Playing the Right Way

[Loyal Supporter]

What does playing the right way mean?
Is it spending millions like Gaurdiola and Klopp and then passing the ball a lot.
Is it playing like Burnley under Dyche, getting reasonable results on a shoestring.
Or is trying to copy City and Liverpool but not winning very many, but the media like you, such as Scott Parker.
And why is it considered to be a negative if you don't play the right way?

[Quickenthetempo]

City and Liverpool don't play the same way.

It's an entertainment sport, whatever makes your fans happy.

[Burnley1989]

Just obeying the rules, it’s all subjective and cliche from commentators and premier league fans.

All that ‘brexit football’ nonsense because we’d managed a 1v0 win against a side that had spent hundreds of millions on their 11.

Even our fans have started doing it, slagging off other teams tactics in the championship, what do you expect them to do when our 11 are a lot better than their 11, they can’t match us so they try to disrupt our play.

[RVclaret]

Birmingham manager John Eustace actually mentioned in his pre match presser last week that we play football ‘the right way’. What is he meaning? I’m guessing he’s referring to the type of football, attractive on the eye for a neutral, passing, movement and technical skill. Isn’t football labelled ‘the beautiful game’ for a reason? Would another manager have ever made this comment during Dyche’s 10 year tenure? I reckon we’d be hard pressed to find it. Why not? Maybe therein lies the answer to this particular question.

[Dark Cloud]

City and Liverpool don't play the same way.

It's an entertainment sport, whatever makes your fans happy.

Winning makes fans happy. How it's achieved is totally irrelevant to 99% of them and the other 1% are lying when they claim it isn't.

[Shaggy]

Playing football the right way is entertaining attractive football.

So fast 1 touch free flowing football and/or players running and taking on 3 or 4 players at a time is definitely the right way.

Sitting deep ( in a low block ) fouling, blocking players and being overly physical then Lumping it up the park is negative, not entertaining and definitely not the right way.


As simple as that.

[Quickenthetempo]

Winning makes fans happy. How it's achieved is totally irrelevant to 99% of them and the other 1% are lying when they claim it isn't.

I know you're being sarcastic but I don't think 100% of people agree on any subject in the world.

[Hipper]

I've always disliked that phrase. It has an air of snobbishness about it. It seems to be used mostly by journalists and pundits to compliment clubs or managers in a sycophantic way and seems to mean broadly playing entertaining attacking football.

It's a silly concept because one of footballs joys is that there are many different ways of playing. It should of course be done within The Laws of the game but have to admit it can also be entertaining when those laws are broken!

I should add that I do not think any club these days plays football in the right way because all teams play with varying degrees of lack of respect for these laws and those that implement them - the referees. The game is more cynical then ever and seems to be set up on the basis of how far players can deviate from the laws and get away with it. If ordinary people behaved in the way players do on the pitch it would be considered embarrassing.

[Paddy1882]

The right way is the winning way. When you’re winning nobody bats an eye lid. If you’re losing but passing out from the back and playing through the thirds you’ll get more time certainly with the media. If you’re losing and playing boring route one football you’re in bother case in point Nathan Jones.

[chekhov]

Just obeying the rules

^^This^^

Unfortunately what with diving, feigning injury, dissent, not retreating at free kicks, this is rarely seen.

[martin_p]

Just obeying the rules, it’s all subjective and cliche from commentators and premier league fans.

All that ‘brexit football’ nonsense because we’d managed a 1v0 win against a side that had spent hundreds of millions on their 11.

Even our fans have started doing it, slagging off other teams tactics in the championship, what do you expect them to do when our 11 are a lot better than their 11, they can’t match us so they try to disrupt our play.

Yep, obeying the rules is the only objective measure. Unfortunately a lot of the teams that ‘play the right way’ don’t actually play the right way.

[Hapag Lloyd]

Surely the “right way” is to play to the strengths of your squad in order to achieve required result.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Agree with this thread. It’s like the term “progressive” in social attitude contexts which implies anyone who doesn’t share those views is in some way regressive and bad, which is complete bonkers.

