More than you think. I'm disgusted by their exhibitionism, ostentation and inefficacy. Robinho is the perfect example of how you can make football look cheap...

The best football I've ever seen on international level is by Argentina. Their game is all about expedience, that's what I like, even if they don't win. In my opinion, simple football is the hardest football to play. But I never supported them either.


(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) The rules are strict about not governmental interference with athletics...

^^

Just ask Kuwait about it. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


I kinda liked Total Football myself. It was the only time I ever liked Cryuff . This was before my time, but I still saw videos.

I too think Brazil will never miss the WC considering the part of world they live in! But I think their football have changed, most people think about the 70's Brazil when they talk about Brazilian football, the thing is this football is becoming a legend, I've personally never seen a convincing Brazilian side, even in 1994 their football wasn't that spectacular. Actually I think we'll ever see total football again (never understood why people say that Cruijff invented it, while the Brazilians played it before him!) considering nowadays financial aspect of the game!



Honestly I think Italy is going to struggle at least for the next 12 years, after this generation there's no real Italian talent ...

Even in 1994? I think you don't remember well... that was the most defensive Brazilian team ever.


When was that? I've seen old games of many legendary teams. I've never seen football played as Total-y as by that Dutch team!


I'm not so sure about that.

No, they had a balanced team not particularly defensive, remmeber the game against the Dutch, but for a Brazilian team yes it was catenaccio (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
I think Dunga's Brazil is 2 times more defensive though!



What about the 70's Brazil, for me they're the definition of total football, they were playing with 2 defenders (+ maybe a DM) and the rest of the players were all offensive!
I think what makes Cruijff's team spectacular is the pace of the passes and the execution plus the 3 attackers, I don't think football's world used to see that ...

I know a full international team is made of a a few players from various 'generations' of the Under 21s, but the Italian team at the last U21 Championsip was embarassingly bad, so I think they'll struggle for the next 6/8 years, unless some of these players drastically improve - Pretty much only Chiellini that was even worth mentioning, Aquilani was okay too.

So an embarrassingly bad team drew 3-3 with the England U21s in the first big game at the new Wembley?

I was rather impressed with the U23s (who we'll see again at the Olympics) - except the strikers. In fairness to them, however, the first two choices were hurt.

The U19s, so I'm told, are where the real talent is. These guys will play in the final phase of the Euro U19 tournament later on this summer.

That's not what total football is.


There is De Rossi, Aquilani, Buffon, Cassano, Chiellini, Balotelli to build a team around. We'll see...

What is total football, a defender playing as a striker?! please!

It's all about departments in my opinion, defence-midfield-attack , the midfielders cover for the defenders and the attackers for the midfielders, and that's what the 70's Brazil were doing, since everyone goes for the attack other players have to cover for them or swap positions if you prefer ... of course they never came out and said that they invented a new and entertaining football!

That's what it is... but honestly... where was that in 70's Brazil?? (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I can't say I've seen many games of them but this was not done in any of those games. That Brazil in my opinion was just a great attacking team.

This post has been edited by dst: Jun 16 2008, 08:46 PM

They were an attacking team but if you attack like they did you leave space behind and other players have to come back to cover for them, the thing happens naturally they just don't talk about it or name it, how many times Pele was playing in the midfield and Socrates as a DM/CB ...

The Dutch team with MVB and co. Now that was a team !! The Dutch trinity (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif)

There's great cover-up in football today too but there's no total football.

Exactly, it's not total football because we don't call it that way, but if take a close look you see that it's exactly the definition of total football, especially up front (the permutations between the striker and wingers, Barcelona, la Roma and many other team play like that.

I never said the England Under 21s were any good though? What happened at the European Championships last summer? They went out in the group stages, in a relatively weak group involving England and Serbia. I only really rated Chiellini and Aquilani from that bunch.. and I don't know of any other players around the ages of 21/23 who're coming through that can really step into a starting role at the next World Cup - Italy won't be able to rely on Toni, Inzaghi and Del Piero up front, that's for sure.