the_dormouse
Well-known member
Is the art of dribbling dead,when was the last time you saw a winger slalom down the wing and leave a few players on their ****?.
Dribbling
- Thread starter the_dormouse
- Start date
Colin Warnek
Well-known member
Jones has done it
Colgates_shaving_foam
Well-known member
Not by a long chalk, there's only really Pep who bans dribbling, most other teams have at least one decent dribbler to get you off your seat.
chickenrunner
Well-known member
Reminds me of one match where Fabbrini went off on one of his mazey dribbles, as usual ignoring better options to left and right. Suddenly the unassuming, middle aged woman who sits in front of us leapt to her feet and shouted........."PASS THE BLOODY THING"
.
.
Frozen Horse
Well-known member
Certainly a skill valued more by fans than by coaches.
I don't think coaches have a problem with dribbling itself, but with head down, self indulgent types who are more likely to be dribblers.
The dribbler with end product, (TLF) is a rare creature.
From the number of dodgy crosses we see, I'd argue dribbling is an easier skill, but not as valuable, as the more prosaic skill off crossing.
I don't think coaches have a problem with dribbling itself, but with head down, self indulgent types who are more likely to be dribblers.
The dribbler with end product, (TLF) is a rare creature.
From the number of dodgy crosses we see, I'd argue dribbling is an easier skill, but not as valuable, as the more prosaic skill off crossing.
Last edited:
Prompted by reading his book, I watched a load of Pat Nevin clips. Now he could dribble. Hi career was impacted by changes in coaching staff at Chelsea and Everton who stopped him from dribbling, favouring "get it in the box" football.
We have Jones and even Chuba has done a bit this season.
I'd say Juninho was the best exponent I've seen in a Boro shirt.
This clip of Pat at the U18s European Cup final (go right to the end of the documentary) is brilliant. They try a clever free kick. It doesn't work, so he just dribbles through the opposition defence instead. It's quite funny, as all his former team mates watching with him are shouting "pass Pass pass". https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0018mch/the-lost-final
We have Jones and even Chuba has done a bit this season.
I'd say Juninho was the best exponent I've seen in a Boro shirt.
This clip of Pat at the U18s European Cup final (go right to the end of the documentary) is brilliant. They try a clever free kick. It doesn't work, so he just dribbles through the opposition defence instead. It's quite funny, as all his former team mates watching with him are shouting "pass Pass pass". https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0018mch/the-lost-final
BaronSmoggie
Well-known member
Dribbling at an opponent makes them nervous, its a great skill to have and difficult to perfect. Giles is a good example, his crossing is very good, his dribbling is OK, but needs work. He's a bit of a one trick pony in that he always goes outside and defenders know that. He gets away with it now because of his pace, but it won't always be the case. Downing was better, he was able to cut inside as he also had confidence on his right peg.
The reason that dribbling is so great is because it allows one player to take another out of the game. If an attacker has 11 players ahead of them, 6 defenders and 5 attackers then every defender knows what their job is. If the attacker dribbles past a player a defender has to approach the ball which means they've now got a 4v5 ahead of them which creates massive uncertainty for the defenders. The same can be achieved by playing passes but the ability for a single player to go past someone and create those opportunities is a huge advantage.
Coaches don't like it because there is a risk of losing the ball and if you lose the ball dribbling it can put you in the exact opposite situation defensively. If you can do it successfully though, even more so if you can go past more than one, then it can be massive. As a fan there is nothing that gets you out of your seat more than a player going past defenders. Juninho was incredible because of that ability but there was also more to his game. Traore is the best dribbler I have ever seen.
Coaches don't like it because there is a risk of losing the ball and if you lose the ball dribbling it can put you in the exact opposite situation defensively. If you can do it successfully though, even more so if you can go past more than one, then it can be massive. As a fan there is nothing that gets you out of your seat more than a player going past defenders. Juninho was incredible because of that ability but there was also more to his game. Traore is the best dribbler I have ever seen.
Frozen Horse
Well-known member
Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Does it actually result in more of less goals when teams attempt more dribbles? That's what really matters.
I think we all automatically associate dribbling with attacking at speed; I certainly do. But when you actually think about it, even the fastest dribbler is slow compared to a well timed through ball. The ball is always faster is about the first thing I remember being taught about football.
wilkos_perm
Well-known member
I agrre but the real quality players are able to beat a man and whip in a ball or play a through ball. That's what really opens teams up. The beating 3 or 4 player merchants rarely succeed because it always gives other players time to come across or pick up runners again (or the runners have to check back again).
The Card Cheat
Well-known member
Theres this fella called Messi who’s not bad at it.
I say not bad, I mean probably the greatest dribbler of all time.
I say not bad, I mean probably the greatest dribbler of all time.
Traore - good though he is - doesn't dribble really. It's usually a kick past the defender then race on to it.
There were great dribblers - Matthews, Finney, Jinky Johnstone, Willie Henderson, George Best, Willie Johnston, even David Chadwick at Boro.
You don't get that kind of skill now because it's not being taught, there are no players that do that for kids to emulate and coaches like Guardiola would rather pass it.
Shame really. Skill is being removed from the game now, replaced with strength and athleticism.
changingman
Well-known member
Definitely has a role in the game still but I can understand why some coaches are reluctant.
Much more difficult to defend a moving ball (and moving players) than a player holding onto the ball.
Much more difficult to defend a moving ball (and moving players) than a player holding onto the ball.
Way_Out_West
Well-known member
TheYorkshireTerrier
Well-known member
Salah?
Frozen Horse
Well-known member
I'd agree dribbling is fading out from the game, but I can't agree that skill=dribbling. It is one skill. Passing and crossing are skills too; heck, even tackling is a skill. Are they harder skills than dribbling? Probably not for me to say: all players can do them all to some extent, but doing them well is what we call skilful. Certainly we see a lot of poor passing and crossing, and maybe players are better off investing in these skills than dribbling.
Last edited:
Massively disagree. He used his pace, and his strength, very well but it was his close control of the ball that made him unique. Plenty of kick and rush players about but not many with the skill on the ball that Traore has. A lot of his dribbling the ball is never out of his reach. Kick and rush dribbling is completely different.
It's difficult with juniors because, as was said up thread, by and large you can move the ball faster than a player can cary it. But there are, as with dribblers, risks of losing pssession if the pass isn't good (often the case with juniors). But then you always have some little scamp who will dribble past his man, then turn and beat him again ... because he can. You don't want to coach the skill out of them, but it can be frustrating. Unless they are really talented, they usually start to get bullied off the ball by their mid teens because they are inevitably small with a low centre of gravity.