In the football context it is why I think Dyche gets a rough deal at times. I didn’t particularly enjoy watching it but it worked and it is no less the “right way” than other styles, and as mentioned those other styles as well as being ineffective at times are often cynical and not enjoyable in other ways, e.g. loving this season but I don’t like how the Claret diving has crept up.

[superdimitri]

I think too many focus on the attacking side of the game. Watching us defend under Dyche was an art in itself and we certainly played defensively the right way. So much so similarities were made between the way Dyche had us playing being compared to Someone at Athletico Madrid.

It's nice to have the change now but a bit of a shock seeing how naive we are now in defence compared to before.

[BurnleyFC]

You just can’t beat good wing play for entertainment.

[Spijed]

Yep, obeying the rules is the only objective measure. Unfortunately a lot of the teams that ‘play the right way’ don’t actually play the right way.

But obeying the rules means a player never fouls another player, even the slightest push.

Would that be acceptable to fans.

[NottsClaret]

As above, the right way is whatever way gets your team winning. Newcastle are the absolute worst, s**thouse, time wasting, boring, defensive side in the league every time they play anyone in the top half.. but their fans are buzzing as if they're playing like Keegan's side in the early 90s because they're in the top 4. Soon they'll spend another £300m and then berate any side for doing the same to them.

Fans - exactly like we've done - will change their tune depending on whether they're the 'haves' or the 'have nots' in any particular league.

[ClaretPete001]

Dyche and Burnley got a lot of plaudits at one point with regard to the kind of football we played...

The negativity comes when you lose.

People are very good at post-hoc thinking and applying whatever ideology they have in their head to those who appear to be successful whether the ideology applies or otherwise.

The pundits loved showing clips of our defence and midfield earlier in Dyche's reign and showing how good they were at doing what they did.

Our performance against Liverpool when we won 2-0 with Defour breaking the lines and the pace of Gray was brilliant to watch...!

[RVclaret]

I think too many focus on the attacking side of the game. Watching us defend under Dyche was an art in itself and we certainly played defensively the right way. So much so similarities were made between the way Dyche had us playing being compared to Someone at Athletico Madrid.

It's nice to have the change now but a bit of a shock seeing how naive we are now in defence compared to before.

Thing is Athletico got criticised for anti football when they rocked up to the Etihad the other season and literally put every single player in their own half, never even attempted to move into the opposition half. It absolutely killed the game as a spectacle. I don’t think that is the ‘right way’ to play.

[SalisburyClaret]

There is no right way - it’s just media nonsense

[Winstonswhite]

I realise I’m in the minority but it’s all about the result for me.

An example was the Preston match. Over 70% possession, twice as many shots as the nob Enders, but I thought it was so tedious to watch. Compare that to (off the top of my head) Bolton away whenever it was, two shots on target, bish bash bosh, a brilliant win. Great entertainment.

[Shaggy]

It’s quite amusing people trying to justify long ball shithouse football as the right way because we done it under their Demi-god Dyche.

Pulis and Allardyce are well known practitioners of anti-football. They never got praise for style of play and rightly so. It’s crap to watch and spoils games.

Most people want to watch free flowing attacking football than turgid defensive always under pressure negative shithousery it’s that simple.

It’s the equivalent of watching Terry Griffiths and Mark Selby play over a Jimmy White or Ronnie O’Sulivan everyone prefers the latter and your lying if you say otherwise

[Spijed]

Thing is Athletico got criticised for anti football when they rocked up to the Etihad the other season and literally put every single player in their own half, never even attempted to move into the opposition half. It absolutely killed the game as a spectacle. I don’t think that is the ‘right way’ to play.

They'd have never won the league playing any other way.

[Belgianclaret]

On the subject of Scott Parker: been appointed as manager at Club Brugge. Not convinced by this at all.

[martin_p]

But obeying the rules means a player never fouls another player, even the slightest push.

Would that be acceptable to fans.

