Possession Obsession

Adam McCulloch 09/03/2016 13comments  |  Jump to last

"I don’t understand why they don’t cross it more, Bayern – every time they do it causes problems. That’s why possession is overrated."

Owen Hargreaves.

Ok, that’s probably the first and last time that an Owen Hargreaves quote kicks off an article on ToffeeWeb. An injury-prone, ex-Man Utd midfielder with a point to prove and not a lot else: I had to check on Wikipedia to see if we ever wanted him.

ADVERTISEMENT

About these ads

I digress. The quote above came during extra-time of the rather good clash between Bayern Munich and Juve last night. The media had whipped-up every conceivable amount of praise for Guardiola and his brand of football. Despite letting a two-goal lead slip in the first leg in Turin, Bayern had played some breathtaking stuff and had two key away goals to show for it. So it was a shock to see the Italian side leading 2-0 after less than half an hour. Nevertheless, Bayern battled back and equalised on the night in the 90th minute to take the tie to extra time, and then ruthlessly plundered another two excellent goals in extra time to make it 4-2 on the night.

So how does this tie into our beloved blues? Well, our manager is a confirmed fan of Pep. Yes, Martinez is a fan of everything, from Gideon Osborne to a cold Gregg’s steak bake he said catapulted him to “a unique moment.” And yes, headlines like "Roberto Martinez: Arrival of Chelsea, Man Utd and City target Pep Guardiola ‘phenomenal’" do not exactly send shockwaves rippling through the world of football, but he is particularly effusive in the praise of his fellow Catalonian.

Patrick Boyland wrote a great piece about Martinez and Brendan Rodgers being the "flawed disciples of Pep Guardiola"). Without treading over too much old ground, we know that our manager – like Guardiola – wants to control the game through the retention of possession. The argument against this is often that Guardiola’s system is used with world-class players, unlike the sides Martinez has coached at both Wigan and now with ourselves. And yet our squad is better served than any before to implement Martinez’s possession ideals. Despite his errors this season, John Stones is an eerily composed centre-half in the making, Baines, Barry, Barkley and others possess quality and look comfortable on the ball – certainly more so than the spine of our team in years gone by. We still lack a creative force in the middle and a goalkeeper with better distribution but the main ingredients are all there.

Yet as the quote that began this ramble hints at, Bayern’s victory last night was not down to possession. For over an hour there was little in the way of cutting edge. It was reminiscent of some of our performances, with the stats in our favour but crucial goals conceded and a disappointing lack of urgency (think West Brom a few weeks ago). I’m sure Guardiola would argue that his team had passed Juve to death and taken advantage late on when legs and minds were tiring. But what swung the game was two wonderful balls swung into the box, the patient approach abolished by some good, old-fashioned wing play. It “caused problems,” something that teams like Leicester have managed to so successful, regardless of the possession stats and apparent control that it affords.

It was a similar case in our victory in the FA Cup on Saturday evening. Our passing was comfortable without being penetrating. We created little. A bruising cup tie against the wounded animal of Chelsea was never going to be settled by passing triangles and intricate interplay. As such it was Lukaku, that hulking improviser, who bulldozed his way through the Chelsea defence to score a magnificent goal of his own making. He seemed almost bored by the inaction and decided to take it upon himself to settle matters and settle some scores along the way.

It is a strange identify crisis we are all suffering at the moment. On the one hand, we could look back to the dour football of the Walter Smith era, and at times during Moyes’ tenure, and thank our lucky stars that we "keep the ball on the deck," as my dad would scream at Mitch Ward and the like. Yet the stubbornness to this style, the lack of a plan B, the fact that the possession is often empty, the dull fare often on show and, of course, the results, makes us wonder if things could be different. I’ve heard people comment that we miss bite and aggression, yet as sparkling moments from the likes of Deulofeu, Barkley and co have shown, the Goodison crowd likes a flair player.

The doubt that haunts me is that Saturday’s result came from (arguably) our best player going off-script and rejecting the Martinez mantra. And it worked. Guardiola on the other hand brought on Kinglsey Coman, who played a part in the first goal, made the second with a wonderful cross and scored the delightful fourth goal to wrap up an incredible turnaround. His more direct Plan B changed the game, along with positive substitutions (the crucial third goal was scored by another, Thiago).

Boyland’s article suggests that Martinez should discover some pragmatism. Despite still believing that our underachievement this year is down to the manager, if he is retained then I feel a loosening of the possession shackles could make a crucial difference. Especially when one area that we do have the foundations in place for are attacking full-backs, tricky wingers and a lethal striker. Romelu Lukaku deserves to be on the end of crosses the likes of which Bayern delivered last night. Perhaps Martinez could adapt his philosophy to play to these strengths when passing our way through teams is ineffective. It could get the best out of this talented group of players. Hopefully it’s not so late in the day that we lose possession of the towering forward who could become the fulcrum of that group.

