Mullen vs. Cherry Creek
JV@4:30pm -Greenwood village park
V@6pm - Stutler Bowl (9300 E Union Ave, Greenwood Village, CO 80111)
Match Report Preface:
As expected, we are up against a very talented Cherry Creek team. However, we have shown our ability to play with strong teams so far this season, and tonight is another opportunity to do just that. Let's rely on our fitness, intellect, and organization tonight. Let's look for counter attack opportunities. And let's take advantage of set pieces and chances in front of goal!
Cherry Creek Strengths:
1. Their organization: Cherry Creek is a well organized team that plays a simple attack plan. This strength is represented in two ways. First, CC plays with a very deep six. She plays right in front of the CB's almost like a stopper. They play the ball through her, and although she has the ability to penetrate, she usually just moves the ball into her elevated midfielders, or the wings. She is hard to beat 1v1, and she cleans up everything coming in big. She is patient, and disciplined and rarely gets pulled out of position.
The other piece of this organization involves their attack. They play with a false nine, who is more like a 10, a lefty that will just fire from anywhere. And she can shoot. Their high attackers do two things: they either make a diagonal run into the box looking for the ball at their feet going in, or they look to receive the ball with their back to the goal so that they can set the false nine for the shot. It is an effective system, but predictable.
2. They are direct and effective in the middle of the park. Creek has good speed through the midfield, but they also tackle well and use that speed efficiently. It is rare to see them recycle the ball deeper than their six, and they will push relentlessly forward.
*We need to be wary of turnovers in the middle of the park that leave us out of position to prevent the counter.
3. Their left outside back gets involved in the attack, and she has a little magic. (We'll watch the film, but she made an AHS girl fall over - it was impressive) - Just don't dive in, she likes to cut in on her right foot.
Creek Weaknesses:
1. Much like GV, Creek's deep play creates gaps between the midfield and the back line. This open up opportunities to counter.
2. Additionally, the tight triangle that they play with the 6 and 2 CB's leaves the outside backs isolated. Now, the outside backs are good, but I like us in 1v1 situations against them. The biggest thing we can do is move the ball to the flanks and attack the corners and then bring the ball back across the face of the goal.
3. Because of the system that Creek plays with the false nine, the attacking "wingers" get pulled inside on their diagonal runs, which leaves our outside backs open to attack. When we get the opportunity, find our outside backs as an outlet. OB's make sure to take and attacking touch that brings us forward into the counter.
4. Lastly, Creek is somewhat predictable. They are good at what they do, but you also know what they are going to do. If CB's step to the diagonal runs into the box, we should be able to cut off a lot of those passes. Additionally, if we keep our shape, we should be able to prevent their 9/10 from getting shots off from the outside. We just need to remember that she wants it on her left, and we can't dive in.
Mullen key's to success:
1. Set pieces and territorial play: Creek has a size advantage, we need to play this game the right way. If we rely on organized defense, and move the ball quickly to the wings and corners, we should be able to create set-piece opportunities and counter attacks.
Corners and set-pieces need to be played into the box to exploit poor clearances. We need to crash, crash, crash, and not give up on any play.
2.No mistakes in the back: When Creek is on the attack, we need to totally commit to our recovery, and be willing to block low when we need to. Clearances need to be strong and clinical, and never across the middle. Additionally, our nine needs to look for opportunities to double, and our ten needs to be committed to covering Creek's six if she come up through the middle.
Additionally, we need to look to push Creek to the wings in an effort to disrupt their efforts to play that diagonal ball in, or strike shots from outside. See below:
As you can see here, our six overruns the forward giving her the inside lane to find a shot on goal.
You can then see that it happens again here when our 6 overruns the midfielder, naturally bringing her inside on her dominant foot. She then produces a really nice shot on goal.
The general idea her is to take away the inside lane in an effort to reduce opportunity. Block toward then wings.
We have to keep Creek out of the goal early for our tactics to work. Organization and discipline right from the start gives us an edge in the game!
3. CLOSE DOWN SHOTS
5. Outside backs, get involved in the attack.
6. Conservative play in the back, strong clearances, close down shots. (TWICE)
No shots on goal = shutout
Good luck!
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