Fouls are part of the laws of the game. I don’t mind a good honest foul where the culprit takes his punishment and (unless genuinely hurt) his opponent gets up and gets on with the game. It’s the dishonesty I’m talking about, attempting the con the referee into thinking you’ve been fouled when you haven’t, pretending to be more hurt than you are, etc.

[Targetman]

It’s quite amusing people trying to justify long ball shithouse football as the right way because we done it under their Demi-god Dyche.

Pulis and Allardyce are well known practitioners of anti-football. They never got praise for style of play and rightly so. It’s crap to watch and spoils games.

Most people want to watch free flowing attacking football than turgid defensive always under pressure negative shithousery it’s that simple.

It’s the equivalent of watching Terry Griffiths and Mark Selby play over a Jimmy White or Ronnie O’Sulivan everyone prefers the latter and your lying if you say otherwise

People want to watch their team win, they wouldn't want to watch 'free flowing attacking football' if their team was losing every week.

Fans will watch a winning team regardless of the team's tactics.

I'm just happy that this topic has given you the opportunity to mention Sean Dyche again!

[Spijed]

People want to watch their team win, they wouldn't want to watch 'free flowing attacking football' if their team was losing every week.

Fans will watch a winning team regardless of the team's tactics.

I'm just happy that this topic has given you the opportunity to mention Sean Dyche again!

And playing the "Right way" hasn't done Norwich much good either.

[RVclaret]

And playing the "Right way" hasn't done Norwich much good either.

How has it not? They’ve been one of the top 25 clubs in England over the past decade at least. Ironically they have gone backwards since appointing the negative Dean Smith.

[tiger76]

Fans will only be happy if their clubs are successful regardless of how attractive the play might or might not be,

For instance Eddie Howe was lauded at Burnley for bringing entertaining football, however if he'd have stayed on we might well have found ourselves heading back to the 3rd tier, would many supporters have excepted relegation if we were deemed to have played the right way I rather doubt it.

Presently Kompany has us playing some great stuff, however if we were playing like this but stuck in mid-table would the plaudits be as ready to acclaim him.

Ideally yes as fans you want to see your team attack and score goals, but in reality for most it's all about the end result.

[Spijed]

How has it not? They’ve been one of the top 25 clubs in England over the past decade at least. Ironically they have gone backwards since appointing the negative Dean Smith.

Depends if they want to stay in the PL. All they do is come up and then get humiliated on a regular basis by being far too open.

Like Atlético Madrid, it depends if you want to watch pretty football without actually achieving anything of any note. I doubt Kieran Trippier gives a damn about their style. They won La Liga playing the way they did.

We'd have never got into Europe had we not defended the way we did, for example. I'd rather look back in years to come and think we achieved something a bit different from the norm.

[RVclaret]

Depends if they want to stay in the PL. All they do is come up and then get humiliated on a regular basis by being far too open.

Like Atlético Madrid, it depends if you want to watch pretty football without actually achieving anything of any note. I doubt Kieran Trippier gives a damn about their style. They won La Liga playing the way they did.

We'd have never got into Europe had we not defended the way we did, for example. I'd rather look back in years to come and think we achieved something a bit different from the norm.

Norwich just continue to do poor recruitment, that’s the main issue. Leeds came up under Bielsa and played open football yet stayed up easily (top 10 finish).

Athletico when they won the league played some good stuff, as did we when we finished 10th (likes of Defour made us look more attractive on the eye). When I mentioned Athletico before, it was their approach to the game at City (there have been others too).

The question is ‘what is the right way’, and when it gets discussed in this manner, it’s referring to playing good attractive football, it’s simple. That’s why Eustace mentioned it about us last week. If a neutral dropped in on the game, would they enjoy it?

I personally respect Russell Martin at Swansea and like what he’s doing, I’d say he’s trying to play the right way, we saw that on Monday.

[Walkerpool]

It's the Vincent Kompany way.

[boatshed bill]

I think Brian Clough had a bit to say about this.

[Shaggy]

People want to watch their team win, they wouldn't want to watch 'free flowing attacking football' if their team was losing every week.

