Is there less flair in the game now?

Skills

Snitch
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Jan 17, 2012
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Leads on from the 'power long shots' thread, does anyone feel there is less flair/originality in the game now?

It almost feels as if a lot of goals now come from the training pitch, and you're less likely to see a player do something amazing in the moment. The vast majority of players now play the percentages - they make the 'correct' pass more often than taking a risk, and just work the ball into a better position for someone else to take it.

Another thing I notice is how similar the techniques of many players across the top leagues are. It seems like they've all learned from the same text book. Which is why someone like Mbappe is so exciting. He's different, and has his own distinctive style which you can recognise from a mile away.

Is this true? Does anyone feel the same way?
 
Percentage football died years ago.
To me the 89 crosses in 1 game against Fulham is classic percentage football. Lumping the ball into the box on the basis that 15% will be met by Fellaini's head. It was so 1980s.

A lot a City's goals are very similar. Slide rule ball inside the full back, then cut back from the byline for a tap in. Its clearly deliberate and something promoted on the training ground. That said we do still see flashed of brilliance in amongst it.

In regards to players being similar, you are quite right, and it will only get worse. Grassroots football in this country now mirrors that of the continent, up to the age of about 12/13 is all about development of technique. Kids rotate positions, including goalie. Acedemy scouts only hand out trials to kids that have a quick change of direction, excellent control and dribbling ability so there could be a complete tank of a defender who nobody can get passed but is technically behind that would never get a chance.
We are 15-20 years away from an abundance of wide strikers, defenders that posses the skills of a 1990's striker and more Edersons than you can shake a stick at. Infact, you can already see this in the national teams. Joe Gomes, Trent AA, Angel Gomes, Greenwood, Foden, Sancho, all beginning to come through and some have already made their England debuts. The others a year or so away from doing so. Not many John Terry's, David Batty's or Sol Campbells coming through though.

Thats how i see things anyhow.
 
I disagree. You get plenty of flicks and tricks - it's just our team that's been dull for ages.

Recently that's changed - a few examples over the last week;

  • Rashfords fun for Pogbas first goal against Bournemouth; superb.
  • That no-look pass Pogba played against Cardiff
  • Martials outside of the boot cross for Rashford
  • The outside of the box shot Pogba scored last week
  • What Firminiho did against Arsenal
Those are just the ones i remember from the last 10 days or so?
 
There's definitely less flair players in football, that's for sure. Skill has been replaced by fitness/workrate, but now these athletes are also becoming pretty skilful too.

Think back to the 90's and football didn't care about possession stats or passing %, it was just about being beautiful and winning. Unfortunately the best teams just became more efficient and less sexy.
 
Yes there is. That's why I like to watch PSG in my spare time. And have done for a few years even going back to when Blanc was in charge. there's nothing machine like in their football. Just fluid, off the cuff and very imaginative.
 
the goal firmino scored against arsenal was 1990s/80s- style defending. players stand around these days they don't lunge in.
 
Look at Pogba and you have the answer " he must not do too much - play for the team, play simple !!!! "
this mentality killed the flair in the game !
 
HisDudeness said:
the goal firmino scored against arsenal was 1990s/80s- style defending. players stand around these days they don't lunge in.
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I think this is the main point, defenders are becoming as nimble as the front players, smarter too, so it's harder for forward players to beat a defender by being quicker and smarter, that Firmino goal was a classic example of defenders being dull and dicind in hoping to get the ball.
 
Certainly. Players are built more on speed, workrate and efficiency over flair and skill.

Even see it at grass roots level. My local amateur team has been ditching all the good footballers to their reserves once a batch of youth players who were both fast and worked hard became seniors. It will probably get them promoted to the regional tier above, as is their ambition, but then they'll start to come a bit unstuck when better opponents can defend against their pace.
 
Players don't fly in with slide tackles, etc, anymore. You saw it against Cardiff with the Eriksen goal.... the Cardfiff player just stood back and tried to put his body in the way of a shoot. Firmino goal against Arsenal was bad defending they all went lunging in with slide tackles.
 
Ronaldo is the best example. He has neglected trickery and pace, for efficiency and productivity.

He still uses the former when needed, of course. But far less than he did at the beginning of his career.
 
Zlatattack said:
I disagree. You get plenty of flicks and tricks - it's just our team that's been dull for ages.

Recently that's changed - a few examples over the last week;

  • Rashfords fun for Pogbas first goal against Bournemouth; superb.
  • That no-look pass Pogba played against Cardiff
  • Martials outside of the boot cross for Rashford
  • The outside of the box shot Pogba scored last week
  • What Firminiho did against Arsenal
Those are just the ones i remember from the last 10 days or so?
Click to expand...

This! Its exacerbated if you don't watch other teams weekly as well.
 
Still plenty of flairs in the game.

I think it depends on the system though -- some coach/manager seems to discard flair for full efficiency, discouraging his players to attempt those risk options.
:devil:Under Ole, he let players express themselves, and we're seeing flairs from our players more and more now, which is really the United way.
*Pogba still attempted it under Mourinho's system though but less often compare to now while others seems less likely to even try it, oh but Bailly tend to showed it which probably led to him being dropped. Pretty sure Martial and Rashford also tried it few times but not too often.*

Pep seems to be discouraging it though, I don't remember seeing any City players tried any flair moves, it's just a repetitive team movements, repeat repeat repeat.

That, and I think it also depends on confidence/morale. Players are likely to attempt it when they are confident, especially in good form or when the team is leading/winning the games.

Individually, maturity comes into play, matured flair players will cut down their excess flair play attempts in favor of more efficient team play, and a good matured flair players will balance it well -- when to make a more safer right options and when to make a flair play which tend to be more riskier option.
 
There is a shortage of top quality flair players. There should be at least 2 more Neymar/Mbappe's playing right now, and preferably a few more Hazard's too. I may be completely wrong but I feel like were dozens of early 2000s players who would be making headlines week in week out today.
 
I think its more a question of the tempo/speed of games and players nbeing so high that there's simply much less time and space for "flair" players to their thing.
 
I think it comes down to defending. There's simply no time and space for the like of Jay Jay Okocha to do his thing now. Creating that lack of time and space through pressure and harrying is how teams defend now, rather than a lunge to win the ball. Makes it much harder for a player to scan and decide to do a trick. If you get past one, there'll be another defender in the zone behind him.
 
abdo99 said:
Yes there is. That's why I like to watch PSG in my spare time. And have done for a few years even going back to when Blanc was in charge. there's nothing machine like in their football. Just fluid, off the cuff and very imaginative.
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That’s my first thought as well. PSG really plays like a 90’s side, in a good way. Ole actually tries to do something similar, which is understandable, considering that our arguably best outfield player also has tons of different and imaginative tricks (and the likes of Martial, Rashford and Lingard are on the same wavelength as him).
 
I think there is. There's definitely plenty of exciting players, but the natural flair is in decline I think.

I remember reading a bit about Juan Riquelme years ago. Magician on his best day, but wouldn't sprint/run/track back for sh!t.

The person doing the writing was making the point that Riquelme was the last of a dying breed: a pure footballer as opposed to an athlete that plays football. Obviously, that's painting with broad strokes, but I feel there's a point to be made how footballers these days tend to be professional athletes first, footballers (in the truest sense) second.

Take Matt Le Tissier as a perfect example. It's highly unlikely a player like that would make it now due to perceived lack of athleticism alone.
 
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