The Touchline | 𝐓 Yes. It is gone.

🚨🗣️ 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Ruud Gullit is RIPPING into the current game of football! "I have decided to STOP watching football. I don't enjoy our sport anymore. I watched Arsenal vs Chelsea, what an absolute GARBAGE match of football!" "I see players trying to create corner kicks, trying to create throw-ins, I see ball boys ready to give towels to the players. Football has become absolutely HORRIBLE. I hope that this is not the path we are heading at." "I am waiting for players who will take on defenders again, someone like Lamine Yamal. I am missing the joy! I just don't enjoy football anymore." "Everyone is executing tasks on the pitch. Where are the players dribbling? Where are the players with b*lls? WHY IS EVERYONE PASSING?! PASSING! PASSING! PASSING!"

@TouchlineX All of this because data is killing the game. It harms creativity and risk taking. Retaining the ball at all costs. Asking defenders (and the goalkeeper) to play short. Asking midfielders to give the ball back unless there is an absolute clear opportunity in front of them. Etc.

@TouchlineX Well. This could be another point, but we can't deny the fact that it is not the same football as years ago. We don't have a choice for now but to enjoy the little we can.

@TouchlineX I think CBs leading passes doesn’t mean midfielders are worse or not getting enough touches. It means buildup structure changed. Modern football spreads control across phases especially from the CBs instead of funneling everything through one No.10.

Well. Another point concerning the positioning of CBs now, and how they have to up their passing ability in games compared to the old ways. Football can't be in a state of stagnation it has evolved. Regardless, we can't deny that quality has dropped as well. We just have to keep in touch with this new dimension of new play and players.

@TouchlineX That Wat we call evolution bruv....

@TouchlineX Boss, no doubt, but we are not enjoying the football like we used to. The quality has changed. We can't deny that.

@TouchlineX The game has evolved prime Ruud wouldn't eveb get into the Arsenal team

@TouchlineX

@TouchlineX And people blame Arsenal for this? In this stat, only 1 Arsenal player is there. City has 2 Liverpoll 1 Chelsea 1 But yeah, Arsenal is ruining football

@TouchlineX Boss, to me, I think it is a general thing across football now. So, it is not about Arsenal.

@TouchlineX My own is why are people acting as though Arteta invented what football is now? He is barely 6 years into his job, first job for that matter

This take is nonsense. People see centre backs topping pass stats and scream “the game is gone” without understanding why. Football moves in cycles. Kam just reads the stat and baits us into misunderstanding them. We had 4-4-2. Then 4-2-3-1. Now mostly 4-3-3 with structured buildup. That is evolution, not decline. Centre backs like Virgil van Dijk or Rúben Dias pass more because teams build from deep to beat the press. Midfield is the most crowded zone on the pitch now. That is tactics, not coaching killing creativity. And let’s kill this myth real quick. The “best players aren’t touching the ball anymore” argument is lazy. Players like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Martin Ødegaard still decide games every week. They just touch the ball in dangerous areas, not recycling it between centre circles. Also, saying centre backs have the least technical ability in squads in 2025 is wild. You do not play elite football anymore if you cannot pass under pressure. This post is not analysis. It is nostalgia plus stats with no context. Kam you can do better than RAGE BAIT.

@TouchlineX Gullit says he's waiting for players that take players on & rightly cites Yamal. But last time I watched games. All these players took players on: Dembelé Doku Mbappé Vini Musiala Kvaratshelia Olise Saka Palmer Endrick Estêvão Doué Karl No idea what games Gullit is watching🤔🤷‍♂️

@TouchlineX Was the “game gone” when 15 years ago goal keepers weren’t playing out the back and now they are? And 10 years ago there were no inverted fullbacks and now they are? The game is constantly evolving. Clubs, managers, players AND fans need to adapt. Simple.

@TouchlineX We couldnt get down the middle at all man , its all set pieces these days

@TouchlineX You can bring all the data and everything but this mf said beef cherki > mbappe, he should be jailed

@TouchlineX Goal scoring in the league is all time high tho. They are just more clinical no more useless dribblings just straight execution.

@TouchlineX The best players are not touching the ball anymore but they still win balon d’ors and most relevant best players awards. How did you know the current best players are the best players if best players rarely touch the ball? Everyone’s best should just be their CBs.

@TouchlineX This was always gonna happen in the academy’s they force you to play this way and if you don’t you be gone.

@TouchlineX the passes back then were even a lot more interesting, not passing to side and side.. everyone being extremely careful

@TouchlineX Et on l'a vu depuis des année oui. C'est pour ça que les anciens disent ne plus prendre de plaisir à regarder le football ou que le niveau à chuter. La bataille du milieu est fini. On le contourne maintenant

@TouchlineX @DylanMoss1998

@TouchlineX So true, all the coaches copycating. No one with new ideas.

@TouchlineX @havehopehut @danieltiluk

@TouchlineX @sulaimanyahaya

@TouchlineX Who tells you that the best player must be an attacker?

@TouchlineX Great take!

@TouchlineX Nail on the head. Defenders spending more time on the ball rather than midfielders, who should be creating chances. Midfielders desperately snatching at long-range shots (mostly of target) instead of creating for strikers (who are paid to score goals but are left on the bench).

@TouchlineX You needed to say.... in epl

@TouchlineX Hazard gets stick everyday on this app for scoring less goals, i think we deserve the shit show we are witnessing every week

@TouchlineX It’s call change Bruv things will never be the same so get use to it

@TouchlineX After Hazard left the prem has been in shambles

@TouchlineX Cool. Now add the dribbles

@TouchlineX They also had dribblers, fabregas had the likes of Cazorla

@TouchlineX Everything evolved, teams are more cautious not to take risk anymore

@TouchlineX Football evolved..... there's a standard for everything now...do you know there's a certain height you have to be if you're a football player on trial before you'll even be considered.... during those era..it was just based on footballing ability...a lot goes into consideration

@TouchlineX CB leading Pass just mean that Football have became more passive , lesser Pressure from the front and more stay in lower block or AKA parking the bus .

@TouchlineX Im deasass a casual that always complains on why tf the defenders jjust pass to one another damn near all game…its a lot less creativity being displayed from the more skilled offensive players. And today’s game loves the corner kicks

@TouchlineX It's easier to train scoring from set pieces than defending them .....teams don't get enough time to train like before , systems changed teams now playing more from the back hence defenders will have more of the ball