SOCCER GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23082, 6 July 1938, Page 22

SOCCER GAME

WING-FORWARD PLAY MORE INITIATIVE NEEDED COUNTERING THE THIRD BACK MODERN ROVING STYLE There was a time when either wing position was regarded as the easiest berth on the Soccer field. Even to-day the injured player is generally transferred to the wing, where it is considered he will receive less buffeting and a smaller share of the ball, writes W 7 . I. Price, Australian international forward in the Sydney Morning Herald. Until recent years the play of the wing-forward was modelled on the copybook. His duty was to take the ball along the touch line, and then across, from near the bye line, to the waiting centre or inside forward. On occasion he was expected to "cut in and to try angled shots, although criticism was always directed at the winder who, too frequently, adopted that procedure. To-day the style and method of plav adopted by outside men have materially altered, particularly in English football, where the third-back came has proved such a stumbling block to the scoring of goals. Tactics have been introduced to circumvent the "stopper" barrier and as a result, wingers now play a more vital and important part. Frequent switches of positions, generally among the forwards, are necessary, it is claimed, to defeat the new type of defence. Consequently, the ideal winger of present-day football is a winger in name only. He must be able to exchange positions with other players at a moment's notice. At different stages of the game he ij? called on to fill the roles of centreforward and inside forward, and at times it is even necessary for him to play in the halfback line. Bropk. the veteran left-wing of Manchester City, plays the new game to perfection. His wandering propensities frequently catch defences napping, and he has scored goals from every position in the forward line. In O'Donnell, Preston North End possesses an unorthodox wing, ever on a roving commission, and capable of capitalising the faintest chance. The quick thinking and adaptability of Broome, Aston Y r illa's outside right, has gained many goals for his side. The new style of wing play exploited by such players has come to stay —in comparison the old method seems tame and colourless. Most Australian wingers have adopted the old method of play, although the practice of "cutting in" is perhaps more evident here. Much could be done to follow this new development in the game. One factor necessary for the success of the new wing play is speed, and Australian wingers possess this in abundance. The interchange of position between wing and inside man is no recent development, yet this scheme is rarely exploited. No move is more calculated to perplex a defence, and many wing partners could perfect this plan with but little practice. The chief fault of wingers is that they attempt too many angled shots. If a winger can "cut in" until he reaches the penalty area he enlarges his angle, and thus makes a larger target of the goal. Such moves often result in goals, whereas acutely-angled shots from far out invariably fail to reach their objective. A profitable plan is for win'gers to converge on the goalmouth when their fellow-winger is crossing 4 the ball.

THISTLE'S EXPERIMENT FO RWA RDS R FORGANISED Two players who gave very creditable performances on Saturday in positions new to them were L. Wood and F. Angus, of Thistle. Wood, who has gained representative honours on both the right and .the left wing, played at inside-loft for his club against Onohtinga and was responsible for a splendid showing: His speed and tricky footwork made him well-fitted for the position and he was easily the outstanding forward on the field. F. Angus, whose goal-scoring ability at centre-forward has made it imperative for opposing fullbacks to place him under close surveillance, was given a trial on the right wing. He profited by the greater sco[x> he received and was a dangerous force with his speed and deadly shooting.