ScotBear 144 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 We've debated to death the tactics we've used this season. Some support them, some are annoyed, others indifferent........ But looking to the future, what can we expect ? I think most of us have this idea that in the summer we will buy quality, and crucially some creativity to open teams up in the final third with a bit of craft rather than graft. How far can we take such a vision though ? As an SPL side with limited resources, can we truly play the 'purist' Barcelona way and beat Barcelona ? Can we play pass and move football like Arsenal and beat Arsenal ? What I'm trying to say is, when it comes to competing with the top sides in europe, can we beat them at their own game ? Can we take a model that top european sides use, copy it and compete with them. Consistently I mean, not just in one game or even in one campaign. For a period of time, years. Surely a balance has to be struck. Surely we can't just move away from being the team that we are just now to the flipside of trying to be a fluid, attacking, continental style european outfit ? If I go down my local pub and see they've added 'Duck a l'Orange' to the menu, initially I might raise a pleasantly surprised eyebrow........but after a bit of thought I might wonder whether they have the quality of ingredients to pull off such a recipe, and instead just stick with an ever reliable steak pie ! Now I'm not saying we should accept being served up a stale product at Ibrox in the coming years, but do we need to accept that as we move forward there will have to be a balance. We've done well to get to the point we're in, and while there have been a number of qualities we don't like about the side, we also have to acknowledge the good aspects. The work ethic, the organisation, the physical qualities we possess, the Scottish identity running through the squad. I think we need to make sure that these qualities remain and that we build on this foundation, rather than looking to scrap the blueprint and start again once the title is won. In the Champions League specifically, I don't think we can go toe to toe with the top sides and play them at their own game. I think we'll always need to look to do things a little bit differently and find our own individual style of play to upset them. Basically it would be a case of mixing up our play more than we currently do. I don't think conceding that playing 100% 'purist' football isn't for us is anything to be ashamed about. Mourinho did it at Chelsea with millions to spend. At the moment we play too many long balls.......but then I don't think we can go from that to thinking we can pass, move and attack with the best for 90 minutes either. Playing a high ball to a target man now and then, or hitting passes in behind full backs for people to try and run onto will probably always have a place in our armoury, hopefully along with some good football on the deck. I've seen the way that expectations have spiralled upwards at an incredible rate within our support from the day Walter took over, to the start of the season, to the present day. And I'm a bit concerned that some fans are expecting to see football sent from the Gods next season, when it realistically won't be the case and probably shouldn't be what we're aiming for anyway. This season we've played effective football. Next season I want to see good football......but mixed in with the effective nature of our play. Tommy Burns back must be sore from all the pats he's had for the attractive football Celtic played under him......I bet you he'd give up all that praise for a league trophy. I don't want to see us sitting in the same situation this time next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce 1 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Well if we buy quality players in the summer, that can play more attractive football, I would like to see attacking formations, more passing on the ground and less of the long ball. I hope Boyd gets much more games next season, especially if we play 2 up front because if we get a fast striker who can score lots of goals, he would work well with Boyd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Give me some wing play at the very least in both europe and the SPL and I'll be happy, wouldn't mind if we had 2 workers in the centre if we had 2 wingers that can take on the full back on either side. I'm not expecting us to be like Arsenal or Barca or even like under Advocaat but being decent is not much to ask for. Give me something to be entertained about, on the edge of my seat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
minstral 5,375 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Well if we buy quality players in the summer, that can play more attractive football, I would like to see attacking formations, more passing on the ground and less of the long ball. I hope Boyd gets much more games next season, especially if we play 2 up front because if we get a fast striker who can score lots of goals, he would work well with Boyd. cracking aviator. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluepeter9 5,167 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Me - I would put winning first, winning with style second. Ask Mr T. Burns which is best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotBear 144 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Give me some wing play at the very least in both europe and the SPL and I'll be happy, wouldn't mind if we had 2 workers in the centre if we had 2 wingers that can take on the full back on either side. I'm not expecting us to be like Arsenal or Barca or even like under Advocaat but being decent is not much to ask for. Give me something to be entertained about, on the edge of my seat. I'm the same Boab, I'm desperate to see a couple of players come in that can offer a bit of entertainment next season. At the very least for the team as a unit to play a bit more decent football on the deck. All I'm saying is, nobody should be expecting us to transform into a flowing continental side next season. I think Chelsea under Mourinho would be a decent example of what we'll be aiming for. Don't be afraid to play it short, but then don't be afraid to hit it long either. I think that mix of play will always be there. The football under Advocaat was great, but then ultimately we lost 2 titles and failed to make the last 16 with it. I'd love to see that brand of football again, but like you I'm not expecting it. Would be difficult to replicate unless we spent big money in a lot of positons......and it's probably not the way to go anyway. If we could take elements of it to add to our existing pattern of play, then that would be ideal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the goal machine 7,995 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think we'll play better next season. This season was about employing a winning mentality - a team thats hard to beat. That has worked very successfully, in the league and in Europe. Next season (with the winnig mentality), I think we will use the flair players and play better football while still winning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastcoastbear 122 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think we'll play better next season. This season was about employing a winning mentality - a team thats hard to beat. That has worked very successfully, in the league and in Europe. Next season (with the winnig mentality), I think we will use the flair players and play better football while still winning. That's pretty much my thoughts too.Hopefully we can sign the quality required to move us on to the next level. Muffger should be appointed chief scout and talent spotter, he'd have us sorted out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Sign quality and keep the 4-2-3-1/4-5-1. Drop Ferguson(never an attacking midfielder) back and play with 2 quick exciting wingers. It will bring much needed width. A formation that is defensive when under threat and one which quickly forms a 4-3-3 or even 4-2-4 when attacking. We need to start thinking more rather than just bleeshing the ball up the park. The players should be looking for short early passes especially the full backs. I'd also like to see a big, strong, mobile striker who is good in the air and on the deck(A younger Cousin type of player) and an attacking midfielder who can support the striker well and bring a bit of spark, energy and creativity to the side. ________________McGregor______________ ____________Cuellar____Morris___________ ____Torosidis__________________Papac____ __________Ferguson____Thomson__________ ________________Arshavin________________ Feindouno_________________________Beasley _________________Gomis__________________ Maybe not these exact players but these type. Players who are hard working, strong, commited, quick, skillful, determined, team players. Guys who can mix it about and have that bit of magic when needed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotBear 144 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 That's exactly the shape I'd ideally like to see MG However, my point is could we get that to work effectively when we come up against the top sides in the Champions League ? Is there not always, perhaps reasonably, going to be that temptation to play that extra central midfielder alongside Ferguson and Thomson in such a system at the expense of a player sitting in the hole ? Or to play one winger on one side, but a more solid player (like Davis or previously Reyna) on the other side to tighten things up when necessary. That above formation looks ideal to me, but it also looks like the kind of formation that would leave us toe to toe, like for like, when we go up against the best. And I wonder whether we'll ever have the quality of players to allow us to do that. We could buy the best players we possibly could attract this summer.......and they still probably wouldn't get a game for Barca, Man U......etc. It's a negative way of thinking perhaps, but I just wonder whether we'll ever have a manager that either a) is confident enough to go with such a set up or b) is capable of making such a set up work for us against quality opposition. Or even in the rough and tumble of Old Firm games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 You'd change it for European games depending on the opposition and circumstances or maybe we could just show some balls and go for it, especially against the big sides. If it's not working then you can always change it. Maybe that's a bit much to ask for tho. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluejeff 16 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 play better and score more goals - sounds good to me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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