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#3 TIKI-TAKA
Tiki-Taka is essentially based on quick short passes with players continuously moving to find space and create triangles pulling defenders around to find and exploit the tiniest gaps. The Spanish national team under Luis Aragonés and Vicente Del Bosque was the spawning ground of Tiki-Taka.
The system produced a generation of incredibly talented but physically small midfielders. They possessed superior technical ability and understanding of space which became determinant in overcoming stronger opponents. Pep Guardiola took the system to its greatest extent while he was a part of Barcelona in 2008-12. Lionel Messi was put deep, full-backs were pushed high and defenders played out of the back which maximised the passing options for the twin geniuses, Xavi and Iniesta. Even the goalkeeper was another passing option under Guardiola's system. The goalkeepers were encouraged to receive the ball when under pressure and not aimlessly kick the ball long.
It has received universal praise and often been described as “the pinnacle of the beautiful football”. However, over the period, the weaknesses of this philosophy had been exposed in humiliating fashion, especially when Barcelona succumbed to 7-0 (Aggregate) defeat against Bayern Munich in 2012-13 Champions League Semi-Final.
Lately, it has been considered an unfashionable boring way to play football and sometimes even called “passing for passing’s sake”. Unimaginative, directionless possession had often been labelled Tiki-taka as the endless passing failed to find a cutting edge without the scalpel-sharp instinct of Xavi. When Spain took an early exit in the 2014 World Cup in the group stage after losing against Chile and Netherlands, the press claimed Tiki-Taka has finally met its faith. But as documented earlier that a great idea never dies and finds its way back. We are hopeful that Tiki-Taka will find its place once again in football. The strong counter-attacking teams have been the most successful against Barcelona's Tiki-Taka. But the strategy which has been proven to be most effective in tackling Tiki-Taka is “parking the bus”.
