Herbert Chapman: Football Revolutionary?

 Mr Chapman with Arsenal players on the golf course in 1929. L-R: Unknown, Tom Parker, Alex James, David Jack, Herbert Chapman. David Jack with a cigarette , Alex James with plus fours that are about the same length as his football shorts.

Herbert Chapman was undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the development of Association football. Here is a link to a paper by Tony Say of the University of Warwick entitled
Herbert Chapman: Football Revolutionary? It's a good read.
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportsHistorian/1996/sh16h.pdf

Some of Chapman's most notable tactical innovations are given some historical context- maybe not so much revolution as evolution.

Sevi

A very heroic photograph.
Severino Minelli  represented Switzerland 80 times (1930-43).

He played for Servette and Grasshopper Club Zürich. When he left home to join Servette as a 19 year old it entailed a 350km cycle ride.
Minelli was the 'verrou' (bolt) in Karl Rappan's system, playing as a sweeper up behind the other defenders. 

Officers of The Royal Engineers (Chatham) on Tour

In December 1873 the Royal Engineers went on tour to Sheffield and the Midlands. The Engineers team were all serving officers and the tour was arranged around periods of leave.

The three games played are often credited with introducing the Combination Game to a wider audience.

Although the exact origins of a systematic approach to playing association football in concert with one's team mates is very difficult to pin down, but documentary evidence supports the deployment of such tactics by the Engineers from the late 1860s, predating the culture shock of the 1872 England Scotland international in which the 11 Queen's Park players used tactics that were supposedly completely alien to the English. 

Sheffield and Rotherham Independent 09.12.73

The Sheffield Daily Telegraph 22.12.73

The Engineers were an adaptable lot- they were not averse to playing Sheffield rules (they went as far as playing Rugby rules on occasions). Note the reference to the throw in and the Sheffield reporters preference for the kick in. I remember a similar debate re surfacing in the 1980s!
The Sheffield FA team who played against Glasgow in the 1870s were in turn praised and damned for using a combination game unusual among English sides. 

The Mr Owen referred to is Rev. John Robert Blayney Owen. He later played for England. Owen was at Trent College and would have turned out for Derbyshire had it not been for the injury he sustained in the match at Sheffield. 
H.W Renny-Tailyour was injured for the Sheffield game, which he umpired. He returned for the Derbyshire game. 

The Derbyshire Times 24.12.73

A capital luncheon- before the match, and a splendid banquet afterwards.  It is implied that a different set of rules was employed in each half of the Derby game. 

The Standard 26.12.73

Nottingham Forest had been in existence since 1865. Their splendidly Dickensian named captain, Samuel Weller Widdowson, known as the inventor of shinguards, was impressed by the Engineers' use of a pyramid formation. During the course of the nest decade this became standard throughout Association Football.

20.12.73	Sheffield Association	0	4	Royal Engineers	Bramall Lane
				Rawson, Van Donop, Olivier (2)	c 3,000
22.12.73	Derbyshire	1	2	Royal Engineers	South Derbyshire CC
	Gadsby			Rawson, Van Donop
23.12.73	Nottingham Forest	1	2	Royal Engineers	Trent Bridge
	Spencer			Van Donop, Ellis

Hints on Association Football 1934

From the era of the half-time fag...

John Player and Sons issued a coaching manual into which the 50 cigarette cards of this 1934 issue could be pasted.
 All credit to the original poster at Away From The Numbers.

Charlie Roberts and The Metodo

When Vittorio Pozzo was developing the Metodo that would help Italy to win 2 World Cups he had a very definite model in mind. Pozzo was a lifelong Anglophile, and when he was living in England  he had become a great admirier of Manchester United. Pozzo met Charlie Roberts and the men became friends.

At the time Charlie Roberts was the very acme of the pivotal centre half, orchestrating his team's attacks. It was this playmaker role that Pozzo remembered when the rest of the world was drifting into the 'third back' game.
Roberts was an interesting man. A pioneer of the players union (the Association of Football Players’ and Trainers’ Union), his militancy and refusal to bow to his employers demands led to the Union being accepted  by the FA.

Charlie Roberts upset the Football Association by starting the fashion of wearing very short knickers. At the end of every season he traveled to Grimsby (where he had played before joining United) and spent his summers working on a North Sea trawler.
In 1928 Roberts teamed up with his former Manchester United teammate and Union comrade Billy Meredith to coach Manchester Central. Charlie Roberts Jr, his son, played for Central. 
Pozzo found his 'Roberts' in Luis Monti, who had joined Juventus in 1930. Monti was a vigorous and mobile centre half who retained the traditional play making  role of the centre half, 
rather than settling into a purely central defensive position.

