Massey's Mutterings for this week

[Dave Deacon]

As an ex-professional forward, Steve asks ............THE BIG, BAD, “UGLY” CENTRE FORWARDS! WHERE ARE THEY?

As well as hoping his brother has good reason to stop texting him!

[MOUNTAINEER]

Reading Steve's comments on the big bad ugly centre forwards is interesting, unfortunately these days the balls delivered into the forwards tend to leave a lot to be desired, the 1-2 touch build ups are all very good but I have noticed for some time on TV the Premiership clubs are hell bent on retaining possession at all cost, the negativity has resulted in teams taking 4 passes to get the ball across the pitch, seeing it week in week out, I think back to the best coach I ever had teaching me Roy Bentley, OK it was the 1960's, he hammered into me as a wing half the benefits of switching play, one pass touch line to touch line, the opposition stretched, unable to regroup in time left things open for our front men to complete the job, he was the first coach with the passion to make us aware of the open spaces that occasionally open up if you yourself are alert enough to see them when you have the ball, yes the passing game is good but too many short ones helps the opposition regroup but there is still a place for the long ball.The big forwards come into their own when they have the wide men good enough to get beyond the defence to square the ball back, long balls played forward to the big man usually end up in the crowd behind the goal unless controlled and played off for others like Peter Crouch has been doing for Spurs.

Steve, my comments are to open up the discussion, pull them to pieces at your will, have the tactics really changed from the 1960's that much?, we all know the equipment, playing surfaces etc have changed, fitness levels are better and those boots and balls are something light years apart but the aims of the teams remain the same.