Positions are dead, long live player roles!

[alexscottislegend 2,320]

11 minutes ago, Scott7 said:

Dessers?

His role is to distract defenders via inter-zonal running so that Lammers can receive the ball before mis-controlling it.

[Rousseau 10,605]

1 hour ago, Bluedell said:

That diagram still has player positions. Yes, players can have different roles within their positions depending on their skillset, to put it in most basic terms, but there are still positions. That's always been the case.

 

It's not necessarily tactical either. Looking at our full backs, Tav, Sterling, Borna and Ridvan are all different and would do different roles based on their skillset, but they aren't able to switch to a different role particularly well.

 

Hateley and McCoist were always target and finisher and were always referred to in that way, so it's hardly a new concept either. Souness always wanted Hateley as a target man and when he couldn't get Hateley he went out and got Drinkell

The title is mine - an attempt at being provocative. I'm not suggesting player positions are totally dead, but that they can be inaccurate - as with formations.

 

It's just a little conversation starter. I just find 'roles' a better way of describing what a player does. 

[yuddie 1,693]

15 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

The title is mine - an attempt at being provocative. I'm not suggesting player positions are totally dead, but that they can be inaccurate - as with formations.

 

It's just a little conversation starter. I just find 'roles' a better way of describing what a player does. 

Thierry Henry did a segment on formations in defense v attack.

 

The media always use the defensive shape when usually teams will have 2 defenders in defence, 3 max if they're a dominant side.

[Malangsob 1,264]

Please tell me this is not some revelation? This has been obvious about soccer since day zero for me. Not tryna sound like 'that guy' but...pretty obvious...soccer is a zone game. Like hockey, and basketball to some extent (size withstanding). Everybody is pretty much the same size, the skill sets are also pretty similar.

 I mean yeah you have your 6'4" CB and your 5'10" CF but they are much more similar than dissimilar. Most importantly, everybody handles the ball, and with perhaps the exception of the keeper (last minute corners) everybody is expected to be able to score in some capacity. It becomes fairly obvious when compared to other team sports.

For example in American Football, a non-zonal game. You have the same amount of players on the field, yet you can have a 6'7" 350 lb. guard and a 5'7" 175lb slot receiver whose duties, and skill sets are completely different. The guard may go an entire season and NEVER touch the ball while it's live. Neither one of those players could fill in for the other in any capacity as the repercussions would be immediately catastrophic.

Soccer is not like that at all...once again...save for the keeper. 

 

Soccer to me seems to be a game more of zones than positions.

 

It always has...to me at least.

 

 

 

[Bill 13,717]

Please don’t call it soccer. 

[Uilleam 5,929]

So @Rousseau

 

There are 18 'roles', but only 10 outfield players.

What is your starting XI?

[Rousseau 10,605]

"Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is." -- Johan Cruyff

 

[yuddie 1,693]

Still baffles me how 90+% of pro footballers can't use both of their feet.

 

Shocking really. Its why some of our fans fawn over Ianis Hagi.

 

Heck, Lundstrams one of the very few midfielders in the last 20 years with us who passes off his left or right seemingly with every ball.

[yuddie 1,693]

Off the top of my head Ianis Hagi is one, possibly Claudio Reyna?

[yuddie 1,693]

Aye I just recall Reyna playing f***ing everywhere like.

 

Forgot Kent, that's a good one.