Why have your forwards track back?

vorbis

Yet again today, I saw commentators praising Tevez for running back 40 yards to make a tackle on a German defender going forward. In several matches, forwards have sprinted back 30 - 40 yards to close down a player. Why?? This isn't playground football where everyone follows the ball. You play in a formation, as strikers they should be staying up the pitch and giving the other defenders something to worry about.

Teams generally have 8 players available (4 defenders and 4 midfielders) to cover defensive duties. Tevez knackered himself with all the running. Not only that but if you do win it back, wheres the striker, back with the defence! Am I the only one who sees the idea of making strikers track back as being a bit daft?

Guy:Incognito

So what do you do if all 10 outfield players go on an attack ? defend with your 8 midfielders and attackers and hope that it works out? A good team will attack and defend as a team. Do you ever help out someone in your job where you dont strickly have to?

It gets stuff done. Having 5 defenders defending against 5 attackers is not going to be as effective as having 7 defenders in the same situation.

What if Tevez had stood there watching the player run through the defenders and score? Is it better that he held position and stayed up front or that he tracked back and prevented an attack that could have ultimately led to a goal being conceded.

MisterAnarchy

Yip its silly,you need an outlet for an attack .
I even had to ask myself today was Tevez a striker as to the position he was playing in.
A striker should be in the opponents half at most times not in his own.
It keeps the defenders on their toes and stops defences moving up the field too far and pressurising opponents.
Football is becoming too defensive,too cynical.
Its no longer the beautiful game.

mike65

A good team will attack and defend as a team.

When I saw the topic title I knew what I'd say, only you beat me to it!

Mike.

Attractive Nun

Stekelly wrote:

So what do you do if all 10 outfield players go on an attack ? defend with your 8 midfielders and attackers and hope that it works out?

10 outfield players are not going to go on attack if there is an opposing player up the field, that would be stupid. Often when someone like Rooney goes back, it just frees up the two centre backs that were marking him, and they wander forward a bit and add more weight to the attack. I agree with the vorbis, much of the time having your frontmen track back (most of whom can't tackle anyway) is counterproductive. I still admire it in a player though, and there's no real harm in it, as long as you have attacking midfielders ready to receive the ball if it's won back.

KdjaCL

vorbis wrote:

Yet again today, I saw commentators praising Tevez for running back 40 yards to make a tackle on a German defender going forward. In several matches, forwards have sprinted back 30 - 40 yards to close down a player. Why?? This isn't playground football where everyone follows the ball. You play in a formation, as strikers they should be staying up the pitch and giving the other defenders something to worry about.

Teams generally have 8 players available (4 defenders and 4 midfielders) to cover defensive duties. Tevez knackered himself with all the running. Not only that but if you do win it back, wheres the striker, back with the defence! Am I the only one who sees the idea of making strikers track back as being a bit daft?

Some teams base their entire offence on their defenders getting the ball in space.

Did you notice that ?


kdjac

vorbis

I don't follow Kdjac. I'm saying that your 1 /2 strikers should stay up by the last two defenders whoever they might be. What space are the defenders getting the ball in? Space in their own half?

Tbh while it looks impressive to see a centre back striding up to the halfway line , is he really going anywhere. At some point he is going to pass to a forward player (unless its Brazil!) At that point, he or some one else is going to have to track back to mark the two attackers still up the pitch. If the attackers have tracked back, the defending team is now hemmed in their box.

herbieflowers

Beckenbauer often strode forward from centre half...the rest is history!

WhiteWashMan

a great team defends from the front.

KdjaCL

2 442s meet both teams play to match their oponents only the CB going forward and making a mid come to him is going to create space for the pass to his mid.

So forwards tracking back would stop that



kdjac