Unnecessary "skills"

[theShiznit]

Was watching the Brazil game last night and got me thinking about a personal bug bear of mine, players that do tricks for tricks' sake, and not just that, they are the most pointless of "skills" I'm all for flair and off the cuff pieces of skill, but so much now is premeditated.

Here are my personal (least) favourite pointless skills...

3. The Stepover. Don't get me wrong, the step-over has it's place and can be very effective when used with a body swerve/feint to make it look like you are actually going to go that direction (like Waddle used to put Giggs on his arse once) but the way some of the mega stars of today (Ronaldo, Neymar) use it is laughable, just moving the legs really fast like their being coached by Michael Flatley. Totally pointless.

2. Not sure what this is called, but seen it a few times, it's where a player is just running with the ball and rolls it under his front foot and then with his backfoot just kicks it ahead of him and gallops after it. I can understand the thinking behind it, moving the ball backwards may at least send the defender that way but it just looks bad.

And my number one most hated "skill"....

1. The look the other way pass. It's not big and it's certainly not clever, very rarely is it even used when a defender is stood up against the attacker and looking him in the eyes to see what he's going to do. And the more elaborate the head movement the funnier. Again the show ponies that are Ronaldo and Neymar are fine exponents of this unnecessary art. I must admit i have a personal history with this; It was used against me at a Goals 5 a side game, first time it beat me because i was doubled over laughing, and second time (cos i'm a sarky fucker) i actually ran around in a circle a few times going "oh no where is everyone, what's going on..."


I love flicks, tricks and off the cuff skill but come on... any tricks get your goat?

 

[Legend10]

You're going to hate Lamela as he uses all 3 of them and done a great look away pass in the first half against Sheriff.

 

[theShiznit]

You're going to hate Lamela as he uses all 3 of them and done a great look away pass in the first half against Sheriff.

Well i've got that to look forward to then...

I used to play against someone that literally made train noises when he ran... that (IMO) is about as useful as the look the other way pass.

And how do you quantify a "great" look the other way pass? Did the defender run or even move the way he was looking?

Lamela may as well put his foot on the ball and start singing "in the ghetto" by his look a like, least the defender might be start struck and pull up a chair.

 

[XSuicideBunnyX]

Eriksen used a 'look-away' pass when he set up Siggy against Norwich, and it looked so awesome. I'm not even sure he meant it though, as he was looking the other way to begin with and almost telepathically knew where Sig was.

Lamela is gonna do all of the above, especially when he's full of confidence. Don't worry, when he does them, it'll be to skin 6 guys in one move.

 

[theShiznit]

Eriksen used a 'look-away' pass when he set up Siggy against Norwich, and it looked so awesome. I'm not even sure he meant it though, as he was looking the other way to begin with and almost telepathically knew where Sig was.

Lamela is gonna do all of the above, especially when he's full of confidence. Don't worry, when he does them, it'll be to skin 6 guys in one move.

Eriksen's pass was just a great round the corner pass, but it was the deftness and timing that made it, he just carried on looking in the same direction.

 

[beats1]

Was watching the Brazil game last night and got me thinking about a personal bug bear of mine, players that do tricks for tricks' sake, and not just that, they are the most pointless of "skills" I'm all for flair and off the cuff pieces of skill, but so much now is premeditated.

Here are my personal (least) favourite pointless skills...

3. The Stepover. Don't get me wrong, the step-over has it's place and can be very effective when used with a body swerve/feint to make it look like you are actually going to go that direction (like Waddle used to put Giggs on his arse once) but the way some of the mega stars of today (Ronaldo, Neymar) use it is laughable, just moving the legs really fast like their being coached by Michael Flatley. Totally pointless.

2. Not sure what this is called, but seen it a few times, it's where a player is just running with the ball and rolls it under his front foot and then with his backfoot just kicks it ahead of him and gallops after it. I can understand the thinking behind it, moving the ball backwards may at least send the defender that way but it just looks bad.

And my number one most hated "skill"....

