Paul Mariner is playing boot and chase, rec league soccer tactics.
That’s a common statement heard throughout BMO Field. Many fans lament the loss of “pure” football under Aron Winter when the Reds aimed to maintain possession and play the game “the right way.”
They watch the game under Mariner and they see a lot of balls kicked out from the back, deep into the opposing team’s end. The assumption is that this is part of the Reds’ attacking tactics.
The problem with this assumption is that it’s not an attacking tactic. Rather, it’s a defensive philosophy – get the ball the hell out of trouble. In the Opta stats available through MLSsoccer.com you can see a distinction between a long-ball attempt -- called a launch in the passing statistics -- and a clearance -- called a clearance in the defensive stats.
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True long-ball football can be defined by a team that is in CLEAR POSSESSION in its own half willfully kicking the ball long into space where a speedy forward will aggressively press the opposing defender in hopes of a turnover. It was an effective, if ugly, style in the 1970s and in women’s football up until recently. Then, defenders were selected for their physical strength and ability to defend balls in the air. Foot strength was not a prerequisite; therefore they might cough up the ball when put under pressure.
In the modern game it’s expected that a defender have the ability to deal with being pressed, so the style have gone out of favour (although it’s not completely without merit on occasion – even the very best teams in the world will throw the occasional long ball forward).
What’s not long-ball tactics is when a team is under pressure and clears the ball to safety. There is no intent to run onto the ball. Rather, it gives the club time to reset its lines and regain its shape.
TFC does it a lot. In their last MLS game against Houston, there were 38 clearances. However, it’s not like other teams don’t use it. Houston cleared the ball 27 times. A quick look at all MLS games that week shows that TFC uses a clearance the most, but that most teams clear the ball from the back between 20 and 30 times a game.
TFC launched the ball 14 times against Houston. The Dynamo tried it 10 times. So, there wasn't a great deal of difference in the two teams going long.
Ideally, a team only uses defensive clearances when absolutely necessary. By its nature it gives up possession and forces the club to defend more. Part of TFC’s late game problems likely has to do with being worn down from too much defending during the game.
Eventually, the Reds will need to stop relying on the technique and mix things up occasionally by playing out of trouble.
However, the results make something very clear. When you ask players that lack the skill to play out of trouble to do so you put the team under far more pressure than you do if you simply clear the line.
Under Aron Winter, TFC allowed 21 goals in 10 league games. Under Mariner it’s 25 in 17. So, 2.1 goals allowed per game versus 1.47. There is still room to improve, but 1.47 is at least in the same conversation with the rest of the league.
The 67 goals TFC was on pace to allow would have represented the second worst total of all-time in MLS. When you’re leaking goals at a historically bad level it’s clear that it’s an issue that has to be addressed. Mariner has addressed it.
Does Mariner walk on water? No, clearly not. But, he also doesn’t play long-ball tactics.