The study of football's tactical development is, in itself, somewhat surprisingly practicable. There's no logical reason football goes through so many strategic eras because its basic regulations have been remarkably consistent and, as in any sport, regulations basically dictate tactics.

There have been only three genuinely significant recent changes in football's regulations: the liberalisation of the offside law, goalkeepers being banned from handling backpasses and the increasingly strict manner in which tackling is judged. The other tactical developments are about improved organisation, improved physical conditioning and, perhaps the most significant feature, simply doing whatever's trendy or what the most successful sides happen to be doing.

The fall -- and slight rise -- of the box-to-box midfielder owes much to that final factor. Back in the days of the 4-4-2 and relatively slow football (compared to the pace of the modern game), it was entirely permissible for a manager to field two box-to-box players in tandem who would work up and down the pitch. Contributing heavily to both defending and attacking was, after all, generally considered the point of the midfield.

Yet just a few years ago, the box-to-box midfielder appeared dead. Matches were being played at much higher intensity. The increasing emphasis on speed meant it simply wasn't possible to relentlessly dart between the two penalty areas. When combined with the emphasis on passers in midfield, potential box-to-box midfielders were soon cast aside -- or, rather, turned into different players.