Alonso: Tackling is not a quality for a footballer

Disagree. A good tackler can keep a match even.

lmao what...so how do you get the ball back without tackling

go and tell that to Gattuso, Maldini, Nesta, Tony Adams, Sol Campbell etc...

Tackling is an art that can be admired just as much as a great pass

Tackling is a skill and might I add it's not necessarily a common one.

Have to disagree, even if I understand where he's coming from with that.

But sometimes a well-timed tackle is the best way to stop a dribble or a shot.
And, for instance, Puyol is a very very good and quick slide tackler in his own penalty area, can really make some last-second blocks with those tackles.

Also, poor tackler = booked often.
Great tackler = booked rarely.

kick mars wrote:Also, poor tackler = booked often.
Great tackler = booked rarely.

By your logic, Mascherano is a poor tackler.

Omniscient wrote:

kick mars wrote:Also, poor tackler = booked often.
Great tackler = booked rarely.

By your logic, Mascherano is a poor tackler.

Yes. I never liked him, he is good but too rash for me.

alonso isnt a pure dm so he jelly

I have to disagree with Alonso here

Tackling is a huge part of the game.

Not only can good taclers be a huge plus but good tacklers can also prevent unneccesary injury to oposition players.

It's clear where his disagreement with it comes from, it's obviously from the Spanish football education he received where tackling isn't as ingrained as Italian or English schools of football.

I think he's wrong in saying that it isn't a quality to aspire to.

You "can" take the ball without tackling, but it's not always possible. It should not be a "last resort", but rather a part of the game, just like intercepting and pressing. I don't see why you'd put it down the pecking order; they're all very important.

And you don't always have to go to ground to tackle. Standing tackles do exist you know

And Barca never go to ground? Take Barca vs Arsenal. Bendtner was through on goal, and if it weren't for Mascherano's super tackle, then Arsenal would have gone through. It's not a last resort, it's part of the game.
And Barca tackle a lot, but they don't always slide. You can tackle while you're standing, it's not impossible. It's definitely something to aspire to. There aren't many great tackles around, because tackling is actually a very hard skill to master.

Also, if Alonso does indeed have one of the most tackles won amongst the Madrid squad, then he just disproved his own point. He uses tackling often in his game, so it's no surprise that some players actually work on it.

intercepting>>>>>tackling