The Tuesday XI: Piano Man Edition

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents  

We're stepping back into the music world this week in honor of last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions (We're pro-Beastie Boy.). Except instead of putting together an team of musicians, we're lining up songs, specifically famous title characters from songs, into a harmonious XI.

I don't think that's the right one.

GK – Macho Man – Uses his inflated ego, and pectoral muscles, to deflect goal-bound shots.

LB – Minnie the Moocher – Bought a diamond car with some platinum wheels with her first top-flight paycheck.

CB – Bad Bad Leroy Brown – Something a throwback to the old-timey center-halves of yesteryear. If the baddest man in the whole damn town doesn't get the ball, he's going to be sure to get the man.

CB – Superfreak – Definitely not the kind of player you'd take home to mother. TheYouTube highlight reel is topped only by the outlandish off-the-field antics. Imagine if you crossed Marvell Wynne with Mario Balotelli.

RB – Eleanor Rigby – Picks up the ball, on the flanks, in the space, where the winger has been. Crosses like a dream.

Not exactly...

DM – Iron Man – Has really raised his game in the center since he was turned to steel in the great magnetic field.

CM – Baba O'Riley – Fights for his meals out there in the field, and always gets his back into his motoring up and down from box-to-box.

AM – Mack the Knife – Someone's sneaking behind the defense, ghosting late onto crosses or to collect drop-offs from our center forwards. Could that someone, perhaps, perchance, be Mack the Knife?

LW– Jumping Jack Flash – Hits defenses like a cross-fire hurricane down the left side.

Fine, whatever.

CF – Man in Black – It says it right there in the song, “Up front there oughta be a man in black.” You want to argue with a guy who only dresses in all black?

RW – Voodoo Child – Provides craftiness and guile up top to balance the speed of Jumping Jack Flash and the power of the Man in Black. He’ll move mountains to get our side a goal, or at least chop them down with the edge of his hand.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

The Tuesday 10: Ten Most Interesting Events in Soccer Since We Started As A Blog One Year Ago

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents 


Our friends and contributors from "The Other 87 Minutes" celebrate their one year blog-versary!


1. US Women lose the World Cup to Japan. That World Cup run was amazing in many respects, but ultimately we were all left with that bitter feeling of not meeting expectations.

2. Messi becomes Barcelona’s All-Time Scoring Leader. Cue comparisons with Pele, Maradona, Jordan, Armstrong, Ruth, Dimaggio, Gretsky, and Phelps. None of them unjustified.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo goes a year without crashing his Ferrari. Wait did he? We’ll have to check on that one. Oh, he didn’t, but one did break down on him.

4. At least six Clasicos were played. UEFA drastically increases the quota for the number of yellow and red cards a ref must have on his body during a match.

5. Manchester City finally took its spot among the major players in the Premier League. Now if only a Saudi sheikh would buy out everyone else, it’d be the least bit fair.

6. Wayne Rooney got hair plugs. Well he had to spend that hard-fought and won contract money on something. Next up, fake biceps.

7. AC Milan broke the Inter Milan deadlock on the scudetto. The Italian FA opened a symbolic match-fixing investigation. #neverforget

8. Fernando Torres scores a goal. No really! I mean, we didn’t see it, but we heard from someone who did.

9. Neymar becomes the next Messi. And then is savagely outclassed during the Club World Cup by the old Messi, who hit the Brazilian with his walker and told him to get off his lawn.

10. The LA Galaxy win another MLS Cup, their first with David Beckham. To celebrate, they all went out drinking and revelling. Beckham suspiciously disappeared about 30 minutes before the bar tab appears.  

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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Tuesday... Err... Wednesday 10: Real Madrid's Amusement Park

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents 

When Villarreal gets relegated, they'll
operate submarine service to the island. 

The apocalypse is nigh for Jose Mourinho and his band of merry men. Just a few short weeks after amassing a double-digit lead in La Liga, Madrid have seen their lead reduced to just six points – with a clasico left to play in the Nou Camp. Mou is no doubt sweating bullets and wondering whether Perez will give him the axe – perhaps literally – if he doesn’t produce more than bus-dented silverware this term. So like any forward-thinking mad genius, the Madrid boss has built a fortress of evil on an island somewhere in the ocean. When the media caught wind of his plans, Mourinho covered his tracks. “Heh. Heh heh. Evil fortress? No. This? No no. This is magnificent resort. I think this is most special resort in sea.” With that, he cancelled his press conferences and jetted off to hide his true intentions. What’s left is, ostensibly, a Blancos-themed amusement park. We preview several of the attractions in this week’s Tuesday 10.

