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Has modern football adopted the Allardyce playbook? We asked him

Related Topics: Sam Allardyce, Craig Allardyce

Five minutes are on the clock. The goalkeeper has the ball at his feet. Rather than pass it to a defender, he hits it long. The big striker gets a flick-on. A fellow forward chases it down to go through on goal.

It sounds like football from a bygone era.

But no - this is Manchester United versus Chelsea in the Premier League, 20 September 2025.

With modern coaches placing increased emphasis on set-pieces and 'going long', forgoing a possession-based game in favour of a more direct brand of football, it is beginning to feel like we have been here before.