I'll try to create a post for each of the possible mistakes we make in the game and we can debate about it.
After todays game, I'm not sure if our style of play has changed. We are still NOT PASSING ABOUT, instead, we try to look for openings to do through ball, we try to do high lobs, or we try to do solo runs. We simply do not pass enough, we seldom to passes to our teammates feet, we seldom pass side ways and we almost never pass back if we cant do it. We rely too much on ourselves than each other thats what I think.
I think this is our biggest mistake though there are a few other major ones which we shall talk on later on.
Agree? Disagree? Comment
Guys, this is an important time for the team as we need to identify the mistakes each of us make and highlight to everyone so that we can all change. For that I need all of you to read all the mistakes post and acknowledge that you have read on every one of them in the comments page. And leave your comments if you have any. Thanks.
Melvin
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26 comments:
Have you guys noticed the games being played after ours..always seems to be at a slower pace with much more space to run?
How come our games are being played at such a pace that.. we cannot do anything but clear the ball or punt a long ball upfront asap and hope that it reaches someone?
I think its because the pace of our game is too fast..too furious.Its less of soccer..more of rugby.Its like 90% of the game,we are tussling for the ball.If we get it,we will pass it to the nearest guy upfront,never back.Because there is no time at all to do something fanciful and if u lose the ball u will be screwed.
Maybe we can train our passing game by playing lousier opponents and slowly build up from there..
i totally agree. passing is our biggest problem and we should stop playing against strong opponents for the moment cos it just makes us more demoralised and we won't be able to improve on our game cos we won't even have possession of the ball. everytime we get the ball we only think of how and where to clear it to. it's almost like geylang united playing against brazil. so for now, we should just play against slightly weaker teams, find our feet and develop our game from there. it'll take time, but remember, rome wasn't built in a day.
Throw in... Our throw in always get intercepted( Not long enough )
And defending throw in against us..
And defenders to start training to pass and be composed on ball...
And please dun sub yourself out without informing relevant teammates.. Confuse the entire team regarding the changes...
And wingers to please please guard against short corners by opponents.. got punished this time round
And defenders to start training to pass and be composed on ball...
---> btw i meant that passing should start from defence..
passing.
its positioning that caused the poor passing.. at least in my opinion.
we are not providing the short option sufficiently. If i were a spectator watching the game, i would have tot that the team instructions was 'direct passing', the FM style (if you play it). meaning to say looking to play the ball to the strikers in the fastest possible way. putting it in the crude way, a lousy team that cant pass and juz play long ball.
time and again we are forced to play the rushed ball to our fellow teammates and given our ball control, we are likely to lose it.
positioning and providing the short option in every area is vital. let me just illustrate with an example.
A left back in the defensive position with the ball. centre back is to open up by dropping back, away from the defenders. 1 centre mid is to come close enough to provide the short option. left mid will now open up all the way to the flank, away from the centre.
if the centre back should get the ball now, his fellow centre back to drop even deeper, 2 full backs to open up as far as possible to provide option. idea is not to cluster fuck. and open up as much when we have the ball.
the idea is to provide an option infront, to the side and to the back. soccer is not just about going forward. teammates must provide options for the guy with the ball. and going by this mentality, the ones most involved will be the centre mids. the guy to link the attacks and defence. Like in a typical FM game, if you check out the stats for each player, the number of passing each centre mid makes is probably twice of any other player. everyones first option is to look for them, which means they got to move into a position for others to play the ball. while for the centre mids, their first option is to play it down the flank. simple as it sounds, everyone to centre mid, centre mid to flanks, hard to execute. for todays game, centre mids, especially me, are guilty of not doing the above and are practically juz spectators in the game. centre mids are the mastermind in this passing game i stress again. you are the only guy who is linked to everyone on the pitch.
the idea of first option to the flanks is not becoz we want to play beautiful football by scoring from crosses or watsoever. Notice how our defence struggled today against our opponents who made full use of their wings. they forced our full backs to pull as wide as they can. if u had been observant or played in defence, im sure u felt tt there was lots of space and insufficient cover. yup. The idea to play by the flanks is to pull opposing defenders wide to free up space in the middle. its like knocking into walls time and again if u choose to play by the middle.
