LAKEHILL 4 - GORGE 2: La Maquina Comes Back!

Well my friends, another scary beginning but another wonderful end to a game that saw us fight back as usual. It is great to see the boys push no matter what the score, in order to impose their technique and fury and come out successful.

Yet, it was a bit scary, wasn't it?

Let's take a closer look at what happened on Saturday.

Jake and Roberto going over some strategies - here -

Team work: We began a bit slow and our defensive positioning on set pieces was a concern. We saw two goals come from a hesitant stance on our goal area. One goal was clearly caused by a lack of aggressiveness in the area. So, the assessment is easy: we need to be more decisive and aggressive in defending our goal. This will come when we start being certain in our positioning and our ability to pick up free attackers in the box. The good thing? As the game wore on, our team took advantage of our own set pieces and also broke down plays on the wings. Gorge was on its heels for the better part of the second half, trying to attack us down the middle. However, we shut the door to that candy store early on in the second half. In the second half, we set a strong defensive stand all the way down the middle, starting up front all the way to the back. This pushed Gorge to the outside where our speed was simply too much for them to deal with. So, what do we need to work on? Defending on corner kicks and intercepting passes before the man retains possession. By doing so, we will attack the confidence, and thus the fluidity of the passes of any opposition. The great thing to see was our "never give up" attitude. That is something we have down pat. I am convinced that no matter how many goals our opposition scores on us, all of them are beginning to know that with La Maquina, you can’t just sit back and drink your Powerade like you are on a beach in Montevideo. Nope – we just never give up.

"Podemos" - here -

George: this young man continues to improve every game. This time around, we were glad to see him come out of his line to intercept break-aways. At one point, he even hurt himself. Yet, with the heart of a champion, he withstood the pain and continued to hold the goal untouched. Georgie, we will continue working on positioning and also intercepting crosses. You are doing excellent and without a doubt, the time you are spending in improving is paying off. Well done to our number one netminder!

Georgie Boy "mr. versatility" - here -

La Máquina pre-match pep! - here -

Quin: goooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllll de Quin! Yes my friend, you ought to be very proud of yourself. Your speed is one attribute no one can deny. But seeing you score (from such a tight angle) was beautiful. It seems that maybe, if you display that same natural mobility on the wing, you can start playing that position more often. I was glad to see you do well by staying wide and coming back to defend. I know there are still some issues with defensive positioning but we will continue doing our best to teach you that. You just have to make sure that you continue to apply the instructions we give you. However, overall, you displayed excellent work rate and had (without a doubt) a great game Mr. Wilson!

It's a bird, it's a plane, nope - it's that kid that runs like wind ... the mighty Quin! - here -

 David: I know that the first thing you probably said on Saturday after the game was "why did they put me in center mid?" Simply put, because of your defensive attributes and your display on Wednesday’s practice as a center mid. We wanted to be a little more defensively minded in that position for this game. And I must say that your performance was actually quite good. However, Gorge was tough to withhold in the middle. They came out hard and seem to plug the middle from the start. It was tough for your first time in center mid. However, we still believe that you need to be able to play another position besides center back as this way, you can become more mobile and most of all, can help the team even more. Things to improve? I want you to continue working on making your challenges strong and also on passing the ball quickly. You got the skill, it's just a matter of time before this happens. But please know that overall, you had a great game. It was great to see you reading Gorge's attack so well and breaking it apart. You do that so naturally that it is a joy to watch. Well done Lobo!

Davito beats a challenge and has eyes for the through ball... - here -

 Luca: our left back was at the forefront of everything again. Luca is consistent in his defending and his passing. His vision is one to be admired too – I saw once again how intricate your passing to the winger in front of you has become. I also see you using your skill to maintain possession in tight spaces. Well done! Things to improve? At this point, what we need to see more of is for you to switch the ball from your side to the other side of the field when we have the chance. You can do this by using the center midfielders or by making long passes. You will see that by doing so, you will make your life easier Luca. But hey, don’t get me wrong: what a game you had. Another assist, several of your trademark slide checks and a few nice headers: we all know we are watching a great player on the making. Keep working hard and improving. With you, the sky is the limit.

