The Mixer
The Story of Premier League Tactics
from Route One to False Nines
by Derek and John Wright
An absolutely essential book for every modern football fan, about the development of Premier League tactics, published to coincide with 25 years of the competition.
Back in 1992, English football was stuck in the dark ages, emerging from a five-year ban from European competition. The game was physical, bruising and attritional, based on strength over speed and aggression over finesse. It was the era of the midfield general, reducers, and big men up front and getting it in the mixer; 4-4-2 was the order of the day. Few teams experimented tactically. And then, almost overnight, it all changed. The creation of the Premier League coincided with one of the most seismic rule changes in football history: the abolition of the back-pass. Suddenly defenders had no-get-out-of-jail-free card, goalkeepers had to be able to field and play the ball and the pace of the game quickened immeasurably. An increase in foreign influence helped tactics evolve dramatically. The Mixer is the first book to delve deep into the tactical story of the Premier League and take a long view of how the game has developed over the last quarter century. From Ferguson’s directness to Keegan’s relentlessly attacking Newcastle outfit, to Mourinho’s cagey, reactive Chelsea, all the way to Ranieri’s counter-attacking champions, The Mixer is one of the most entertaining, rich and knowledgeable football books ever written.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael Cox is one of the most respected football journalists working today, and made his name through writing highly entertaining in-depth tactical analysis on his website entitled Zonal Marking, later writing a book of the same name. He is a senior writer for The Athletic, having previously written for The Guardian and ESPN.
Publisher: HarperCollins; Revised and updated edition
Published: July 18, 2024
Price: £12.99
Hardcover: 624 pages
ISBN-10: 0008708312
ISBN-13: 978-0008708313
Dimensions: 131mm x 197mm
