Football: British Style or Continental Style?

[Robbie]

The British style of playing football which is a direct style, employing the tactic of getting the ball upfield in the quickest way possible, with the least number of passes, also known as route one football. Opposed to.

The Continental Style that employs the short passing game, using all parts of the field to move the ball upfield. All the team need to be comfortable on the ball.

So which is your preferred style?

We know that Notts employ the continental style, but I believe Notts should mix it up and use both styles of football depending on who we play, the weather conditions, the state of the pitch, and the state of the game.

Regarding our national team I believe we should use the British style much more because Continental teams are sometimes uncomfortable with that style of play.

So what's your verdict PON members?

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

I've just put my answer in your England Best and Worse Managers thread. While answering a similar question of another PON member. Take a look Bud.

[Robbie]

I've answered your post that you posted on my England Manager topic here because I didn't want to see that thread go off topic.

I agree with you @Wheelbarrow repair man regarding our international team not being good enough, but I do think the down right obstinsey of continuing to play the short game when the team should be more adventurous by going route one has cost us over the years.

We keep on trying to play the continentals at their own game all the time, without variation. It is only when we are behind with a short time to play, that England try a bit of route one.

Take for instance, Italy v Albania last night, Albania were 2:1 behind but continued to play the short game getting nowhere.

Even the commentators were saying, why weren't Albania going route one and get the ball in the Italian box as soon as possible. And when they final did with just seconds left they nearly scored.

As I have been saying many times, football teams have to adjust to the situation and change their style of play if one style isn't working.

Notts got in to trouble at the back and conceded around 15 to 20 goals last season by fannying around at the back, making mistakes or giving the ball away.

That made the difference last season with Notts not making the playoffs.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

I believe the main problem with why Football is played the Continental way is that with the Influx of Foreign Managers and Players. They arrive on these shores with the Continental Style Ingrained in them and seeing the success this system as brought to Manchester City under Pep and Chelsea under Mourinho, English Clubs have been keen to adopt this style assuming it will also bring their Side Success, therefore the British style of play has been put on the back burner, despite the way that style Dominated  English and  European Cup football in the 1970's and 1980's by Liverpool and Manchester United in the 1990's and early 2000's. Add to that European Cup victories for Forest Aston Villa with the British Style plus numerous English Team Victories in other European Trophy Finals playing the same way.

But both Pep and Jose have never managed a Premier League club, without millions of pounds at their disposal, to buy the Best Players in the World, who mainly play the Continental Way. English Clubs have now adopted that way of playing convinced that style of Football will bring them success and sticking to it Come What May. Roberto De Zarbi at Brighton achieved a 6th place in the Premier League the season before last with the Continental Style, but last season saw Brighton slip to 10th, De Zarbi seeing the way football was played at the Club, wanted to change things around, however the Brighton Board remained adamant that despite the four place drop their Model is the Right way  to go and in the end De Zerbi Left. It will be interesting to see if Brighton bounce back this coming season.

It would appear that Notts have the same kind of problem. Under the current Notts "Model" which was successful under Luke Williams at National League Level and for a time at League 2 level before teams worked out how to counter the Notts style of play resulted in the Magpies poor finish to the season. Will Stuart Maynard be allowed to change things around or will he have to stick the "Model" Regardless? Interestingly Aden Baldwin stated on his move to Bradford he was looking forward to playing a different style of Football. Was that a remark saying he wasn't really Happy to play the Notts way? And did the the "Model" have any influence on Richard Brindley's departure?

 

[Chris]

Playing styles are emerging together, you see players that are influenced by their icons, but the British style is even adapting.

There seems to be a trend of looking elsewhere and wanting to copy or to incorporate parts into your gameplay, the top managers of Europe do this, and I just enjoy watching football that is played well. I have mentioned previously, in the FA's ambitions to do well (prior to Southgate) they looked to implement what other successful EU nations were doing - Spain, Germany, France etc). This has had some impact on the way our football is played.

The Premier League used to be far more entertaining in the early to late 90s.

Standards might have continued to improve, but I find watching teams like Manchester City to be hit-and-miss. The joy of watching two teams isn't something I often encounter and much of this is down to teams struggling to play more fluid football.

[Robbie]

Notts had an average of 65% of possession overall in all their league matches.

The telling stat was that they only averaged 1 goal kick per match. So that is evidence of Notts playing it out from the back virtually every time they restarted.

For me, that is being far too predictable, and also why Notts possibly made so many mistakes at the back. 

I'm not advocating that Notts change their style completely, but they have to mix up up the different styles, just be a lot less predictable. 

I've been watching Euro 24 and I'm now on my sixth match and all the teams are practicing the same continental style. Some are good, some not so good.

But one thing is clear. It is all so predictable, and no one has really deviated from that style.

Notts stats taken from

footystatsorg

[liampie]

a lot of the modern tactics and playing styles are coming from south america right now. how they set themselves up to be less risky and you can see that with how england are setup for the euros. the movement is great at times but we need to remember the urgency. i prefer faster paced football, i think its more open.

[CliftonMagpie]

British football, with its physicality and speed, is quite different from the continental style, which focuses more on technique and tactics. Both styles have their own strengths.

British football is exciting to watch because of its fast-paced nature and physical challenges. Players are often praised for their stamina and strength, making the game intense and thrilling. This style can be especially effective in high-pressure situations where quick goals are needed.

On the other hand, continental football is admired for its emphasis on skill and strategic play. Teams focus on maintaining possession and precise passing, creating a more controlled and thoughtful game. This style allows for creative plays and often results in beautiful goals that showcase players' technical abilities.

Both styles have their merits. British football's energy and passion can overwhelm opponents, while continental football's focus on finesse and strategy can outsmart them. Each brings something unique to the sport, making football a diverse and captivating game.

[Robbie]

@DangerousSausage 

Nice post.

You've made a great case for Notts to mix it up more next season.

Of course both styles have their merits 

I just wish the powers that be at Notts would recognise that too, and be much more flexible in their footballing philosophy.

Stuart Maynard has to have the  freedom to employ the British style much more to keep Notts opponents guessing.