Back in My Day...

The classic 4-4-2.
The forward pair who work...together.
Those were the days...
Sadly, the days of 2 strikers playing in tandem are numbered.
Gone are the days of Yorke and Cole. Shearer and Sutton are nothing but a few videos and a few records.

The explanation for the change in tendencies of football clubs is by no means straight forward. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the change in attitudes of football managers, resulting in more and more teams playing a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation.

One popular theory says simply that there aren't any strikers like that around nowadays. Some people argue that the type of striker who works for his team and his partner is nearing extinction. However, that idea can be overcome by the presence of the likes of Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres, to name but a few.
These strikers are good by themselves, but even more effective when placed in partnerships with other players who complement their natural ability.

However, the problem is that these players can also play so well by themselves, that managers choose to leave them alone up front. Sir Alex Ferguson often chooses to shove (quite literally) Wayne Rooney out to the left, and he has also used Tevez as the sole striker, whilst Rafa Benitez has played Torres by himself for the sole reason that he does not have another world class centre-forward to work alongside the Spaniard.

Recent examples of strike partnerships, such as McCarthy and Santa Cruz at Blackburn, and Carew and Agbonlahor at Villa have done their job when it comes to scoring goals and working together. On the flip side, these partnerships have not been as fruitful as past examples, such as Yorke and Cole, and current variations on the 4-4-2, such as the Liverpool setup where Gerrard plays in behind Fernando Torres.

Then, there is always the other theory that partnership are not needed. Many people argue that with the new breed of player, such as Ronaldo, 2 strikers are not needed. It is argued that the winger is as much a forward and an attacking threat as any possible partner for the striker. However, this idea is flawed. Back in the days of SAS and the smiling assassins, there were the likes of Ginola, Zidane and Figo who consistently found the back of the net, providing the team with yet another source of goals.

My view?
I believe that the death of the footballing partnerships can be explained in two parts.
Firstly, I believe that top clubs have adopted the 4-5-1 formation as a way of playing expansive football with players who are comfortable in possession. That, is clear enough. However, for the second part of the explanation, I need to take you back in time...

Back in time to the creation of BskyB, and the influx of money into the game. Clubs were given more money to spend, and as history shows, they spent it. They spent more money than they recouped, and even the worst businessman in the world could tell you that such a lifestyle would always end in disaster.

Disaster. Liquidation. Administration. Clubs folding.
The threat continues to linger over the heads of many clubs, and there is nothing that they can do about it. Clubs fight tooth and nail to stay in the top divisions of English football to ensure that the steady flow of money into the club continues. The pressure on football managers is so extreme that many revert into their shell, preferring negativity over an expansive, open style of play. If you look at Premier League sides, the vast majority play a 4-5-1 system with counter-attack being the order of the day. This negative style of play (and yes, before you say...it is negative) has had a direct effect on strike partnerships, with clubs preferring bulkier, stronger strikers who can lead the line, a la Drogba.

Is there anything that can be done?
I'm not so sure. If my theory is correct, then fewer and fewer partnerships will emerge from the shadows, as more and more clubs change their strategies.
Gone are the days of the smiling assassins. Now is the time for the midfielder that gives you extra.

The Kings are dead, long live the King...