Football Died in 1974
Posted by WOOLTONIAN on February 4, 2004, 12:52:53 pm
Football died in 1974. A curious and controversial statement I admit, but people who were brought up on the game we played when Shankly was our boss will always consider everything that followed, negative.
From 2-3-5 to 4-5-1 can hardly be described as anything else.
Negative football or playing on the break, began long before Houllier's reign and has always proved successful in the past. Don't confuse negative with boring, that is not my intention. The only difference is success, in my opinion.
When we played 4-4-1-1 in the times of Rush and Kenny no one had the balls to say it was negative, cos of the amount of trophies amassed. But like it or not we were playing on the break, even in those times.
Football that I was brought up on died with Shanks. I grew to appreciate the improved strategies of Paisley, but it was still more negative than what we were used to at that time.
All out attacking football in this country died in 1973/74. If you're curious have a look at how many 1-0's there were that year. To be more successful both domestically and in Europe we had to change with the times.
But what about the treble year as an example I can hear some saying? Surely anyone who calls that negative is talking bollocks especially considering the 5-4 victory in a Euro final. However I think the point they were making was about our domestic performances that year. Compared to what preceded it many years before, IT WAS.
It's all very easy telling us older fans to come up to date and live in the current world, but we cannot forget our memories. I will never forget the Inter Milan night in 1965, I can't. We camped out in their half for 88 mins out of 90. Were we successful? Yes on the night, but we went out in the second leg.
Slightly younger fans will recall the 1977 St. Etienne night, different game, different strategy, some would say more successful, we qualified for the semis. I would have to agree, but more negative none the less. We were only camped in their half for 75 mins
It's not Liverpool who have made the game as a whole as negative as it is today, although I believe we originated the idea. It's all the other teams trying to emulate the success we had, by copying our style. One defensive team does not make a poor premiership.
If you ever get the opportunity to watch the 1970 World Cup, enjoy it. Shortly after, the game as we knew it died. No World Cup has ever been so exciting since. Frankly, I could blame the GERRRRRMANS and particularly their Beckenbauer inspired side, for killing international football but then again, when don't I?
1974 saw the horizon of a new style of football. It's no coincidence that the following 15 years were our most successful.
Success clouds the mind. You will forgive anything for success. Even the shite, we've been watching for the last 18 months.
If we win the FA Cup and Uefa Cup this year, fans and the board, will even accept 5th AGAIN. Save it and ram it down me throat in May if you want. But do enter into the discussion.
I need something to keep me going until the Bolton game.
© Wooltonian 2004
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