Inverting the Pyramid (Book)

Has anybody read this? My local Barnes & Nobles has it. For someone who is fairly new to the sport and wants to grasp the tactic side of the game, as well as the history of the game, do you think this would be a good read?

Put simply, I wish I'd never read it, so I could experience the joy of reading it for the first time again.

It is absolutely superb.

Fantastic book, I'd recommend reading it

Put simply, I wish I'd never read it, so I could experience the joy of reading it for the first time again.

It is absolutely superb.

Fantastic book, I'd recommend reading it

Thanks, do you think that it helped you out with this game and grasping everything? Wouldn't be reading it for that. But that would be an added benefit. Would be reading to better understand the real life game, and feel more involved when I am watching a match.

Any other good readings either in books, pdfs, websites?

It's a pretty good book but it's a history book. It's not really going to explain the tactics to you. It'll tell you *how* they developed through the years but not really the workings of them or *why* they developed they way they did. At least, that's my opinion.

I'd say it's a pretty good introduction if you're totally new to the subject and particularly if you're interested in the history of football tactics and some anecdotal meanderings. If you're just after an introduction to tactical concepts then I'd try and get your hands on this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soccer-Strategies-Defensive-Attacking-Tactics-ebook/dp/B006MIWU70/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415832689&sr=8-1&keywords=Soccer+Strategies+-+Defensive+and+Attacking+Tactics

What I wrote about it on another site:

Soccer Strategies - Defensive and Attacking Tactics

by Robyn Jones and Tom Tranter

This one is more of a tactical nerd book although not a particularly advanced one. It's handy, though, and gives a pretty good introduction into basic tactical concepts such as how a back three or back four are supposed to work; as well as slightly more advanced stuff in how each formation would deal with a player 'in the hole'.

Don't be put off by the title, the use of 'soccer' througout is the only noticeable Americanism, with standard football terms used elsewhere.

The book won't tell you about the origin of the 4-4-2 or who developed totalvoetbal, etc - for that you'll need a history book like Inverting the Pyramid. I would suggest that this book would be very useful to anyone who isn't completely familiar with tactics, is perhaps new to FM or football in general, and is a little confused as to how these lines of players on the screen are supposed to interact with each other... it might also have you banging your head on the desk in exasperation that FM doesn't reflect the most basic of concepts laid out here.

It also has a very handy bibliography of further reading, including more specialised or advanced books for those looking for it.

It's a pretty good book but it's a history book. It's not really going to explain the tactics to you. It'll tell you *how* they developed through the years but not really the workings of them or *why* they developed they way they did. At least, that's my opinion.

I'd say it's a pretty good introduction if you're totally new to the subject and particularly if you're interested in the history of football tactics and some anecdotal meanderings. If you're just after an introduction to tactical concepts then I'd try and get your hands on this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soccer-Strategies-Defensive-Attacking-Tactics-ebook/dp/B006MIWU70/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415832689&sr=8-1&keywords=Soccer+Strategies+-+Defensive+and+Attacking+Tactics

What I wrote about it on another site:

Soccer Strategies - Defensive and Attacking Tactics

by Robyn Jones and Tom Tranter

This one is more of a tactical nerd book although not a particularly advanced one. It's handy, though, and gives a pretty good introduction into basic tactical concepts such as how a back three or back four are supposed to work; as well as slightly more advanced stuff in how each formation would deal with a player 'in the hole'.

Don't be put off by the title, the use of 'soccer' througout is the only noticeable Americanism, with standard football terms used elsewhere.

The book won't tell you about the origin of the 4-4-2 or who developed totalvoetbal, etc - for that you'll need a history book like Inverting the Pyramid. I would suggest that this book would be very useful to anyone who isn't completely familiar with tactics, is perhaps new to FM or football in general, and is a little confused as to how these lines of players on the screen are supposed to interact with each other... it might also have you banging your head on the desk in exasperation that FM doesn't reflect the most basic of concepts laid out here.