The Florentino Freefall – Not for the acrophobic! Strap into a special bucket seat, withdraw millions from your personal account, and our special bungee contraption will slowly carry you 300 feet in the air for a gorgeous view of the resort. Then, experience the thrill of defying death as your seat is released in freefall – gravity does the rest! Your cash will fly all over the island, indiscriminately, but not without giving you the rush you crave. No pacemakers.

The Bearded Lady – Don’t forget to visit our Tent of Wonders, where the star of the show is Iker Casillas, the Bearded Lady. He’ll dazzle you with facial hair so unkempt that only a Portland-based indie frontman could challenge him for most brooding face on earth.

The Ricky Kaka Experience – One of our most popular rollercoasters, although it only reaches one peak! Encounter bone-chilling heights in the Ricky Kaka Experience. As you slowly climb to the top, you’ll see Madrid Island ahead of you. Enjoy the breathtaking view! From there, it’s all downhill. What a wild ride!

Pepe’s Stomp Stomp Revolution – Come by and win prizes in the arcade room. Get there early if you don’t want to wait in line for Stomp Stomp Revolution, our take on Dance Dance Revolution, the gaming phenomenon in which kids shuffle their feet to arrows flowing across the screen. In our take, you’re stepping on Barcelona body parts! Try the hot new track Copa del Rey, but be careful, some of the combinations are tricky (practice the Messi foot/Pique arm/Messi foot at home). If you get a red card, the game ends, but you can still win bonus points yelling at the ref.

Poke-a-Tito – You’ve heard of Whack-a-Mole, but we think that cushioned mallet is a little too forgiving. In Poke-a-Tito, you have no equipment but your own index fingers. Test your reflexes as the Barcelona assistant dodges your attacks, and get the vindications you deserve for the role he played in embarrassing your team again!

The Altintop Locker Room – Need somewhere to store your bag? We provide complimentary lockers so you can enjoy the park with that peace of mind. Anything you don’t think you’ll need to use – however expensive – will fit, guaranteed!

The Petting Zoo – Something for young children. Our experts have scoured the globe for animals that embody the Madrid spirit. Pet the scaly, bug-eyed Ozil Chameleon and the hairy, buck-toothed Khedira llama, but if you only have time for one thing, make it the Sergio Ramos pony ride!

Galactico Ring Toss – Think about it: Do you really feel that adept tossing rings onto bottles? We’ve upped the challenge level and improved the reward at the same time. In the Galactico Ring Toss, we’ve set up rows of high-profile transfer targets. Stand behind the line, toss a ring, and if it lands around a player’s neck, you take him home!

Xabi Alonso Strength Test Game – If you want to win your girlie a prize, what better way to do it than grabbing a mallet and hitting the target? In the Xabi Alonso Strength Test Game, the goal is to swing as hard as you can. Don’t worry so much about accuracy or finesse. The harder you swing, the better you are!

Hall of Legends – Eye poking. Press conference boycotts. Leg stomps. Conspiracy theories. This is the Madrid we know and love, and it wouldn’t be what it is without a club of rich and notable history. Visit the Hall of Legends, where we tell the stories of the dignified and respectable players and managers of old. Closed for renovations.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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The Tuesday 10: Harkes on History, Part Deux

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents  

You didn’t think it’d be that simple, did you? That we’d be rid of him so easily, that the break would be so complete, that he wouldn’t return in a new, improved, ultimate form to wreak havoc once again, at least across the Washington D.C. metro area. This spring, John Harkes made good on the words of another famous Terminator, and he is indeed back, calling D.C.United games for Comcast along with Dave Johnson.

That’s good news for us, because it gives us a chance to revisit one of our favorite Tuesday Ten ideas. This is Harkes on History, Part Deux.

2,345 B.C.: Noah’s Ark launches

I don’t understand it, Dave. You’ve got limited space in the Ark, why do you go with two of everything? Two zebras, two lions, two giraffes...The key to success is versatility, Dave, and Noah just doesn’t have that. Sometimes late in the game it’s a good idea to bring on a Tyrannosaurus Rex, you know what I mean?

"These Spartans have a rock-hard backline, Dave."

480 B.C.: Battle of Thermopylae
I mean, you’re right, Dave, the Spartans have done well at keeping their shape. But at a certain point, you’ve got to throw caution to the wind and try to get some forward push. You can’t park the bus for two days and expect for an army as talented as the Persians not to break through.

