Player Development II

Striking A Balance In Youth Soccer

"Tell me how you play, and I will tell you who you are."
-Eduardo Galeano

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
-Einstein

Part II In The 192 Square Feet Player Development Series; Read Part I Here.

One of my favorite soccer aphorisms, the quote from Galeano's "Soccer In Sun And Shadow" applies to the themes currently at the forefront of my thinking as I observe youth soccer.  With Klinsmann taking over the National Team (much of his agreement included influence over player development nationally), and Claudio Reyna's production of the USSF Curriculum, and the advancement of the USSF Development Academy the pipeline to the men's National Team is changing faster and more profoundly than at any other time in the history of US soccer.  See the 10-month rule FAQs regarding the Development Academy, for instance.  That's the subject of another post to be published here later*.

The main concern is the "how" of player development, and the pressures that have taken youth soccer away from the youth.  Many lament the loss of unstructured play - though that never really existed in the US.  Europe has truly lost the informal play; soccer was organized from the get-go in the US, at least on the mainstream level.  So, in resolving the "how," we have to examine whether or not the genie can be stuffed back into the lamp; can we organize disorganization?

College Update

Ranked #11 Nationally, Swathmore 

Hosts Haverford In Season Finale 

October 27th  

With a 3-0 win over struggling Ursinus College, Haverford has guaranteed a first-round bye in the Centennial Athletic Conference playoffs next week.  The #4 and #5 teams play off on Wednesday for the right to play #1 Swathmore on Saturday the 3rd.  In a heated local matchup, the #11-ranked Swathmore team will host the Haverford side on a roll in conference play the past two years: After starting 0-4 in 2011 in league play, the Fords have gone 11-2 since, including an appearance in the conference tournament final in 2011 (lost on PKs) and a fine win on the road this fall over nationally ranked Dickinson.

Game time is 7pm AT Swathmore...

Talking Tactics

Width In The 4-3-3
OPTA Stats Zone Analysis

Part II Of 4-3-3 Series; Read Part I Here

The point of having 5 midfielders, it's been said, is to have an edge in possession- more passers, more options for the backs to play to, and therefore more of the ball.  The 4-3-3 is a wonderfully flexible system, allowing two main ways of turning the middle 3 into a 5.  Drop the wingers back and it's easy enough.  Or, press the wingers up and in a little bit, and push the outside backs up, and Bob's your uncle.

As an argument for the player development model of youth soccer (versus the "winning makes good players" model) we see here how crucial outside backs are to the attacking phase of the game.  Any young player not being taught how to attack via both the pass and the dribble is being prevented from becoming a soccer player.  With the exception of the central defenders (who complete passes at the 90% success rate on a weekly basis) the modern senior-level game requires all players to be effective attackers.  This goes a long way toward my rotation of positions, emphasis on taking players on, and keeping the ball into players feet (think goalkeeper distribution) to allow maximal opportunities to use these skills.

If we give up a bunch of goals along the way, or lose games because of it...well, Clint Dempsey isn't playing for Tottenham today because his U12 team won.  And Duece plays both centrally and on the flank...versatility personified.  As does his teammate Bale, who plays centrally, left and right winger, and even played left back for Tottenham earlier this season.  Players who only know one thing are not effective at the senior level.  And players who are uncomfortable attacking (whether by the dribble, 1v.1 take-ons, passing, and combination play, etc.) are undesireable at the senior level.

Below, some screen grabs of OPTA's Stats Zone App from various Champion's League matches in 2011-12.

MILAN/BATE Borisov:

Milan's Starting Shape...

...& Where They Actually Played.

Player Development I

Time Of Possession
A Data-Based Take On Player Development

This is the first of a series of player development posts in which the data and resources which are beginning to be absorbed by the most effective youth clubs and systems across the globe will be presented with the particular focus on my observations in the Philly area and the college level.  The objective is simple.  To illustrate the current shift in coaching which recognizes that at the youth level (increasing in inverse proportion to age) that winning and individual development are mutually exclusive goals.  The hope being to contribute to the educational process not just of the players, but the adults involved so that a more intelligent standard of evaluation may be applied to a given player's experience, development and satisfaction with the game.

One of the main problems this change faces, however, is the lack of parent education on the subject.  Especially they aren't lifelong soccer folks (though that's no assurance they're on top of this shift, however slowly it's coming) adults just don't see the forest for the trees.  If a team is winning, the assumption is every kid on the team is a stud, and the team is well-run.  This is, to say the least, setting the bar pretty low on the scale by which soccer education is measured.  But, the clubs which fail to inform the families of the alternative are the most culpable.  And truly, shame on them...this information has been out there for years for anyone willing to look, so no member of the football community can claim to be unaware; therefore, they've willfully chosen to pursue less-effective methods.  Sheer laziness has held back clubs from getting their hands dirty and undertaking parent education as a crucial part of the betterment of the game.