It also has a very handy bibliography of further reading, including more specialised or advanced books for those looking for it.

Ya with this book I was more interested into the History of everything so I can understand the game better, not FM better. Was just curious though. Excited to pick it up.

And ya, I am american, my barnes & nobles has the American version, so instead of the title saying Inverting the Pyramid:The History of Football Tactics, is says The History of Soccer tactics. Wish I could get my hands on a European version. I want to drop the habit of saying soccer, at least while posting on here.

People saying 'soccer' doesn't bother me at all, everyone knows what you mean so it's just twattish snobbery for people to turn their nose up at it. I mentioned it in the synopsis of the book just so other people weren't unnecessarily put off.

It's a good book about the people behind major tactical developments and much of it is impressively researched, but I think Wilson is somewhat vague with explaining what he means by certain concepts and the descriptions of the tactical developments themselves are often short on detail. There's also a fair bit of hand waving at the end where he tries to shoehorn in this poorly articulated historical dialectic about the development of tactics which I didn't find convincing at all.

If you want a really great book about the actual history of the game, "The Ball Is Round" is a far superior book and much more fun to read. There's less about tactics, but I don't think "Inverting the Pyramid" will give you much that you'll find relevant as a contemporary fan or FM player. You'll know more about shapes that certain historical teams used, but it's not a substitute for actual coaching material which is where you'll really find good information about learning how to read a match.

EDIT: Shrewnaldo nailed it.

Thanks for the responses. Might hold of on the book. The Ball is Round sounds great.

What about movies/documentaries?

Herman Vermeulen's "Zone Soccer" is a good overview of modern defending as well as the classic 4-3-3. It's not useful as a general overview of different systems since it's just outlining one system that they were using at Gent and Club Brugge for a few years, but for a coaching book, it's very clearly written and does a great job of illustrating a lot of basic concepts where similar books tend to get bogged down in excessive detail.

Thanks for the responses. Might hold of on the book. The Ball is Round sounds great.

What about movies/documentaries?

For what it's worth, I enjoyed "Inverting the Pyramid," but I am a historian by profession so I guess I would. If you aren't completely strapped for cash, I would recommend it as a fun read and you will certainly learn something from it. I also enjoyed "Brilliant Orange" about Dutch football and would recommend it along the same lines as "Inverting the Pyramid." They won't help you be a better FM player, but you there are lot of worse ways to spend a few hours

P.S. And yes, "The Ball is Round" is a good recommendation as well.

I should probably buy all these books, because FM15 is teaching me very quickly that I'm tactically inept :/

PS - I don't understand why we say "Soccer" is an Americanism. Isn't it a British word after all? Comes from association football.

No tactical book will directly help you with FM. They will help you understand the reasons behind the evolution from certain systems to where we are now, but they won't tell you how to implement the concepts of a system in a computer game. However, what they should do is provide food for thought as to how you want a tactic to function, and if that can be articulated here, we can have a go at helping

I should probably buy all these books, because FM15 is teaching me very quickly that I'm tactically inept :/

PS - I don't understand why we say "Soccer" is an Americanism. Isn't it a British word after all? Comes from association football.

Because only America (and Canada) use it as the sole word for the sport. If any other country does use it , it also can & is more commonly to be referred to as football. Pretty obvious really.

Because only America (and Canada) use it as the sole word for the sport. If any other country does use it , it also can & is more commonly to be referred to as football. Pretty obvious really.

My point is, it's not an Americanism. It's a British word. And I regularly watch Gillette Soccer Saturday/Special on Sky Sports here in the UK...

I agree with people saying that "Inverting the pyramid" is more of a history book. It is very nicely written and very entertaining to read though, and you still get a lot of very helpful insights. It also might help to understand certain tactical issues when you know how they developed.

That being said, you don't get explained how a 4-3-3 reacts to a 4-4-2. That's the sort of thing I would be interested in most: A book which not only explains tactics on their own value, but can explain and compare how different tactics (not only in formation) come to live on a football field. Football is, after all, a game of two teams. Always.

