Quote:
Originally Posted by Elkyiv
It always struck me as odd how the sports of hockey and basketball do not change their player formations like soccer.
If you have more players who are stronger offensively, why not use that to your advantage 5 on 5? Why only the PP?
Same with defence. Suppose you've collected 10 defensemen who are all above average, and half of them are shut down where the opposition is really going to struggle to break them down and score, why not roll 3 D for the whole game?
You'll see some soccer clubs employ anywhere from 3 to 4 to 5 defenders.
|
Basketball has really done it the last few years. The role of big men is almost gone.
Most teams are playing 6'9" centers, heck Houston completely abandoned C and PF this last year and went with a small lineup that could shoot 3s. Raptors really rely on D, same as Miami. Houston is all isolation. Lakers is give it to Lebron.
You see it in football too with nickel and dime packages on D and different receiver sets on O.
Like you mentioned soccer has different formations.
Baseball has had some new strategy last few years with the shifts and the relievers starting games.
Hockey is really set in their old ways. You hear it from guys like Burke, even though hes not managing a team he has enough influence on some guys that are running teams. You see it from a guy like Treiliving, bringing in a guys like Brouwer, Tanev, Neal year after year.
Hockey really lacks innovators, look at the drop pass on the powerplay, you saw one guy do it and everyone copied him. Teams literally force that play. Teams define a players role and they just stick to it, how often to teams change line combos? Really lack creativity of any kind.