Match Report: Mullen vs. Mead @3:30pm - Mullen Soccer Complex
3601 S. Lowell Blvd. Denver, CO 80236
Things to do:
Kits (This is a home game, we are dark), socks, nutrition (Remember that this is a 3:30pm game, you need to eat food and have snacks, take care of your nutrition, don't eat nothing.)
Prologue: This particular match report is going to look a little different because it will act as an analysis of two different games that Mead played this season. From it, we should be able to uncover some ways to be successful this afternoon.
Mead vs. Greeley West
Mead played GW on their home turf earlier in October. The final score was 3-1 in Mead's favor, but the first goal wasn't scored until 55 minutes into the game. Mead scored off a ball across the middle to the top of the box, a solo effort down the side line, and a in swinging corner to the near post. GW scored off a pen. late in the game.
Goal One: Mead plays a big ball out from the left back to their central forward. No one steps with him. He gathers the ball, turns, and plays it to the outside winger making a run down the line. GW recovers really deep into their own box. The ball is crossed, misses the first attacker and is picked up by the second who gets inside his man and hits a great (and maybe lucky) volley over the keeper into the top shelf. No one is there to step to the shooter.
-On this goal, GW has a weird dynamic. The defenders have dropped deeper than they should have and the goalie is off his line. They are all stuck in no mans land. What this tells is that we need to step to Mead and pressure quickly. If the initial ball is won out of the air, the goal never happens. If the defense does not drop so deep, the goal never happens. If the weakside winger tracks his man, the goal never happens.
Point 1: Win the first ball today, track your runs, and close down shots.
Goal Two: Winger streaks up the side line with a nice move to get out of traffic. Central backs are too deep to cover and too far inside. The defense is not tight enough. The winger exploits the opening and hits a nice far post shot.
-On this goal, if the initial 1v1 is won at half, the play dissolves immediately. However, assuming that not every 1v1 will go our way (which is realistic) if the defenders are in the right pressure, cover, balance, then the winger can't exploit the gaps, and he never gets a shot on goal. When defenders are too far apart, they are isolated and exposed.
Point 2: Tackle hard, and win balls in the middle of the park, play tight defense, and keep your pressure cover. If a mead player wins a 1v1, there should be another Mullen player there immediately to pressure.
Goal Three: A left footed inswinging corner is hit to the near post. The near post player does nothing, the goalie hesitates, and then in his late reaction hits the ball into the inside netting.
-This goal is easily avoided with focus. If the near post player clears the ball, the goal never happens. E
Point 3: Be prepared for the inswinging corners, win the ball in the air, clear it with commitment.
These are three specific goals, but Mead has scored numerous others exactly like this: goalie mistakes on set pieces hit from half, failure to clear corners, counter attacking wingers on the weakside who are not marked by wing backs, and mistakes from centerbacks who give up the ball under pressure. If we can avoid these mistakes, we can keep a clean sheet.
Mead vs Holy Family
Mead lost to Holy Family 4-1 earlier this season. The game was a blow out, and a direct result of Holy Family being first to the ball, and capitalizing on Mead's mistakes.
Goal 1: HF plays a 1-2 pass around the outside back, the winger is in on goal and scores.
-Though Mead keeps a number of players back, they play a flat line, which makes cover pressure difficult, and they often retreat into an organized shape instead of stepping and pressuring in it. This gives teams an opportunity to attack the defensive line and play passes through the gaps.
Point 1: Turn and dribble at the block, attackers - make creative runs in the gaps.
Goal 2: HF counters off of a Mead corner and pushes the ball deep into Mead's box on a long ball and dribble. The attacker beats the goalie to the ball, and the goalie clips him resulting in a pen.
-Mead is committed on the corner because they are a goal down. HF capitalizes on the low numbers in the back field and pushes the ball quickly. They get into the box. Mead gave up a PK in almost every game I watched.
Point 2: Get in the box. Penetrate on the dribble or with the pass, but get yourself inside.
Goal 3: There is a melee in the middle of the field. The HF 6 steps hard to the ball, plays it to his 9 and then continues the third run through. The 9 pushes him on a through ball, and he walks it into the net.
-The strong step and capitalization on the turnover makes this goal happen. Once they win the ball back, HF attacks, which doesn't allow Mead to get set defensively. The keeper is drawn out, and there is nothing he can do.
Point 3: Take care of the ball when we win it back, capitalize on turn overs, and push the game when you can.
**There is an interesting pattern to Mead'ss season: They are defensively minded, and well organized, and they have a 10 who is crafty, and some forwards and wingers who are fast and physical. Mead can play. However, one of the most glaring differences from game to game is how their opponents use the ball when they are in possession of it. Teams like Greeley West and Greeley central did not take advantage of turn overs, they did not play on the front foot, and they did not recover well defensively. But teams like HF and Silver Creek who play very direct football really took it to them. And teams like Windsor who had no attack this season, but a decent D, stay well organized and kept Mead out of the back of the net for the most part. If we learn anything from this, we must take advantage of turn overs, and protect the ball. If we can prevent Mead from getting set, we will have a lot of success today. If we move too slowly, Mead has proven that the longer you leave them in a game, the better chance they have of winning it.
Reminders:
When playing against a low block, do the following -
1. Attack the block
2. Swing the ball through the 6's, and play courageous passes into feet
3. Shoot from outside (find deflections or just bang it in)
4. Send in balls from the outside backs (wingers, forwards and weakside backs must get in)
5. Take the outside, get to the end line and bring the ball across the middle.
You can see here that Eddie steps up, plays a ball back into the block, and Ethan gets himself in the gap and heads the ball down.
Here Eli attacks the block, goes around the outside and brings the ball back across the middle for Jorge to knock in.
And here, Alex swings it to Bryce (one six swinging to the other) Bryce takes the space and hits the long shot.
We can beat a well organized defense, we just have to do it the right way. We can't force our will on the game, we need to take what it gives us.
For our setpieces-
1. Know the set pieces and execute them.
1.5 - remember that one should be on, we just play it a little higher.
2. Get numbers in. In part I thought that getting in front of the keeper on throws was valuable, and it is; however, the biggest key to our success, according to our film, on the throw is getting numbers in the box.
*If you notice in the film, we have this great flick into the box, but only Eli is there. It is too conservative. I want the winger, the strong side outside back, the 9, the 10, and a six in there. After Jack throws, he will become a defensive player to prevent the counter, so lets send our attackers in. With more numbers, we score here.
Main Focus:
High pressure on the Mead defense (they will send the ball out for throw ins)
Capitalize in the final third
Counter quickly
Stay organized on defense - clean sheet.
Keys to success:
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 Mead 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. (See diagram above.)
Good luck!
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