Attractive or winning football?

In light of Graham Westley’s recent comments on the official site where he talked about his aim to get Boro to play a more expansive game that is pleasing on the eye, even though he knows that a direct game would win football matches, I thought I’d give my views on this contentious issue.

This is a topic that has been talked about nationally due to the different styles of football that the “top four” teams in the Premier League play. Arsenal are well known for their free flowing passing game with plenty of movement, while Chelsea prefer to play the direct game, playing to their strengths. Manchester United also play an attractive brand of football, but also know how to win “ugly” which is probably the reason they are current Champions. It’s believed by certain pundits that teams who play “nice” football, like Arsenal will not win trophies, while the well-drilled, effective, direct sides like Chelsea are more likely to win silverware.

So what type of football would you want Boro to play?

When Mark Stimson was in charge he made it clear that he wanted his team to play passing, flowing football on the deck. He built his team around George Boyd who was by far the best player in the league, let alone the club. Stimson moved Boyd from the left wing, where he would go missing at times, into “the hole” just off Steve Morison, so he would be involved more in the game. He was now the playmaker, every attacking move would go through him. Boyd liked the ball played into feet so he could turn and run with the ball and make things happen.

With Boro playing a more expansive game, the team would need “engines” in order to get forward and back. This is why Stimson paid so much attention to the fitness regimes at the club. Mark Beard was brought in because he was a terrior, someone that would run around a pitch for 90 minutes, chasing every ball down. He was essential in Boro’s impressive run of form in the 2006/2007 season. John Nutter and Barry Fuller were also as important. Both were very capable defenders, but could also assist Steve Guppy and Craig Dobson on the wings when attacking.

The problem with Stimson’s sides is that at times the team would look vulnerable against bigger, physical sides and would struggle away from home. When playing away, the home teams are much more expressive and they go for the win whereas at Broadhall Way they would maybe settle for a point. I don’t think the “nice” football works away from home. There are times when you have to play direct football and exploit the opposition’s weaknesses. This was where Boro seemed to fall down under Stimson.

In his first spell as manager at Broadhall Way, Graham Westley was well known for playing “in your face” football. His type of football was not pleasing on the eye, but it was effective. He saved Boro from the drop in 2003 and then led them to the play-offs in 2005, narrowly missing out to Carlisle United. Like it or not, Westley is the second most successful Boro manager in recent times. Westley bought players in like Nathan Bunce, Barry Laker, Darryn Stamp and Jefferson Louis that were used to playing this style. This is very much the “Chelsea” way of playing. The long ball bypassing the midfield to find the target men up front like Stamp or over the top to use the pace of Elding.

Westley’s teams’ down the years had some very good footballers like Weatherstone, Boyd, Bulman and Miller, but they were wasted in a team playing long, direct football. It was only when Stimson came in that the Boro fans saw the best of Boyd and Miller. The positive thing about Westley’s sides though was that they were hard to beat. Direct football suits playing home and away and as for playing “physical” opponents, Boro were one of the most physical teams in the Conference according to the discipline record.

So it all comes down to this. Would you rather have Boro playing attractive, flowing football, but not getting the results to match or for your team to be more defensive and direct but having a better chance of winning and gaining promotion into the football league?