It hurts...No longer in denial...Attractive attacking football is dead...

Champions League semifinal results: Barcelona done. Liverpool done.
More importantly, attractive attacking football is done…

Barca’s Directors and Board headhunters have called for an ouster of management and staff, and employees, as they cite a lack of attacking firepower despite bringing in big-name Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkic.

Well, I’m here to tell you…

It doesn’t matter any longer, whether you play 4-3-3 or 4-2-4, or 3-3-4, stacking players up top in a bid to produce flowing attacking football is no longer effective against the ever-popular 4-5-1, 5-4-1, or 4-4-1-1. Stacking the midfield has become the strategy of choice amongst today’s winning manager at the sacrifice of producing attractive attacking football.

Managers are lucky to have high quality players like Cristiano Ronaldo who have the ability to stand out as attacking players in a dull system like the 4-5-1 and make people believe that, despite the stacked midfield/defense combo, the team is actually committed to the attack.

Attractive attacking football is beautiful to watch, but risky to deploy. Loss is certain, as Johan Cruijff and his ’74 and ’78 compatriots know after losing back to back World Cup Finals to the more defensive West-Germany and Argentina.

But I guess c’est la vie. Can’t keep whining about it. Defensive fortresses win trophies. Counterattacks and the midfield flood scores goals. No longer the beautiful game, it’s become the grindstone.