Why do weak teams holding their own against strong teams...

take it youre referring to barca/granada?

Because they are exhausted, pretty simple really.

Yeah and Southampton v Man U.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19384117

Not sure that's all there is to it Boozle.

The clue is in the question

I saw the Barca game, it was strange, my only thought was that there was a penalty appeal beforehand (Fabregas I think diving) and maybe he heard a whistle and thought it was given so just booted it out in frustration.

Either that or someone in that position in the crowd had been giving him serious abuse throughout the match.

Didn't see the southampton game so can't comment on that.

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CLYDEBANK29
Date Joined: 10 Jan 02
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The clue is in the question


I guess you're implying it's because they're weak?

Well of course weaker teams are more likely to play a weaker game than stronger teams, but to get strategy down in cases like this seems quite simple and obvious.

I'm wondering what I'm missing.

You can say it's tiredness. Sure I agree that's an element, but that doesn't explain everything.
Nerves, the players should train for that. Maybe it really is a major difference between top teams and the rest that top teams can hold their nerve in difficult situations.

Is it really that simple though? If so, the players could simply be drilled to play in a certain way in certain common scenarios couldn't they?

Call it mental toughness or self belief.  Same with all sports.  Top players more likely to raise their game at crucial stages

I always thought it was a feeble attempt at time wasting

something similar I dont understand is why when it's getting late in games often the stronger fluent passing teams resort to humping long balls up field, if they thought they were the best tactics to employ why were they not utilised early in the game

isn't it because when teams are losing and defending they press the ball harder (ie try to win possession immediately and high up the pitch), this means the winning team finds it hard to pass the ball out of defence without risking possession, and often chooses 'going for touch' or a wild long clearance as a best option?

There might also be some effect like no-one wanting to risk being the person who gives a short intercepted pass late in the game.

I'll go along with the Judge here and say time wasting ,seems the most obvious

'something similar I dont understand is why when it's getting late in games often the stronger fluent passing teams resort to humping long balls up field, if they thought they were the best tactics to employ why were they not utilised early in the game'
______________________

simply because they aren't the best tactics and time wasting early on is futile ,towards the end  of a game time wasting will frustrate a team

all about psychology really

Time wasting done well isn't playing a weak defensive game though.  It's a combination of things.  Class athletes often find extra when it really matters.  Weaker athletes/teams generally have less self belief, self doubt and the pressure of the occasion, plus the added pressure from opponents with greater ability and self belief is definitely a bigger factor than physical tiredness or tactics imo.

Yeah sorry Coach I sort of meant if a better more fluent passing team were chasing the game late

often you'll see aimless balls pumped into the box clearly not the tactics they started the game with

this is why i always bet late into games - many players even at top level seem to lack the required discipline 

I struggle to make dough IR so fair play to ya

Huddersfield showing how its done, none of that woeful defending against stronger teams!

If anyone was watching Goals on Sunday this weekend past with Tony Adams and Grahame Le Saux they will have heard an interesting insight. They were playing among some other ex-pros (including Claudio Caniggia) for Wembley FC in the FA Cup, and were playing a passing game mainly as they were too old to run around but still had the technique once on the ball. The other half of the team was your normal non-league players at normal football ages.  Le Saux was saying how they went along with that passing game and did really well, scoring 3 goals and were winning but the other team was pushing to get back into it.  They said that the regular players started getting anxious/nervous about the result near the end of the game, and just starting lumping the ball away and running around to try and win it back. Completely nullified any of the advantage from have ex top level players and it ended up 3-3 and going to a replay.

IMO it is the attacking team  who initiate the change ,as they decide , with 10 minutes or so left , that they may as well lose as draw against lowly opposition or concede further if they are behind.

Holding players are withdrawn ,extra attackers brought on , defenders kept forward etc . So the weaker side know if they keep the same number of forwards/attacking midfielders , and keep playing as before,  they will now be outnumbered in defensive areas .

Prob true tobermory, but the weaker side should equally then have more chance (than before) to score in that case. But, I suppose they are 'accepting' the current scoreline, so don't play that way.