Association v Sheffield

I don't want to get too drawn into writing about the prehistory of Association football, but it would be unthinkable to overlook the Sheffield Rules, which predated Association and thrived alongside it in the 1860s. 
Sheffield FC were present at early FA meetings and subsequently joined the FA in December 1863 , but they didn't adopt the FA rules fully until 1877. In the interim there was a certain amount of cross pollination and horse trading between the Sheffield Club and the FA that gave Association Football many characteristics both in terms of rules and execution that persist to this day. Of the twelve changes that were made to the FA rules in the 1860s eight originated in the Sheffield Rules. During this period Sheffield Rules was the dominant form of football in the north of England and the midlands. The influence of the FA was concentrated around London.

Time- the concept of a game of 90 minutes and a half time break both came from the Sheffield Rules.
Goals- Sheffield goals were initially only 4 yards wide, which unsurprisingly meant a lot of low scoring matches. However, Sheffield introduced the cross bar.
Handling-  Until 1867 Sheffield permitted touching the ball but not catching or running with it.
Corner kicks- adopted by the FA in 1872, Sheffield introduced corner kicks in 1867.*
Free kicks- free kicks for foul play originate in the Sheffield Rules. Sheffield had proposed the introduction of penalty licks for fouls within 2 yards of goal in 1872, but the FA rejected it.
Offside- initially there was no offside in Sheffield Rules. When they did adopt an offside rule it was a more lax version (similar to Queen's Park's) requiring only one defender to be between the attacker and the goal, rather than the three favoured by the FA.  Sheffield conceded to the FA on this matter, adopting the stricter rule.
Throw ins- according to FA rules the ball could be thrown in in any manner, but it had to travel at a right angle to the touch line like a Rugby throw in. Sheffield allowed the throw to be made in any direction  but it had to be thrown two handed and overhead- like the modern football throw in. Sheffield also introduced the convention of the throw in being awarded against the team who put the ball out of play, rather than the throw being taken by the first player to touch the ball down after it crossed the touchline.
Physical contact- Sheffield Rules were laxer on this- pushing an opponent was permitted, whereas it was proscribed by the FA 1863 laws.

Tactics, formations and technique- Sheffield teams generally played a 2-2-5-1 formation- the lone forward not being so hampered by offside law staying up field to chase 'kick throughs'.
Sheffield teams were noted for their 'combination play' involving moving the ball by inter passing. 
They also provided some novelty value with the development of aerial passing and heading the ball.
Another art that seems to have it's origins in the north was 'corkscrew play'- the practice of curling the ball.


In 1866 Sheffield F.C. requested a match with an FA club. The FA picked a select team and the two met on  31st March 1866 at Battersea Park. The fact that the FA side won by two goals and four touchdowns to nil show that the rules being used at the time had , albeit briefly, adopted the Sheffield idea of 'rouges'. The two associations  played 16 inter-association matches under differing rules; the Sheffield Rules, the London Rules and Mixed Rules before Sheffield joined the FA fold completely in 1877, by which time the FA's Laws of the Game had a distinctly Sheffield flavour.



*Previously they had had a system of scoring by touchdowns. There were flags four yards each side of the goal and if the ball was touched down in this area a 'rouge' was recorded. These 'rouges' were used to settle drawn games. 

Hugo Meisl and Jimmy Hogan- The Danubian School

Under Meisl soccer became almost an exhibition, a sort of competitive ballet, in which scoring goals was no more than the excuse for the weaving of a hundred intricate patterns.
Brian Glanville.

Hugo Meisl was the most influential figure in European football during the first half of the 20th century. As a player he had represented Cricketer and also served as a referee. he was head of the Austrian Football Federation from 1912 to 1937, and managed the national team in two periods, in 1912-14   and from 1919 -1937.As manager of Austria the cosmopolitan Meisl envisioned a fluid and beautiful way of playing football, based on the principles of movement.
The style of play was described by Willy Meisl, Hugo's brother, as The Whirl. This involved a perpetual interchanging and fluidity between all 10 outfield players, in which there would be no such thing as a purely defensive or a purely attacking player. 
 with assistance of an English coach, Jimmy Hogan.


In 1912, Austria drew 1-1 against Hungary. The game was refereed by Englishman James Howcroft. Ever keen to develop, Meisl asked Mr Howcroft for some advice on how to improve his team. Mr Howcroft's opinion was that they needed a professional coach to work with them on basic technique. As it happened Mr Howcroft knew just the man they needed. He recommended Jimmy Hogan, the former Bolton Wanderers player who had been coaching in the Netherlands.
Meisl promptly appointed Hogan to work with leading Austrian clubs, but mainly to prepare the Austria national squad for the Stockholm Olympics.

