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Striker about more than speed
Whitecaps rookie Mattocks prides himself on using his smarts on the pitch
By Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun March 16, 2012
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Photos ( 2 )
Eric Hassli of the Whitecaps is pleased that he finally scored with his head, something he didn't do last season.
Eric Hassli of the Whitecaps is pleased that he finally scored with his head, something he didn't do last season.
Photograph by: Ian Lindsay, PNG , Vancouver Sun
Everything you read or hear about Darren Mattocks focuses on his marvellous game-changing speed.
The rookie Vancouver White-caps striker used his highly-touted quickness to score 39 goals the past two seasons at the University of Akron and the Caps made him the second overall pick in this year's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
But the 21-year-old Jamaican insists there's more to his game than extraordinary velocity, a lot more.
"Everyone says I'm really quick but speed alone can't score goals," Mattocks said on Thursday. "Ninety-five per cent of the game is played with your head, not your feet. I have a good first touch and a good shot. Speed is a really great asset of mine but I have so much more."
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound Portmore, Jamaica, native made his MLS regular-season professional debut for the Caps in the 2-0 win over Montreal last weekend, replacing Eric Hassli in the 89th minute.
He didn't get a chance to show much against the Impact but drew a foul that resulted in a Whitecaps free kick in a dangerous area.
Mattocks knows patience is a virtue as he waits for his chance on a squad that's deep in attacking talent.
"To be honest, it is frustrating," he said. "I know I can do really well, even though I'm a first-year rookie. I just have to keep working hard and stay focused and when I get my chance, I'll make full use of it."
Mattocks is a natural right footer but scored a terrific pre-season goal against Montreal last month with a left-footed blast that Impact goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts barely saw.
The confident striker makes no apologies for believing in his own abilities but regrets that people sometimes mistake that confidence for cockiness.
"I'm not cocky," he said. "It's just natural for me to be really confident."
Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie likes the attitude of his club's top 2012 draft pick.
"Strikers need to have confidence or they're not going to take chances when they can or they'll hide or they won't get on the ball," he said. "He believes in himself and that's good."
Rennie said Mattocks has looked sharp in his rookie season, showing good finish on goal-scoring chances and improving his already-dangerous movements away from the ball that can be huge threats to opposing defenders.
"He brings something different that we're going to be able to use and I'm sure he'll be a big player for us," he said.
Rennie said Mattocks still has to work on refining his movements and on becoming a more dangerous forward by partnering more effectively with teammates.
"Forwards in college can get away with just playing on their own and beating people and scoring," he said. "At the next level, it's about working with other players so that your movement creates opportunities. It's not just about your one-V-one ability."
Rennie said Mattocks' work rate is "very underrated," noting his heart rate can spike up and then drop quickly during a game.
"That's the ideal profile we look for because it means he recovers very fast and then can go intensely again," he said. "That's a massive genetic thing that really helps him."
SIDE KICKS: Hassli flashed a huge smile Thursday after diving and scoring with a low header during a crossing drill in training. He quickly bounced off the turf and pointed to his head, making sure everyone saw what he just did.
The big 6-foot-4 Frenchman - who didn't score with his head last season - has been working hard on that part of his game this season, at Rennie's urging. Rennie has even worked one-on-one with Hassli on heading drills this week.
"It's different for me, to play with my head," Hassli said. "I work really hard on it ... I am heavy and tall and I need to play with my head to be a good striker. It's really important."
bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Su
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Striker+about+more+than+speed/6311806/story.html#ixzz1pHuzpH4a
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Whitecaps rookie Mattocks prides himself on using his smarts on the pitch
By Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun March 16, 2012
Story
Photos ( 2 )
Eric Hassli of the Whitecaps is pleased that he finally scored with his head, something he didn't do last season.
Eric Hassli of the Whitecaps is pleased that he finally scored with his head, something he didn't do last season.
Photograph by: Ian Lindsay, PNG , Vancouver Sun
Everything you read or hear about Darren Mattocks focuses on his marvellous game-changing speed.
The rookie Vancouver White-caps striker used his highly-touted quickness to score 39 goals the past two seasons at the University of Akron and the Caps made him the second overall pick in this year's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
But the 21-year-old Jamaican insists there's more to his game than extraordinary velocity, a lot more.
"Everyone says I'm really quick but speed alone can't score goals," Mattocks said on Thursday. "Ninety-five per cent of the game is played with your head, not your feet. I have a good first touch and a good shot. Speed is a really great asset of mine but I have so much more."
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound Portmore, Jamaica, native made his MLS regular-season professional debut for the Caps in the 2-0 win over Montreal last weekend, replacing Eric Hassli in the 89th minute.
He didn't get a chance to show much against the Impact but drew a foul that resulted in a Whitecaps free kick in a dangerous area.
Mattocks knows patience is a virtue as he waits for his chance on a squad that's deep in attacking talent.
"To be honest, it is frustrating," he said. "I know I can do really well, even though I'm a first-year rookie. I just have to keep working hard and stay focused and when I get my chance, I'll make full use of it."
Mattocks is a natural right footer but scored a terrific pre-season goal against Montreal last month with a left-footed blast that Impact goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts barely saw.
The confident striker makes no apologies for believing in his own abilities but regrets that people sometimes mistake that confidence for cockiness.
"I'm not cocky," he said. "It's just natural for me to be really confident."
Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie likes the attitude of his club's top 2012 draft pick.
"Strikers need to have confidence or they're not going to take chances when they can or they'll hide or they won't get on the ball," he said. "He believes in himself and that's good."
Rennie said Mattocks has looked sharp in his rookie season, showing good finish on goal-scoring chances and improving his already-dangerous movements away from the ball that can be huge threats to opposing defenders.
"He brings something different that we're going to be able to use and I'm sure he'll be a big player for us," he said.
Rennie said Mattocks still has to work on refining his movements and on becoming a more dangerous forward by partnering more effectively with teammates.
"Forwards in college can get away with just playing on their own and beating people and scoring," he said. "At the next level, it's about working with other players so that your movement creates opportunities. It's not just about your one-V-one ability."
Rennie said Mattocks' work rate is "very underrated," noting his heart rate can spike up and then drop quickly during a game.
"That's the ideal profile we look for because it means he recovers very fast and then can go intensely again," he said. "That's a massive genetic thing that really helps him."
SIDE KICKS: Hassli flashed a huge smile Thursday after diving and scoring with a low header during a crossing drill in training. He quickly bounced off the turf and pointed to his head, making sure everyone saw what he just did.
The big 6-foot-4 Frenchman - who didn't score with his head last season - has been working hard on that part of his game this season, at Rennie's urging. Rennie has even worked one-on-one with Hassli on heading drills this week.
"It's different for me, to play with my head," Hassli said. "I work really hard on it ... I am heavy and tall and I need to play with my head to be a good striker. It's really important."
bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Su
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Striker+about+more+than+speed/6311806/story.html#ixzz1pHuzpH4a
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