My point is, it's not an Americanism. It's a British word. And I regularly watch Gillette Soccer Saturday/Special on Sky Sports here in the UK...

Well, but even if the root of the word is British, the way it is used in the US is purely "American", being the only viable option to describe football as football (or, more precisely, as "soccer" in this case).

That, of course, is closely linked with the fact how the Americans use the word football itself: They use it for a sport, which is neither played by foot, nor does it use a ball (but an oval kind of egg shaped thing). One of the most absurd developments in wording, in my opinion.

Taking advantage of the conversation... do you guys know of any websites like http://www.zonalmarking.net/ , which offers tactical in-depth analysis of some games. It was extremely interesting material, unfortunately the author stopped the project.

I kinda know how it feels if you are new to soccer. When I lived in the US whenever I watched an american football game I simply saw a bunch of guys in kevlar armors smacking each other to try to get the brown oval thingy, then run like a headless chicken for the byline and if they scored dance like a drunk ostrich.

People that don't like football/soccer will often use the old anthem "it's just 22 guys kicking a ball"

Try this brussels - http://spielverlagerung.com/

There's a German language site which covers much more than that if you can read German.

Loads of good stuff listed here too:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/346578-Resources-Websites-amp-Blogs

Shrew and RTH thanks a lot for both the site and the thread.

Unfortunately I don't speak German, and translators are pretty mediocre at translating anything technical, but will give the german site a try. The English section is very reminiscent of Zonal Marking.

That, of course, is closely linked with the fact how the Americans use the word football itself: They use it for a sport, which is neither played by foot, nor does it use a ball (but an oval kind of egg shaped thing). One of the most absurd developments in wording, in my opinion.

We probably don't need this to go on any further, but the name was attached to American football prior to the game evolving into what it is today. When it far more closely resembled rugby (which was commonly called football in England) the name was given and made more sense. The rules changed, but the name stuck. It really isn't that absurd.

That being said, you don't get explained how a 4-3-3 reacts to a 4-4-2. That's the sort of thing I would be interested in most: A book which not only explains tactics on their own value, but can explain and compare how different tactics (not only in formation) come to live on a football field. Football is, after all, a game of two teams. Always.

You won't find up-to-date material on this in general publication mainly because systems are dynamic with any well coached team taking up a variety of different shapes in different situations. Attack, in particular, is less about shape than movement, and any formation can be used as a platform for different attack patterns. What's more useful is just learning the basics, especially when it comes to player decisions, and from there, you'll be able to work out the reasoning for the systems that real managers use.

With that said, if you don't mind terrible translations from Italian, Massimo Lucchesi's Attacking Soccer is a decent (if outdated) primer on the basic requirements of different formations and how they might build up in attack with a more limited team.

Has anybody read this? My local Barnes & Nobles has it. For someone who is fairly new to the sport and wants to grasp the tactic side of the game, as well as the history of the game, do you think this would be a good read?

It's the bible for tactics geeks, no question. As said, not necessarily useful for playing FM though. Make sure you're buying the updated second edition (he says, only having the first edition as an ebook).

Inverting the Pyramid is outstanding. I cannot do it any more justice, so I won't even try.

Another vote for The Ball Is Round too, it is excellent.

My point is, it's not an Americanism. It's a British word. And I regularly watch Gillette Soccer Saturday/Special on Sky Sports here in the UK...

It's a shortened/bastardised form of 'Association', which is what a lot of the public schools, where the game evolved into something akin to what we would recognise as 'football/soccer' today, called it to avoid confusion with Rugby.

When you've read all these books, watch "Escape to Victory".

Not only will it make you happy, Pele will tell you all you really need tactically...

Pele will tell you all you really need tactically...

What, sign 11 guys with his talent level?

I go like, this, and this, and this and score a goal.

I go like, this, and this, and this and score a goal.

Now we just need that as a team talk option...

