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See "This is my take on the U17 Boyz vs USA:" I'll copy and paste it here. First match comments in blue.
It was good to see the youngsters not playing scared. They had a swagger about themselves even when making the wrong decisions and ill-advised dribbles. Even the penalty kick was cooly and maturely taken. - I don't think we played as confidently as we did in the first match. Were they tired? They certainly did not get to the ball as quickly as most of us thought they did in the first match.
Still trying to see what Karl keeps harping about. Their effort throughout the match was very good to excellent, from start to finish. They may have had a little more pep in their step once they took the lead, but that is to be expected as they tried to frustrate the Yanks with wild clearances and stout defending. - They appeared off this match. However, what a fantastic cover to thwart that effort from the Americans in the 6 yard box. Had the player stopped following the ball, that could have been 1-0!
Throughout the match, rarely did the Americans get a chance to settle. However, the Jamaicans did not play smart in defence. On numerous occasions, 2, 3 or more players bum-rushed 1 American with the ball, leaving unmarked opponents in potentially dangerous positions. I have to agree with the commentators who marveled at how mind-bogglingly ignorant our marking and positioning was in defence. - I thought the Americans settled quite well in this match. I thought the left back had a good game, marshalling the entire left side of the pitch. Our players seemed to have been more aware of the spaces and zones around them. Maybe Colour noticed as well that having 3 or 4 players attacking one US player could spell disaster for us.
The Americans created some chances while we did not create even one and at no time did we look like we would. If Assasin is happy about that...
The other thing we need to work on is our first touch and how we position our bodies when receiving the ball. I would like to think the Coach has worked with them on these things, but they need to work harder, way before Colour even selects them. - This continues to suck, but I didn't really expect them to fix it in a few days. Clearly, it has been bad for years!
The passing was atrocious. Jamaican players tend to just kick the ball in the general direction of their teammates and hope for the best. (Such tendencies are on display at every NPL match.) The technique was poor, invariably forcing the ball to bobble up rather than roll across a difficult pitch. The passes were generally without the correct weight and spin. - The bad passing continued. On one rare occasion when we had the opportunity to cross the ball, instead of trying to send an accurate ball to the lone striker, a big foot was just flung into the ball. Mind you, not sure if the player tried to find the striker he would have been able to do it.
It surprised me that most of the penalty kicks were so well taken, given our horrible technique, generally. When the No. 5 blasted his kick high, exhibiting the worst techniques ever, that was more what I was expecting.
I like how Adamolekun played team in attack, at least tried to on a couple occasions. Whatever happened to one-two, give-and-go football?!?! Why can’t our players do more of that simple but proven method to beat opponents?!? - Again, no "give-and-go" plays. Did Colour rule out that move in his write-up?
The goalie was brilliant! The way he marshalled his area, came out of the goal to cut off the angles, making foot saves when necessary and simply inspiring confidence in the team - MVP performance! - Again, the goalie was inspiring. Look at how he restarted the offence, finding the open man and correctly deciding whether to roll it out or throw it overhead. Big man keeper. How tall is he? Needs to work on his goal kicks and punts though! Started the penalties with a wonderful save! Pity that couldn't carry us thru.
Re the penalty kicks - it is my view that goalies should never be left standing upright for penalty kicks. You must choose a side and commit. It appears some goalies are either embarrassed about going the wrong way, lazy, or can't bother to dive on tough playing surfaces (like in Jamaica, for instance). You generally see these upright penalty goalies in the lesser leagues in Jamaica, and the NPL to some extent. How many times do we see it at the highest level?
Over the years I have noticed that players generally kick across their body, so right-footers kick to the goalie's right, while left footers kick to the goalie's left. Unless you know a player's preference, that would be my advice to the goalie. Now, my theory is not supported by the facts, apparently. http://www.scienceofsocceronline.com...y-numbers.html - "Thus, the best strategy for goal keepers is to remain in the center of the goal during the penalty kick. Thus the idea that goal keepers should jump left or right and hope they guess correctly is not supported by these numbers."
I find it very difficult to support this view!
Fitness, heart, athletic ability and dribbling ability (not skill) were all on display with the Young Boyz. Time for us to start doing more. I think our national coaches get a rough deal having to work with such players. It’s no wonder that the top European clubs will have nothing to do with our players once they pass 19/20 years old. - Our Boyz still played with heart and speed, but for me, we need to do more. I understand Colour's philosophy, I think. (There seem to have been some conflicting points.) But Colour will not be able to execute his plan if our players do not master the basic skills of ball control, passing and shooting. But I guess, since we have not mastered them, it is better to get the ball deep and make the mistakes in the opponent's half than in ours!
I appreciate Colour's view that victory is the important thing, not how they look trying to achieve it. I have often wondered why, in the dying moments of a game, when a team is trying to equalise or win a match, they forget everything about midfield play and boot it long. (Of course, some teams still stick to their patient midfield passing, many others abandon it!) If they feel that is the way they are going to score, then why not just start the match playing that way and continue for the whole 90 mins or more?!? Now, Tappa's philosphy makes every sense in the world - boot it long and try and play only in the last 3rd of the field! We do not have the players to play otherwise, ergo...!
