The Mixer - Story of Premier League Tactics

An absolutely essential book about the development of Premier League tactics.

Back in 1992, English football was stuck in the dark ages, emerging from a five-year ban from European competition. The game was physical, bruising and attritional, based on strength over speed, aggression over finesse. It was the era of the midfield general, reducers, big men up front and getting it in the mixer; 4-4-2 was the order of the day. Few teams experimented tactically.

And then, almost overnight, it all change - the creation of the Premier League coincided with one of the most seismic rule changes in football history: the abolition of the back-pass. Suddenly defenders had no-get-out-of-jail-free card, goalkeepers had to be able to field and play the ball and the pace of the game quickened immeasurably. Tactics evolved dramatically, helped by an increased foreign influence.

The Mixer is the first book to delve deep into the tactical story of the Premier League, and take a long view of how the game has developed over the last quarter century. From Ferguson’s directness to Keegan’s relentlessly attacking Newcastle outfit, to Mourinho’s cagey, reactive Chelsea, all the way to Ranieri’s counter-attacking champions.
The Mixer is one of the most entertaining, rich and knowledgeable football books ever written.


Conteúdos

Part 1 - In the Beginning
1 A Whole New Ball Game
2 Cantona & Counters
3 The SAS & The Entertainers

Part 2 - Technical Progress
4 Between the Lines
5 Arsenal
6 Speed

Part 3 - Expansion
7 Euro Progress & Squad Rotation
8 The Foreign Revolution
9 Big Sam & Long Balls

Part 4 - Universality
10 One Up Front
11 Invincibles & Convincibles
12 The Makelele Role

Part 5 - Reactive Strategy
13 Iberian Influence I
14 Iberian Influence II
15 The Midfield Trio

Part 6 - Direct Attacking
16 Ronaldo
17 A Wet and Windy Night at Stoke
18 Inverted Wingers

Part 7 - Possession
19 The Italian Job
20 Tiki-Taka
21 Assisters & False Nines

Part 8 - Post-possession
22 Rodgers'Reversal
23 Pressing Issues
24 Leicester
25 Three at the Back