Now we just need that as a team talk option...

Bag the teamtalk, I want that as a pre-set tactics option

Inverting the Pyramid is excellent, if a little drily written. I can't say enough good things about The Ball Is Round, but it's not really a tactics book, and some people find it scope too broad.

It's a very nice book on the history of football tactics and spiked with a lot of great stories about the great managers and players of this game that most of us never actually saw playing. I really enjoyed reading it.

Because only America (and Canada) use it as the sole word for the sport. If any other country does use it , it also can & is more commonly to be referred to as football. Pretty obvious really.

For what it's worth, Japan uses the word soccer too.

I think I have pretty much all the books mentioned in here. Just haven't gotten around to reading them

Well, but even if the root of the word is British, the way it is used in the US is purely "American", being the only viable option to describe football as football (or, more precisely, as "soccer" in this case).

That, of course, is closely linked with the fact how the Americans use the word football itself: They use it for a sport, which is neither played by foot, nor does it use a ball (but an oval kind of egg shaped thing). One of the most absurd developments in wording, in my opinion.

Well I definitely agree with this. "Hand egg"

I go like, this, and this, and this and score a goal.

Haha, this reminds me of the training machine in Mike Bassett: "Pele, Maradona, and... Mark Lawrenson."

For what it's worth, Japan uses the word soccer too.

I think I have pretty much all the books mentioned in here. Just haven't gotten around to reading them

It's called "soccer" here in Australia too, but that's slowly changing since we started qualifying for the World Cup. Correct me if I'm wrong, but my theory is that we picked it up from the Brits (our convict ancestors) whereas a country like Japan may have picked it up second-hand from the States along with, say, baseball and car-manufacturing.

Because only America (and Canada) use it as the sole word for the sport. If any other country does use it , it also can & is more commonly to be referred to as football. Pretty obvious really.

South Africa also refer to it as Soccer. Whilst being the most popular sport in the country, many people outside of the nation will only associate rugby and cricket with being South Africa's national sports. Bafana Bafana, as the National Football Team is nicknamed, are by far the most watched national team in the country, with the Springboks (rugby) and Proteas (cricket) coming in behind.

But anyway, back to the original point, South Africa calls it Soccer too. I think this is due to a large American influence on the nation.

The Numbers Game (about statistical analysis in football) was a great read, too. Really helped me tactically, too, actually - thinking more about statistics and about proper interpretation and such. It also had some great general information on statistics relating to man management - particularly one that stuck out for FM use was on when the best time to make substitutions is and which changes are typically most effective (as early as possible, and always the weakest performer, without going into finer detail - you can get that by reading the book!).

Oh, Barca and also Spain - The inside story of La Roja's historic treble were good reads too.

And "soccer" isn't an American word. It's English, as in from England - specifically, it's from university football, where it was originally the shortform name for football itself. It's an affectionate form of "association football" in the same way that "rugger" is for rugby (obviously "asser" wasn't going to work...). ETA: Didn't see someone else had already said this! Nice. Usually nobody knows.

That being said, you don't get explained how a 4-3-3 reacts to a 4-4-2. That's the sort of thing I would be interested in most: A book which not only explains tactics on their own value, but can explain and compare how different tactics (not only in formation) come to live on a football field. Football is, after all, a game of two teams. Always.

You might try this, then: Soccer Strategies: Defensive and Attacking Tactics.

The description for it goes like this for those who want more info before they click:

Aimed primarily at intermediate and advanced coaches, this book examines the principle formations used in modern soccer and the need to fully understand them all if one is to adapt to game situations using counter-active tactics. The authors discuss such offensive topics as support, width, penetration, mobility and improvisation. Defensively, they provide insight into depth, delay, concentration, team balance, cover and restraint.

great book

The Secret Footballer's Guide To The Modern Game.

Just finished reading this. It won't help with FM but it is a good read nevertheless. Some interesting parts about tactics , especially the part about using the ball to control the opponents, not just passing for the sake of it.