1. The look the other way pass. It's not big and it's certainly not clever, very rarely is it even used when a defender is stood up against the attacker and looking him in the eyes to see what he's going to do. And the more elaborate the head movement the funnier. Again the show ponies that are Ronaldo and Neymar are fine exponents of this unnecessary art. I must admit i have a personal history with this; It was used against me at a Goals 5 a side game, first time it beat me because i was doubled over laughing, and second time (cos i'm a sarky fucker) i actually ran around in a circle a few times going "oh no where is everyone, what's going on..."


I love flicks, tricks and off the cuff skill but come on... any tricks get your goat?

3. Stepover, I agree but the step over does protect the ball from the tackle. If they make a attempt at the ball they will hit your leg first and foul you.

2. I think I what you are talking about and I roll the ball under my foot to gain better control of the ball and make it sit where I want but hitting with the back foot, I guess the aim is to catch the player on his heels. If the defender is on his heels you gain a advantage as you can gain a yard or more.

1. The person I remember first doing this was Ronaldinho and when he did it, it was crazy because you expected him to pass the ball the way he is facing. I remember when he did it put players on their heels or the wrong way whilst the LB or striker went in and behind. However alot of people havent taken that element to it and just do it for show

 

[hughy]

3. Stepover, I agree but the step over does protect the ball from the tackle. If they make a attempt at the ball they will hit your leg first and foul you.

2. I think I what you are talking about and I roll the ball under my foot to gain better control of the ball and make it sit where I want but hitting with the back foot, I guess the aim is to catch the player on his heels. If the defender is on his heels you gain a advantage as you can gain a yard or more.

1. The person I remember first doing this was Ronaldinho and when he did it, it was crazy because you expected him to pass the ball the way he is facing. I remember when he did it put players on their heels or the wrong way whilst the LB or striker went in and behind. However alot of people havent taken that element to it and just do it for show

 

[theShiznit]

Pretty funny when the pinnacle of football is someone being able to pass the ball without looking the same way he's passing...

how many players have we got that pass with their head down, why don't defenders think they are passing to the floor?

 

[Kingstheman]

I must admit i have a personal history with this; It was used against me at a Goals 5 a side game, first time it beat me because i was doubled over laughing, and second time (cos i'm a sarky fucker) i actually ran around in a circle a few times going "oh no where is everyone, what's going on..."


I love flicks, tricks and off the cuff skill but come on... any tricks get your goat?

I'm not so bothered by tricks, but I'd love to find a 'goals 5-a-side' place to play some footy.

Where is this, my friend?

 

[only1waddle]

3. Stepover, I agree but the step over does protect the ball from the tackle. If they make a attempt at the ball they will hit your leg first and foul you.

2. I think I what you are talking about and I roll the ball under my foot to gain better control of the ball and make it sit where I want but hitting with the back foot, I guess the aim is to catch the player on his heels. If the defender is on his heels you gain a advantage as you can gain a yard or more.

1. The person I remember first doing this was Ronaldinho and when he did it, it was crazy because you expected him to pass the ball the way he is facing. I remember when he did it put players on their heels or the wrong way whilst the LB or striker went in and behind. However alot of people havent taken that element to it and just do it for show

Michael Laudrup used this a fair bit, and was bloody good at it too.

 

[Syn_13]

And my number one most hated "skill"....

1. The look the other way pass. It's not big and it's certainly not clever, very rarely is it even used when a defender is stood up against the attacker and looking him in the eyes to see what he's going to do. And the more elaborate the head movement the funnier.

Pirlo begs to differ. The amount of times I've seen him send defenders the wrong way by doing this. I've seen him hit 40 yard passes without even looking at the player he's passing to. He's an exception to the rule, but it really is a skill if you can do it right.

 

[dontcallme]

Pirlo begs to differ. The amount of times I've seen him send defenders the wrong way by doing this. I've seen him hit 40 yard passes without even looking at the player he's passing to. He's an exception to the rule, but it really is a skill if you can do it right.

I agree. Also the stepover when not taking someone on is actually a really effective way to hold the ball up.

