Well we have ‘been good’ before and never played like them. It’s part of what really irks me about this media obsession about our style of play since Fergie left. We were never the gold standard of good football under him. Arsenal were, for the most part.
Arsenal were lauded at the time because English football had not seen that style before. It was new, it looked good, so it must be better.
SAF played some of the most exciting football I've ever seen as a neutral. I loved watching his sides play, especially the 1999 and 2006-2009 teams.
Over his tenure he really defined what the English style was about, fast-paced, counter-attacking football based on being athletic, competitive and most of all exciting!!
Why does tika-taka have to be the 'gold standard'. I hate watching Barcelona play. Technically, it's incredible, I can't fault it. But I don't want to see a side dominate the ball for 75% of the game and walk the ball into the net, it bores me.
Leicester won the league recently playing some of the most exciting football I've seen in recent years. It was SAF football. Other teams had become so obsessed and complacent trying to copy the Spanish model, they had forgotten how to play against English football!
The closest thing to it at the moment is probably Liverpool. They break so quickly and their front 3 reminds me of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez from 07-08.
I would love English teams to stop trying to do what the Spanish do, but worse than the Spanish and get back to blowing teams away with pace, athleticism, competitiveness and determination. It's not a backward step, it's just what English teams have always done best.
Make the English way of playing the gold standard!