Fans will watch a winning team regardless of the team's tactics.

I'm just happy that this topic has given you the opportunity to mention Sean Dyche again!

Winning football and entertaining football are 2 different things which people are purposely mixing up to suit their argument and mainly to have another **** fest over a certain ginger manager who was unable to work out any other method.

Playing an open attacking game and losing 3-2 is still more entertaining than doing a shithouse special smash and grab.

You can’t put Dyche and winning football together anyway as his loss percentage was greater than his win percentage go figure.

[claretonthecoast1882]

I tend to think those who bang on about playing the right way and want to be entertained are your standard armchair football fan who can always watch/follow a team on their tv if the football isn't to their liking they could always watch another team and get behind them

[Benson]

You can’t put Dyche and winning football together anyway as his loss percentage was greater than his win percentage go figure.

Maybe in the Prem, but I wouldn’t have thought that this was the case in the Championship.

[Stalbansclaret]

The right way of playing football is one that results in the ball entering the opponents net on more occasions than in enters yours. If I see Burnley score more goals than the opposition in any given game I am very happy. I thoroughly enjoyed our 2-0 win over Liverpool in 2016 when Vokes and Gray scored and we had 18% possession.
As for the Dyche era there was a time when articles were appearing in the national press praising how much of a well-oiled football machine we were. People forget this and only remember the post-bust-up-with-Garlick era when it all turned progressively sour.

[Targetman]

Winning football and entertaining football are 2 different things which people are purposely mixing up to suit their argument and mainly to have another **** fest over a certain ginger manager who was unable to work out any other method.

Playing an open attacking game and losing 3-2 is still more entertaining than doing a shithouse special smash and grab.

You can’t put Dyche and winning football together anyway as his loss percentage was greater than his win percentage go figure.

Your posts on here provide plenty of entertainment for us mere mortals.
Keep it up!

[claretspice]

I don't particularly like the term "the right way", but I think it's pretty obvious it's intended to be equivalent to the idea of playing "good football". Whilst there may not be a right or wrong way to play within the laws of the game, most people prefer winning in an attractive style and/or whilst scoring plenty of goals, to scratching negative 1-0s with very functional play.

If this Burnley team is roughly competitive next season, it will win more admirers for its style ofplay than Dyche's Burnley did, particularly latterly. Thats not a slight at Dyche's Burnley because the all out commitment and relateability of that team was terrific, but we're playing more attractive, more attacking football and that has always been what neutrals want to see.

[Colburn_Claret]

To me playing the right way, is honesty, hard and fair. ******** to the style.
It doesn't matter how talented or successful your squad is, if they hit the deck everytime there is contact, they are cheats. There is nothing right about that.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Winning is the right way quite simply.
Lots of teams have tried to play tippy tappy football and end up losing more often than not because they're just not good enough to do it in the league they're in.

Arsenal fans didn't care when they were renowned for winning 1-0 under Graham's tenure because they were winning stuff.

[RVclaret]

I don't particularly like the term "the right way", but I think it's pretty obvious it's intended to be equivalent to the idea of playing "good football". Whilst there may not be a right or wrong way to play within the laws of the game, most people prefer winning in an attractive style and/or whilst scoring plenty of goals, to scratching negative 1-0s with very functional play.

If this Burnley team is roughly competitive next season, it will win more admirers for its style ofplay than Dyche's Burnley did, particularly latterly. Thats not a slight at Dyche's Burnley because the all out commitment and relateability of that team was terrific, but we're playing more attractive, more attacking football and that has always been what neutrals want to see.

Completely agree

[Big Vinny K]

All about the players you have got at your disposal - and I accept that to a degree you can change your players and change your style as VK has clearly proved. But having money to spend like VK did is simply not an option for a lot of clubs so they have to find a style of play that suits there players and often that will be a more direct style as that is more aligned to their budgets and capabilities of their players.

But most successful teams will have a balance within their squad which also allows them to mix it up and adapt their style depending on opposition or the situation they find themselves in games.

