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!