This obsession about players being fast

TheReligion

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Mainly a phenomenon seen on the Caf when discussing younger players. I was going to add some quotes but I don't want to be accused of bullying the weak again so I won't.

Anyway why do some seem to believe that if you aren't very fast you are rubbish? Did they not witness David Bellion and in more recent times Adama 'no end product' Traore?

Speed is useful but you need to balance that with technical ability and many other traits. There's a debate in the Amad thread going on about how fast he is, same with Elanga, Greenwood, Rashford.

So what's the obsession with speed merchants on Red Cafe?
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

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Yeah it's a bit weird, I'd take Grealish over any of the wingers we've been linked to because his decision-making is that good. Beckham should have taught this fan base better.
 

joobier

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It could be because we play our best football on the break. If Bruno picks the ball up in his own would you rather Rashford or Mata to be making a run?
 

TheReligion

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Zarlak said:
Can't be tackled if noone can catch you.
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This is true but you have to be able to carry the ball with you at speed whilst keeping it close to your body.

Being quick with and without the ball are two very different things my son.
 

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How much is it do with FIFA? Pace is pretty much the most important stat in that game (well it was the last time I played it) - so yeah think it's a bit of a carry over from that.

Definitely is something some people obsess over... that and anybody over 30 being totally useless / wanting to build an entire team of 20 year olds.
 

Blackwidow

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Being fast is one of the traits that get more and more important in the recent years. You still need other skills, but if you really have deficits with your speed you have to compensate with something else. No - just being speedy does not make you a good footballer - but helps you a lot.

Look to Alphonso Davies. His positioning is still is not very good - but he can compensate it and win the ball back with runs as he is speedier as most of the others.
 

TheReligion

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Blackwidow said:
Being fast is one of the traits that get more and more important in the recent years. You still need other skills, but if you really have deficits with your speed you have to compensate with something else. No - just being speedy does not make you a good footballer - but helps you a lot.

Look to Alphonso Davies. His positioning is still is not very good - but he can compensate it and win the ball back with runs as he is speedier as most of the others.
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Yes this is probably a good theory on the topic but I guess what I'm saying is why are fans obsessed at judging young players with how fast they are during their development instead of looking at their technical abilities?
 

izec

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Rashford is super fast actually when not playing with a knock or half injured. Greenwod is a striker, fast enough for that. Pace is not an issue at all there.
Elanga and Amad are just starting out, not sure why people judge them so quickly. Amad is fast enough and has great ability.

Pace is only an issue if you are super slow.
 

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With the progression towards high defensive lines pace has become more important both for attackers, to exploit that high defensive line as well as for defenders to make up their bad positioning.
Having said that, definitely a bit off an obsession to it, similar to age where 26 years old are framed as "28 next season, will be 32 at the end of his contract and worthless afterwards".
Maybe FIFA is actually to blame with pace being the major important attribute for years.
 

TheReligion

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izec said:
Rashford is super fast actually when not playing with a knock or half injured. Greenwod is a striker, fast enough for that. Pace is not an issue at all there.
Elanga and Amad are just starting out, not sure why people judge them so quickly. Amad is fast enough and has great ability.

Pace is only an issue if you are super slow.
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Super fast and super slow.

What about plain old fast and slow. Where does that leave you?
 

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TheReligion said:
No one said it didn't help but it's not the most valuable asset a player can have is it. Surely that's obvious. Anyone can be fast but not anyone can be technically gifted as a player.
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Some people aren't fast though.

But yeah it's easier to find an athlete who is fast than a player with great technical skill. To find a player with both even rarer.
 

TheReligion

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stevoc said:
Some people aren't fast though.

But yeah it's easier to find an athlete who is fast than a player with great technical skill. To find a player with both even rarer.
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And being fast in a straight line without the ball and being fast carrying it with you are two very different things in my eyes.
 

11101

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Pace is the single biggest advantage a player can have and can make an average player look good.

If you lack pace, you have to be an exceptional footballer to be of any use to a top team.
 

Number32

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TheReligion said:
Mainly a phenomenon seen on the Caf when discussing younger players. I was going to add some quotes but I don't want to be accused of bullying the weak again so I won't.

Anyway why do some seem to believe that if you aren't very fast you are rubbish? Did they not witness David Bellion and in more recent times Adama 'no end product' Traore?