Comments welcome!
It was good to see the youngsters not playing scared. They had a swagger about themselves even when making the wrong decisions and ill-advised dribbles. Even the penalty kick was cooly and maturely taken. - I don't think we played as confidently as we did in the first match. Were they tired? They certainly did not get to the ball as quickly as most of us thought they did in the first match.
Still trying to see what Karl keeps harping about. Their effort throughout the match was very good to excellent, from start to finish. They may have had a little more pep in their step once they took the lead, but that is to be expected as they tried to frustrate the Yanks with wild clearances and stout defending. - They appeared off this match. However, what a fantastic cover to thwart that effort from the Americans in the 6 yard box. Had the player stopped following the ball, that could have been 1-0!
Throughout the match, rarely did the Americans get a chance to settle. However, the Jamaicans did not play smart in defence. On numerous occasions, 2, 3 or more players bum-rushed 1 American with the ball, leaving unmarked opponents in potentially dangerous positions. I have to agree with the commentators who marveled at how mind-bogglingly ignorant our marking and positioning was in defence. - I thought the Americans settled quite well in this match. I thought the left back had a good game, marshalling the entire left side of the pitch. Our players seemed to have been more aware of the spaces and zones around them. Maybe Colour noticed as well that having 3 or 4 players attacking one US player could spell disaster for us.
The Americans created some chances while we did not create even one and at no time did we look like we would. If Assasin is happy about that...
The other thing we need to work on is our first touch and how we position our bodies when receiving the ball. I would like to think the Coach has worked with them on these things, but they need to work harder, way before Colour even selects them. - This continues to suck, but I didn't really expect them to fix it in a few days. Clearly, it has been bad for years!
The passing was atrocious. Jamaican players tend to just kick the ball in the general direction of their teammates and hope for the best. (Such tendencies are on display at every NPL match.) The technique was poor, invariably forcing the ball to bobble up rather than roll across a difficult pitch. The passes were generally without the correct weight and spin. - The bad passing continued. On one rare occasion when we had the opportunity to cross the ball, instead of trying to send an accurate ball to the lone striker, a big foot was just flung into the ball. Mind you, not sure if the player tried to find the striker he would have been able to do it.
It surprised me that most of the penalty kicks were so well taken, given our horrible technique, generally. When the No. 5 blasted his kick high, exhibiting the worst techniques ever, that was more what I was expecting.
I like how Adamolekun played team in attack, at least tried to on a couple occasions. Whatever happened to one-two, give-and-go football?!?! Why can’t our players do more of that simple but proven method to beat opponents?!? - Again, no "give-and-go" plays. Did Colour rule out that move in his write-up?
The goalie was brilliant! The way he marshalled his area, came out of the goal to cut off the angles, making foot saves when necessary and simply inspiring confidence in the team - MVP performance! - Again, the goalie was inspiring. Look at how he restarted the offence, finding the open man and correctly deciding whether to roll it out or throw it overhead. Big man keeper. How tall is he? Needs to work on his goal kicks and punts though! Started the penalties with a wonderful save! Pity that couldn't carry us thru.
Re the penalty kicks - it is my view that goalies should never be left standing upright for penalty kicks. You must choose a side and commit. It appears some goalies are either embarrassed about going the wrong way, lazy, or can't bother to dive on tough playing surfaces (like in Jamaica, for instance). You generally see these upright penalty goalies in the lesser leagues in Jamaica, and the NPL to some extent. How many times do we see it at the highest level?
Over the years I have noticed that players generally kick across their body, so right-footers kick to the goalie's right, while left footers kick to the goalie's left. Unless you know a player's preference, that would be my advice to the goalie. Now, my theory is not supported by the facts, apparently. http://www.scienceofsocceronline.com...y-numbers.html - "Thus, the best strategy for goal keepers is to remain in the center of the goal during the penalty kick. Thus the idea that goal keepers should jump left or right and hope they guess correctly is not supported by these numbers."
I find it very difficult to support this view!
Fitness, heart, athletic ability and dribbling ability (not skill) were all on display with the Young Boyz. Time for us to start doing more. I think our national coaches get a rough deal having to work with such players. It’s no wonder that the top European clubs will have nothing to do with our players once they pass 19/20 years old. - Our Boyz still played with heart and speed, but for me, we need to do more. I understand Colour's philosophy, I think. (There seem to have been some conflicting points.) But Colour will not be able to execute his plan if our players do not master the basic skills of ball control, passing and shooting. But I guess, since we have not mastered them, it is better to get the ball deep and make the mistakes in the opponent's half than in ours!
I appreciate Colour's view that victory is the important thing, not how they look trying to achieve it. I have often wondered why, in the dying moments of a game, when a team is trying to equalise or win a match, they forget everything about midfield play and boot it long. (Of course, some teams still stick to their patient midfield passing, many others abandon it!) If they feel that is the way they are going to score, then why not just start the match playing that way and continue for the whole 90 mins or more?!? Now, Tappa's philosphy makes every sense in the world - boot it long and try and play only in the last 3rd of the field!
We do not have the players to play otherwise, ergo...!Comments welcome!
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