Football Evolution: Why Is Pace So Important In Modern Football?
Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Kaka, Ribery, Van Persie...What do all of these players have in common? The answer is pace. Speed is essential to modern football, as the game has become much quicker and focus has shifted towards counter attacking other teams, pace has become a prized commodity.
This evolution towards counter attacking football has been facilitated by firstly, how the rules have changed in modern football. Defenders are allowed less leverage and are booked for cynical fouls that they would have escaped in the times of Cruyff or Pele. A tackle from behind is frowned upon and is almost a booking every time a player commits to it. Tugging on the shirt which was once a norm during defensive duties has turned into an objectionable offense. An offense which can merit a penalty even if done in one’s own box.
The above listed factors along with the type of pitches that football is played on makes for a perfect setting to hit teams on the break. Football grounds today are expansive, and it doesn't matter if the seating is limited or how much access is given to the media or weather it provides live videos and images of the game to people around the world. What matters is the quality of the grass or the quality of the ground itself. Quality football these days is played on quality grounds, period.
Such silky grounds allow players to pass on the ground rather than hoof long balls up the field to a tall target man. 50-70 years ago, this was not the case. Pitches were water logged during winters in Europe, players used to play under hail and snow, this caused difficultly when controlling and especially when passing the ball. In modern times, this is not the case.
There has been a long held belief in football that a team can only attack for long enough, this means that sometimes too much attack can become a bad thing. A perfect example is obtained from two or three games during the previous past league season which exhibit this strategy brilliantly; Arsenal vs. Manchester United at the Emirates stadium which United won 3-1, Inter Milan vs. Barcelona at the San Siro in Milan which Inter Milan won 3-1 as well. So far in the World Cup we saw Germany play some brilliant counter attacking football against England in their round of sixteen match.
The Counter attacking football debate is essential to proving that pace and is a very important part of football now. Counter attack depends on pace, it thrives on speed. When Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal, he reformed the way they played. He turned them into an effective passing team, a team which attacked over quick thrusts through central midfield and utilized the width of the field. He turned them into a brilliant counter attacking outfit which meant that they required pace in their ranks. This is well established by the fact that Theo Walcott was preferred over Sebastian Larsson in the Arsenal side. Theo Walcott is a player well known for his pace on the ball whereas Sebastian Larsson is a player who picks out a pass and is good with crossing the ball and delivering superior passes from set plays.
For Arsene Wenger it was a simple choice, pace would triumph passing ability and thus Walcott was preferred while Larsson was sold to another premier league club. Walcott suited the way modern football was developing at the top most clubs in World football thus, his selection was justified. This shift towards pace led some players to become useless as their skills were no longer useful in counter attacking football.
For example, players like David Beckham do not belong in modern football, even in his prime Beckham was not a pacy winger, he was a right midfielder who depended on his ability to pick a pass or launch in a cross. He was not skillful enough to take on a player and get to the touch line, behind the defense.
The modern footballer needs to be well paced, whether he plays at Center back in defense or as a winger in attack. Sadly, there is no room for David Beckhams in modern football. Where everything is played at lightning fast pace.
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