enough said abt positioning, sth less significant would be composure i guess. most of us try to clear the ball when opponents close down fast. but arent we closing down the opponents fast as well? (at least in teh first half). they seem to be able to play passing though. one obvious difference between them and us was that they dare to hold the ball. to wait for options to come and play the right ball. we definitely need to show more composure on the ball AND most imptly, the short option must come.
enough said about passing. the other major mistake was to commit. even if the opponent could spread play well, we shouldnt have allowed so much crosses to come into our box. full backs are often caught committing to their flankers and allowed them to beat. pls, hold your position and retreat. put your foot in and tackle only when u are 100% sure! there is no harm holding your ground and letting him come at you. you have nothing to lose. the opponent will be in a bad position to cross when u are obstructing him. and also hard to beat you since you are not ready to commit. The moment you put in your foot and miss the tackle, that is where the problem will start kicking in. hence, hold your ground and don commit!
i felt that the defence was also guilty of not clearing the ball well enough. A good long clearance into the opponent half is a good relief for the team especially when we are under pressure the whole game. our clearance are either too short or grounders, easily intercepted by opponents, having them running back at us again. and after the clearance, push up fast! in order to remind each other, i suggest the whole team should shout together after a corner or clearance. silly it may sound, its effective and in a way a little intimidating to e opponents.
often enough, we fought hard to win the ball just to give it away the next moment. tts damn frustrating.
we definitely got to improve on our positioning, composure. only then can e passing game improve.
enough said, the above are purely my own opinions and you have every right to correct me and disagree... juz my little input.
juz to add on, there was neither star players nor scapegoats in today's game. well, sad to say, everyone was equally lousy today. no one specially to blame for the 6 goals conceded.
We have lost as a team and will improve as a team.
Lets start playing football.
okay. yes we are taught a lesson but those lessons are needed because everyone was feeling gd are the 2 wins previously.
passing is the fundamental in the game and to be able to pass, u need to have controlling of the ball, awareness, positioning and communication. passing don come alone and it comes as a package. to say the word just "passing" is just an utter crap in my sense. yes we can do 1-2s or through balls or straight to the feet, to be able to do what u intend to do, u are pressured by ur markers, and with the split second to control and aware of the field situation and ur team mates must position in a way its gd to be fed, not blaming the team or mates for fucked up pass because i always believe it takes 2 hands to clap. communication as we are chopping and changing too much, trying to be like steve mac claren, choosing the best 11 instead of the playing the team to their best positions. because of uneasiness in adapting, lapses appeared and 1 mistake trigger anxiousness and not wanting to commit the error again to cause the team's downfall, ball is cleared the furthest we can clear everytime they threaten us.
i believe what i have said about passing is short, precise and straight to the pt.
secondly, its our fitness. we are an utter letdown in our fitness. losing in terms of technique, we need to cover by fitness or physical, but we have none. esp in the 2nd half, almost everyone was running as though their legs are frozen and they had only 1 lung in their body.
thirdly, its communication and committing. we really embarrassed ourselves committing and letting pple in far too easily. i remembered a scene where an opponent broke free into the box and standin in his way is 5 players. with such ease, he got past, effortlessly. it was an eyesore to watch that. it is really a thing we have to rectify as it is the easiest to recitify.
i move on to the game play itself.
gk, i thought he was the best we had and he did whatever he can and he isnt petr cech so we cant ask too much about him. gd with his kicks, dealing with crosses, commanding presence, something we are really looking out for.
backline, newly looked and perhaps the changed back4 to the big pitch opened us up with more ease. the wingers stretch the back 4 and easy committing by the full backs are drastic and it left with 3 defenders and a cross waitig to be delivered n they have the possibility to cut in to threaten even more. thought of it was horrendous right, it happened like FREQUENTLY. dangerous and we are like walking on a thin thread. centerbacks arent very commanding and communicating and controlling isnt well done, doodling in the box or near is life threatening as poor control leads to more touches and thus being closed down n pressured. under pressure, mistakes occured.
