Copa America

Great!!  I don’t want to be an. opinionated old…. But I get frustrated seeing and hearing the “experts “ 

I like the teams that are playing the pressing system attacking!!

Very good, you have to play to WIN,!   Period!!

USA is playing one of those teams, the only mistake I’m seeing and the “experts “ am listening to, don’t see it is: 

The whole team ATTACK, but when they lose the ball, everyone starts backpedaling, IN PERFECT LINE!! (read some of my previous comments or blogs).

Nope, you lost the ball, RIGHT AWAY YOU HAVE TO RECUPERATE IT!!!  Those 4-5 backpedaling have to go across the player with the ball!!

I know, it’s hard to understand, I tried to explain to some players, but I need time, and time is money and all the languages !!

Goalkeeper!! Hard Position!!

My memories flying around like football (soccer)’s modern!! 

When I say something about this sport, don’t want you to think I’m just another opinionated opportunist trying to make a profit and talk about something that I don’t have an idea how it’s been played for years. I started playing  many moons ago and those years you were lucky, and really, really good player to get any monetary retribution, you were lucky just to get a promise of a good job!! 

On back posts I wrote about, how to handle (feet) the ball properly,  positioning on the pitch, lately about how’s possibly all the players inside the box nobody can understand the pitch its too long to get back and try to make a goal, it’s almost impossible to run all way back, your brains will not have oxygen enough to think. That’s the reason some players miss an easy goal, with all the goal free of obstruction they shoot the ball wide!!! Also I explained (or tried) too many people around the goalie it’s not good!!  EVERY BALL going inside the box has to be challenged for the goalkeeper!!! 

My memories brings to me great goalkeepers,  one specially we played (and/or was one of tmy first coaching)  on those years wasn’t many “experts “ to coach. (and the players have to step up) We learned already in our pickup games when we were kids. Not adults to confuse us  I don’t remember his name, just the nickname Balconero (balcony man) ,  Remember him because he did like all the others goalies, DIVES to to balls, even if the ball was in the feet of the attackers . He lost several teeth at young age. Today, his son is coaching at an Academy, here USA (West Palm Beach, Florida) Adrian . He made Football his way of living, not like us, we had to work regular jobs!!! I always pick goalies like him, and/or teach how to be a good one, if not, ask    Robert (Bob) Conover, one of the first players (American) to play in C.A.  Cerro-Montevideo, Uruguay ,  

I believe I wrote a lot of ideas how to improve the game. To no avail. Some people gets intrigued, but that’s it!! I keep saying, my last message…. But I can’t quit till I see a few good plays and not anymore those people crying and turning on the grass an imaginary injury yelling like when they children “Daddy, Daddy “ 

And REMEMBER a goalkeeper under the 3 posts is a “DEAD DUCK “!!!

WELCOME MESSI!!!

Even if it’s not my “forte’”  I have to be happy watching all the comments of how the game will improve!!

If anybody read my prior posts would know the I always said money, or a STAR wouldn’t win games!!

In this case would (I don’t believe) be different THREE STARS!!! The magic wand just started to making things happen!!!(much-o).  MONEY!!

To IMPROVE the game don’t need STARS, what you need it’s a new style of playing .

NO MORE throwing the ball without destination, hoping for the best,  

STOP throwing those cross to the hoping for the best, especially 90-95 % of the players just put the head  on the ball!!  It’s a difference to put the head, or HEADING the ball!! (If anyone it’s intrigued to what I mean, let’s chat. I’ll explain)

When defending, go for the ball, don’t let the other players dominate it, just challenge!!  Don’t watch and start  backing and watching how the opponent advance without a challenge!!!

Also when the attacker shoot, DON’T turn around scary the ball may hit your pretty face, (better choice another sport)

After you recuperate the ball, even inside your box, CONTROL, looking around for an open player, pass and keep going with the other players, don’t stay back just in case, have faith then a good play will happens!! If you’re scared to lose the ball, better go to work in an office!!!

I can keep going and going, but if you read my priors posts, you’ll know what I mean!!

WELCOME GUYS!!!  Perfect place for “teaching “!!!

To the yell of GOAL !!!

 MODERN football, what a disgrace!! Anybody can win, if’s your lucky day!!! I’m saying this for a few years, also always mention, don’t backpedaling without marking someone!!! 

Today one team that shots 3 balls to the other goalie, made TWO goals!! Unbelievable!! But true!!

They made the field smaller, HOW???  Advanced the defenders to the middle line of the field. And let the rivals forward staying without marking, all by themselves!! They used the old rules for the OFFSIDE!!! (another thing that I’m saying for years)  they convert 3-4 easy goals without problem!! But they were taken away for being offside!! 

Like I said in older post, “ the old players turned coaches, don’t know old tricks “ and can’t prevent plays like that!!  They want a nice line of 3-4 players in front of your own goalie (bothering the goalie)  and they want another line in front of this line (just in case, I imagine??)  Sure the other team keeps shooting and shooting… ??   When the other players throw the ball out of the field, or commit a foul and lose the ball, they start attacking, and the other team does the same thing, backpedaling and everyone is in front of the other goalie!!  THIS is MODERN FOOTBALL-(soccer)

Congratulations to the Saudis!!  They just used the old offside trump, Can be very dangerous sometimes, because some defender can’t be paying attention, and  can allow the whole play and those goals were real!!

Final tournament game!!

 Another season gone . SAD!? 

The same thing!! Banging the ball,  seems to be the rule!! A few post before I said. The hardest you think you hit the ball, the quickest would return to your zone!! . Did you read what I wrote?? Nope??  They didn’t either!!! 

