Re: Progress in technique?

I don't think there has been progress in technique in the 32 years that I
have been a serious fan. The biggest change is that the game has sped up.
In addition, players have been much more cautious. Midfield has become a
danger zone and many teams prefer to pass the ball over it, which is boring.
When I watch the '74 final, one thing really stands out: no one is afraid
to hold the ball and dribble around a challenge from the front. Now, most
players are afraid to do that, and I don't think there's any reason for them
to be. You have a natural advantage if you have the ball and some one is
running at you--you should be able to put the ball where he can't get it and
move on.

I don't think there's anyone out there--Beckham is the closest--who can
consistently pass as beautifully as Beckenbauer did. He actually preferred
to use the outside of his right foot--there is no one out there like that
now. Cruyff has commented that nearly al the players of his era could
control the ball with either foot. (But not all--Van Hanegem was helpless
with his right foot.) Gerson was another amazing passer. Ballack is very
good, but not quite as good as Beckenbauer, I would say.

I have seen all Brazil's 1970 games and saw Pele in the US but Pele was
certainly not at his best then. I've also seen all the goals from 1958, of
course. Maradona at his best was more spectacular than anything I've ever
seen from Pele, but I didn't see that much. Brazil's top 5 in 1982 were, I
think, at least as good as their top 5 today--that would be Falcao,
Socrates, Zico, Cerezo, and Eder. But I don't think they were better than
Pele, Jairzhino, Tostao, Rivelino, and Gerson. Now Ronaldo at his best was
unique. Zidane is an incredible technical player--actually he is probably
the best comparison to Beckenbauer and, yes, probably was as good at his
best. Van Basten was an amazing player for a few years.

Two center forwards who really stand out for me are Muller and
Lineker. They couldn't run much, but they were deadly around the net. I
don't quite understand why more people like that don't develop.

Bobby Moore was, really, the best defender I've ever seen. Again, I
have tapes, and the guy never fails to do something useful when he gets his
foot on the ball.

I do wish we could see more than highlights from 1950 and 1954. They
scored so many goals! How? Was the defense at fault? I do have the Hungary
7-2 win over England from 1953 and they were just too fast for the English.
And the defenses weren't so packed. Those days must have been fun.

So while today's players may be in better shape, I do not think they
are, on the whole, technically superior to the best of the past. And I
don't think play is as entertaining as it was thirty years ago. (The refs
aren't helping--see post, above.) But certainly there are many remarkable
players on display from many parts of hte world.

David Kaiser

"Ray" <netoverthere@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:VCHkg.688$Za5.162@xxxxxxxxxxx
I think the game is increasingly favouring faster
smaller players. Coaches fielding larger
more contact oriented teams are increasingly
at a disadvantage. This is good news for South
America, bad news for many European teams.
It's still a contact sport, no question about that,
but contact is increasingly being punished like
never before.


<milivella@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1150498537.811624.317390@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A question (I hope interesting enough): has there been a progress in
individual technique in the soccer history?

I only add three point to make the question clearer:

1. I'm speaking of progress, not of simple change (soccer/football is
always changin' from a physical and tactical point of view, and
technique must follow these changes). The question is: is Ronaldinho
*more* skilled than Meazza? does Figo know *more* than Di Stefano?

2. I know that you can't compare players of different periods. But, in
the aspects (even few) you can compare players separated by decades,
has there been a progress?

3. The answer is, clearly, yes. If you confront soccer/football at its
origin, in the 19th century, with today, it's clear that there has been
a progress. But is the progress still goin' on? Or the maximum has
already been catched? If yes, when? These are the real questions.





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