Match Report: Mullen vs Battle (Round 4 -2022)

 Match Report: Mullen vs. Battle - Semi Finals 4A State Championship    

Location: UNC Greeley (Jackson Stadium) 411 20th St, Greeley, CO 80631

Time: 8PM 

Details: 

Our team meeting will take place @2:20 in room C5. The bus for Greeley will depart at 3:00 and arrive around 5ish. We will have a team dinner during the first game at about 5:45 and then we will have access to the locker room after halftime of semi-finals game 1. Snacks will be available at the game and on the bus.

We are away - White/Gold/White

Match Report Preface:

This game holds some interesting psychological weight. We faced off with Battle two times last season, winning both games with a total differential of 8-0. However, here we are, game three in two years, and they are the higher seed. They are going to be looking for some revenge, and they are going to come out hard. However, I think they also know that we are better than them. I think there is some fear present, and they are somewhat distracted by having to travel for the late game - the coach isn't happy, and that can impact the athletes. We have to create a "here we go again" mentality in this game tonight. Battle is a young team and we want them thinking that it was nice to have a good run in the tournament, but like Pueblo, it is coming to an end. They have not played as hard of a tournament schedule as us, and they are not prepared for this game. The teams they played were too conservative and made a lot of mistakes. We have to go out hard against Battle tonight, and quickly assert that we are the dominant team. They will break.

Battle Strengths:

As we saw in the film, battle has a couple boys who can really play.

#7 plays on both wings, he is tricky with the ball and very quick in transition. He also dives a lot. He heavily prefers his right foot, and wants to come inside on it from the left. When he plays on the right, he looks to hit the long switching ball. He will also keep the game wide, and try to hide on the sideline, find the ball in transition, and attack.

*Number 7 does not like to track back and defend. He doesn't seem to have the fitness for it. We need to find our wing backs in transition. They will either be wide open, or they will draw 7 back into the defense. Either way works for us. We also need to take care of the ball in the middle of the park because we can't allow 7 to be rewarded for not tracking back. We want to punish him on the wing with lots of running, and that means we need to play good passes to the flanks.

#9 usually plays along the left flank, sometimes as an attacker, sometimes as an outside back. He does well to get forward, and he loves to drive the line with his left foot. He can be really dangerous and sets up a lot of battles goals.

#12 usually plays the outside back. He loves to get forward (he is small and speedy) the more we can do to trap him in the defensive corners, the better.

Additionally, Battle has a really dangerous front line that will press and shoot at will. There are a number of occasions where the Battle front line will dispossess the defense and then just let one rip. It is always a shot that you think to yourself "hmmm... the keeper should have done better..." and yet, they score this way a lot, which means that they are catching the keepers off guard, and they can get a shot on goal from distance.

*WE NEED TO CLOSE DOWN SHOTS. And we need to be smart in the back field and hyper sensitive to their press and desire to shoot. @Mitch, tonight you always need to be ready for them to take a look. They will go from anywhere.

Finally, Battle is really strong in transition. They turn the ball quickly and attack up the flanks. They can go from full defending to goal scoring opportunities very quickly. This is a strength of their game, much like Pueblo. We need to be smart with the ball and prevent these opportunities.

***As noted: In the same fashion as the Pueblo game, when we are going down field, we want to convert into goals, goal kicks, corners or throw ins. We do not want to give the ball up in the final third.

As another aside - the Battle goalie is both a strength and a weakness (more on that below). He has had some strong performances in goal this season, we have to be clinical against him.

Remember that they also have some creative set pieces. The drive to the near post, they start with two, or they play that long ball up the line to then play it in. BE PREPARED FOR CORNERS.

Battle weaknesses:

Battle has a couple weaknesses we are looking to exploit:

1. In the run of play, the corners are exposed. If we can make those runs from out 9s and 10s into the corners, and then go in and attack the goal, we will create a number of opportunities. However, we can't make the same mistakes as AA. When we get in behind Battle, we have to attack. AA was too conservative, tried to bring the ball back across the middle, and was stiffled by the Battle block. We need to be fast in transition and attack the goal.

2. Their defense (when isolated) can get pretty disorganized. In the same fashion as the Pueblo game, our key to success will be attacking Battle in transition. We need to go forward. If we allow Battle to get low, they become difficult to score on, but if we attack with pace on the counter, they will really struggle against us. We saw on numerous occasions how overly conservative play by teams in the playoffs played to Battles strengths. We want to get them alone in the back and attack their goal.