Share this article

Reader Comments (13)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


John Daley
1 Posted 17/03/2016 at 17:15:54
"The doubt that haunts me is that Saturday's result came from (arguably) our best player going off-script and rejecting the Martinez mantra."

I don’t think even Martinez in his most ’philosophy’ focused moment would consider taking a couple of defenders on and twatting it in the bottom corner as anathema or tantamount to forfeiting possession.

Dick Fearon
2 Posted 17/03/2016 at 20:34:19
A pity that possession stats include useless and boring stuff wherein defenders under no pressure are unable or unwilling to seek moving the ball into an attacking zone.

Rom
elu's goals owed much to Barkley's rapid and excellent passes that delivered balls to Rom without the need for him to break stride. If that kind of pass was made more often, we could only guess at the big fellow's tally.

Peter Mills
3 Posted 17/03/2016 at 21:56:21
I've watched a couple of games this week. Leicester on Monday, when I thought their "3 minutes to go, kick it to the corner flag, run for it, catch it, stick your arse into the defender" tactics were absolutely spot on.

And Utd v rs tonight when I'm thinking "right from the start, stick Fellaini up front".

The so-called cerebral managers would frown at such ugly football. Yet all of us, needing to win an important match, would use whatever strengths we have.

Don Alexander
4 Posted 17/03/2016 at 22:44:23
Three comments; anyone crediting Ross with an "assist" for Rom’s first goal on Saturday will no doubt instantly tell me who passed to Maradona before he waltzed through the England team in THAT World Cup Quarterfinal in 1986 before scoring. Nuff said.

More importantly, if anything said on TalkSport is believable, Pep told his stars at halftime that, if they were to lose the match against Juve, he would personally relieve all of them of their bollocks!

Lastly, and most importantly, the work-rate of Bayern and Barca, under Pep and now, truly is phenomenal when it comes to winning the ball back. Only a delusional muppet could fail to have spotted that.

Terence Leong
6 Posted 18/03/2016 at 00:24:27
The bigger issue is whether Martinez feels that he can outplay team or not; that is what decides his possession play.

I read a recent article that one of the ex-Wigan players spoke about how Martinez set up Wigan against Everton in that quarter final.

Apparently, it was to soak, contain, press and strike.

When we look at the Europa games last season, the 3-0 win against Man Utd, and a few others, I have concluded that Martinez will play counter-attacking football.

It comes down to whether he thinks the other team is going to be superior in possession.

If he thinks/ perceives that it is the case, then he will let them have the ball and play counter-attacking football.

The problem is when he thinks our team can outplay the other team, and that's where he goes on his tiki-taka game.

So, I am hoping / praying that he will begin to perceive things differently (perception is reality). His beliefs and mindset are guided by what he sees, so here's hoping that he sees differently.

Dick Fearon
7 Posted 18/03/2016 at 07:20:29
Don @ 4, I would not for a second suggest that Lukaku’s first goal was not a brilliant solo effort and deserved to be included among the seasons best goals.

What I do insist is that it was made possible by Ross’s perfectly weighted pass that bisected 2 defenders and did not require Rom to break stride while running at defenders.

If Rom could be served with many more similar passes, he would set goal scoring records not seen for many a long year.

Christopher Dover
8 Posted 18/03/2016 at 07:24:41
Martinez has HIS way of playing, he will not change, maybe tinker once in a while to give us hope he has changed.

He will not, did not with Wigan had best part of three seasons at Everton and we still hope he has learnt.

He has not or will not which is why most (not all) want him gone, me included, let him put his way of playing into another team, if any will take him and let us get a proper manager.

Ernie Baywood
9 Posted 18/03/2016 at 07:45:21
Exactly, Dick. I'll never, ever understand the failure to accept that Ross produces good moments for this team. It was a great solo goal, but does anyone else put the ball out in front of Rom? Do they find those positions to do so? Bringing a player's strengths to the fore should be applauded! Instead people go out of their way to dismiss Ross' contribution.

On the article itself, it's all about balance. There's no doubt in my mind that when we have less of the ball and play deeper we look more defensively sound and far more threatening in attack.

But handing the opposition the impetus for 90 minutes wouldn't be smart. You've got to control at least part of the game or you'll be dead on your feet chasing the ball.

Our challenge is to dictate the game. Play it at the tempo of our choosing. Mix it up on our terms. The issue I think we have is that we don't have the player who dictates the play... not since Arteta left.

