Reasonable shout on the penalties, and it'd be interesting to see how many penalties we were awarded pre BFS and post. My gut feeling would be that if you don't attack you don't get penno's either.
As to the style of play I think that has changed dramatically though the quality was poor before and after BFS appointment.
Prior to BFS we were still trying to work things forward through midfield (esp. in Euro games) albeit slowly and unsuccessfully. We were losing the ball in transition and having it come back at the defense more frequently than they could support and driving up defensive errors. Post BFS hoofball bypassed the midfield who's only role became defensive and from there its at best a 50/50 aerial dual as to who gets possession. which once again pressurises the defense but they are now better able to cope in numbers as 2 of 3 midfielders are in front of the back four. coupled also with the key personnel returning from injury in the defense.
BTW i am no tactician but these would be my individual observations
See I think this hoofball thing (with us, not Allardyce in general) is a bit of a myth.
To play hoofball we would need a big target man up front (which we don't really have) or pace running beyond the last defender.
I don't think our first instinct is to just hammer the ball forward and funnily enough that may have proved more fruitful this season. We just seem to pass it around slowly and aimlessly before giving the ball away.
Don't get me wrong I think if Allardyce had the players we would be hoofing it but its just turgid aimless crap like it has been for the whole season as the players are generally thick.
Weirdly enough I think what we have seen this season under Allardyce is almost the opposite of what I would expect. No pressure being put on opponents, no playing percentages or whipping balls in to a big man, just lazy, pointless rubbish.