3. The attackers do not want to track back. The biggest thing here, on this wide field, is that we want to find out OBs in behind the play. This will expose battle, and it will force their wingers to defend. We like that a lot. Play simple in the middle, and move the ball out wide. One and two touch soccer in transition please.

4. Their goalie: as noted above, he has made some really good saves this season. However, I think that his biggest weakness is his decision making. He gets drawn out by set pieces and the fast break. We need to be clinical on set plays from range, dropping the ball into dangerous areas, and corners. A runner always needs to be at the back post to put the ball away.

Lastly, Battle has given up a number of goals late this season. No matter what is happening in the game, we need to go hard to the end.

Things we've learned this season:

Pueblo Centennial: When in the box, recover to the back post.

Centaurus: Take what the game is giving you. Don't force your will on it. Play the easy pass. Make the three yard drop. Recover to the middle!

Northfield: We can't chase the ball and we need to hold our shape. Also, let's retain position on throw ins, or send them deep to the corners or in on set pieces.

Cherry creek: We need to start the game with intensity. We need to get underneath the ball on goal kicks. And we need to recover to position with speed. You could prevent a goal.

Eaglecrest (and others): Keeper needs to be fast off his line, or we just need to clear it. No room for mistakes. Stay sharp.

CT: Accurate match ups in the box on set pieces. No mismatches.

Arapahoe: OBs need to be in those half spaces so they can close down quickly and disrupt the counter.

Grandview: We need to see the game all the way through. No plays off. We play every second of the 80.

No mistakes = no goals

Keys to success:

Keep the defense connected and communicate with one another to keep our shape.

Make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

Don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Don't expect anything from the refs.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

Bumblebee Gold - a player breaks out of the hive, making a run toward the corner kicker. We play him the ball, he holds up, and then flicks the ball to the player making the run. Shot at the near post, or be ready for the ball across.

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the Battle full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs. PC (Round 3 - 2022)

 Match Report: Mullen vs. Pueblo Centennial

Time: 2:00 PM

Location: MSC (3601 S Lowell Blvd, Denver, 80236)

This is a home game so we are navy all the way down. Team meeting will take place at 12:20 and sandwiches will be provided. 

Match Preface: 

Psychologically, this is an interesting match. I don't know if you could find a time in the modern era where the 20 has played the 28 in the quarter finals. For that reason, PC has secured their identity as "road warriors" driving around this state unseating higher ranked teams. We, on the other hand, have quickly become favorites, and brought the tournament back home (an insane accomplishment).

For this reason, PC has the luxury of a "nothing to lose" mentality. They are going to work hard and throw everything they have at this game. We have one responsibility: to break down their "road warrior" attitude and shift it into a "we had a nice run" sentiment. We have to steal their confidence and belief that they can win. We have to make it very clear that this is where the road trip ends. This is where their tournament ends.

Centennial Strengths:

This is a fast and creative counter attacking team with a handful of weapons in their tool belt.

1. Players of interest

#11 - Probably their most dangerous player and leading goal scorer. The EV coach described him as a man amongst boys. He is a legitimate scoring threat who can turn the ball and has shown the capacity to get in behind defenses.

Additionally, his supporting cast up top is fast and hard working. They will do what they can to get involved in the counter and get behind the D.

#4 - He is a big body CB that shifts his weight smoothly and plays a nasty set piece from pretty much anywhere on the field. He is a good tackler, and ball winner, and he sends a dangerous ball out of the back to initiate the counter.

*I don't imagine he has come up against a "Big Finn" yet this season, and I want to see how he deals with the physicality and pressure.

#10 - Plays as a central attacking midfielder and supports the counter. He has a handful of goals and assists, takes their PKS and moves the ball effectively around the field.

What we need to understand about PC is that it appears most of their strength comes from the discipline of their game plan. They work hard to get players underneath the ball and then they just grind on the counter. They have a rooted system where the work the ball up the side line and then send it to runners across the middle. They don't think about it, they just do it. And that makes it hard to defend. Their is no hesitation in their counter and two tournament teams have paid the price for an inability to contain it. 

