I'd like for the players to be sure and read this message.
The Beaverton Cup was tough. It was our first look at Gold-level competition in a tournament and I think the difference was plain. After Sunday's game we talked about some of the positive performances on the field and how we might build on them. Now, in order to improve, we must face our shortcomings and ask some hard questions of ourselves.
Each of us, coaches included, must ask: What can I do to improve? and How can I help the team be more successful? It is important to consider these questions carefully before trying to answer them. Try to recall the things we have been practicing and talking about during practice. Think about what it takes to compete against the best teams. I expect to hear your answers. I also expect to hear how you intend to do what you need in order to help us improve. You can comment here if you like. In the meantime, here is where I think we need work:
1.
Running off the ball. We didn't run off the ball enough and it was the most important reason we played poorly. We ended up kicking the ball as hard as we could without much thought about where it might land. This was mainly because we had no players open to receive passes. When players did make runs, they didn't receive passes because we held the ball too long and this discouraged them from making more runs.
We were not creating space by making runs to draw away defenders. We were not moving to receive passes in an open position. We were simply left to kick the ball hard and hope for the best. It was ugly.
2.
Asserting ourselves. We reacted to what our opponents did. They pressured us and we kicked the ball away. They received passes and only then did we begin to defend. They controlled 50/50 balls and only then did we try to win those balls. We have to turn this upside down and force a reaction from our opponents, not the other way around. We have to assert ourselves.
3.
Defense. Errors in the back line and among goalkeepers cost us. We held the ball too long in the first game then often failed to make simple clearances in the succeeding games.
4.
Techniques and Skills, field players need to improve their ability to control the ball quickly on the ground and in the air. We will work more on this in practice. Keepers must improve their diving so they are as comfortable diving left as right, their distribution, and their timing on high balls. All players can practice these things, controlling the ball and goalkeeping, at home and they should.
5.
Coaching. Coaches need to better prepare players for 11v11 games on large fields, especially attacking and midfield responsibilities. Coaches must also work harder to build confidence and better set the team up for success in the first 10 minutes of each game.
There were good things on the field so we should gain confidence from the fact that we can easily compete with these teams if we play to our potential. Also Keith, Russell, and I got a lot of great information about team weaknesses and strengths that will help us do a better job of preparing the team (where there is a lot of room for improvement) for future games. If we do all this stuff and we do what the players themselves identify as needing improvement, but most importantly if we
work harder and put the team before ourselves as individuals, we can beat every team we played this past weekend. We already have the ability, but--as we learned in Beaverton--ability is far from enough.