Luca thinking about how many slide tackles he's going to deliver (and smiling inside....) - here -

Jesus: this young man was in my view our most consistent player of the game. His technique, zig zag runs and crosses during the first half were fantastic. Most of all, for the first time this season, I saw him tracking back to defend every time the ball was lost. It is games like this that give us coaching staff a reason to celebrate because we see the boys slowly but surely applying our instructions to the benefit of the team. Your second half was also strong. I especially liked the fact that we put you in the center mid and even though you were having a strong game on the wing, you accepted your role for the benefit of the team. Hey, and how about that shot to create the chance for McGregor's goal? Yeah, no doubt my boy - you had a great game. Things to improve? Quicker passes - same as last weekend. So let's keep working on quick passing - when you do it, this will catapult you to another level. Vamo’ mi Jesus!

Jesus & Diego working together on the attack! - here -

Diego: well well well, Mr. del Castillo comes to the rescue once again. It was your tight control of the ball and your quick shot on goal that tied the game for us. A great pass from Luca and quick thinking on your part and suddenly we completely took control of the rhythm of the game. I have to say that seeing up front was also a delight. Your tenacious runs and determination is something that all players need to have - I think you even had a couple of shots too. Good stuff Dieguito. Now, things to improve? I still see you losing positioning on occasion and rushing the play sometimes. I know, I know, you want to do it all and fast! But there is no need son. By maintaining positioning, you may find yourself with more space, therefore with more time to set yourself and shield the ball so that you will then be able to do more with the ball. Overall though, a great game – Dale Charrua! 

Diego & Luca don't seem to have pre-match jitters....pre-match crazies maybe!?! - here -

  Kiyoshi: my man Kiyoshi always keeps things cool, calm and collected in the middle of the field.  The fact we use him in what is regarded as the most influential position on the field, should lead you conclude that Kiyoshi is one of our most gifted and technical players .   Kiyoshi is an exceptionally effective creative midfielder and this game was no exception. He threaded several balls through to our wingers, behind the defenders, and also tried a couple of shots on goal too. Kiyoshi displayed some good defensive skills in the center of the field as well as when he played as a right back after Chase suffered a hard hit on the back of his leg.  Things to work on? We will continue to work on proper tracking back to help the defenders break down anything coming down the middle. We will also work on quick distribution of the ball and maintaining possession. But for now, enjoy the win – it was well deserved Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi deep in concentration (or wondering where the oranges are). - here -

 McGregor: brother man! How about that? What a game you had, eh? You know, when we made the decision to try you out as a starter, it came from a discussion I had with David about confidence. You see, good players have technique, great players have technique AND confidence. Without the latter, there is nothing you can do. It was for that very reason that you got the start. We wanted to get you going – but also please do know that it was because we also saw how hard you worked at practice. It was not a favour – you earned your opportunity.  And I think it paid off, don’t you? Your play on the wing was much, much better this time around. You came back to defend and most of all, your positioning provided our midfielder and center forward an outlet for passes down the wing. Your goal was well taken and well deserved. Things to improve? Your tenacity needs to continue to grow and you need to take more shots on net. Otherwise, we applaud you for listening and applying our instructions. Congratulations McGregor – you did excellent.

Macky gets himself on the board with a great outing this weekend. - here -

Selou: Mr. Quick Feet did it again. He set up Chase for our first goal of the game. Selou’s ability to run past defenders and wiggle his way through traffic has become a staple of his game. It is undoubtedly a great skill that many of us wish we had. I was also happy to see you once again, lift your head up and look to make passes into the middle of the goal box. I was also happy to see you try shots with your right leg - Atta boy! Things to improve? What is holding you back from becoming arguably one of the best wingers around is the hesitation to pass the ball to your supporting defender or midfielder. There were times where you got away from players but you sure had to work hard for it. Had you passed the ball to the open man (Luca behind you, Kiyoshi in the middle, Robbie up front) you can then move into space, freeing yourself from pressure and giving your fellow players another option to keep the attack going. But take that as advice that comes from coaches that believe you can become an amazing player. Great game Mr. Da Silva!

