Manners

Cringeworthy

I've always subscribed to the idea that character is revealed by how one treats the people he or she doesn't "need."  The people we run across every day but never interact with beyond a passing, superficial level.

I was struck by this sequence the other day while watching Chelsea play at Athletico Madrid.  It was a tough day for Athletico, drawing nil-nil at home to the Blues.  But I just can't imagine behaving like this: After being taken off the field, a coach tucked Athletico player Diego  into a nice parka.  This world-class player, after putting both arms in the top and walking from the midfield stripe to the dugout in it...then dumps jacket on ground in front of the coach who's then left to pick it up:

Boy, this is a nice, warm jacket.
I wonder where it came from...

but I'm warm enough.  I'll just put it where my mom taught
me to hang my jacket when I'm done with it, on the ground
in front of the person who gave it to me.

I mean, he's gotta be thrilled to be able to pick up the laundry
of such an amazing person like me...even if he does get fired
because we lose to Chelsea (mostly because I couldn't score)

I guess that's how it is these days...If you make a few bucks, have a fancy car in the driveway and have a bad day at work, you can treat your co-workers and all those around you like sub-humans.  

Folks who get off on this sort of behavior must be cheering for Donald Sterling about now...and anyone with any sense should be wondering how far from just acting like an ass on the touchline is from being an out-and-out racist/sexist/bigot.  

All "please" and "thank you" mean is simply that you see the person standing in front of you, that you honor their dignity to which every person is fully entitled.  Shame on Diego (and anyone who would let something like this pass with no comment).

Je ne sais quoi

What About The Other 99.77%?

The Space Between

What's wrong and right

Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you

The Space Between

Your heart and mine

Is the space we'll fill with time

The Dave Matthews Band

"The Space Between"

I've maintained for a long time now that inasmuch as soccer is about space, and the control thereof, it's just not that simple.  Figure a player takes up one square yard...without diving or sliding, an athlete is in total control of one square yard at any given time.  There's 9600 square yards on the pitch (full sized one, anyway) and 22 players account for .23% of that space.  That's POINT-TWO-THREE.  Controlling space that you don't stand in requires vision, communication, anticipation, and the ability to interpret the intent of the opponent - as well as your invariably erratic teammates!  It's not a clear cut soccer skill to manage that space...it's the intuitive side, the part of the game that players leave observers saying "she was born with it."  It's the art of filling in the huge gaps left by technical skill.

GK Blocking

Guts, Glory, Blocking

Photo/Video Analysis

Guts...Fabien Barthez had 'em in spades

I love watching brave GKs who make tough plays.  Few situations are tougher than the instances when the 'keeper can get to the attacker, but cannot commit to the ball, or get the hands to the ball.  The shooter will arrive at the ball a split second ahead of the GK, but the GK can reasonably expect to make a save by simply letting the shooter hit him or her.  It's difficult for so many reasons, including the lousy deal of just getting smacked with a shot, the sense of a lack of control, and the incredible athletic skill it takes to get close enough fast enough without over-pursuing or committing a foul.

Marcelo Bielsa

Bielsame!

After watching the diminutive under-13 Quick Boys go toe-to-toe with squads in the JV division at YSC this winter, some of which had boys bigger than myself, the notion that size, strength and speed are trumped by technical ability feels particularly true.

Chile has lately shown flair and style (and success) including this absolutely eye-catching abuse of the Three Lions (those loyal sons of the nation that implores defenders to "get stuck in") :

USA - MEX

Beckerman Holds, Dempsey Playmakes, 

Bradley Runs & Wondo Scores

The USA's second goal in the April friendly with Mexico.  Stills and video...

Not only was it a terrific build up starting from the GK, Rimando, but the running by Bradley and coordination between him and Wondo were world-class:

Rimando bowls it out after a Mexico attack is snuffed out...

Another Reason College Is Cool

College Life

Here's a great collaboration between Eastern University's Communications Department and the athletic program.  I love this aspect of college life...people coming up with cool little projects like this, and getting all their buddies to chip in.

UCL Notes

Champion's League Thoughts

Some great matchups and games in the round of 8 in the UCL last week, with the second legs to come this week.  Wonderful blend of teams, from Mourinho's Chelsea and Moyes' teetering United, to Pep's other-worldly Bayern and a hard-charging PSG...and never forget the Spanish teams...

A few tactical, cultural and random thoughts as I watched this smorgasbord of footballing illuminati.

LOVE PSG.  Lavezzi, Cavani, and Ibra make a terrifying attacking front.

Hard to understand why David Moyes and Man U (along with the announcers) throw a fit when Welbeck is whistled for a foul when he goes in on Neuer after De Gea's long, quick punt...but no one mentions or seems to notice that Neuer was well off his line and is a good enough soccer player/athlete that he cleared away Welbeck's touch.  Even if there was no call, Neuer had it handled.

Welbeck is just glad he survived this challenge.  He was no threat to score, as it's clear Neuer was either clearing the ball or decapitating Welbeck.  It's not a foul, that's fine...but Neuer's incredibly high line and great read on the play makes it a non-starter.  

Random Notes & Thoughts

Watching the game the last few weeks and days, talking with cool people with great minds - psych professors, coaches, players, and reading from some of the unheard of heros of the game on the web.  A few things crystallized, a few things that are of interest and importance.

In no particular order...

Keep It!

Gary Neville does a good job of analysis on Barcelona...this is 3 years old, mind you, but Barca generally have kept with it in the absence of Pep Guardiola.  And, it's become a much-copied approach in the last few years.  I think of my U13s who play on Barrack Hebrew's turf, and though we're young teams, the space we have to exploit is clearly far too restricted...playing possession is much easier in a larger space - yet another way in which the American game struggles to provide best-case opportunities for developing players.  Though it's not the worst thing to get used to playing in tight spaces...but that's easy enough for even the most novice coach to create in training.  We hardly need matches to bring that ability out in our players. Anyway, here's the video, well worth the 7 minutes.

Holders

Holder Your Horses

Just what is a DCM/HCM?  A regista or a "deep-lying midfielder?"  A pivot?  Heck, what's a double pivot?  Variations on a theme...

First, just the straightforward positional set up:

The two holders in the 4-2-3-1 (or 4-3-3...not necessary to get into the semantics of those particular differences now) are in yellow/red.  The back four are at midfield, with the front four ahead of the HCMs nearer the penalty area.  And that's the first key.