midfield, wingers tracked back really alot and they took out our main threat because the tracking back tire them and no energy to burst leads to 1 less ammunition to utilise. i thought the 3 midfields formation worked to a certain extent but resulting yuzheng to overwork. however, the centre mid often collide with one another and it brings down to an key component.POSITIONING. take 1 player not, 2 v 1. its detrimental because if he managed to get past which is usually the case because both players are closingdown and not lunging and hesistation leads to him getting both past and it leaves the fuking midfield open. which is usually the case. utter trash.
nth much to say about the striker because we cant even play till the aspect to be talked about.
agree or disagree, you guys decide.
actually i totally agree with zhiyuan. he totally explained everything. Positioning - our last 2 opponents had 3 options for their guy who had the ball and even if 1 of us pressure him quickly, he always has an option to put it sideways quickly, shield the ball and pass back or forward. Committing is also one of our biggest mistake, I myself very guilty of that, coz if we miss the ball, the opponent would have beaten you right there and then.
Also, I think on doh's point of winger dropping too back, I agree. Really very tiring and many times find myself too behind. I think if positioning is right for the defence, the wingers dont have and shouldnt drop back so much. What you guys think?
Usually the wingers have to drop back due to opponent wing back overlapping and providing a option for the wingers to lob over....
If thats the case, the wingers really have to drop back to help our wing back... if not our centre defence will be forced to help, creating the hole as mentioned earlier.
However, when the opponent's full back is not overlapping ( IE relaxing in his half ) . I supposed wingers do not have to drop back so deep... BUT.. please do cut off their winger's option to pass back to his wing back.
Thats to say, if opposition's wingers and wing back are fuck fit, our flanks have no choice but to work extra hard
i agree with keane.
wingers got no choice but to work extra hard. they got to be further up front than the centre mids when attacking, and deeper into our half when defending to mark off opposing wingers. if full backs are utilised to tackle their wingers all the time, it means the centre is left with at 2 CB vs 2 striker kind of situation which is unhealthy. defenders should always be more than the strikers.
that is why wingers are always the first to be subbed out in a game.
;)
but, wingers mark wingers or should the the full back mark the wingers and the wingers mark the opponent's fullblack if they overlap? So if opponent's fullback do not go up for the attack wingers have to drop so deep?
Ok.. in a normal build up attack , our wingers should be able to face up to their wingers as per normal.. and if their wing back overlap , our wing back take note..
In a counter attacking situation, whereby their winger gets the ball on the flank and have only our full back to beat, then perhaps u might want to track back to help out if you are as fit as doh.. If you are too far or your name is not doh, then maybe you can check their wing back...
Of course we can advocate a "run back at all cost" for the wingers, but we all know it isnt going to happen, and might not be sustainable especially after a attack. If their wing back overlap on a counter attack, please lan lan go back to help... 2v1 against our wing back is likely going to result in simple one twos and a goal conceded.
Learn to slack at the right time and we will save a hell load of energy and trouble. I believe army taught us loads of that
gawd... sounds like a terrible day for defenders... ok, here's what i seem to see in the comments so far... defence unable to handle crosses once winger's way upfield and wing backs commit and get beaten and the defence is outnumbered... its already been explained by zhiyuan that yes, retreat, wingbacks jockey the winger as far back as you can, DM comes-a-running back to defence to add to the numbers, and if wingback manages to jockey the winger well, crossing would not be very easy, and probably end up in safe legs... but if so happens that wingback gets beaten by crissy ron, centerback has to assess the situation and either hold ground and hope wingback recovers to hopefully block the cross, or see if the DM's back covering him and go straight to pressure the attacker.
its all actually a matter of coordination from centerbacks.
keepers can do it too, coz they see everything anyways, so keepers you just keep kao-pehing the defence, it'll be beneficial
;)
enough of all these blaming on defence and full backs.. u think it's easy u try it out.. i mean.. time and again when we are defeated first to blame are the defenders.. god damn it.. u teach me how to defend then.. when i dun commit.. the farker winger out-paced me n result in a cross.. when i commit n missed my tackle, i'm scolded as well.. so wtf u want us defenders to do.. if we can be controlled like puppets to ur demands then plz do.. but we're humans..