USA/Guatemala

USA Grabs Spot In Hexagonal

Guatemala Offers Cautionary Tale In Box Defending

Clint Dempsey makes his case for Best American Of All Time a little stronger with a brace and an assist against Guatemala in Kansas City as the US took a crucial 3-1 win.  Despite a idiotic moment of marking and covering by the back four leading to the visitor's goal two minutes into the match, mere minutes later the US showed its attacking quality and equalized, never to look back.  Duece did shadow his great evening with a yellow card for simulation in what was a blatant effort to earn himself the hat trick from the spot late in the second half.  As a player, I totally get it.  As a coach who is constantly seeking class acts to hold up for younger players to emulate...I'm terribly disappointed.

Talking Tactics

Central Midfield Defending
A Tactical Look At The 4-3-3 Formation

With many permutations out there (semantics, mostly, distinguish the 4-1-4-1 from the 4-2-3-1 and the 4-1-2-3, etc.) the 4-3-3 is rapidly gaining favor at many levels of the game.  Haverford runs a basic 4-3-3 with two holding central mids, and is the general inspiration for the discussion below; many pro teams use similar set-ups, as do a great many college programs.  Not only are there many basic decisions to be made when two teams in a 4-3-3 (or 4-2-3-1, etc.) meet, but those decisions must be made at such high speed (with low occurrence of error) things can go from perfectly fine to total defensive breakdown in the blink of an eye.

For the LMSC readers, it is obvious that U12 players struggle with the team shape defensively.  Some of this is due to a total lack of confidence in the ARs...who wants to hold a shapely line when the AR may well blow every offside call?  Some of it is the comfort level of holding a line together; players feel safer if they have a bit of space in front and some time to see what's coming at them...though this comfort may quickly evaporate when it turns into a 2 v. 1!

College watchers will recall that most college back lines are too anxious to drop off as they are attacked, leaving easy spaces for the opponent to possess or switch play left and right in front.  Additionally, such deep lines of defenders make the subsequent attack upon regaining possession that much more difficult as the move must be built from so deep a location, and under the added pressure of any turnover being far too close to goal to survive.

At the end of the day, having been around plenty of amateur soccer, the main concern prior to teaching group defending is ensuring that you can find 11 players who can defend individually.  And given that every college team I've worked with does the same 1 v. 1 defending work (whether I'm in charge or not) as my U12s, we can safely say that youth soccer is not teaching effective defending at the individual level.  It doesn't matter if they stand in the right shape/spots...if the opponent can run past, the rest is moot.  Bottom line, putting the cart before the horse hasn't worked since they invented the wheel, and it won't work now.  Players must master the 1v.1 aspect before there is any point in addressing the team facets.

Defending Tactics

Ajax Error, Recovery

1-1 Draw On Sept. 23rd; Ajax Survive Flat Performance

A mistake in the back as Ajax attempted to play out of the back nearly costs the perennial Dutch power, but sharp reactions and defending averts the danger.  While it might be a case of two points lost, ADO Den Haag are a surprise this season currently in 7th place, while Ajax sit 4th.

In pictures, some highlights of the defensive phase of the play:

Ajax, in white, achieve their attacking shape, but the left back is dispossessed.  This frame shows the ADO winger just taking his touch past the wing back, with the holding center mid (red circle) stepping out to challenge...

Goalkeeping

Howard Costs Everton Points

A tough assessment, given that Kone was offside and the goal was nonetheless allowed to stand.  But here's the deal, sportsfans.  If you want to make excuses and blame other people, you'll simply never play at the top level.  It is highly doubtful that Howard is sitting around whining about the referee's decision.  David Moyes griped about it in the post-match interviews, but that's his job; Howard is nowhere to be found talking about it.  Bottom line, he could have played it better, should have done and thereby removed a poor decision from even being a risk.

That said, Howard is still on the top-ten GK list on the international level...and though this is a reasonably simple situation, that he can get it wrong tells us a lot about how difficult a job it is.  Previously on this blog NCAA division I GKs have been taken to task for similar errors on this short service-type situation.

Here's the play in pictures:

 As Maloney receives, all's well.  Howard is rightly relaxed and in a good spot to keep an eye on things.  The backs are holding the line well and have accounted for the runners heading into the penalty area.