In other post I wrote. “ today if I need to coach a team,  would be difficult because players are used to toss the ball, almost impossible to make them understand, no, not that’s not the way to play football. American football, maybe, not the beautiful game!!! What beauty do you see, tossing the ball in the air, couple guys trying to header it, closing the eyes, and throwing themselves to the ground pretending been hit by the other pretender.  Poor referees, don’t know what to call. 

I’ll try to keep my mouth (fingers, I’m writing) shut . But it’s almost impossible. I may be last person that saw playing the beautiful game.  I understand times change, but please….just a little imagination. Use your brains, guts. Don’t tell the referee “ he/her hit me, show the yellow card!!” Get up, look who hit you, and next encounter show what kind the person are you!!!

I don’t want today’s players have to play like years ago. No, understand me, just complement the good fields, the good training have today,  the modern technology to explain how to move inside the field, SOMEBODY explain that shooting the ball from 30-40 yards is just to make the goalie looks better, I know, some players are good and shoot very hard. May be for that reason why some players turn around and don’t even trying to deflect the ball??? (now I understand) turning around, not only looks bad, the goalie can’t save the ball, and can be fatal because if the ball hit your back of your head, can be fatal!!!  Why, anybody knows why everyone in the wall has to be facing the shooter??

No idea?? Ask me….

On other writing I tried to explain why the last couple of times I failed coaching. I need lots of time to explain to the players, how, when, etc etc…. And time is money!!! And I don’t have and I hate to charge money to show my philosophy!!!  Someday a young coach, or/and an owner of a club gets interested…. and voilà!!?

Reminder

 Football-(soccer) it’s a game that needs people with great physical condition and lots of brains. 

The physical  condition requires a person that knows what is doing.  For that reason I’ll let you get in shape by yourself till we have a TRAINER, and the meantime will play a smart style making the field smaller, positioning the players like if we’re escalating  a ladder, step-by-step.  

Anybody that played this game knows how far the goals are, and most of the fields we’re using, they are from fields prepared to play American football, they are several yards longer!!  

Main reason to play the ball smart,  if we just kick it long, trying to make a pass . Most of the times get intercepted, also it’s harder to control it, and any opponent will take away easily!! (Click at “short passes to the foot”) 

And very narrow fields.  Another reason to use the brains and try to open the field!! 

HOW  We’ll do it?  Positioning the two players (#7 & #11) very near to the line marking the border of the field, waiting for the defenders provide a good ball, easy to control or ready to spring off and start a counterattack,  can be next to the line, or just face the goal mouth and “goal “,,,,, (again check “ short passes to the foot “)

Other important play is to don’t let the opponent make a goal!!

The ball will land eventually after being kicked. Every person has a piece of the field to protect. 

Don’t foul to get the ball!! Anticipating the opponent it’s one of the best defensive plays!!  (again check “short passes to the foot & touch and go “) 

Position # 1  (goal keeper)

 

Hard position to play!!  

Again I’ll try to improve the quality and more action.  Most of the goalies stay under the 3 posts. 

If you wait till they kick it,  you’ll be a dead duck!!! ,  you have to anticipate, and get near to the kicker or header.   This action would make the opening smaller for the shooter.

 On the corner kicks you’ll have to be the master protector of the whole box.

The box it’s marked for one reason. The goalkeeper has to be the owner!!

When the ball is in the air, you have to go for it!! No excuses!! It’s your, period!!

For what reason, when you leave under the 3 posts you have to be sure what you’re doing. You can’t guess…… YOURS !!

Sometimes you only can punch it away,  for that reason we’ll have two attackers floating outside the box.  ( # 8. & # 10)  to recuperate!! 

#8 would control, #10 get closer to receive the pass.   Defenders quickly leaving the box behind, 

#10 will have #s. 7—8—9— & 11 to start a counterattack, quick, not passing the ball back, always forward (surprises).

I know… some people would think we’ll be easily rolled over for the other team, 

When they see 5 players waiting for a counterattack, will think twice to send all the players inside the box!!! 

For us would be resting, running from one end to the other it’s almost impossible.

That’s the main reason sometimes someone after a long run get in front of the goal mouth, and miss the goal!!! 

With the forwards out of the box, the goalie has more easy moves around the whole box!!, Nobody bothering!!, 

Short passes to the foot!!

 Hoping after this explanation of how we’ll be standing up in the field and clear knowledge of everyone duties, individual and collective.

Every number is a position,  every player has a function individual and collective.

On the drawing it’s marked ten rectangle spaces with a number. 

It’s the number of each position on the field you’ll be confortable according to your skills and aptitude. 

Every position is important and the one playing that position its responsibility is protecting that area, not excuses!!

If the ball lands on your marked area (# ) you have to control the ball, if nobody else came quick enough to help you, make a pause protecting the ball. 

If a player from the other team attack you, you’ll use your skills to dribble, and right away start a combination with your teammates, the classic play of “touching and go” .

The “touch and go” I had explained to you a few times!! “Short pass to the foot “

If the action started from your goalie, the defenders would move the ball up the field, and then the attackers will position open to receive the short pass, always (everyone) facing the contrary’s  box!!!  Not passing the ball to someone behind, always forward!! 

When you pass the ball behind, you’re giving time to the other team to recoup and make it harder for you to surprise the opponent .

I keep insisting with the short passes, because in the only two practices we did, the players came back to the same routine, long passes and most were intercepted 

Short passes to the foot!!