Shearers style of play – what is it?
Posted on June 4th, 2009 | 12 Comments |
Many who commentate, pundits and the like, continually state it doesn’t matter how you play its the results that count. Alan Shearer himself on many an occasion states that the result is the only thing that counts.
I ask myself if Big Sam had went on a decent run unbeaten and grinding out poor results, would that be good enough?
Personally I like to see good football, entertaining football, exciting football but is that because I became addicted to the highs of “The Entertainers” did I become addicted to everyone up and down the country loving the way we play, the thrill of coming back from a goal down and battering the opposition into submission. The fact Liverpool beat us 4-3 – it didnt matter – I felt alive.
Alan Shearer has came out in difficult circumstances and finds miraculously the words that make sense of it all, he seems to have a clarity of vision that makes sense. And when words have a resonance that’s because those delivering it, have it right. But I ask myself – what kind of football will Alan play if he is manager. I have seen nothing to date that would suggest a style of play, if I am honest it seems a chaotic approach on the pitch – but maybe that’s because he had limited resources and was playing needs must.
Alan also indicated the youngsters would get a chance, he decided not to blood them – I wonder will he choose the Championship to do so and if so, will we be the big draw for ambitious youngsters to sign for us – I hope so.
Modern football has evolved, the very best players adapt, can play in different positions, are powerful, agressive passionate, skillful, resourceful and quick (note all the things we have lacked this season but for the odd occassion) but moreso – players of the best teams understand their Managers philosophy, how he wants the game played, what their roles are, what their responsibilities are to themselves and each other.
I sit wondering, what Alan wants on the pitch, it isnt clear to me yet, just because he favoured wingers will he go that way himself? or will the football be more sterile and solid, time will tell. I make no apologies for loving Arsene Wengers style of play, their fans complain they havent won anything for years, just like the years of the Entertainers, I didnt care – it was the best football I had watched at SJP in my lifetime, and no doubt for some time yet.
So again, I ask myself, whats Alans style of play will be, I am unclear and if I am unclear his players will be unclear. Lets just hope he was too busy fighting fires to express that side of his management style………..
Damn it. I’ve got to write something, fast. Every idea I come up with gets posted before I have a chance to start it :-)
I never bought into this so called entertainers philosophy where apparently we would be happy to lose every game 4-3 as long as it was as entertain as THAT Liverpool game. Well, I’m sorry, but that’s bollocks. At the time I had arguments with other mags saying that if we did that every game we’d win nowt, but apparently that didn’t matter. However in the next breath they’d be moaning that we hadn’t won anything and we were playing the best they’d every seen us play. What’s that all about then?
I’m all for entertaining football, but there has to be a good result at the end of it too. I was no fan of Allerdyce’s style of play, but I’m convinced that if he was our manager now, we wouldn’t have been relegated.
Give me 38 1-0 wins in the PL to win the title over exciting defeats any time.
It is the result that matters, if you can get it playing entertaining football then it’s a bonus.