Selou & Luca covering ground to get under a high ball. - here -

Chase: Hey, Mr. Clutch Goal Scorer, wuts up?!?! Chase played his heart out once again and showed that perseverance always pay off. I was very impressed with your tenacity and also with defensive qualities. Most of all, up front or on the wing, you showed a great sense of knowing when to commit and when to jockey (thanks to Jake’s teachings I hope!). Things to work on? We need you to continue improving on your skill and also on being more decisive with your shots. When up front, hesitation may be the difference between a goal and a corner kick. Let’s take it out of your game so that you can continue on your way to having fantastic strong games. Atta boy Chase!

Chase means business!! - here -

 Tarkan: My man from Turkey did not get a lot of time in this game but what he did do during his time on the field was work hard and continue to develop his strong challenging style. I was happy to see you running against defenders and putting them under pressure. That is exactly what you need to add to your game to begin taking you in the right direction: more perseverance and bite! By doing so, you will begin to win more 50-50 balls, produce turn overs and yes, pounce on opportunities that are not usually there. The sign of a good player is when the player starts with his heart and mind to understand that this game requires fury and determination. The skill will come – add to that the confidence that will begin to flow through your strong displays, and you will see more of the field and more importantly, become a solid player. Keep going Tark! Your time is coming.

Tark "the iceman cometh" Toparlak! - here -

 Robbie: so, similar to David you probably asked “why am I starting in a different position than usual?” And like in David’s situation, the answer is simple “because of what you showed at practice as a defender”. Now, it is a tough position to play but we believe you have what it takes to do a good job. You are strong, shield the ball well, have a great long pass and very good skill. Those attributes are absolutely necessary for a central defender. But there was one thing I did notice that was missing: confidence in your abilities. Robbie (and this goes to all the players as well), when placed in a different position than your usual one, you have to remember that we won’t put any of the players in a position where they will suffer. We look and assess each one of you. So, when we decided to place you in a different position, we do so believing that you can do the job. Robbie, you showed it on Wednesday night at practice. You did a good job on Saturday. But I could tell you weren’t comfortable. However, once we moved you up front, you looked like the Robbie of old. Your presence was once again felt by the opposition. Things to work on? Same as before: quicker shots and more decisiveness up front. This is a confidence thing. If you believe you can do it, you will. We certainly believe in you.

Robbie about to send a goal kick into orbit!! - here -

CONCLUSION

So where are we at? We are at stage where our team has the fundamental skills of a solid Gold team. We have speed, strength and most of all, skill - lots and lots of skill. So, what do we need?

Consistent possession of the ball: this will only come if we use all our players consistently. Holding on to the ball unnecessarily creates turn-overs. No need for that.

Decisiveness up front: we’re still lacking more shots. No more hesitation – we need to take more shots, period.

Strong defensive positioning: don’t let anyone tell you that fast guys will kill you if you are slower than them. Not necessarily – if you position yourself well and get to them before they gain possession, you will shot down any fast player. Just ask Cristiano Ronaldo how he felt when Ashley Cole was his mark in the Euros in Portugal a few years back.

So, we’re back at practice on Wednesday. For now, let’s keep going guys. For those of you who have time, practice at home. Get a small soccer ball and hit it against the wall, juggle outside, bounce it on your head, etc etc. By doing so, you will be making leaps and bounds over players in other teams who rely on pure stamina. Yeah, it may not show right away, but by the end of the season, you will be better soccer players. And in the end, that is really what matters.

Saludos a todos…Coach Roberto