I don't disagree with you about the modern game, but, I'd rather see a team play pass and move and lose, than play hoofball and lose.
I think you've hit the nail there Henry - refined. The direct approach is fine if it is tactically successful through, say, a long ball into the channels which is picked up by a running forward, or where it's over the top with enough space for the forward to get on it, or even, when you have someone like the beast up front where he can win it 90% of the time.
But that's not what we do. We're not refined. The balls we play up are generally aimless hoofs, met the vast majority of the time by the defender, or going through to the keeper. When they do target, say Evans, successfully, he will generally get muscled off it, and he's one of the stronger ones.