*For this reason, our counter press has to be sharp. We have to hit our marking assignment, not dive in, but contain the potential for counter. We also need to be smart with the ball in the middle of the park. Silly givaways will play to their counter attacking style. Lastly, the less time we can give them to recover underneath, the more dangerous we can be.

Finally, they have some dangerous set pieces. They whip in their corner kicks and attack them aggressively. We have to do every thing in our power to not give up set pieces (especially corners). If possible, concede the throw instead. They can also hit a nice, dangerous ball from deep. We need to make sure our match  ups are strong.

PC Weaknesses: 

1. When isolated, their back line struggles. While number 4 is a good player, his surrounding cast is not strong, and from what I understand, their OBs are not particularly fast. We can exploit this on the fast break. Like during yesterdays session, we do not want to force the counter, we want to be smart about it. Make short, quick passes that open up space and allow us to attack. If we can isolate the back line, we can be really dangerous.

2. They rely almost completely on their wingers to start the counter. This is valuable to us. If our OBs get involved in the attack, it will force the wingers into the back field. The deeper they go, the further they'll need to run to counter, and the more tired they will get. We have to continue to drag them down field and they will be forced to make the choice: leave us open, or track all the way back. Either is good for us. Also - we finally have the width of our field back, so we need to find our OBs wide on the break. Don't mess around with the ball, make efficient, sharp, clean passes. Keep the ball in motion.

3. Their goalie seems like he splashes ALOT. We need to put shots on goal, create set piece opportunities and CRASH, CRASH, CRASH. Every time a shot goes off, we need to crash the goal. Every time we send in a set piece, we need to be there at every post to finish. Today we need to be dangerous in front of goal and finish opportunities.

REMEMBER: Every coach that has been beat by PC in the tournament so far has said that they should have crushed them but that they failed to finish their opportunities. Do not let that be us.

Things we've learned this season:

Centaurus: Take what the game is giving you. Don't force your will on it. Play the easy pass. Make the three yard drop. Recover to the middle!

Northfield: We can't chase the ball and we need to hold our shape. Also, let's retain position on throw ins, or send them deep to the corners or in on set pieces.

Cherry creek: We need to start the game with intensity. We need to get underneath the ball on goal kicks. And we need to recover to position with speed. You could prevent a goal.

Eaglecrest (and others): Keeper needs to be fast off his line, or we just need to clear it. No room for mistakes. Stay sharp.

CT: Accurate match ups in the box on set pieces. No mismatches.

Arapahoe: OBs need to be in those half spaces so they can close down quickly and disrupt the counter.

Grandview: We need to see the game all the way through. No plays off. We play every second of the 80.

No mistakes = no goals

Keys to success:

Keep the defense connected and communicate with one another to keep our shape.

Make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

Don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Don't expect anything from the refs.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the CHS full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs. Centaurus (Round 2 2022)

 Mullen vs. Centaurus

Location: Centaurus High School (10300 W South Boulder Rd, Lafayette, CO 80026)

Time: 6pm

We are away so we are white/gold/white - and this is a 6pm game so make sure to take care of your nutrition. We will meet at 2:45 in C5. There will be sandwiches and snacks. Make sure you are hydrated and you are taking care of your muscles.

Match Report Preface:

Centaurus have had a wonderful season that has been a number of years in the making. A lot of these players have played varsity since they were sophomores and suffered through a couple of tough years to reach this point. I imagine they think of themselves as a team of destiny a little bit. On the psychological side of this game, we have to disrupt that confidence. We have to frustrate them. We have to turn them away at every chance. We have to cease the belief and not allow them to play the game the way they want.

This game, in a lot of ways will be defined by the first whistle. We have to come out with intensity and make them question their ability from the start. We have to reinforce what they already know: That we are not a 20th seed, and that they are in trouble.

Centaurus Strengths: 

This is an incredibly strong team. As noted yesterday - they are strong in possession - dangerous on the dribble - and they are good tacklers in the middle of the park. 

Players of interest:

4 - he either plays the outside back or center back. He is incredibly technical and loves to go forward on the dribble. He has proven dangerous making runs out of the CB, much like Ethan at different points during the season.

*Ultimately, he must be accounted for by our 9. If you have to follow him all the way to the box, do it. We should be able to make a tackle in the middle of the park, but he belongs to the forward until he is passed off.

