Sports
Does a more aggressive style of play correlate with more success in football?
While aggression is largely seen as a negative trait, some sports psychologists agree that hostility can improve an individual’s performance. If players use aggression recklessly during a game, it will undoubtedly hurt their performance, but if this aggression is controlled, it can help them play more competently. It has been said that football tends to be one of the more socially acceptable channels for aggression. Still, professionals must learn the difference between controlled aggression and violence and transfer that knowledge to their game.
Aggression shows Character
Managers often praise their players for being aggressive during football matches, reflecting how much they care about their team winning. For example, José Mourinho has previously praised Chelsea striker Diego Costa for his aggressive style of play, stating that these qualities and mannerisms are what Chelsea needed to win the Premier League in 2014/15.
A player showing aggression to win a match or a cup is good. Aggression helps one to hold that “never give up” mentality; it feeds one’s hunger for success and somewhat drives an individual or a team to glory. Aggression keeps one in the right mindset to fight until the last minute, the last whistle. And if you are familiar with “the beautiful game”, you know how important that is.
However, this is not to be confused with playing with anger or the reckless abandon that Diego Costa is now often accused of. Aggression must be limited within the rules of the game. There is a big difference between aggressive and foul play, and fans, pundits, and referees can certainly tell the difference.
However, as far as players are concerned, it’s hard to imagine as the red mist falls. When players are told to be more aggressive, it sometimes results in them committing more fouls because they don’t understand what it means to play aggressively and instead interpret the instructions to play dirty.
Controlled aggression can be beneficial
When examining sports aggression, there are subtle yet very important differences between what sports psychologists consider healthy and appropriate versus what is unnecessary and potentially dangerous. An athlete who throws a hard punch after the whistle shows unhealthy aggression.
Although the aggression may not be dangerous, it goes beyond the rules and manifests frustration, not fair play, and sound strategy. When it comes to aggression, intent matters. Especially regarding safety, integrity, and sportsmanship in sports.
The Punters Page official site says if players are taught by their professional coaches and managers how to maintain a controlled aggressiveness on the field, it will allow them to play better by making contact with other players in a controlled manner without fear. Being aggressive in football is a desirable quality in a player, especially in the English Premier League.
Zlatan Ibrahimovi? once said that, according to him, when he’s angry in the field, he plays better. If people say he is aggressive, it stimulates him because he will be more aggressive. If people say he shouts a lot, he will shout even more. All this stimulates and drives him to play even better, and we have the incredible results in front of us as proof.
Aggression is often Dangerous
Although there are a lot of debates going on about whether aggression is good for players, it is better to believe it is not. Whenever a player shows a sign of aggression, either that player or their opponent is getting hurt, or maybe the opposition tends to play in fear which eventually turns into frustration, and they backfire with aggression too.
Aggression has ended the careers of many players, many legends, and many who could have been, as we all know. A severe injury breaks the backbone of any player’s mentality and destroys or limits their physical abilities.
Aggression without proper disposal is self-destructive
While controlled aggression helps in certain game circumstances, it is also important to control your emotions and not get too frustrated, which could lead to dangerous attacks, arguing with referees’ decisions, and subsequent bookings. Even if a referee doesn’t record an incident, you can risk a post-match citation and ejection as officials try harder than ever to keep violent acts out of football.
Luis Suárez is another example of someone who doesn’t know how to express his frustration. From three separate cases, we can see that Suárez has a particular taste for controversial and truly human flesh. Any opponent against Suárez knows they could be facing a situation you’d normally find in a petting zoo.
When you see footballers getting aggressive in the face of the referee, do you see the need to ensure that the aggression is controlled and focused on the match itself rather than showing disrespect to the referee where any aggression towards the referee is immediately punished? This is not to discourage aggression but to ensure it is directed at the right areas. The referee is unlikely to change his mind about the decision, so footballers are better off using their obvious aggression against the opposition.
Final Thoughts
Aggression is an integral part of football. Thus, a modern study suggests that information regarding people’s beliefs and aggression about game outcomes, has an impact on maximizing participation in soccer and karate. However, it is essential that young professional sportsmen and women understand the difference between controlled aggression and violence. In a modern game where players are thrown to the ground at the slightest touch, they need to control their aggression more than ever.
It would be interesting to see how many red cards former players like Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira would receive in the modern Premier League game. Players must adapt to this current state, or they will spend more time on the sidelines than on the field.
