Defending nowadays

[Sleeping Giants]

Why don't defenders just clear danger balls into touch any more?...Saw one point today where instead of doing that it was passed back to Lumley who kicked it into touch himself...why put yourself under unnecessary strife?...Back in the 70s a defender would never play again for doing that but it seems almost par for the course nowadays, is it all this playing out from the back stuff gone a bit too far?..or just afraid of long throw ins?

[SheepRanger]

I was a LB and used to get a nose bleed if I crossed the half way line. Know your place!!

[Chopper]

It's the modern game and I love it. Southgates philosophy too. So much better to watch.

[3London]

tika tacka without the skill to back it up makes for entertainment!

[Shepherds Mush]

Cracked me up 2nd half when Lummers had a right go at Eze when he tried to p*ss about with the ball out of our own box. Pot / kettle.

[Undecided]

Never got it myself. Outfield players are supp0sed to have better footwork skills, passing , hitting the ball first time under pressure. Keepers are not expected to have those skills, so why pass it back to them when invariably they are under MORE pressure, and all they can muster, at best is a speculative boot up the field?

What was wrong with the Clint Hill approach of clattering over and giving it an almighty boot into the stands, giving everyone a chance to regroup?

But then I did just like watching Clint Hill.

[Joe90]

Cracked me up 2nd half when Lummers had a right go at Eze when he tried to p*ss about with the ball out of our own box. Pot / kettle.

I remember that, was hilarious. To be fair to Lumley I don't think he likes pissing about with ball but obviously he's got to do what he's told.

[72bus]

Saw Harry winks get done last nite and it cost Spurs their 2nd goal , ball should have been hit upfield and not gone to him, why would any defender lay it back to shaky Joanna

[Abseits]

I preferred that POMO approach from back in the day. Position Of Maximum Opportunity...... Persistently belt the ball into the final third, bombard their defence and no fannying about passing it about in your own half. I'll think you'll find 99.9% of goals are scored from in and around the box and 0.1% are scored from your own half.
Now purists may scoff but I don't recall fans of Wimbledon or Bolton or Stoke moaning when they were winning every week.
Ultimately it's ludicrous to pass it about at the back when you have defenders who can't control the ball or kick it in a straight line and a keeper who has two left feet..... It really is best to just welly it upfield.