7 - One of the three in the midfield trio that is quite impressive. He is patient in possession, likes to shoot from outside, especially after a long driving dribble, and loves to drop off and send a long ball to counter.

This is an important part of his game: he has this strategy where when CHS is in possession, he will drop deep to draw the ball back. The opposing mid and D step up with the drop, and he launches a counter ball over the top. 

*We can't be drawn in here. When he does this, our 10 needs to press, and our D line needs to keep their shape to absorb the big ball over the top. Mitch - you need to be aware here to come off your line and win this ball if need be.

8 - Plays the 10, but anywhere in the midfield (he has the cloud cut) - He can dribble, shoot and retain possession. 6s, watch him, he is dangerous.

18 - This is their midfielder who is there strongest dribbler in possession. He will bang around the middle of the park and retain possession with impressive ability.

*If we keep our shape, he will come right into us, but we have to go shoulder to shoulder hard, and we have to go into tackles hard as well. Nothing less will do.

17 and 21 (or 20) - these are their gunner forwards. Impressive in possession - strong. They have dynamic movement, and 17 is now the leading goal scorer. He sneaks into the gap at the far post and finds a lot of opportunities.

20/21 will turn and shoot quickly. Mitch, be sharp to that!

*We would do well to keep an eye on these players

Goalie: One of their most valuable players. He is a lefty so force the game to his right foot. He is also very quick in transition, so be aware of the quick restart.

*We need to push this keeper. He has made some significant mistakes, and while we can't rely on that, we can crash hard and expect him to deflect set pieces. Be ready for that.

Lastly, CHS is going to come out with a lot of respect for you. They know we are incorrectly ranked, so they are going to take us seriously. We need to afford them that same respect and try to capitalize on their weaknesses.

We can not let them score!

Centaurus Weakness:

Two fold:

1. In the games I've watched, they can get pretty fouly, especially when things aren't going their way. Draw those fouls and take advantage of set pieces.

2. The territorial game is dangerous for them. They will send the ball out for throw ins and corners, plus their back line can get disorganized. We need to take advantage of this. Be quick in transition, don't get bogged down in the mid or in the back. If no other options exist, send that ball to the corner. Then we can use our set pieces to get an advantage.

Things we've learned this season:

Northfield: We can't chase the ball and we need to hold our shape. Also, let's retain position on throw ins, or send them deep to the corners or in on set pieces.

Cherry creek: We need to start the game with intensity. We need to get underneath the ball on goal kicks. And we need to recover to position with speed. You could prevent a goal.

Eaglecrest (and others): Keeper needs to be fast off his line, or we just need to clear it. No room for mistakes. Stay sharp.

CT: Accurate match ups in the box on set pieces. No mismatches.

Arapahoe: OBs need to be in those half spaces so they can close down quickly and disrupt the counter.

Grandview: We need to see the game all the way through. No plays off. We play every second of the 80.

No mistakes = no goals

Keys to success:

Keep the defense connected and communicate with one another to keep our shape.

Make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

Don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Don't expect anything from the refs.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the CHS full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs Lewis Palmer (Round One 2022)

 Mullen vs LP

Location: Lewis Palmer High School (1300 Higby Rd, Monument, CO 80132)

Time: 5pm

Travel Information: Early release is at 1:45, the bus will leave from the Hutch at 2:30. Meet in the weight room for sandwiches, gatorades, and snacks.

We are away (white/gold/white) - make sure you are taking care of food and hydration throughout the day, you want to do everything in your power to be ready for this game!

Match Preface:

I watched the first half of Barcelona vs. Munich tonight. Munich did not let their foot off the gas. They came after barca with everything they had in order to secure their birth in the knock out stages of the champions league. I would like to see us approach this game in a similar fashion. We need to be clinical, and  fierce. For 80 minutes, we should not let up. We should press hard, recover under everything, and make life impossible for LP. I want them to walk away from this game thinking - That is the best team we have ever played.

LP Strengths: 

LP has had a great deal of success this season, and it is due in large part to the system they built around their primary attacker. 

#13 plays out on the left wing and he has scored 20 goals this season.

-He is marvelous at receiving the ball on the wing and driving inside to create through ball opportunities and shots one goal

-He is incredibly dangerous in front of goal with a technical touch and a good finish

-His movement is dynamic, and he likes to sit off defenders in the gaps where he can get open and be dangerous. 