Tottenham fought back from two-goals down to secure a deserved point against Brighton.
The Seagulls were second best for much of the match but found themselves 2-0 up after 31 minutes thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s early strike and Yasin Ayari’s powerful drive.
However, Richarlison halved the deficit just before half-time when he stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus before slotting in.
Spurs dominated the second half but their finishing let them down as Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons were both unable to make the most of promising opportunities.
But the equaliser came eight minutes from time when Jan Paul van Hecke turned Kudus’ cross into his own net.
Spurs then pushed for a winner as they looked to continue their impressive start to the season, but Brighton held on for the point.
Bundesliga: Kane Continues Goal Harvest (5)
Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to win at Hoffenheim and continue their 100% start.
The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a clinical first-time finish from a cleverly worked low corner, and doubled Bayern’s lead from the spot after Albian Hajdari was harshly penalised for a handball.
That broke Hoffenheim’s resistance and Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, given for a foul on substitute Michael Olise after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.
This time Kane sent home keeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way for his 13th Bayern goal in seven matches across all competitions this season, adding to his Champions League double against Chelsea last Wednesday.
“Hat-trick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told Tidesports source after the match. “That one kind of stuck when I was younger.”
“Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”
Hoffenheim had the better of the first 45 minutes, Fisnik Asllani only able to hit the post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer passed straight to the Kosovan.
They eventually got some reward for their efforts, former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal’s deflected free-kick beating Neuer to earn the Czech his first goal for the club.
Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz hit the top of the bar late on as he failed to continue his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season, but Serge Gnabry added a fourth for Bayern with the last kick, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved from Joshua Kimmich.
Nicolas Jackson made his first start since joining Bayern on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a very quiet game before being replaced in the 62nd minute.
In Italy, Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma into the Serie A top four as Lazio had two players sent off in a fiery derby.
The midfielder found the bottom corner in the 38th minute as Roma extended their unbeaten run to four games against their city rivals.
Lazio have lost three of their opening games of the season and had Reda Belahyane and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi dismissed in late drama.
Roma started well and Rome-born Pellegrini claimed the vital goal – his fourth in a Rome derby after being available for transfer in the summer – following good work down the right by Matias Soule.
But the hosts will rue missed opportunities as Boulaye Dia, Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli all had openings.
With four minutes left substitute Belahyane was shown a red card for a late studs-up challenge on Manu Kone.
Danilo Cataldi struck the outside of the post for Lazio in a last-gasp effort to snatch a point, while team-mate Guendouzi was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
Luca Zidane, the son of France’s World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria.
Born just outside Marseille, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had appeared for France at various youth levels.
The move, which was approved by Fifa, may enable Zidane to follow in his father’s footsteps by appearing at a World Cup, with Algeria expected to secure a place at the 2026 finals in North America in their qualifier against Somalia next month.
Zidane, who is the second of four brothers, all of whom came through the Real Madrid academy, currently plays for Spanish second tier side Granada.
He played two matches for Madrid and has La Liga experience at Rayo Vallecano, but dropped a level in 2022 to play for Eibar before heading to Andalusia in 2024.
Zidane qualifies for the North African country through his father, whose parents hailed from the Kabylie region of Algeria.
Zinedine Zidane, who is regarded as one of the games greatest players scored twice for France in their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, but was famously sent-off in the 2006 final, which was won by Italy after a penalty shootout.
Manchester United capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card to secure a crucial victory over Chelsea in torrential rain at Old Trafford.
The first match in Premier League history to see two or more goals, red cards and substitutions in the first half was settled by goals from United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who was the other player sent off before the break.
It was Sanchez’s dismissal that set the course of the game though.
The Spain international raced from his goal to meet Bryan Mbeumo as the striker ran beyond the Chelsea defence.
Sanchez then upended the forward outside his area rather than allow him past to tap the ball into an empty net.
Enzo Maresca’s response to the red card was to take off both Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian and, as Cole Palmer had to be replaced after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, Chelsea had lost three attacking players in the space of 20 minutes.
Trevor Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea with a header 10 minutes from time but United kept their nerves at bay to make it to the final whistle with their lead intact.
The victory was United’s second of the season and came in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who gave head coach Ruben Amorim assurances over his future 48 hours earlier.
It also means Chelsea have still not won at Old Trafford since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was United manager.
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