 

[theShiznit]

Pirlo begs to differ. The amount of times I've seen him send defenders the wrong way by doing this. I've seen him hit 40 yard passes without even looking at the player he's passing to. He's an exception to the rule, but it really is a skill if you can do it right.

It's just so easy to do. And any defender worth his salt is watching ball and man, like i said if a player is standing fronting you up and watching your eyes then great but i'd say that applies to less than 10% of the look the other way passes i've seen, most of them are just for the sake of looking skilfull and it's just a ridiculously easy thing to do so it's not skilful. (Neymar did one in the Honduras game that was so laughable it was untrue, it was a volloyed pass, no defender close enough to effect the pass either way, it was off his instep (and he was looking in a position it would have been impossible to get the ball anyway) it was just an idiotic over the top "look at me aren't i clever" display.

I agree. Also the stepover when not taking someone on is actually a really effective way to hold the ball up.

To me it's just a "you don't know when i'm going to go" trick. There's no commitment with the body to throw a defender off balance or send him one way or t'other, a good defender just watches the ball (again rendering the look the other way pass useless) and then it's a reaction and sprint race) it's basically the same as Lennon just going little touch, Little touch and then the quick push on the outside with a sprint.
Maybe it can help you to look up whilst knowing a defender is not going to commit whilst you are doing it, but most players using it are looking at their feet or straight at the defender facing them. Another pure peacock move for me.

 

[Legend10]

Pirlo begs to differ. The amount of times I've seen him send defenders the wrong way by doing this. I've seen him hit 40 yard passes without even looking at the player he's passing to. He's an exception to the rule, but it really is a skill if you can do it right.

He's got nothing on the NBA boys, if you want to see some great and effective look away passes then it's the NBA all day long, it's probably where people like Ronaldinho picked it up from.

 

[theShiznit]

He's got nothing on the NBA boys, if you want to see some great and effective look away passes then it's the NBA all day long, it's probably where people like Ronaldinho picked it up from.

That's the sport it belongs in, the ball being near the eyes and the head movement is key to throwing the player standing you up the other way.

 

[Legend10]

To be honest I'm not sure how anybody can think the 'step over' when done well isn't an effective trick, it's been proven over and over again!

 

[theShiznit]

To be honest I'm not sure how anybody can think the 'step over' when done well isn't an effective trick, it's been proven over and over again!

Which type...

The stand up straight Flatley move that most speed merchants use now at the end of it is still just relying on a foot race, like Lennon's shift and sprint just prettier.

Players like Zidane, Modric, Taraabt use/d it to commit players but mostly rely on moving their upper body to put defenders off balance and commit them one way or the other.

The second is a vital skill, the first one for me is all for show.

 

[TaoistMonkey]

Ronaldhino loves a good no look pass. he actually does it so often defenders actually go the way he's not looking.

 

[theShiznit]

Ronaldhino loves a good no look pass. he actually does it so often defenders actually go the way he's not looking.

Now your into the realms of the double and triple bluff...

Maybe Ronaldinho could just start break dancing and while the defenders dance around him waiting to see which direction he's gonna come out of his windmill from his team mates just run up the other end and score. (Still be better than the look the other way pass )

 

[Vecellio]

I have some sympathy with this thread but surely some aspect of this is psychological ie. 'I am the peacock, you are not', to the players who can't or won't do any tricks. It's kinda a demonstration of technical superiority, sure sometimes they are lame..but if it creates doubt in an opponent's mind then job done.

Also football is, at the end of the day, show business. England could do with a few players who do some more of these useless tricks.

Neymar is actually becoming less of a show pony in the Barca side. When Barca bought him I was sure he was a luxury player, but he has convinced me otherwise this season. If you're as good as he is, I can forgive a little showboating.

The drag back which hits your back leg and goes forwards again can be cool..Gazza used to do this one!

My main beef with this tricks is when in amateur kickarounds someone who is pretty useless tries to do them. At lunchtime games at work we had a guy who would literally jump when he tried to do a stepover..ridiculous, excruciating stuff.