Match Report: Mullen vs. Trail (Senior Night)

 Match Report: Mullen vs. Trail

Location: Mullen High School (3601 S Lowell Blvd) - 

Varsity Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@mullenhighschool7553/streams

Time: JV@4:30 (North Field), V@4:30 (South Field)

Cherokee Trail Strengths:

This Trail team has a number of talented players -

10: She plays the 10 and sometimes the 7 (out on the right). She is fast, and has a wicked cross and shot. If we allow her to gain momentum, she can be super dangerous in transition. When watching Trail so far this season, she has been a little up and down (injuries, cramps, etc.) We need to push her athletically today. She doesn't prefer to come back and defend, so we need to take care of the ball and prevent her from striking us in transition. She will hang out up top and look to break the lines, so with her on the field, our counter press will be elemental.

5: I actually think that this is one of trails most dangerous players. She often plays on the wing in some fashion and she will grind. She gets back and defends, and she is fast going forward. She prefers to bring the ball down the line. If our outside backs press, and stay elevated as part of the attack, we can force her to move the ball quickly and do a lot of running.

16: She plays the left outside back, and she is a lefty. She takes a wicked inswinging corner that they utilize when she is on the field. 

The rest of the cast: In addition to these players, Trail is big and athletic across the board. Number three plays a quieter role, but she is more consistent, overall, then 10, and she can be pretty dangerous going forward. Their CBs are big and clear the ball well, and their midfield is hard hitting and not afraid of the dirty work.

It is because of the surrounding cast that Trail has picked up some good wins this season.

Set Pieces:

As noted above, Trail has an inswinging corner from the left and from the right. They have looked dangerous on set pieces this season. The one goal against ABK was a corner and the opener against CV was a corner as well. 

In both cases, there were numerous unmarked players. They will look to capitalize on corners tonight for sure!

Block and counter:

Trail has attempted to change their identity a little this season. On the whole, they are doing well to get under the ball (though a little unorganized) and they are striking on the counter. This is how they find set pieces, and capitalize with their stronger players. What they are doing, for the most part, is keeping them in games and helping to win a couple. I imagine they will try to strike us in the same way. We have to be careful in possession today. Our sixes need to hold position. And we need to create opportunities on goal. If we can do these things, we can prevent them from being dangerous in transition.

The mental game:

Trail came to us last year, and we rocked them (I think somewhat unexpectedly for them). This year they are going to arrive wanting some revenge and looking to spoil senior night. We have to come out with intensity, a well organized press, and a hunger to find the back of the net. They are going to be fighting hard from a mental stand point, and we need to assert from the start that we aren't going to give anything up at home.

FINALLY - TRAIL HAS SOME WICKED SHOOTERS FROM RANGE. WE NEED TO CLOSE DOWN AND BLOCK SHOTS. WE CAN NOT ALLOW THEM TO GET ANYTHING OFF IN THE MIDFIELD.

Trail Weaknesses:

Trail seems to have three primary weaknesses:

1. Their goalie situation: I have seen trail rotate between goalies last season and now this one too. The issue is that the goalies are very different. The one who played against CV is taller and less athletic. She covers the goal a little better, but struggles on the ground and with her handling. She is also hesitant to come off her line on crosses. 

The one who played against ABK is smaller and more athletic, but she can't cover the top half of the goal and she really struggles in the corridor of uncertainty (balls coming across the face of the goal)

If the coach rotates the keepers as he has, we will see the smaller/more athletic keeper who struggles high... However, the first keeper was in when they beat CV, so they might keep her. Either way, the goalie is a weakness for this team and we need to take shots from outside the box (CRASH CRASH CRASH) and we need to send the ball in from the width (CRASH CRASH CRASH).

2. For whatever reason, Trail seems super exposed down the line and behind the outside backs, so we need to press them hard, but we also need to take the space in behind and look to send the ball across the middle. Remember, we can't just keep cutting inside, this is a game that we want to find the corners and penetrate toward the goal and then find players in front of the goal. If we can expose this space, we can have a lot of success.

3. They don't put anyone at the back post on corners... I don't know what is up with this; however, we need to swing the ball into the back post, and we need to get there to finish our corners!

Mullen Keys to Success:

Like we spoke about yesterday, our biggest key to success will be the discipline in our midfield. This week we play against two very strong number 10s, so our shape in the middle of the park with be elemental to our success. 

6s - Remember to look at the field like a cross section. As the strong side 6 elevates, the weak 6 needs to drop into the whole. This will allow us to cut off the counter and recover to the middle if Trail strikes out wide. The discipline to keep the shape is so important. Think: where am I when we lose the ball? 

*Also remember that this doesn't mean we can't make a weakside run, we just have to do it conservatively. Also - if we send the weakside 6 (which can be super dangerous in the attack) the strong side needs to drop in to keep the shape.

If we keep our shape, I think that trail will just give us the ball over and over again. 

For a demonstration, please watch the creek film again -

https://app.veo.co/matches/20230407-creek-eadfe8ce/

We lost our shape from minute 42-43

We see the benefit of our shape from minute 49:30-50:30

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Additionally, We need to make sure that all players are pressed to their designated marks - this means outside backs need to press up and regain the ball high up the field. (We can't be in a situation where half the players are doing their job, while the other half stays dropped off - we will get killed in transition)

FINALLY - DON'T LOSE THE THROWER

Set Pieces:

Defending corners: 

Remember that when we are defending corners, we are in a man/zone hybrid. The zone marks are at the posts, and floating near the back of the six. Every other player should be marking an opponent. If there is no second taker, that player needs to drop back and pick up a mark, as does our nine if we are outnumbered. Purple = zone, Navy = man mark

Corners -

REMEMBER: When you are down in the attacking corner and trapped, play the ball off your opponent. We should be looking for moments to get throws and corners in the attacking third.

REMEMBER: We don't want to rush our corner kicks or set pieces. They are an invaluable part of our system and a great way to score goals. Huddle up before the corner to figure out who is going where and then execute your run!

Marcoux: This is an in swinging corner hit to the middle of the goal inside the second six (the space between the six yard box and the pk spot) runs should be made to the near and far post and the middle. Remember to send the ball back across the face of the goal at the far post.

2: This is an overlapping corner. The first player plays the ball short and then overlaps the second player who then lays it off. The initial player should then hit a curving ball to the far post (on goal) We need to crash the far post.

2 - option: If the defender over commits, the second player should beat them on the dribble down the line.

Bumble Bee: Create a hive around the goalie. The taker should hit an inswing ball in on goal. One player should break to the near post, and another should roll off to the back post. 

Blue: Two players bounce off the posts, the server plays the ball deep to the back post, and that player heads the ball back across the goal.

7: Line up like we are taking 2. Outside backs stay deep. Play the ball to the outside back, she plays it back to the second player, and that player swings it into the back post. When the initial ball plays, the weakside OB is sprinting to the back post to finish the shot. 

GATITO (Little kitties): On this corner, the server should send in a violent and volitile inswinging ball. We will then pump fake runs into the box, allow the ball to be served, and then crash the area where the ball is headed. On this corner, you are hunting down poor clearances or misplayed balls that land in the box. 

Lollipop: Three players at the near post, 2 players at the back post (our 9 plays the kitty and hunts at the top) The three players roll off to the far post, the middle, and the near post, while the two players in the back run across the face of the goal. The server hits an inswinging corner.

Good luck!

MRD