“For example, if you want to play the way Barcelona do, you cannot achieve it with lots of big, athletic players. You need small, technical ones, though with some balance in the side.” This quote from a fantastic Telegraph article squashes the idea that the quick passing style of Barcelona and the Spanish national team will ever make it in America. Small guys with skills instead of the big athletic ones? That’s just un-American. Luckily, there are many routes to winning soccer. Big athletic Jozy Altidore overpowered Carles Puyol of Spain to score the first goal in a 2-0 win for the United States at last summer’s Confederation’s Cup.
I’m not sure we will not ever play a more possession style of soccer. Even comparing this year to last in MLS, the over the top ball is becoming more rare, particularly for top clubs. Maybe next year there will be more patience around the box. That said, it will be a decade at least for MLS academies to get.even close to the top European ones… but for all that, Barca can still be beaten. It was a stroke of luck that got them past Chelsea the year they won Champions League. Spain is harder because the whole national team plays together year round!
I’m happy to hear optimism about more possession based football in MLS. I would describe the current style as “impatient attack”, similar to what one finds in the English Premier League. There is quite another step to the “patient, almost too patient attack” of Barca and Spain. And it’s certainly agreed that the Barca style can be beaten. Wigan tries the approach in the EPL, but they’re not anywhere near the top four yet. Check corrected post for another example. Thanks for reading.
TkE1AG Very true! Makes a change to see soeomne spell it out like that. 🙂