-He can hit a nasty set piece

This is a player we should take very seriously. Pressure cover will be key. We do not want to foul, we want to contain and drive him back on the strong side, and we want to make sure he is covered on the weak side.

The LP system caters to this player in 2 ways:

1. They are well trained in playing a quick ball across the top of the 18. There were a number of occasions where LP received a ball on the strong side, and played a square pass across the top of the 18 to find their left winger. The problem with this ball is that it often travels in front of the back line and behind the midfield. If #13 is in the gap to receive that ball, he has the potential to be dangerous.

The best way to account for this is threefold: press the strong side to prevent the ball, make sure that the winger is accounted for (or at least shared by the winger on the weak side), and drop one of our holding mids into the line of the pass. When LP is in possession along the 18, one of our 6's needs to drop in a little a cut of this lane across the field.

2. They have no problem hitting a random diagonal ball to 13 from pretty much anywhere. There were numerous times in the CheyMo game as well as the Coronado game where LP adopted a hit and hope attitude where they just sent a big ball across the field. A couple of time in the Coronado game, this ball was not well handled, and 13 got on the end of it to score. It is a ball that relies heavily on him doing something impressive with it, but that is something he is capable of. 

Like we saw in the film against LC, the best way to avoid any danger when a team is just sending random switching balls is to make sure out back line is connected and has good elevation. The weakside CB needs to be dropped of the strongside CB so he can attack this ball and win it in the air.

Additionally, LP has a dangerous corner where they send most of their players running at the ball. The pass is made to one of them, who then plays it back to the original player who then plays a big ball in. The theory here (and it works) is that the defense chases the players out and they vacate the box, leaving it exposed. 

We need to stay with our marks, so follow players out if need be, but our floater needs to stay intact to receive the delayed long ball.

Finally, #11 who plays the holding mid in the 4-3-3 is a very talented player as well. He works hard, and is effective in starting the counter.

We need to make sure that our 10 accounts for him and that we are moving up and down the field with the ball so that he is not left wide open in space.

LP weaknesses

The most glaring thing this season for LP has been the high scoring games. This tells us that their defense is a little leaky at times.

The OBs appear to be their weak links in the back line, but their CBs are right foot favored, and not strong on their left as well.

Additionally, the back line has a tendency to get very narrow. This is something we can exploit with our wingers. If our 7 and 11 tuck in, there should be room on the flanks for our OBs to get involved in the attack. We just need to play them the ball.

In addition to this (though this is always a difficult assessment) the LP goalie has not shown particularly strong in a lot of his film. We need to test him. He is going to rebound balls, and mishandle things and we need to be there to capitalize. This is especially true of set pieces. If we have good service, he is going to struggle with our set pieces, and if we are hungry in front of goal, we will pick up garbage goals for sure.

Finally, and most importantly, LP seemed to really struggle with the Cheyenne Mountain press. They were making mistakes and giving away the ball all over the place! If we orchestrate a strong and organized press, and we do not allow them to get off the big switching ball, we are going to cause them a lot of problems. Furthermore, if we put a lot of pressure on their OBs, they have shown the capacity to make a number of mistakes. This is definitely something we need to capitalize on.

Keys to success: 

1. We need to see this game all the way through. Regardless of the scoreline, we need to play our best soccer for 80 minutes. That means no plays off and no slow recovery. If we play our best soccer, this team doesn't stand a chance. We just need to not let up and play it for the whole 80.

2. When in possession, we need to take care of the ball. One of the worst things we can do against this team is open the game wide because that leaves it to chance. If we are well organized and our shape is good, they are just going to give us the ball, a lot. When we get the ball, we need to take care of it and remain in possession. We are the stronger team, a game of turnovers doesn't favor us.

3. The best way to neutralize their wingers is to get our OBs involved in the attack. But you have to look to play them. That will force their wingers to get back and mark (which will result in longer attacking runs and more fatigue) OBs who get elevated cause an assortment of problems for wingers who want to stay high and be dangerous. Get the ball to our wingbacks in behind.

4. Remember the lessons we have learned over the last couple of weeks:

Keep the defense connected and communicate with one another to keep our shape.

Make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

Don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Don't expect anything from the refs.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the LP full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs. LC @ Fort Collins High School

 Mullen vs. Liberty Common

Location: Fort Collins High School Turf (3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins, CO 80525)

Varsity @4pm

JV @2pm

This is an away game, so we are white/gold(blue)/white - please make sure to eat a hardy lunch, and all varsity players should continue to snack and hydrate prior to the game.

