Just Say No To Ping Pong, Landon

Chris Courtney over at Letters From Vagabondia takes a quick look at Landon Donovan's overtures of making a move away from the MLS. He points out something that I don't hear enough these days, that the English Premiership plays a style that would be best called "ping pong". Alright, Chris is much more diplomatic about it. He eludes to how the style of play doesn't lend itself well to players like Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko. I would add to that list players like Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, and others. It's a style that emphasizes closing down on the player with the ball at the expense of time on the ball and positioning. There are nice one touch passes out there but too often you'll find players scrambling to get a foot or head on the ball only for it to go to an opposing player scrambling to get a foot or head on the ball and then yet again an player on the other team scrambling to get a foot..... get the picture? Ping pong. Let's hope Landon lands someplace where they're more concerned about the beauty part of the game.