The invasion game the hoarding way

The evolving game usually attracted much attention when tactics changed specifically at Fifa World Cups when millions of viewers got the opportunity to spend some time watching other countries they never saw or heard of playing football. 

For most of all we know, this sport is essentially an invasion game. The longevity of that truth depends on the horizons of your imagination. By default or by design, graphic illustrations of this fact is borne by most of the English Premier League teams as well as Real Madrid.

There is however another phenomenon, known to all but not given rightful attention as the modern game. On a good day, especially during the good old Arsenal days, we saw plenty of it. Harry Redknapp made it a Spurs trademark during his colourful White Hart Lane career. Swansea are exciting people with it but it is the monopoly of Barcelona. We are in the advent of the hording game; the 'catch me if you can' display.

It can be argued that while hording the ball, the intention is to ultimately invade the opposition goal. That becomes as true as institution of a domestic marriage. Couples do not necessarily marry for conjugal rights, though it is the ritual end game.

As for football, like many ball sports, the opposition gets outmaneuvered by precise technical and witty tactical ingenuity surpassing efforts of highly trained secret agents. More so, the game outside England if you discount recent strides the latest transformation made. Even then, it is attributed to foreigners.

Carrying the ball forward and thumping it in 'route one' fashion have been the norm, and seldom with later developments that convinced us that the art of elimination was the answer to everything. In the process, brutal force and sometimes mere determination and team spirit carried the day.

Football needed peeling off this inept syndrome and replace it with a formula that could sustain the two pronged outcome, to produce the results game after game, year after year and for seasons while entertaining the fans. That became the cornerstone of the Spanish's European (twice) and Fifa World Cup success. It took Barca from glory to glory perennially.

Granted, like the pressing of Arrigho Sacchi a few decades ago, it may see its better days, but it will not be anytime soon. Countering the passing game for now, will be a better passing game.

Interceptions in midfield will become better and screening will fade away to give way to winning the ball up field. That is very much physically taxing and tactically not unsustainable. The deliberate short passing game in one channel in order to attract traffic into that channel and then suddenly playing very long and wide to the weaker channel may the next big thing.

This need the Gareth Bales and Aaron Lennons, because they are the players you will need to pick up with that long ball on either channel. Like many systems we toy around with nowadays, these things existed, but occurred unintentionally and much less attention was given to their development as winning strategies.

The need of technically superior players is greatly appreciated the world over and with much better preparation and understanding, the game will continue to be studied and improved until it comes full circle. This is true of how Stoke City resembled Wimbledon sometime back, though is a polished way. They now play the ball on the deck.They have players to do it, but when you are still lulled by the deft skills of the big men, they hit teams with that one ball, kicked or thrown in.

Just how deceptive these guys are, one has to look at their recent victory over Liverpool. When getting into crossing positions, all and sundry would have put their tools on the chopping board for a delivery of a high cross. As an element of surprise, a low ball was met by Kenwyne Jones at the near post for that stylish back heel finish.

Essentially, the sophistication of the game as we know it today has been caused by the intrinsic details that have turned out to be the difference between victors and victims. Small things make the big things happen. Get the details right and everything will fall into place. 

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?