defenders swapped throwing a leg out and committing themselves for simply staying on their feet and body-checking you. Plus (literally) enhanced fitness and stamina meant if you did beat the full-back you didn't have thirty square yards of open space to run into/time to pick your cross, you had a herd of covering opponents on top of you instantly - and that's if you hadn't had to drop absurdly deep to receive a pass in the first place.

The pitch, in practical terms, is a lot more crowded than it used to be.