Don Alexander
10 Posted 18/03/2016 at 15:46:38
Ernie, I didn't criticise Ross at all. The worst I've ever said of him is that he needs to more regularly unleash his skills and, in my opinion, try to get more in the face of defenders who are in possession of the ball, or even tackle them. Not too much to ask as a fan I hope.

Rom's first goal stemmed from a pass. Nobody's fault, but the lad had tons to do in order to score and ALL credit to him for doing so.

All credit to Ross for genuinely making Rom's second though, and Rom for scoring it obviously. The big lad had nowhere near as much to do having received a peach of an "assist".

The thread's about possession/obsession and the Martinez way does my head in re possession for its own sake, although stats-wise it seems brilliant on paper. In the same way "assist" stats are deceptive if the making of a goal is credited to whichever player delivered to ball to the scorer regardless.

Colin Metcalfe
11 Posted 18/03/2016 at 20:45:21
I was just 19 years oldw hen I was fortunate to win a scholarship to study and play football in the States. I spent 3 happy years playing a bit of semi pro, studying a little bit, and getting smashed a lot!

I came back to the UK a better player and started to play in the local leagues... Unfortunately due to poor pitches and some horrendous tackles, I got my fair share of injuries and eventually lost my appetite for the aggressive style of football then played out in the late '80s early '90s and so went back to playing for fun... 5- or 7-a-side!

In April '99, I moved to Barcelona and spent the next 12 years there. I went to the Nou Camp on many occasions and saw Pep play and was fortunate to bump into him in a night club! I have to say those first couple of years they were pretty awful to watch and going through managers like Chelsea... However, there were young kids coming through... Xavi, Iniesta etc and later on Messi and eventually saw the birth of what was to become tika-taka.

I am a big fan of how they play. I personally like possession football when played correctly! What do a lot of our readers call it... "Tippy-tappy shite" – believe me, you have no idea because, when it’s played right, it's a joy to watch. The problem is that Martinez can’t get the team to play it fast enough and maybe the players are not suited?

I was just 32 years old when I arrived in Barcelona and I started playing in a team again. I learnt a lot from my Catalan, Dutch and South American teammates and soon I valued how important it is to retain possession and it improved my game immensely.

I predict Pep will be a massive success at Man City and their fitness will no doubt improve and I believe Leicester will not have the same effect in Europe as they do in the Premier League with their "hit them hard and fast" style!

Everton should persevere with possession football but it is difficult to do if you'er playing in a league that plays 100 mph. If played right, it’s devastating – as Barça have shown.

Don Alexander
12 Posted 18/03/2016 at 21:04:48
Colin, I agree it’s a joy to watch but you do seem to need fabulously talented players (you named a few of Barça’s but there’s many more) who also need to be extremely fit to do it, especially when it comes to winning the ball back as Barça regularly do, on the edge of the opposition’s penalty area........ cue more Tika-Taka that twists the defenders’ blood. It’s also a fact that in way more than half their Spanish games Barça have no real opposition at all.

Unfortunately, we don’t possess too many players who would get a game for Barça (unless I need a trip to Specsavers), and under Martinez we’re visibly not as fit as others in our league, never mind Barça, and there’s probably only a handful of games in the Premier League where a competently managed team could EXPECT to win. Can’t remember a match where I’ve had that feeling for far too long now.

Tony Abrahams
13 Posted 18/03/2016 at 21:31:44
Colin @11, I enjoyed reading that post, and remember watching Madrid smashing Barça, 4-1 during that era.

Madrid were a team, but Barça, we’re all individuals. All except one, a young Iniesta, who was just magnificent to watch even then.

I agree that possession football is only really effective when combined with speed, but it’s also about every player being on the same page.

Only when you have the latter, can you really do the former, and I personally think it’s the reason so few teams have ever been able to master it. Munich included.

Ernie Baywood
14 Posted 19/03/2016 at 01:40:50
Don, I didn't say you criticised him, I said you dismissed his contribution to the first goal. Dick's statement was about Ross' contribution, not Rom's.

I'm with you that the 'assist' stat doesn't tell you much (unless over a long period of time). But for both goals Ross did pretty much the same thing. He dropped into the space behind his man marker (Mikel) and played it early in front of Lukaku. If anything the pass for the first goal was the more measured. With the second, only panic could have got in the way of him picking the right pass.

Both good contributions, both allowed Rom to showcase his attributes, both worthy of credit. What Rom did after receiving the passes is well understood but doesn't negate what went before.

More of that is the answer to the possession criticism. More penetration on our terms.


Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads



© ToffeeWeb