Right now our team might look a little small and lightweight even, but VK is developing a team which he thinks will get us out of this division and once we hopefully are he knows that he will have to think about new players and adapting the style of play sometimes too. He’s always very modest and pragmatic in his interviews saying he is a young manager with a lot of room for development which is great for us as he seems a great thinker and looking to learn all the time.

I think VK (and many managers) would hate any question about playing “the right way” !!!

[Stayingup]

I don't particularly like the term "the right way", but I think it's pretty obvious it's intended to be equivalent to the idea of playing "good football". Whilst there may not be a right or wrong way to play within the laws of the game, most people prefer winning in an attractive style and/or whilst scoring plenty of goals, to scratching negative 1-0s with very functional play.

If this Burnley team is roughly competitive next season, it will win more admirers for its style ofplay than Dyche's Burnley did, particularly latterly. Thats not a slight at Dyche's Burnley because the all out commitment and relateability of that team was terrific, but we're playing more attractive, more attacking football and that has always been what neutrals want to see.

Its funny but under Dyche in the halcyon days when we beat for example Liverpool, which we did home and away we were accused of not Playing the right way on one iccasion - by goofy. It made me laugh at the time and still does. Now though this team is playing some lovely football never mind that its a lower division. A joy to watch.

[tiger76]

Winning is the right way quite simply.
Lots of teams have tried to play tippy tappy football and end up losing more often than not because they're just not good enough to do it in the league they're in.

Arsenal fans didn't care when they were renowned for winning 1-0 under Graham's tenure because they were winning stuff.

Precisely prime example being Mourinho, many decry his style, however he wins things, hence why clubs keep appointing him.

[superdimitri]

Thing is Athletico got criticised for anti football when they rocked up to the Etihad the other season and literally put every single player in their own half, never even attempted to move into the opposition half. It absolutely killed the game as a spectacle. I don’t think that is the ‘right way’ to play.

To me it is, again its people focusing purely on attack and not defence. Most people want to see both sides attack and consider that more attractive. Not everyone is like that, and some people like to see a team set up good defensively too.

I'm enjoying our current brand of football, but I also enjoyed the days when we could shut out opponents and frustrate better opposition. I fear next time in the premier league it's going to be very different when it comes to conceding goals.

[Clive 1960]

You play the way you feel comfortable with and no pressure if you make a mistake . I can recall under Dyche a left back on the ball in space and didn't know if to stick it twist about pushing on and moved the ball inside I said to my friend he's under orders and last season a winger we had looked at Dyche when the ball was kicked up field on is side and he looked at Dyche as to say I'm not running after that when it could have been played to feet , as you are aware I haven't named the two players as you should be aware if you watch the game. That told me the players were not instructed in training or they would know . Only my observations.

[Vegas Claret]

i just want to be entertained when I watch football, that could be a team playing like we do or a team playing like Liverpool at an insane tempo for example. I've said it many a time on here, I'd rather watch us now than any time in the last few years in the PL, this is far far more entertaining imho.

[Clive 1960]

i just want to be entertained when I watch football, that could be a team playing like we do or a team playing like Liverpool at an insane tempo for example. I've said it many a time on here, I'd rather watch us now than any time in the last few years in the PL, this is far far more entertaining imho.

Because they are coached properly and know what to do when they are on the pitch and they play with freedom , just take both full backs they come inside and move the ball to the other and score goals by doing it in the process , that's what comes with playing with freedom .

[Shaggy]

Most football fans are casuals including Neutrals. They do not care about defensive masterclasses and frustrating opponents. They want to see fast attacking football and goals.

Dyches style gets stuck from Neutrals because it deserves to get stick much the same as Pulis and Allardyce did.

Only hardcore burnley fans and those who love creaming themselves Over Dyche can spin the enjoying defensive masterclasses. You don’t actually believe your own nonsense because nobody no matter how much of a fan enjoys watching a team on full out defence with hoofs in between.

Oh let’s all go and anticipate enjoying a 0-0 draw or a plucky 0-1 defeat but at least we defended really well ( all game ) said no one ever.