1066 A.D.: Battle of Hastings.
Well Dave, you can’t take over a country by force without winning at least one battle, and to do that you've got to kill more than the other guy. If William keeps this performance up, someone's going to come up with a really great nickname for him.

1492 A.D.: Columbus lands in America.
Wow, what an achievement, Dave. The first man ever to set foot on this whole new continent. The leadership he displayed in getting his men here, and the diplomacy in dealing with this whole new population, I just can’t say enough about him. Where would MLS be without Christopher Columbus?

"I bet Jesus was more of a meat and potatoes guy, Dave."

1498 A.D.: Leonardo da Vinci finishes the Last Supper.
I don’t really agree with what da Vinci’s done here, Dave. Jesus Christ, one of the big names in all of history, is having his final meal with twelve of his closest friends here. Does Leo really think all they had there was some bread and some wine? He should paint some burgers in there. I’d bet they had burgers.

1588 A.D.: Defeat of the Spanish Armada.
It’s a tough loss to swallow, but they’ll be back, Dave. The Spanish are too resilient not to get over this one. Soon we’ll all be able to say that the sun never sets on the Spanish empire.

1777 A.D.: Drafting of the Articles of Confederation.
I’ve got to say, Dave, the Founders have outdone themselves here. They know the American people don’t want to live under a strong central authority, and they’ve drafted a magnificent document that’s going to allow the individuality of the states to shine through.

July 3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg.
This is more like it from Lee, Dave. He must have seen the Battle of Thermopylae earlier this season. He knows he can’t hold up against the Union forever, so he’s taking the initiative and ordering General Pickett to counterattack down the center. A great strategic move.

"I believe he got the idea after flying a kite in a thunderstorm, Dave."

Oct. 22, 1879: First successful test of Edison’s electric light bulb.
I love this Dave. The light bulb is going to be huge. It’s a brilliant idea, just absolutely brilliant, you know, like a light bulb should be. This little light of Edison’s? I’m going to let it shine.

August 29, 1997: Skynet becomes self-aware.
I don’t understand what all the fuss is about, Dave. When I was playing, we didn’t need an artificial intelligence system in charge of our stealth bombers and nuclear arsenal. I’m sure they’ll just pull the plug on it and that will be that.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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The Tuesday XI: Erin Go Bragh Edition

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents 



Saturday is St. Patrick's Day (and the birthday of one A.W. Pickard, so if you see him buy him a green beer). In the spirit of the celebration, we've put together a 4-4-2 line-up of Irish writers, historical figures, and Bono. 

GK – Peter O’Toole – Our inspirational leader and captain, his presence is a steadying influence in times of crisis, and his voice can rally the troops when a goal is needed. Our squad members don’t come for money, they come for him.

LB – Wolfe Tone – I admit I’m not entirely sure how his history as an Irish revolutionary would make him a tremendous left back, but isn’t that a badass name?

You better believe he's the first name on the team sheet.

CB – Saint Patrick – Technically speaking, not every one of this team’s attacks start with him. But it sure can seem like it sometimes.

CB – Daniel O’Connell – The other rock at the center of Irish history; no one loves the team more than he does.

RB – Patrick Pearse – A natural defender of his home turf, he only runs into trouble when he pushes too hard for freedom in his role.

LM – W.B. Yeats – Once a center midfielder, but was moved out to the flanks after it turned out the center could not hold when the team relied on his tackling ability to stem the blood-dimmed tide of the opposition’s assault.

CM – Samuel Beckett – Sometimes criticized for his lack of forward passing and drive, but there’s no denying that he sees the game in a completely different way from other players.

Joyce is the only member of our midfield who doesn't have a Nobel Prize. That's quality.

CM – James Joyce – A maddening perfectionist on the pitch, but on his day it seems he can dictate the game down the last detail.

RM – George Bernard Shaw – Endlessly versatile – he won a Nobel Prize, an Oscar, and cofounded the London School of Economics for Pete’s sake – the man tracks back on defense one minute and goes bombing forward the next.

CF – Michael Flatley – And you thought Cristiano Ronaldo’s feet were fast. Dazzles in the attacking end with his rapid-fire combinations.

CF – Bono – May lack the urgency he once felt, but still has his moments where he can overpower and outperform any competition.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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Tuesday XI: President Day Edition

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents

Yesterday was Presidents Day here in the U.S. (not that any of us got the day off), so to celebrate, we decided to assemble a lineup of the greatest men ever to hold the office, whether they were elected to the office, assumed it on the death of a predecessor, or were written into it.

