I don't see much wrong in teams passing the ball around their defence especially if they are defending a lead. The pressure to win and attain success these days is much higher as are the stakes. We can say what we want from our perspectives as fans but winning = financial gain = success. If I managed a team that was holding a lead, why should I attack? Why don't you come at me then? It's a tactical decision as well isn't it? I mean the opposition team pours forward trying to win the ball back, leaving gaps at the back for me to exploit.

I remember a game in 98 between England and Nigeria where both teams had already qualified for the next round. That has to be the MOST BORING game of football I have ever watched, and that's saying a lot given I'm a Liverpool fan and we played under Gerard Houllier.

I don't agree that an attacking team can't pass the ball along their backline. As someone has pointed out, it's like a boxer sizing up his opposition, jabbing away to find an opening and lay that killer punch on him.