Carlos Bilardo, the manager of the 1986 World Cup winner Argentina, BOASTED that the 3-5-2 combination was his innovation. BRIAN GLANVILLE says this came about more as an accident rather than intent.
Liverpool started the present season with an un-accustomed 3-5-2 formation not too convincingly. At Wembley, in the Charity Shield, they, as Cupholders, lost 4-3 to the league champions, Leeds United.
The wide open spaces on the right flank of Liverpool’s defence were a gift to Leeds, especially to their left side attacker, Rod Wallace, who did much as he pleased, laying on a couple of his team’s four goals.
In their opening League match, at Nottingham Forest, Graeme Souness, Liverpool’s manager, persisted with the 3-5-2 formation, and again, it shipped abundant water. Forest, who hadn’t impressed me at all a couple of weeks earlier when I saw them comfortably beaten by Sampdoria at Leeds in the Makita Trophy, had a wonderful time of it against a Liverpool defence which again conceded far too much space.
FOREST EVENTUALLY WON 1-0 with a spectacular cross-shot by Teddy Sheringam, but had it not been for the excellence of Liverool’s new young goalkeeper, James, the margin could have been much more.
Predictably, perhaps, the 35-2 formation swept the world of football after a World Cup: that of 1986 in Mexico, when Argentina won the trophy using that formation under the leadership of Carlos Bilardo, and defeating West Germany in the Final.
Subsequently, Bilardo would boast that his new formation had won imitators everywhere. This to some extent was true, but his claims tended to mask the fact that 3-5-2 came about only by accident: and comparatively late in the competition, at that.
Denne historien er fra September 16, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 16, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
