프리미어리그 플레이스타일

프리미어리그를 상징하는 플레이스타일은 소위 킥앤 러쉬를 바탕으로 한 빠른 속공과 긴 공중볼 및 터프한 경합을 위시로 하는 리그로 정의할 수 있다. 2000년대 전후로는 외국인 감독과 선수들이 많이 수급되기 시작하면서 다른 리그의 플레이스타일도 여러모로 많이 받아들였지만 빌드업이나 체계적인 축구를 한다는 팀들도 프리미어리그 고유의 플레이스타일의 영향을 받아 빠른 속공과 높은 공중볼 싸움을 강조한다.

프리미어리그는 다른 리그에 비해 외국인들의 수급 시기가 상당히 늦은 리그에 속하고 이로 인해 대부분 선수들이 영국 연방 소속 선수들로 구성됐다. 그러다보니 대부분 좋은 피지컬에 비해 소수의 선수들을 제외하고는 발밑이나 공을 다루는 섬세함이 비교적 부족했다. 그리하여 이런 특징들을 살려 롱볼을 전방으로 빠르게 날려 키가 큰 선수들이 공을 따 최대한 적은 터치 수를 가져가면서 골을 노리는 속공 방식이 자리 잡혔다. 이러한 스타일은 국가대표에도 그대로 영향을 줘 뻥차놓고 축구를 한다는 의미에서 잉글랜드 국가대표팀의 별명이 국내 한정으로 뻥글랜드, 뻥축한다로 자리 잡았다.

다만 2000년대 이후 여러 전술가형 감독들의 등장으로 프리미어리그 내에서도 속공을 바탕으로 단순히 뻥축이 아닌 체계적인 축구를 바탕으로 역습과 빌드업을 중요시하는 스타일도 등장하기 시작했다. 대표적으로 아스날 FC가 꼽힌다. 벵거 시절부터 자리 잡은 벵거볼은 프리미어리그의 빠른 속공 체제하에서 살아남으면서도 동시에 체계를 유지하면서 균형 잡힌 축구를 보여줬고 현재 아스날을 상징하는 축구색으로 자리 잡으면서 아스날하면 프리미어리그에서 공을 가장 예쁘게 차는 구단으로 꼽히기도 한다. 이외에 급격한 성장을 통해 빅클럽으로 변모한 맨체스터 시티 FC, 정통 강호인 맨체스터 유나이티드 FC나 리버풀 FC 역시 2000년대 들어 빠른 속공만을 남기고 각자의 고유한 전술색을 입혀가며 성장한다. 중하위권 팀들은 아직까지 킥앤러쉬 및 뻥 차 놓는 축구의 스타일이 짙게 남아 있지만 최근에는 중위권 팀들도 상위권 팀들의 영향을 받아 하나둘씩 프리미어리그를 상징하는 킥앤 러쉬나 롱볼보다는 체계적인 전술을 자리 잡아가고 있다. 오히려 이런 킥 앤드 러시는 이제 하위권 팀이나 하부리그인 챔피언쉽의 전유물이 되었다.

 

 

 

The style of play that symbolizes the Premier League can be defined as a league based on so-called kick-and-rush, which includes fast fastballs, long airballs and tough competitions. Around the 2000s, as foreign coaches and players began to be supplied, the style of play in other leagues was widely accepted, but teams that play build-up or systematic soccer also emphasize fastballs and high airball fights under the influence of the Premier League's unique style of play.

The Premier League belongs to the league, where foreigners are supplied much later than other leagues, and as a result, most of the players are from the Commonwealth of England. As a result, compared to most good physicals, except for a few players, the delicacy of handling the ball or foot was relatively insufficient. Thus, taking advantage of these characteristics, the fastball method was established in which tall players took the ball and took as few touches as possible. This style also affects the national team, and in the sense of playing soccer, the nickname of the English national team has been established as "Pung England, Pung Chuk" in Korea.[8]

However, with the emergence of various tactical managers since the 2000s, a style that values counterattacks and build-ups based on systematic soccer rather than just puffs, has also begun to emerge in the Premier League. Arsenal FC is one of the most representative. The Wenger Bowl, which has been established since Wenger's time, has survived under the Premier League's fast-attack system while maintaining its system at the same time and has been considered the prettiest club in the Premier League as it has established itself as a symbol of Arsenal's soccer color. In addition, Manchester City FC, which has transformed into a big club through rapid growth, Manchester United FC, and Liverpool FC, which are traditional powerhouses, have also grown in the 2000s by wearing their own tactical colors, leaving only quick attacks. Middle and lower-tier teams still have a strong style of kick-and-rush and kick-and-kick football, but recently, under the influence of top teams, middle-tier teams are taking over systematic tactics rather than kick-and-rush or long ball, which symbolizes the Premier League one by one. Rather, such kick-and-rush has now become the exclusive property of lower-tier teams or lower-league championships.