Match Report: Mullen vs. CT

 Mullen vs. Cherokee Trail

Location: MSC (3601 S Lowell Blvd. Denver, CO 80236)

JV@4:30

V@4:30

Varsity team meeting @3pm in 303 - Sandwiches will be in 303 for varsity and G39 for JV

CT strengths:

1. Physicality: The number one thing to know is that this is a big, strong, and fast CT team. They are good out of the air and pretty conservative with their play. They do not shy away from the long ball out of the back to retain territorial positioning. Additionally, their left wing (number 20) is wicked quick and travels nicely inside on his right foot. He is always looking to penetrate.

*We have to be strong 1v1 tonight, and we have to try to win tackles, not just get touches. Furthermore, our press needs to be quick and well organized to absorb their pressure. We have to come out ready to fight.

2. They play with a deep CB. This is both a weakness and strength of theirs. Essentially, they play a 4-4-2 but with a diamond in the back (stopper/sweeper style). This allows them to clean up a lot in the back, but it also keeps them pretty narrow and exposes movement down the flanks. 

*Long balls over the middle won't work. We won't win any of them. However, movement down the sidelines will open up space for us as it pulls the defense out of shape.

3. Their goalie is really strong. He has good hands and comes off his line well. We have to try and use set pieces to expose him.

4. Lastly, offensively, this is not a great trail team; however, they are quite opportunistic. Most of their goals come from mistakes in the backfield.

*We need to follow shots back to goal, and we need to play a conservative game that limits mistakes in the back. 

CT Weaknesses:

This is a really strong CT team without a lot of weaknesses; however, there are two tactical areas we may be able to capitalize on.

1. The back line holds a narrow shape: As noted above, traveling through the middle of the field is going to be incredibly difficult tonight. But movement down the flanks will be wide open. We have to look for the big switching ball as well as the ball down the line. This will pull the back line out of shape and they will play the ball out for set pieces. It will also open up runs on the weakside for goal scoring opportunities. Once we get the ball on the wing, we need to try to penetrate and draw fouls.

2. They seem to run out of ideas: This is a somewhat interesting dynamic that we saw in this CT team. They have very talented players, but collectively, they don't seem to have a lot of ideas against well organized teams. They struggled to breakdown AHSs direct play through the middle and big balls out of the back. They only scored on GV when they gave the ball away in the box, and they lost to Valor because Valor worked to get underneath. If we play hard, and don't give anything away for free, this CT team is going to struggle to find a way in. That is where we want them, no goals against.

Keys to success:

I thought our defensive movement against Smoky was really good. Here is that same footage of how we need to shift to keep this CT team at bay.

We need to make sure that we are recovering and creating depth in the midfield.

AS you can see in this image, almost our entire midfield is within 5 yards of vertical space. This leaves a massive 12 yard gap between our CBs and CDMs. The striker will move into the gap, take a bad touch, but we'll be too far away to capitalize, and then he will be able to play a ball in behind that will eventually lead to the PK.

When one of our CDMs comes out to press, we need to recover to the deep middle (home) in order to keep the space. When we are in a straight line, one pass beats our entire midfield.

Similarly, as we discussed yesterday, on the second goal that CC scores, our midfield is off their marks and then they converge on one player, allowing one pass to beat them all and expose the back field. Today, our midfield needs to keep itss shape and depth. 

The second key point today will be the press. ABK was really successful with their press, and Smoky struggled to create. In order to press well, we have to move up with the game. 

As you can see here, the press drives the ball back to the CB. However, at this point, we fail to adjust the press. Our winger stays in the backfield instead of pressing up to the new wingback. This leaves our 10 tucked in on the wide midfielder. The CB makes a press breaking pass to the wide open 6, which eventually results in the goal. 

Our failure to move up with the press leaves our backfield super deep and exposed. The CB has to step out to the winger, who is tucked inside, which leaves him unable to recover. 

Move up with the ball.

Today, let's try to be patient, disciplined, and not make mistakes.

Remember:

-OBs should not track runs beyond their CBs

-Make sure to be goal side on set pieces!!!

Set pieces:

(Corners)

Rio - Fake corner. One player goes and gets the ball and acts like they are throwing it to the other player. He plays them as soon as he steps on the field and we attack. The runners have to be sharp on Rio and ready for the fake play!

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. 

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.

Snake: 

For this corner, we will have two groups of two players at each corner of the six. They will make phantom runs where they appear to check away and then just bounce back. Two more players will start at the front top of the box and make diagonal runs to the back post. At that point an initial runner will sprint to toward the corner taker while the second runner trails. The corner taker will make a pass to the top of the box, the first runner will dummy and the second will strike the ball. 

JV tactical notes:

JV meet in Coach E's room at 3:30 for match tactics.

We watched the first half of CT vs. Chatfield JV match from earlier this season - it looked like they played 4-2-3-1.  They are having a good season but interestingly, they lost to Eaglecrest 2-1 and also tied Grandview 1-1.

CT Strengths

1. Solid defense - they have only conceded 9 goals in 10 matches
2. Solid offense - creates scoring chances and will shoot from distance, their outside backs play wide, and their midfielders make overlapping runs
3. Good passers - they didn't lose the ball too often from errant passes

CT Weaknesses

1. Vulnerable to switch of play into their defensive corners - Chatfield was able to put the ball over their back line to find opportunities to cross into the area
2. Chatfield was able to make many quick passes to advance the ball and at times CT would lose their defensive discipline and too many players would chase the ball.
3. Despite being solid technically, their players can be dispossessed of the ball.

Mullen Keys to Success

• Defense - Let's remember the two lessons from the Smoky Hill game (1) avoid pushing our back line too far up field (2) midfielders press in the central area to prevent CT from advancing the ball or making long passes.  Finally, our outside backs (Coleman, Quinn, Dillon, and Eli) have to be ready to match the running of CTs attacking wingers.
  
  
• Pass and move - In our training session Wednesday, we practiced advancing the ball through the #10s.  So Tanner and Martin, along with the other midfielders (Kieran, Ignacio, James, Charlie, Walter) should move the ball quickly to find opportunities to get the ball into the final third
  
  
• Attacking wingers - We have to make runs into the corners and drag their outside backs out of position to create space inside CT's penalty area
  
  
• Slow them down - CT has two dangerous players who have combined for 7 of their 28 goals:  Shoumik Gajavilli #51 and Christopher Medina - let's frustrate them with clean tackles and denying them space to move and shoot.
  

Reminders:

• (Moving) Shape is King
• Play smart: scan and make decisions before the ball comes to you
• Win individual battles and fight for every ball
• They are going to shoot early and often at our goal