An absolutely essential book for every modern football fan, about the
development of Premier League tactics, published to coincide with 25
years of the competition.
Back in 1992, English football was stuck in the dark ages, emerging from
a five-year ban from European competition. The game was physical,
bruising and attritional, based on strength over speed, aggression over
finesse. It was the era of the midfield general, reducers, big men up
front and getting it in the mixer; 4-4-2 was the order of the day. Few
teams experimented tactically.
And then, almost overnight, it all changed. The creation of the Premier
League coincided with one of the most seismic rule changes in football
history: the abolition of the back-pass. Suddenly defenders had
no-get-out-of-jail-free card, goalkeepers had to be able to field and
play the ball and the pace of the game quickened immeasurably. Tactics
evolved dramatically, helped by an increased foreign influence.
The Mixer is the first book to delve deep into the tactical story of the
Premier League, and take a long view of how the game has developed over
the last quarter century. From Ferguson's directness to Keegan's
relentlessly attacking Newcastle outfit, to Mourinho's cagey, reactive
Chelsea, all the way to Ranieri's counter-attacking champions, The Mixer
is one of the most entertaining, rich and knowledgeable football books
ever written.