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!