1. Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics Jonathan Wilson
Tactics is a word which can invoke fear in the most knowledgeable of football fans. For example, the term Total Football is commonly used by commentators to describe every team that connects two passes; but what does it actually mean? And that is just the tip of the iceberg. What about the WM formation, the infamous Catenaccio form of counter attack or Barcelonas popular tiki-taka passing system? It can be a struggle to teach people the offside rule and thats as basic as it gets. Luckily, Jonathan Wilson wrote this book, which documents the origins and advantages of these different systems; using explanatory diagrams to show how they were employed. It is the evolution of football tactics that has encouraged the transformation of great teams into legendary sides. Barcelona are not the first team whove enjoyed years of success by employing innovative tactics; Herbert Chapmans use of the WM formation and pioneering training methods are another example of success, as the Englishman coached Arsenal when they secured consecutive Football League titles in the 30s. With an understanding of the history of tactics it is easier to comprehend how modern teams play their football.