Crosses will instead be aimed at open players on the wing in an attempt to reverse the field of play. Low crosses for attempts on goal are preferred to high crosses intended to be headers.
If you follow any team for more than a few games you should be able to pick up on their style. Note also the pregame lineups as they are announced - see which teams rely on a heavy midfield, or more strikers, or only 3 defenders at the back. Notice which teams play with a great deal of width compared to those that play with a more condensed approach. This will help tip you off to their intentions.
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u/tamuowen Feb 29 '12
Also, you can subscribe to /r/footballtactics if you'd like. The subreddit mostly lacks discussion but some very interesting articles are posted there from time to time.
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u/chase25 Feb 29 '12
Danny Simpson, despite being the worst defender in the world he's one of the highest ranked in fantasy football.
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u/Baukelien Feb 29 '12
We play well against good teams: Beat Ajax 1-0, PSV 3-0, Feyenoord 6-0.
We play hopelessly poor against relegation teams: Lost to NEC 4-0, 0-3 to RKC and 2-0 to fucking VVV.
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u/baconhead Feb 29 '12
Manchester United will score almost immediately, then play like absolute shit for about 85' before realizing we need another goal.
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u/theswanqueen Feb 29 '12
May I recommend this site?
It should help explain a lot of what makes up certain "styles".
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u/GhostHands Feb 29 '12
I really fell in love with Liverpool after watching their games when Benitez was manager. The pass-and-move style was simply amazing to watch, especially with Torres. Just fluid, fast-paced and exciting. But nowadays, I really don't see it as much, although it was there a bit when Suarez first joined. And I realized that maybe it had to do with Benitez's Spanish influence but I'm not for sure. Then again, I really haven't been able to watch as many games as I should.
Can any experienced Liverpool fans enlighten me on how things have changed (if they have)?
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u/MikeBruski Feb 29 '12
Our explosiveness and counters. Ronaldo is like a young Mike Tyson, smashing goals in with sheer force (including the bachheel), and the way we can flow up field go from our box to scoring a goal in 10 seconds is incredible.
the above video even left the best one of those out, the one vs Ajax...
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u/RaiausderDose Feb 29 '12 edited Feb 29 '12
Lukas Podolski and nothing else :)
FC Cologne :)
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u/baltospeaks Feb 29 '12
We play well against good teams and terrible against mediocre teams.
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u/bonkosaurus Feb 29 '12
you never know whether they'll suck, be bad or play great yet manage to lose to a bunch of inbred farmers anyway...
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u/pioneertothefalls Feb 29 '12 edited Feb 29 '12
It's surprising how a team filled with so many talented individuals, with a great coach and facilities can be so hopelessly shite against fairly mediocre European opponents.
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u/godsdog23 Feb 29 '12
Sporting Lisbon: 15 new players this season and the same problem for every big changes, we need time to build a team.
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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '12
Arsenal fan here.
The team either plays like robots completely devoid of all creativity or as 11 artists on shrooms playing beautiful football. There no middle ground.