Speed is useful but you need to balance that with technical ability and many other traits. There's a debate in the Amad thread going on about how fast he is, same with Elanga, Greenwood, Rashford.

So what's the obsession with speed merchants on Red Cafe?
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Ironically, they might be the same persons who said Dan James was shite thousand times in this forum. Double standard at its finest.
 

sullydnl

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TheReligion said:
Yes this is probably a good theory on the topic but I guess what I'm saying is why are fans obsessed at judging young players with how fast they are during their development instead of looking at their technical abilities?
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Maybe because pace is as basic and easy a thing to judge as there is in football? Even people who aren't good at judging footballers or haven't seen much of a player will notice if they run fast, even as raw youngsters.

Whereas maybe technique and (particularly) intelligence take more time to judge properly. "Technique" because it's fairly broad and "intelligence" because it can be more subtle. Most people will notice if a player can run fast a lot sooner than they'll notice that they consistently make the right runs.

So basically it comes from posters trying to have opinions on players they (understandably) can only know so well. So their opinion ends up being centred on the most basic, easily identifiable traits. Too slow, needs to bulk up, etc.
 
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OleBoiii

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Football will always be more about technique, creativity and precision than pure athleticism. That is why Messi is considered the GOAT(though he's quick, obviously).

Having said that, let's not pretend that speed isn't an incredibly useful tool. At the highest level I rate its importance higher than the importance of strength and stamina, overall.
 

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Pace is very, very, very important in 2021. You can be a great player without it, and having it doesn't make you great automatically, but there's a limit to how good a player can be in the current game without top end pace
 

rimaldo

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fast players tend to have the biggest thighs. this makes their shorts tighter. the tighter their shorts, the easier it is to see the outline of their package when they’re running.
 

flappyjay

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11101 said:
Pace is the single biggest advantage a player can have and can make an average player look good.

If you lack pace, you have to be an exceptional footballer to be of any use to a top team.
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Dan James would still be in the championship without his pace
 

stevoc

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TheReligion said:
And being fast in a straight line without the ball and being fast carrying it with you are two very different things in my eyes.
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They are indeed, the rarest.

They used to do pace comparisons years ago probably 06-07, think it was Nike. Rooney of all the top players in the PL tested was only the 3rd fastest but he was the fastest with the ball at his feet dribbling.
 

Redfrog

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It’s not like speed and technicality can’t go together.
If a player has both the better. If not being technical is more important. But you need both anyway if you want to do everything.
But I’ll say that a defender is better if his positioning is top class.
 

OleBoiii

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giorno said:
Pace is very, very, very important in 2021. You can be a great player without it, and having it doesn't make you great automatically, but there's a limit to how good a player can be in the current game without top end pace
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How would you define top end pace?

Bruno is slightly faster than the average player, but I wouldn't describe it as top end.
 

Igor Drefljak

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Obviously Fifa plays a big part in people being obsessed with pace these days, but it's still important in so many ways.

If you're fast and can dribble well, you'll be a nightmare for a lot of defenders, but for me, the most important reason for being quick is all about recovery.
Good positioning is great and all, for a defender, but if you're slow, you can easily be exposed.

Faster players mean the ability to hold a higher line, squeeze the opposition into their own half and dominate the play
 

Bwuk

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Fifa. The ball moves faster than players can run.
 

Zlatattack

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MyOnlySolskjaer said:
Yeah it's a bit weird, I'd take Grealish over any of the wingers we've been linked to because his decision-making is that good. Beckham should have taught this fan base better.
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Some of the people who are our fanbase, especially online were in nappies when Beckham played for us.
 

MadMike

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Next thread... why are so many cafites obsessed with footballer fitness. Surely you need to balance out fitness with technical skills. Bring back Anderson and stop being fattist!
 

romufc

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Its clear it is very important.

Look at how many goals Vardy scores because of his pace, not only that but it makes the defence think too. A defensive line can push up 10 yards if the opposition has no pace.

The reason Liverpools defence was so good is because VVD and Gomez are so quick and can defend on the half way line knowing not many players will outpace them.
It actually helps a team defend higher.

Pace also helps a team play different styles, against stronger teams we can sit back and counter if required. Pace also helps beat a man one v one, it just gives alot more options to a team.
 
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