Sunday 27 April 2014

The Rise and Demise of Tiki-Taka

Recently deciding to improve my 'Sporting Book's' collection from a total of 0 to a grand total of 3, I felt now was a stranger time than ever to be reading one in particular.



One of the three books bought, written by Jimmy Burns, takes a brilliant approach in analysing the rise of Spanish football in recent years - or more so 'how football conquered Spain, and how Spain conquered the world'. La Roja, published in 2012, has everything you need to know about the greatest sport in the world, in perhaps one of the greatest Footballing Countries. So why is it that I look to a book - published so recently - as outdated? When did the 'beautiful game' become so, well, boring to watch?

For me, the tipping point was on Wednesday night, when Bayern travelled to the Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in the Champions League Semi-Finals. Bayern approached the game fearlessly, seeing most of the ball for the majority of 15 minutes at the start of the game - until Real went 1-0 up, and eventually won the game. It got me thinking.

Barcelona are my starting point. The Catalans have been a dominant force in world Football since way before my time. However, in the last decade or so, the world of Football has seen a rise in the tiki-taka mentality and style of play; knocking the ball left to right, forwards and backwards, growing your opponents weary until deciding to play that killer pass through the defensive line from which your team score a goal. Fantastic, isn't it? The style suits so many, and in particular the teams with very little height - and perhaps power - about them. Football fans globally see this as the way the game should be played. Simple Football. Aesthetically pleasing. This style of Football has been adopted most notably in Spain, but has begun to filter its way through the different Countries and leagues, year by year. And why wouldn't it? Barcelona have been collecting silverware like it's pocket money over the last few decades, so to mimic their style of play can only be seen as a good thing, right?


Perhaps the main reason for the rise of the 'tiki-taka' philosophy, though, is down to the success of the Spanish national team. World Cup and European Championship winners in the last four years, and claiming a spot as one of the greatest National teams to conquer world Football. The strangest thing is to believe this has all been achieved without a real striker to lead the line. In recent years, Spain have utilised the idea of the 'False 9' formation, in which no striker is deployed. The role, usually filled by the likes of Fabregas, makes use of the 'False 9' player as someone to come and collect the ball and make things happen much like a playmaker would. The way that the tiki-taka style of play opens up defences is mesmerising at times, and in Spanish football it's almost faultless - against the weaker teams.



This season has brought a new challenge for Barca and Real in the form of Atletico Madrid. Currently leading La Liga, Simeone's men have been such a powerful presence in this year's competition. Playing with pace and a direct approach, it's really given Football fans everywhere a chance to see the negatives of the 'pass-pass-pass' mentality. I can't put my finger on what it is that makes this year seem like a turning point; not just in Spanish football, but everywhere. Guardiola, a man who's career thrives on the tiki-taka philosophy, has this year brought the style of play to Bundesliga giants, Bayern Munich. Bayern have completely walked through the German league this year, winning the Bundesliga almost a month ago. But can we really base our judgement on the direction of tiki-taka football on the Bundesliga; I mean, with all granted respect, there are only really two teams in it.

This is what brought me to my conclusion on Wednesday night. Bayern - the away side - had 72% possession in the game, but only conjured up one more shot than Real on the night. Possession really doesn't mean goals. Maybe it's just me being naive, but there's just something so tedious and dull about the way it's played. Bayern play their way to the edge of the box, then backwards, then switch it right, then back left, then to Robben, then back, and on and on and on. It's not just the fact I don't enjoy it, it just seems so evidently ineffective against the big teams. Look at Barca this season, a brilliant side of course, but nobody is talking about them like they used to; they are no longer the team everyone looks up to.

Being a Chelsea fan, this season has had me question the idea of results over performance, or vice versa. A neutral watching a Chelsea game in recent weeks would probably struggle to stay awake; it's not attractive, and it's not exciting, but it get's results. The worry for me is, do I want Chelsea again to be seen as a team that - hypothetically - wins the Champions League by playing as 'the little club'? I believe, with the current direction that Football is heading in, the likes of both Madrid clubs - alongside perhaps Liverpool and City - lead the way. It's direct. Fans pay money to watch exciting football. They want shots, saves, goals. But of course, this is a blog. A matter of opinion. What's yours?


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