Anthony Brown: Arsenal-Barcelona clash different sport to Scottish football

We've been brought up on 100-mile-an-hour matches full of commitment, aerial duels and wild tackles.

It can be enjoyable in its own right, but it doesn't mean it's the way to play.

Wouldn't it be nice if we were able to adopt a more cultured attitude?

Would we not rather see our teams building from the back, with short, intricate, passes? Players letting the ball do the work instead of using all their energy chasing lost causes?

I think deep down we all know that's the way it should be, but we've not got the patience or the wherewithal for change. We've developed a culture of win at all costs from grass-roots level up.

There are plenty good coaches who want to play the right way, but they're hindered by having players who have grown up on a diet of kick-and-rush Scottish football and lack the intelligence to alter the way they play.

Too many want to be the hero by hitting a 30-yarder or the World Cup pass instead of playing the easy - but effective - ball to the guy ten yards away. The harsh weather and dodgy pitches are also obvious pitfalls. Then there's impatient fans who scream at players to get the ball into the box as quick as possible. For good teams, possession is king. We could start by using more ball-playing centre-halves. Get the goalie to roll to the full-backs instead of punting long to a striker who's probably going to get outjumped.

Forget 4-4-2, it's a dated system that encourages long ball. Most good teams play one or occasionally even no out-and-out forwards these days. But if a manager plays one up front in Scotland, he gets vilified. It's crazy.

Kilmarnock - despite Saturday's thrashing to Aberdeen at Pittodrie - are the only SPL side currently playing anything resembling the beautiful game but they have a foreign manager, half a team of foreigners and less pressure from fans to "win at all costs". But when Tony Mowbray tried to encourage a similar approach at Celtic he was run out of town.

We need a major cultural change for our game to prosper but, unfortunately, I think we're stuck with what we've got.

Looks like Italians are pasta their best

Sad to see Italian sides struggling to keep pace with Europe's elite.

With Tottenham, only England's fourth force at present, adding the scalp of Serie A leaders Milan to that of last year's title winners Inter, and Roma also losing at home, it suggests Inter's Champions League success last year was merely a Jose Mourinho-inspired false dawn for the Italian game. It's a far cry from the early Nineties, when you dare not miss an episode of Channel 4's Football Italia to see how Gazza, Paul Ince and David Platt were faring in the best league in the world. By contrast, the Russian and Ukrainian clubs look to be Europe's new kids on the block.

Shakhtar Donetsk are the cream of the crop and look good for the last eight of the Champions League, while there are another two Ukrainian sides and four from Russia making their presence felt in the Europa League. Dripping with cash and overflowing with technically-gifted players, I'd fancy a side from Russia or Ukraine to get their hands on the Champions League sooner or later. PS. How about a new Football Italia-style television programme following Aiden McGeady's fortunes at Spartak Moscow? No takers?

Grizzly beards

THERE must have been something in the air on Tuesday night.

How else do you explain two grizzly little bearded men losing the plot circa 9pm (BST). Just as Paul Hartley was running the bath for his Aberdeen team-mates after being sent off for kicking Keith Lasley, his fellow caveman Rino Gattuso was setting in motion a chain of events that would lead to the ex-Rangers midfielder planting a Govan kiss on former Hearts boss Joe Jordan.

Harry Redknapp's after-match quotes were pretty light-hearted considering the assault that had just been on inflicted on his trusty lieutenant, but I'd love to have heard what the amiable Spurs manager had to say for himself the moment it all kicked off.

Hats off to . .

Dundee United. Phoned Tannadice last week to set up a chat with Arabs assistant boss Paul Hegarty, and was guided through the perils of the switchboard by a recorded voice message from United's Irish defender Sean Dillon.

A novel idea which will ease the tedium for United fans as they try to reach their port of call. As for Hegarty, one of the true gentlemen of Scottish football.

Not a fan of . .

Cup replays at Saturday lunchtime.

It was surreal seeing the FA Cup game between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge go to penalties before the 3pm games had kicked off.

Shoot-outs always seem more dramatic under the floodlights but, having a fourth-round replay, traditionally a midweek affair, on fifth-round day just highlights the apparent marginalisation of the FA Cup.

The next step will probably be doing away with replays altogether.