It isn't sprinting or long distance running either but speed and stamina are important. It doesn't have to be either a tall player or a technical player you know.... you can have both! Mourinho at United is a good example. He has only signed one player under 6ft for Manchester United and he was 5'11. They also have the tallest team in the league. Juan Mata said last season that Mourinho intentionally signed 'strong, tall' players and that they practice corners alot to take advantage of this. Maybe someone should tell him it's not rugby?
Did you WATCH them last season? Did it look more like Rugby or football?
Tall players have an advantage when you play a physically imposing, aerial transitions game. Small teams have an advantage in a high-paced pressing game.
Therefore it´s not surprising all the best players we target for our attacking positions tend to be small, agile with good acceleration and able to make quick sharp turns in tight spaces. That matches the exact style of football we need to implement. Big-fast players (eg. Benteke) tend to struggle in this system as they lack the agility and therefore everything they do seems 1/2 second too slow.
It´s why games against United are so interesting now from a tactical point of view. If we can impose our game on them (or anybody), we will throttle the life out of them. The bigger the side, the worse it will be. I think our biggest win last season was Watford which was also the biggest and heaviest team we played against.
The flip side of that is if United can impose their early long ball, win the knockdown high up the pitch and attack game on us, we have problems. That tactic beats our counter press when done well and allows them to get at us high up the pitch. They lack the nimble players to really do the damage they probably could to us, but it´s effective and allowing them to play in our half without having to play through us which they lack the players to do now.
What ends up happening is United can usually impose their physical game on us and that allows them to suffocate the life out of the game and turn it into a rugby match rather than a football match. If we sign VVD to attack the long balls and Keita to hoover up second balls next season it will limit the effectiveness of that tactic against us further still.
All that said though, your idea that size is as important as you imply is very 1970´s England. It´s the reason the likes of Roy Keane failed a trial as a teen before Notts Forest gave him a chance.
Dear Mr Keane
We regret to inform you we will not be offering you a contract following your trial period with the club. This is due to you being a shortarse. Shove it up yer bollix!
Regards,
Brighton & Hove Albion
Even King Kenny failed trials at English clubs due to his size back then. Fucking shambles.