There is a strong case for arguing that Hogan, a journeyman professional who had also played for Rochdale, Burnley, Nelson , Fulham , Swindon Town during an 11 year career was to become one of  the most influential coaches in the history of football. The origins of the great Hungarian post war style, Netherlands Total Football and even the development of tactical awareness in Brazilian football (via Dori Kruschner*) can be traced back to the work that Hogan did in Central Europe.  

Hogan helped Meisl to put his vision into action. Hogan promoted  a style that emphasized  greater ball-control, attacking freedom, creativity, quick passing, and better physical preparation  Football was to be played on the ground, not in the air, and it was a game for brains as well as muscles.  
Essentially the 2-3-5 pyramid remained untouched (in fact Willy Meisl remained an advocate of thew pyramid formation until well into the 1950s). The forward line was complemented by wide half-backs and an attacking centre-half.

We played football as Jimmy Hogan taught us. When our football history is told, his name should be written in gold letters 

Gusztáv Sebes- coach of the 1950s Hungarian Golden Team.



*Izidor "Dori" Kürschner was known as Dori Kruschner in Brazil

Some Systems...

To summarize the development of tactical formations- in the earliest days Association Football was based on all out attack (although the scores from those days, rather than suggesting goal-fests, have a modern familiarity).
Attacking moves were launched by long balls from the backs and individual dribbling and rushes by the massed forwards.
The 2-2-6 of Queens Park, Scotland and the Royal Engineers was about advancing the ball with more subtlety and certainty through passing (the Combination Game).
This was refined in the 1880s when one of the two centre forwards withdrew into midfield, creating the pyramid (2-3-5) and developing the role of the centre half.
The  centre half was a  fulcrum who had a key role in launching attack when in possession and countering  the opposing centre forward when in defence. They were the playmakers of the era.
The emphasis  remained firmly on attack, which was largely dependent on the two wide forwards taking on the full backs, getting to the by line and sending crosses into the box.
The 1925 change in the offside law was designed to favour the attacking side as clever and coordinated defences were exploiting the 'three defenders' rule to close down the space available. In the last season of the old offside law 2.5 goals per game were scored in the Football league. In the first season of the new rule this rose to 3.4. Paradoxically though this development led to the emphasis in tactical thinking shifting towards the defensive aspects of the game.
The origins of the third back are obscure and controversial- and I argue that it is simplistic to attribute its introduction solely to Chapman and Buchan seeking to redress the balance following the change in the offside law- and a 7-0 drubbing at Newcastle. However, analysis of Chapman's contribution to tactics shows that sound defence was the foundation on which all his innovations were based. 
From this point on tactical developments began to be about stopping the opposition playing, and Italy's Vittorio Pozzo stated this quite openly.

The back 3 in the WM (3–2–2–3)- the centre half drops back slightly behind the full backs and becomes responsible for the offside trap and adopts the role of 'stopper'.

 Pozzo introduced a successful system known as Metodo. Pozzo, who referred to the formation as sistemo, utilized the tirelessness of  Monti in a centro mediante position. When Italy were in in possession he retained his position as a creative midfielder, but would drop back to neutralise the opposing centre forward without becoming a pure defender. The withdrawal of the inside forwards into midfield to compensate for the lessening of the centre half's creative endeavours created a 2–3–2–3 set up.
Criticism of Monti's deployment in this position had echoes of the criticisms levelled at the third back in England- his role in the 1934 World Cup was described as being that of a spoiler.

The back 4 of the verrou.

Another significant rearrangement comes right at the end of our period. The Verrou-the bolt - saw the addition of a fourth defender. This system, introduced in Switzerland by Karl Rappan, set the stage for post war defensive developments. It suited teams with limitations (it has been referred to as being about  the right of the weak). Greater emphasis was placed on cohesion rather than  reliance on skill. It was also reflexive, with positions responding to the state of play, with players dropping back when out of possession, but the  most important development was the introduction of the ultra defensive central defender- the bolt.

Herbert Chapman

Herbert Chapman (1878-1934) was once described as the first manager who set out methodically to organize the winning of matches. He is famous for his role in bringing about the change in the traditional 2-3-5 formation to the WM (3-2-2-3). Chapman also questioned the wisdom of the prevailing tactics of the day- wingers dribbling to the by-line and centering the ball, which he dismissed  as giving the advantage to the defenders. He favoured inside play, the ball being moved incisively into the danger area via the inside forwards. Bernard Joy wrote that Chapman's tactical innovations significantly altered the role of every outfield player. But he also made innovations in other areas. He introduced team talks and tactical discussions. He put the white sleeves onto Arsenal's jerseys, believing that they would be more easy for teammates to pick out with their peripheral vision. Chapman was an enthusiast of continental football. he advocated international club competition and even tried to bring overseas players to Arsenal when this was almost unheard of. Floodlit football and shirt numbering were other causes he championed.
On a lighter note Chapman was the first manager to arrange for music to be played over the PA before the match and during half time.