Liberty Strengths: 

Tactical: From what we can see, this is a well structured Liberty Common team who moves on and off the ball really well. The CBs shift nicely into position to cover for one another, and it is very clear that they are well coached and have a tactical identity. This structure in the back has handed them a fair amount of shut out wins this season, and they have proven difficult to break down in direct play.

*dynamic runs up top, a well executed press on their back line, balls into the corners are going to be an essential part of trying to shift this back line out of position and break them down.

Technical: Additionally, Liberty has a handful of incredibly good/technical players. They can move the ball around the midfield nicely, and with time, their first touch has shown to be quite impressive. They use their technical advantage against weaker teams to employ a possession based model that then allows them to penetrate along the wings.

*the biggest thing for us here is that we can't chase or dive in throughout the midfield. We saw in the film on the Eagle game that we are over pressing (running past our player we are supposed to contain), or chasing in the midfield, and both circumstances resulted in eventual goals. It will be important that we keep our shape, do our jobs and contain their players going forward. We need to choose our tackles wisely, and when we go in, go in hard.

Wing play: In the film that I saw, this proved to be the strongest part of their game. They keep their wingers very wide (Man City style) with the intent of stretching out the defense. When they can get in behind, the wingers make strong penetrating runs on goal. From an organizational standpoint, they really switch the ball well, and move quickly through the midfield to engage the weak side wing in transition.

*We can not get stretched out against this system. Our weakside winger needs to make sure to share their weakside winger with our OB when we are defending and in transition. Additionally, if we can stifle the switch and win balls in the middle of the park, we can disrupt this system.

Lastly, on this note, the LC wings don't do a lot of marking, they like to stay high and wait for the through ball. We need to find our elevated outside backs, they will be open, and when we pose this threat, it will force the LC wingers back onto defense which will further disrupt their system of attack.

LC weaknesses:

LC has not demonstrated a lot of weaknesses in their game, other than the fact that they seemed to struggle with the speed and athleticism of Valor Christian.

So this brings two points forward:

1. LC has not seen strong competition in a handful of weeks. If we can bring the game to them, fast and strong, there will inevitably be an adjustment period where they are forced to reacclimate to the pace of play. It does not appear that they have been pressed hard, and they seem to thrive with a fair amount of time. I would think that our primary goal would be to reduce their amount of time on the ball and force them into mistakes. 

2. They don't appear to play in a particularly physical/fast league. We should not be dirty, but we should be physical. Find the contact on marks and on our press. Make sure the LC players know you are there all game long. We should make strong tackles, and we should be hungry on clearances and in front of the goal to score on set pieces.

Additional key to success:

You will be in Fort Collins, the refs will give you nothing. Do not expect it, and do not speak to them!

Remember:

If we can limit our mistakes, we limit their opportunities, and we can keep them out of the back of our net.

-make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

-don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the LC full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs. Eaglecrest (Senior Night 2022)

 Mullen vs. Eaglecrest

Location: MSC (Mullen Soccer Complex - 3601 S. Lowell Blvd.)

V@4 - Varsity Soccer Field

JV@4 - NW 40

Varsity Release at 2:20, JV release @2:45 - Varsity team meeting at 2:45

(This is a home game, we are navy all the way down. Make sure you ate a good lunch, and snack throughout the day. Eat before the game!)

Prologue: This is Eaglecrest's final game of the season - and they are in the midst of their fall break. They are checked out and defeated. This means one of two things, either that they will put it all on the line to get a result tonight, or they will toss it up in the air and write off their season as some bad luck. 

The way we play will determine which of these attitudes they have in the game. If we go out soft and fail to execute our chances, they will see this as an opportunity to slay the giant and end the season on a high note. The longer you leave them in the game, the more their confidence will grow. 

However, if you execute early, finish your chances, tonight will simply feel like a repeat of their bad luck and they will turn in on themselves.

The outcome of tonight's game is entirely in your control.

Eagle Strengths:

This is a good Eaglecrest team with some tight results. For a good portion of their games, they have been on the wrong side of the luck, and early season, they just couldn't get things to go their way...

