Fluid tactics allow fantasy to flourish in the Premier League

Fluid tactics allow fantasy to flourish in the Premier League Thursday, August 07, 2008 LONDON: Club football has outstripped national football to such an extent that major international tournaments no longer revolutionise the sport, but they still provide a useful window onto the zeitgeist. Of the 16 teams at Euro 2008, eight began the tournament playing with two out-and-out forwards; by the end, a further three, including both finalists, Spain and Germany, had switched to a lone striker. The victory of 4-5-1 is all but complete. Football had been moving in that direction for some time. No longer is five in midfield the preserve of lesser teams looking to kill the game or away sides in Europe seeking a goalless draw. Of the 16 teams who made it to the knockout stage of last season’s Champions League, only five played a... [read full story]