How much does it matter and does it enhance a footballers performance on the pitch. I thought Martinelli was the best player in yesterday’s game against Liverpool but what I liked most was his positional discipline in working the right flank , not being dragged into unnecessary skirmishes or fights with opposition players even when fouled.
In contrast was Darwin Nunez (Not having a go here) who had his arms up at the refs each time he was 3 yards offside not retreating at free kicks and pulling the Arsenal goalie as he attempted to take a goal kick. Jesus is another one like Nunez, harries defenders, no real positional discipline and it’s great in some games but it’s frustrating in other games. Some people prefer their players to play on the edge and at United you had those debates about Rooney as he changed his approach as a player.
You have other strikers like Haaland, a physical specimen but doesn’t go around barging opposition players but prefers to sneak around the pitch, stays on side, doesn’t unnecessarily engage with the refs and importantly concentrate on the game in front of him and getting the better of his opposition defenders.
Maybe it’s a preference thing or you need a balance of those 2 personalities but I can’t help but notice that it’s the players with the higher IQ that tend to player longer and achieve more. Your Erikssen’s, Gundagon, KDB.
Footballer Intelligence
posted on 10/10/22
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 10/10/22
comment by Culèr: The Evolving Brand ✅ (U9489)
posted 11 minutes ago
Henderson certainly lacks intelligence, like most racists do.
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racist?
posted on 10/10/22
Harrying defenders can be intelligence in itself. Headless chicken harrying is mindless but knowing when to press and chase requires Football intelligence at least.
posted on 10/10/22
comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 50 minutes ago
comment by Culèr: The Evolving Brand ✅ (U9489)
posted 11 minutes ago
Henderson certainly lacks intelligence, like most racists do.
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racist?
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People are putting two and two together regarding an FA invesitagation.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/oct/09/fa-reviewing-incident-involving-arsenal-and-liverpool-players-after-flare-up
posted on 10/10/22
Don't think the OP knows what positional discipline is.
posted on 10/10/22
its all relative....IQ has nothing to do with it. Iv seen and known many a footballer, some smart some dumb and there is no correlation to the decisions they made on the park.
IQ is academic thinking ... not practical and reacting thinking.
there is plenty a playmaker out there who is dumb as a rock.
Ferdinand is as dumb as a bag of rocks, but a very intelligent defender.
Owen aint a smart fella either ... yet his movement was very clever.
Joey Barton is actually a fairly smart guy, made some of the dumbest decisions ever on a park.
Maradonna , his brain worked differently to other footballers. dumb as hell.
Academic smarts only apply to an academic field.
Perception, reacting and decision making are a different kind of inteligence.
granted touching on this then creates a minefield.
for eg we will take the age old use of Beckham (who aint as dumb as made out, neither a genius either however) but he as able to deliver a cross, pass with amazing vision and reliability.
What part of the his body picked out that pass to play, what part of his body instructed his foot to kick the ball exactly like that time and time again. the reality i that his brain tells his foot to do something far better than all us.
but we still say they are dumb cos as humans we just assume intelligence can only mean an academic IQ.