1-touch finishing: a dying art form.

[tomaldinho1]

He was a great coach for Ireland but he became more and more risk averse as he went and discouraged creativity in favour of a reliance on pre-set moves and it all becamea but stagnant. If you look at the team now there's a lot more off-loading and heads up rugby being played because the environment created by Farrell fosters that approach.

You make an interesting point though and it's been suggested that academies and data driven approaches stifle creativity and flair. For example, long range screamers are disappearing from the game presumably as it's a low % play.

Yeah game is going more and more the way of caution. Kind of sad when you think it is supposed to be a form of entertainment.

Can’t help think we’re heading towards an almost NFL like reality of specific plays for every scenario, all corners going short, no take ons, all GK kicks short, it will be so dull. Someone will score a goal from outside the box in 10 years and be called world class because of it.

 

[stefan92]

Yeah game is going more and more the way of caution. Kind of sad when you think it is supposed to be a form of entertainment.

Can’t help think we’re heading towards an almost NFL like reality of specific plays for every scenario, all corners going short, no take ons, all GK kicks short, it will be so dull. Someone will score a goal from outside the box in 10 years and be called world class because of it.

I don't think it will ever get that extreme. Simply because playing football is much more difficult than playing handegg as feet (especially in shoes!) are physically impossible to be as good at controlling any objects than hands are. So you will always need more space to play football which doesn't allow to play everything short - the long ball always will be an option to break out of congested space. Some moves will get more popular, others will go out of fashion, but all of that isn't new.

What I however really do expect to die is the classic "Brasilian" show-off trickery, because that's not effective enough.

 

[matt10000]

I think stat and analysis based football has probably drived this out of football and players but it would be interesting if there has been any study on xG with first time finished vs one touch and then finish?

I agree stats based thinking. Bit like the Graham Taylor long ball thing, stats at the time indicated that only two goals out of nine resulted from moves of nine passes or more so to increase goal ratio they decided too much passig was a waste of time and to go direct. Winning Formula handbook. ‘85% of goals come from five or less passes, so the best you can do is move the ball to the Position of Maximum OpportuWorked to lower divisions for Taylor but not at international level we (England) failed to qualify 1994 world cup. Of course different because teams in top flight were not full of internationals in those days

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Wasn't Rashford's opener vs Wolves a couple of weeks ago a first touch finish? I agree they look impressive as sometimes there's very little weight on the pass so they have to generate all the power in the finish.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I don't think it will ever get that extreme. Simply because playing football is much more difficult than playing handegg as feet (especially in shoes!) are physically impossible to be as good at controlling any objects than hands are. So you will always need more space to play football which doesn't allow to play everything short - the long ball always will be an option to break out of congested space. Some moves will get more popular, others will go out of fashion, but all of that isn't new.

What I however really do expect to die is the classic "Brasilian" show-off trickery, because that's not effective enough.

Agree re the Brazilian street football style, that is already kind of gone sadly.

I do think a differentiation needs to be made between one touch finishing and taking a shot early, with the latter being what the greatest strikers do. I'm not sure the idea of an extra touch really matters, top players will rarely not take a shot on if it realistic unless they are very one footed. The really great finisher are more those, in my mind at least, who would disguise their shot within their stride and gain that extra few milliseconds before the keeper can set themselves.

 

[Mani]

Game had evolved a lot moving away from indivudal brilliance to team play, players look more from manager on the positioning, movements and passing in which they forget hone their own skills, yes its a dying art and you can see more player fumble when they try to hit a volley and very few do it perfectly.