They have a strong CB and their attacking players are talented and fast. They look to isolate 1v1 and take players on, and when they are clicking, they look pretty decent. In those moments, they can play really well as a team.

Near the 17th minute mark of the first half of their game against Trail, Eagle seemed to find something. They orchestrated a nice press, and they put a lot of pressure on the ball. For ten minutes, they looked very dangerous and like they might fight their way back into the game.

This was a biproduct of two things - one, Trail let off the gas, they let their guard down and lost their sense of urgency. Eagle recognized this and they shifted the momentum. They saw a chance to get back in and they went after it. Secondly, their pressure temporarily forced Trail into a pretty direct game that opened up wide. The game became centered around 1v1's, 50/50s, and counter attacks. This played to Eagle's strengths. 

What can we learn from this? Well first, we need to keep the pressure on Eagle - teams who have gone after them all game (including trail in the second half) have just poured on the goals. Additionally, this can't turn into a kick around. We need to be intentional in possession, play on the front foot and have good first touches.

Remember, this is a good Eagle team, that if they find a way, can capitalize on it. We need to make the most of their downward spiral, and establish early that they are not in the game.

Eagle Weaknesses:

Eaglecrest has really presented two primary weaknesses:

1. Their outside backs are not particularly strong. They are vulnerable 1v1, and will just get torn apart by dynamic movement. When it comes to the OBs, we have a size and strength advantage. Don't always cut them back, take they momentum that they are giving you, and don't be afraid to round them on the corners. 

This is also a perfect opportunity for out 10 and 9 to make dynamic runs to the corners, while our 7 and 11 come inside for goal scoring opportunities. Don't miss these chances to get in behind and impact the eagle shape.

Lastly, I want our OB's elevated, and especially on the left side, I want Nate to make underlapping runs that create goal scoring opportunities. By dynamic.

2. Eagle has shown to be particularly vulnerable on set pieces. We just need to execute our runs and be hungry in front of goal.

Remember:

If we can limit our mistakes, we limit their opportunities, and we can keep them out of the back of our net.

-make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

-don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the EHS full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!

Match Report: Mullen vs AHS (2022)

 Mullen vs. AHS

Home game (Navy all the way down)

V@4 on the varsity soccer field

JV@4 on the Northwest 40

This game is right after school, so come get snacks and be ready to warm up by 3:20.

Varsity Release: 2:20 - Team meeting at 2:45.

Arapahoe Strengths:

This is a strong AHS team who is storming through league. They are undefeated, and we are the only thing standing between them and a league championship. I can not emphasize how hungry they are going to be for this game. We have encountered a number of teams this season who feel as if they have a score to settle with us - they want to right things in the pecking order - and that is why teams are coming after us so hard in league this year. That is true for AHS more than anyone else. Last year, we beat them on their senior night, we took away their number 1 5A position, they are going to be out for blood, and they are going to come hard and fast from the first minute. The psychological dynamics in todays game are fierce. Expect a hard fighting AHS right from the start. If we do not come out jazzed, ready, and focused, we are going to be on the back foot quick. Be aware.

As always, AHS remains incredibly athletic, fast, and direct. Essentially they will just look to throw the kitchen sink all game long, and they won't let up. This direct play has resulted in a handful of opportunistic moments. They beat Creek on a long shot from outside, they beat GV on an insane shoss into the back corner during overtime, and beat CT by just barreling forward into the goal. 

They will send long balls, they will shoot from everywhere, and they will come fast. This furious style of play often overwhelms opponents and gives them the upper hand

*In the game of soccer you must always meet fury and chaos with structure. Today we need to be disciplined, hit our marking assignments, and close down shots (not dive in). This should be able to stifle a lot of the AHS forward dynamic.

Finally, on a tactical note, AHS historically has played a 4-3-3, but they will occasionally send a midfielder out wide between the OB and the Outside Striker. We can absorb this pressure by sending a midfielder out to match, but we also just have to make sure to be underneath the ball as AHS attacks. Our winger can also absorb the drifting midfielder and pressure. When he comes back inside, he needs to be passed off, and the winger needs to reassign to the OB. Keeping our structure regardless of their movement will be paramount.

AHS weakness:

This AHS team is not as prolific as last years team from an attacking threat perspective. They have squeaked out some wins, and they have been relatively lucky. In other words, they aren't dismantling teams in the way they have historically. The goals they are scoring have come from just grinding, capitalizing on mistakes, and finding some luck in open moments. This tactic has landed them high in the 5A polls, but we can combat it by staying clinical and closing down players.