i'm not happy to be subbed out at half time.. everyone wants to play more.. but obviously i knew i was gonna be subbed out looking at the way daren looked at me at times.. come on.. i did my best man.. so did all the defenders.. for the benefit of the team i took my seat on the bench only to watch 4 more goals leaked in.. i know i'm not a gd player which was why time and again i offered to start as sub.. but if u believe in us defenders then do give us the trust.. all i asked for melvin to do was to tackle the person who's dribbling down the right flank first n if he's beaten i will be the next to follow up.. i know it's tiring but i myself also try to help him out in attk as well when i have the chance.. i always tell him i will be right behind him, whether it comes to defend or attk.. i'm trying my best.. if i'm not gd enuff.. bench me.. teach me how to play soccer.. stop making defenders get the root of the blame.. we defenders learn from mistakes made in every game n improve.. what abt the midfielders? i brought it out previously but were many high balls or headers won when we goal kick? more often than not we goal kick n give the ball back to the opponents.. if any midfielders feel angry abt this comment.. then how u think us defenders feel when u critisized us.. we try to understand u guys.. have u tried to understand us?
enuff of all these talk.. if we wanna make amends we have to start getting up n kicking some balls.. all these talk abt passing n stuff.. we have to practise them.. even if we dun practise, playing against weaker teams aren't gonna solve the root of the problem as we might juz win them n feel good abt ourselves.. practise sessions may seem lame n a waste of time.. but if u show me how to defend, tell me where to position, how to overlap, when to commit or not commit.. then maybe i might become ur "perfect puppet" on the soccer field after all...!
that's all i have to say...
okay i got to add i didnt intend to take chewyi out in the first place but 2 things that make me take him out is because we need to search for goals, secondly there i need to bring andrew on and i don want to change the centre backs as its the most impt position to be tinkering thus its either ben or chew. ben looks the bet but chewyi and zhiyuan cant slot to left back thus chew yi is sacrificed.
next, there isnt blaming happening around,this is just a place to have discussion on ways how we shld really improve, not stabbing at one another whether who conjured more blame that results into the poor performance. okay yes i admit its my fault to make too much changes in tactics that causes confusion and if a person who really can do the job, i give it to them. it really a pain in the ass to do that.
i agree fully that we need trainings. we tried once, but u look at what is the turnout rate, who will be the trainer, where can we train and the intensity of it, its nth compared to the match itself. everyone must be focused and be motivated, only then the trainings can be a success. all must attend to support the trainings.
yes, i felt the wingers are tracking back alot thus leading them v.tired n causing the full backs to exposed at times. upon zhiyuan saying the wingers are always sacrificed in games, i realised in games, the wingers are the ones coming out, so i think the wingers thus need to work that extra amoount of work.
and i think what chewyi says is correct. playing against weaker teams is masking the problems. the main problems will start to appear once we play the big boys so i m VERY AGAINST whatever brian says.
thank you.
chew chill...
we are not pointing fingers at anyone. and i did say the 3 of us being centre mids in the first half was virtually transparent, me especially with 0 headers won. it was a team loss and it was just that nobody commented on other positions. I myself playing at midfield, surely it would be better for others to comment on me instead of me commenting om myself.
yes, you shud continue to point out all our mistakes like the goal kick problems and stuff. the point is to let everyone know their mistakes and improve.
We all know that c ronaldo can dribble past everyone and then send a fking good cross into the box.
Does it mean that the whole EPL defenders commmit to C Ronaldo?
Or have they already tried their best to stop him?
I understand your frustration that you are doing your best to stop the opponents. No one ever doubts that. and to be frank, we can only advise to a certain extent when we don even have a coach. We might not be right, but like what you said, we are also trying to help others out with what our limited amount of football knowledge.
please understand that we are not putting the blame on you.
as for mel, got to agree that its damn tiring. the way u played yesterday was really good in terms of tracking back etc. i felt ive got sufficient cover everytime the ball comes to the wing.
i dono how else i can help.. but winger is the most tiring position..
Regarding the fatigue level of wing play, I feel that its mostly a 2 way thing.