Do clubs realise to the full today the importance of the man who is placed in control? They are ready to pay  anything up to £4000 and £5000 for the services of a player. Do they attach as much importance to the official who will have charge of the player? the man behind the scenes who finds players, trains talent, gets the best out of the men at his command is the most important man in the game from the club's point of view.
The Sporting Chronicle 1925

1908-09 - Northampton Town- Southern League Champions.
1922-23 -Huddersfield Town-FA Cup Winners
1923-24- Huddersfield Town- Football League Champions
1924-25- Huddersfield Town- Football League Champions
1929-30 - Arsenal -FA Cup Winners
1930-31- Arsenal -Football League Champions
1931-32 - Arsenal -Football League Champions

The Evolution of the Offside Law

1863- According to the original  laws of the game, any player who was in front of the ball (i.e- nearer to the opponents goal line than the ball) was offside.

1866- A player was onside if he was in front of the ball if there were three defensive players between him and the goal.*

1873 - Offside was judged by the position of the player when the ball was played, rather than when the he received it.

1903 -It is not a breach of Law for a player simply to be in an off-side position, but only when in that position, he causes the play to be affected.

1907- A player can only be offside in the opposition's half.

1921 - A player cannot be offside from a throw-in.

1924-25 - The offside trap had become the bane of the game. Offside tactics were squeezing down the space in which attackers could operate, making for a dull spectacle. 4,700 goals were scored in the Football League -an average of 2.58 goals per game.

1925- The FA considered introducing a 40 yard line - a player could not be offside if he had not crossed this line when the ball was played. This was rejected in favour of  reducing the number of defensive players that needed to be between an attacking player and the opponents goal in order for him to be onside from three to two.

1925-26 - The change of rule was put into practice, leading to a  decrease in off-side offences. 6,373 goals scored in the Football League, an increase of 30%.


* This is the more relaxed Queen's Park variant that shaped the development of the passing game in Scotland:
Sixth.—When a player has kicked the ball, any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponents' goal-line is out of play, and may not touch the ball himself, nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so, until the ball has been played, unless there are at least two of his opponents between him and their own goal, who must not be more than fifteen yards from the goal-line; but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked from behind the goal-line.

Wanderers v Queen's Park, 1872 - 1876

On 5th March 1872 Queen's Park met Wanderers in the  FA Cup semi final at Kennington Oval. The game finished  goalless. Queen's Park, however, could not afford to travel for the replay and withdrew from the competition.

In October 1875, Wanderers travelled to Scotland for the first time to play Queen's Park. Wanderers fielded their strongest side, but were beaten 5-0.A look at the programme above reveals the sophistication of Queen's Park in relation to their opponents.
Queen's Park effectively lined up 2-2-3-3, whereas Wanderers still had a primitive 1-2-7 set up. This reflects the way in which  Queen's Park  relied on purposeful passing and back up.
The London club gained its revenge four months later, however, when Queen's Park travelled to London for a re-match and lost 2–0. This was the first match the Glasgow club had lost in their 9 year history.

2-3-5

Throughout most of the 74 year period covered by this blog, 2-3-5, or the pyramid, was the dominant formation in football.
The emphases in early association football were on attack and individual skills. Formations, such as they were, consisted of a goalkeeper,a half-back and a three-quarter as defenders, with eight forwards.
In the 1870s one full-back, two half-backs and seven forwards became more common.  It has been suggested that Wrexham was the first team play three half backs and five forwards, but the durability of the system was cemented by the success of Preston North End in the 1880s. This was in no small part due to the introduction of Scottish players into the leading English clubs of the day; the "Scottish style"  placed more emphasis on passing than dribbling.  The pyramid established a balance between attack and defence: the two fullbacks were responsible for the opposition wingers, while the halfbacks sought to neutralise the other three forwards. The centre half had a key role in both orchestrating the team's attack and marking the opponent's centre forward.  The pyramid system was prevalent until 1925 when the  offside rule was amended, and teams sought ways of turning the change to their advantage.

11-Outside left
10-Inside left
  9-Center forward
  8- Inside right
  7-Outside right

  6-Left half
  5-Center half
  4-Right half

  3- Left back
  2- Right back

   1- Goalkeeper


(note: shirt numbers were not introduced until 1928).