If we can limit our mistakes, we limit their opportunities, and we can keep them out of the back of our net.

-make sure that our match ups are good on corners and set pieces

-don't allow for mistakes to compound. If you make a mistake, close down the player and stop forward progress. Allow us to reset and get shape.

Additionally, closing down players will be elemental. AHS likes to shoot, and they are good at it. Close down (don't dive in) and take away their opportunities.

Also - please read this brief section from last years MR - it remains relevant: 

"AHS is afraid of change - and sometimes that doesn't matter (12 wins is a lot) but it is also prevents them from being really great. What we care about though is the fact that their predictability makes them vulnerable. If we are strong in the middle of the park, if we close down shots, and if we don't make mistakes in the back, AHS won't score. They won't find another way, and they won't change to seek it out. If we do the right thing tonight, we can lock them down.

Their outside backs are their weakness. Conservative play allows for the building of momentum, and it forces players into one on one situations. Much like our strategy against Eagle, we want to isolate the outside backs and take them on. We want to attack in the middle of the field only when we are directly in front of goal. Take on the outside backs, bang the base line, and bring the ball across the middle.

Their recovery systems are poor. When their left outside back attacks, the six does not drop to cover. If we can create a turn over and counter in behind the outside back, we can create opportunities on goal. Additionally, their wingers/strikers do not really defend. (That might prove different against us than it did against some of their other opponents - CT definitely had to track back) But outside backs need to get involved in the attack. It will either create 2 on 1 scenarios or force their strikers to make insane runs out of the back field, either of which is advantageous."

Set pieces:

(Corners)

1 - Low driven ball to the near post. Two attackers crash the near post, other attackers fill in the middle and back post. 

2- Short corner overlap. Attackers cover near, middle, far - slight delay on the run in.

3- short corner choice. The players taking the corner will choose to overlap or take on the player. Attackers cover all positions, and delay runs in.

Jolly - Bend it in the goal. Attackers cover all locations, especially back post. Anything that goes long should be headed back toward goal.

Bumblebee - cluster around the goalie inside the six. Ball should be played into the cluster. 

White - Chipped ball to the near post flicked across the goal. Remember, initial runners attack the near and far post and bounce off. When the front post runner bounces off the near post, the ball should be played and the remaining attackers should be making runs toward goal.

Blue - Long ball to the back post. Like "white" runners should bounce off the near and far post, but this corner will be played long to the back post. The back post runner should then play the ball back across the middle of the goal for the finish. 

7- We set up in 2, but play a long ball out. That ball is then played back to the 2 or a penetrating run is made into the box. Fire the ball on an inswing to the back post and look for the player crashing on the opposite flank.

Snake - this essentially "1" but higher. Two runners near the top of the box, even with the near post, and a group of runners at the top of the box even with the far post. All runners complete an "x" route. Near post both attack the far post, while one runner goes to the corner on a diversion run. The ball is played on the ground, left by the first runner and struck first time by the trailing runner.

11 - Three runners at the near post, two at the back. The three runners circle around to the near post, middle, and far post, while the two at the back make direct runs across the goal.

Reminders: 

1. No mistakes out of the back. Smart decisions and smart passes that avoid the counter.

2. Exploit the space on the flanks and at the top of the box. Outside backs need to get involved in the attack. They should have space to move forward, and their attack will spread the midfield.

    -Outside backs need to dribble at the AHS full backs and then distribute the ball into space or feet. One/Twos around the defense will be very effective.

3. Know the set pieces. Capitalize on set pieces. If we can take advantage of these moments, we will have a great deal of success. 

4. Discipline and structure in the back. We need to hold position and recover for one another. 

5. When in possession of the ball in our defensive third, we need to play quickly, not get the ball stuck under our feet, and play into space instead of small spaces. It is a big field, don't fear the dynamic long ball.

6. Patience. We can't chase them all game. We will have to be okay giving up moments of possession in order to strike when the timing is right. Marking assignment and a high level of confrontation will be key!

7. We need to keep the ball out of the middle of the field in the central third. Swinging the ball quickly through the 6 and the 10 will open up the attack so that outside backs and wingers can serve.

Good luck!