As in, for example , our flanks spend their energy (10% attacking,
90 % defending in the last game) .
On the other hand , their flanks also spend ( 90% on attack , 10% on defence ) in that proportion of the energy.
Hence the question here is not wingers are tracking back too much to help in defending.. If we have our fair share of attacks, and the % is more even , I am sure their flanks will feel more tired and hence attack less , reducing some of the tracking back especially the wingers have to do.
Which bring us back to the true problem of not attacking enough.
I understand that term of "attacking enough " is extremely broad but I am just trying to bring across the very obvious point that by attacking more , they attacking less.
So now the problem is how to attack more, which some of you kindly identified the problem as passing.
Which I thoroughly agree. As long as this attacking problem is solved, chances are all our other side issues such as wingers being too tired from tracking back will vanish without us working on it .
I suggested the other time that probably we can try to play the older teams who are in the working class ( 3-+, 40+ ) . You realise that these teams usually close down much slower, and they usually win by passing and team work. I thought its win-win as it wouldnt be easy and yet it will give us chance and space to work on our passing as well as learn from them.
Do revert if you feel otherwise :)
Playing against weaker teams is masking the problem.That is not true.I say start form weak teams,then slowly progress up to teams which are a little better..and so on.
Maybe training will help with your positioning,tactics etc.But you think it can replicate a real match?I doubt so.You might be able to do stuff in training,but what really matters is performing on matchday, isnt it?In training,u got no pressure.Lose the ball to your teammates?Nvm..try again.In a proper match,even against weaker teams,the way you play will be different from the way you perform in training.
2 more things.When i came on,the score was 4-0.Final score, 6-0.I could see everyone has given up.At least keep the score respectable.The last 2 goals were so amateurish.We practically gave them an empty net to shoot.
Lastly,Why do you all sound so bitter?Just a 6-0 loss.You think the performance was worst than the 2-1 win?Think again.I had the benefit of watching 90% of the 2 games and the honest truth is as such.The performance level was about the same.This orange team just took their chances well.And whats wrong with being subbed out?If every 1 guy being subbed out is not happy,this will cause a lot of headache to the guy selecting the lineup and making the team,even though he might have made a wrong move with his subsitutions.I know i cant peform so i accepted doh's decision to be on the bench.
This is shem here btw.But if u think im talking rubbish,or choose to listen to only a select group of people,then just ignore this comment.
these posts and comments are not to blame anyone but rather to acknowledge the problems our team have or is facing and make changes or improvements.
I agree with chewyi that we were outpaced, outmuscled (for my side at least) Many times the winger was so fast that if we dont commit, he'd beat me too. Any advice on this? Coz the best i can think is to push him as wide as possible and not let him cut into the middle.
Anyway, all talk and no action = useless. But hopefully this can allow all of us to recognise that we are not passing and not positioning ourselves well for our teammates to pass (3 options) and make a conscious effort to provide options for your teammate with the ball.
Hopefully no one will take any of these comments as a personal attack.
sorry for the outburst man.. i'm juz frustrated by the loss probably.. not to stir up anything, or even make things difficult for daren.. those are juz how i felt..
(dun agree with shem's comments btw)
no worries chew, anyway, its good to say how you felt also.
i know almost all of us frustrated by the loss, but it'll only make us stronger.
i m glad u felt frustrated chew. this will make us strive as b4 u learn how to walk, u will fall down too. its the same analogy.
bracketeers!
lol
lets just play as many games as we can,enjoy it, and improve while playing!
:>
first of all, thanks for condemning wad i said, daren. i think we should just talk less and play more. also, our players should have more aggression in them. of coruse i dun expect u all to go out there and kill someone like i do, but at least 10% of that will help a lot. the next time an opponent wants to go past u, he'll think twice and that gives u an advantage. if we can't fight for high balls in midfield, our keeper can always play short passes to the defenders, and for goodness sake stop shouting at defenders to give a long ball. we should limit our play to the ground. we need a break and play some leisure soccer against average teams. keep playing against the big boys and we're only paying for the pitch for them to practice. this carries on, we're gonna fall apart.
lets play lets play lets play!
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