What long ball tactics?
Weve played measured football and some longer balls. Im happy with that approach depending on what the game requires in that moment.
Its a complete myth that he is a long ball merchant. Several players have said this that have played under him in podcasts ive listened to recently. He encourages them to go out and play football was the theme under all of them.
You obviously have missed some of the recent matches / watched recent games in part! Possession is around 30-35%, under the previous Manager is was 40-50%, there is a clear disparity.
If you are a defender you're not going to risk giving it to Livermore (but sometimes he doesn't want to receive anyway), you'll just crash it into the channel out of harm's way.
So if SA continues with midfielders of that ilk, the net result is long ball football. Irrespective of relegation, I think he should play a more progressive style of football with neat inter-passing and movement off the ball with more technical midfielders.
Then he can shed the "long ball merchant" / "dinosaur" tags that have dogged him over recent years.