Match Details:
JV@430
V@6:30
Location: Northfield High School (5500 Central Park Blvd, Denver, CO 80238) - Both teams are playing in the turf stadium
Things to remember: This is an away game - We are white/gold (JV:Navy)/white. Make sure to stay hydrated and keep a consistent flow of calories.
Players of interest:
Northfield is returning a handful of players from their state championship run.
Both 6's played in the final last year, and they are strong. However, remember that they can be drawn out of possession and struggle mentally when dispossed.
7 (Back for another year) - FIFA pace: 96. He carries the ball forward at pace and has a very positive touch. He will get back and defend, but all he really wants to do is dribble. He loves to cut in on his right foot from the left side, so we need a 6 or 10 there in cover to immediately close down the internal run.
6 - Also plays the six, and he has a rocket; however, he struggles under pressure, and he makes bad passes and has bad touches on the ball. He is also a complainer.
18 - The better of the two 6s. He moves the ball well, and will go forward. We need to close him down - he is always looking for the penetrating two line pass
19 - Plays on the defensive line, but will go forward to his own demise. Press him hard, and try to create turn overs in our attacking third.
Game Scenarios:
Scenario 1: Three in the back
If Northfield chooses to come out with three in the back like they have all season, we will want to focus on pressing the center backs and strong side wings. Additionally, from an attacking standpoint, we will want to overload their back three. Every turn over needs to become a counter attack, and we need to exploit the weak side quickly because they will not have a recovery defender. Furthermore, the outside backs will need to elevate to push the northfield wingbacks into their own final third, while one of our sixes makes a third run between the outside center back and the central center back. We are going to want to feed this third run as much as possible for him to bring the ball in on goal or across the face of it. Against a 3 in the back, it is absolutely imperative to get inside your defender on the weakside of the game.
As you can see here, when the ball is with the left center back, our 7 is pressed to him and forcing the sideline. Our 9 is preventing the pass back to the middle, and our 2 is marking the winger. The 6's and our 10 are sharing the midfield and our RCB is in position to cut off any passes through or to the corner for one of their forwards or a 10 making that run. Most importantly, our 11 is marked tight to the weakside winger, so that our 3 can share the other forward.
In this scenario, it is important to remember that they will have two forwards who move off the ball brilliantly. We will have to trust our system, constantly communicate, and share players as they move around the field. We also need to make sure that we never get high and flat. Our defense must always form the cup to catch and recover on players moving through. It is also the responsibility of the attackers to make sure that the northfield defense can not send through balls (on the ground/through the midfield) that find the attackers. That makes us insanely susceptible to 3rd runs out of the midfield.
Remember, when we are making recovery runs to stop players, it is important for our 6's to ask the question "Where are the off ball players moving?" Tonight, much like basketball, if will be imparative to have an eye for ball and player. Where is one, and where is the other headed.
Lastly, in the 3-5-2, they do not necessarily look for the big switch, like Battle did, but they switch the ball through their 6's and their 10. If we can stifle that ball in the middle of the park, we can prevent the switch, and we can use it to counter to the weakside.
Scenario 2: Four in the back
If northfield comes out with 4 in the back, the scenario will be much more straight forward. Hopefully, if this is what they do, number 9 will become their other center back. We will press this 4 in the back in the same way that we have pressed every team we have played. Marking assignments don't change. The only difference from scenario one is that they will most likely only have one forward if they play with 4 in the back, but they will then have two central backs so the 9 and 10 will need to work together to press the ball wide. If they play with 4 in the back, we will have to be extra attentive to the CB's wanting to dribble unmarked out of the back to make that long through pass that skips the midfield. The 9 and 10 need to make sure to take away any time to do that.
The major advantage to this scenario is that one, it is untrained, but two, number 4 relies a lot on the fact that he gets to play really deep when he is the sole central defender. This allows him to make up for his lack of speed. However, when they moved to 4 in the back the other night, they got caught flat a number of times, and we can exploit this. Switching balls to the weakside, balls across the back of the defense, and through balls on the ground will all be on against a 4 in the back.
Big things to remember:
1. We can't foul in the final third, they have terrific free kick execution.
2. We can't dive in on these players, they are too good 1v1
3. We must use our recovery system and stay organized.
Ultimately, if we are patient and keep our shape, they will turn the ball over to us. They seem more vunerable on the flanks this year than last. Wings aren't tracking back and there is space behind, in the corners. Let's look to exploit those areas and bring the ball across the middle.
**Finally - from the film at Skyview, they are still diving and looking for fouls (it is almost hard to watch...) so lets defend patiently, and see what the ref gives us.
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.
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 Northfield 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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