GK – Abraham Lincoln – Tall, athletic and iron-willed. What more could you ask for?

I find this picture of young Chester Arthur hysterical.

LB – Chester A. Arthur – We took to Twitter to figure out the best possible presidential option at left back. We got back Grant (who played the role on this team), Truman, Polk, Van Buren and W. Bush, but the best answer came from @TheSquadPlayers: “No one born and raised in America can play the position well. It has been proven.” Lucky for the U.S. of A., we have Arthur, who everyone knows was actually born in Canada. (Good thing we’re past that kind of base political slander, huh?)

CB – Andrew Jackson – His stout, some would say brutal, defense ensures opposing strikers have a long, tearful walk back to their dressing room.

CB – James Monroe – Lets the opposition know right off that he feels he “owes it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the Presidents’ side and those opposition powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this half of the field as dangerous to our peace and safety.”

That's our President...kind of.

RB – Thomas J. Whitmore – An inspirational leader in the dressing room who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty on the field of play either.

LM – John F. Kennedy – Spritely at 43, his (relatively) youthful energy on the flank helps assure the survival and success of our squad.

CM – James Marshall – Only recently took over this spot from our previous destroyer, Teddy Roosevelt. TR may have led the charge up San Juan Hill, but he never told Gary Oldman to get off his plane.

Thanks KCKRS and
 Life Magazine.

CM – Thomas Jefferson – This do-it-all footballing polymath is so versatile he’s moved from right back to the center of midfield, providing dynamism and plenty of ideas next to Marshall’s grit.

RM – Richard Nixon – On a team full of upstart citizens, he’s our cunning master of the dark arts.

Deep-lying forward – Josiah Bartlet – Isn’t afraid to get tough when he needs to be, but mostly his role is to use his off-the-charts football intelligence to dictate events around him.

CF – George Washington – Led his army across the Delaware, led the nation through its first years, led this team in scoring for three years running.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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The Tuesday.... Errr... Wednesday XI: We Go To 11 Edition

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents

In honor of Sunday’s Grammy Awards, we’ve assembled a side of music legends, packed into an Ajax-style 3-4-3. Our selections may skew older, but that's just because that's when the real music was made (and our – or at least my – musical knowledge actually ends the year I was born).

GK – Ringo Starr – Ringo made a career out of being in the right place at the right time, by being a pretty good available drummer just as three musical geniuses happened to need one. He gets by with a little help from his friends here too.

LCB – Isaac Hayes – No matter the song or sport, he’s still one bad mother shutyomouth.

Don't believe what you might read on the injury report. He feels good.

SW– James Brown – The hardest working man in show business brings that tremendous effort to the pitch, and always keeps things cool in the back.

RCB – Johnny Cash – The rock of our defense. He may not be fast, but he makes up for it in sheer badassery.

CDM – Keith Moon – Our Tasmanian devil of a defensive midfielder is all violence and movement, making life a nightmare for every opposing midfielder, not just the playmaker.

LCM – Joe Strummer – This genre-bending punk rocker rules the center because he always knows whether he Should to Stay in his position or Go rampaging forward. That means he can both put the Clampdown on the opponent and make sure our Magnificent front Seven don’t Train in Vain.

RCM – Johnny Ramone – What our midfield lacks in technical virtuosity, they offset in raw energy. Johnny Ramone is the metronome that keeps the whole thing going, with his movement in tight spaces and rapid-fire passing driving the ball forward.

CAM – Freddie Mercury – Incredible range and a fantastic feel for his craft. Plus, he and our center forward bring out the best in each other.

LW – Chuck Berry – Not flashy, at least not by today’s standards, but still fast, creative and devastatingly effective, as long as he’s not holding out for more money.

Leaving defenders in a cloud
of purple haze since 1964

CF – David Bowie – His versatility makes him the perfect frontman for this ensemble. He can play the speedy poacher, the line-leading target man, or the deep-lying playmaker with equal ability, disappearing into each role as if it was the one he’s always played.

RW – Jimi Hendrix – Hendrix fits the role of jinking right winger because he’s the music world’s Garrincha (Most people would probably say that Garrincha was soccer’s Hendrix, but we’re soccer writers here, and we get to structure the analogy the way we want.). Almost no one would argue that Garrincha was the greatest player the world has ever seen, but the consensus seems to be that he was the absolute best at that one particular aspect of the game he focused most on: dribbling. Same goes with Hendrix and the guitar.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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