R5 - Mariners v Roar: Return of the Mc

[scottmac]

If there was ever a game to lose one of Hutch or Monty for Cacearas, that was it.

 

[Big Al]

Just didn't have the skill to counter the press which was very good or we made it look good.

Also worried about our inability to close down possession based teams - Appears we tried the Adelaide tactic again but failed miserably this time.
Mulvey:
"I think that the mark of respect that they showed us was that in the second half they just completely withdrew and allowed us to have the ball in our own half," he said.

They didn't have the ball in their own half all that much seemed to be between half way & top of the box in our half alot

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/mulvey-praises-match-winner-yeboah/78037

 

[MagpieMariner]

I may be wrong (probably am), but it seems to me we haven't fielded the same team in consecutive games yet; this may be part of our problem. I must admit I was surprised to see Macca start on Sunday, he can't have spent much time working out a fit with Flower, or with the other new guys. I thought it would have been better to start with Matty, who has been working with Marcos all season so far, and then bring Macca on late to terrorise a tired defence.

 

[Wombat]

Yeah it was dumb. Simon has looked excellent.

Still we are all smart in hindsight.

 

[Big Al]

Is Matty Simon fit enough to play 60minutes - Has had a lot of injury problems & is on the come back. Could be the medico's holding him back more than the coaches.

 

[Roy Law]

The flat 4-4-2 killed us; Flores was denied the ball by his own team's formation. Asking our brilliant No 10 to chase up and down the front line like Simon or Duke was nonsense. Playing two holding midfielders in the middle of the four was just too cautious; we were playing at home FFS!. Too much respect given to an under strength Brisbane. Should have had Flores sitting in the middle where he can receive the ball and make passes or give Caceres a go alongside Monty.
Seip made three overlaps in the whole game - compare that with Bojic who would have made three in the first five minutes. I suspect he was under orders because the coaches were worried about Broich - more negativity. There was no chance of last year's booming forty metre crossfield passes to the overlapping full back because the full back wasn't there. With Flores not getting the ball and no overlap on the right no wonder Arnie said we lacked mobility.

 

[Big Al]

The flat 4-4-2 killed us; Flores was denied the ball by his own team's formation. Asking our brilliant No 10 to chase up and down the front line like Simon or Duke was nonsense. Playing two holding midfielders in the middle of the four was just too cautious; we were playing at home FFS!. Too much respect given to an under strength Brisbane. Should have had Flores sitting in the middle where he can receive the ball and make passes or give Caceres a go alongside Monty.
Seip made three overlaps in the whole game - compare that with Bojic who would have made three in the first five minutes. I suspect he was under orders because the coaches were worried about Broich - more negativity. There was no chance of last year's booming forty metre crossfield passes to the overlapping full back because the full back wasn't there. With Flores not getting the ball and no overlap on the right no wonder Arnie said we lacked mobility.

3 quarters of the way through the game (recorded). We didn't press them at all but on two occasions mini pressed with success (was more frustration chasing press than an organised press but it worked). I also believe we were to cautious. Yeah they are dangerous - but that's AU & Roar that we have dictated our play based on the opposition to be quite negative & defensive at home when we are the champs.

 

[dibo]

Why would we have a full-on press in their half? Why waste energy and stretch our defensive structures out to go ball-chasing and get stung?

There are two basic phases of play without the ball in open play; transition and consolidation.

In transition, you've just lost the ball and you try to win it back *quickly*. We're talking within 20 seconds. Crush down the spaces around the player now in possession, close off passing options.

If they maintain possession after your initial press, you then consolidate into your defensive shape.

For us, that's typically been a flat 4-4-2 for this year and last. Back 4, wide men drop level with the two DMs, 10 and 9 sit high and *only* press hard when the ball is with the fullback.

I think they called it "the mousetrap" on Sunday Shootout when talking about our match against Adelaide in Gosford - we'd wait til the ball got to the fullbacks and crush down on all the available space, forcing the FB to attempt a miracle pass and they'd lose it.

This meant that Adelaide spent a good deal of the day with unproductive passes between McKain and Boogaard. Fine by us, we can have a rest. Our 9 and 10 try to make it difficult for the opposing CBs to pass to their FBs or DMs, but they let the CBs pass to each other all they like.

Against Brisbane, we essentially did the same thing. Brisbane are a good side and we had an off day. Shit happens, but you can't afford many off days in a league this tight.

 

[priorpeter]

I think they called it "the mousetrap" on Sunday Shootout when talking about our match against Adelaide in Gosford - we'd wait til the ball got to the fullbacks and crush down on all the available space, forcing the FB to attempt a miracle pass and they'd lose it.

Think it was "the claw", from memory?

 

[dibo]

Think it was "the claw", from memory?

Sounds right, now that you mention it.

 

[Big Al]

There are also two forms of defence aggressive & passive.

Roar was aggressive - They pressed us in our own half - We had no time on the ball to setup, no open man to play it to. Turned over repeatedly before we even got to half way.

CCM was passive - let them come to us - We tried to contain more than dictate. While we were reasonable effective you could argue we got beat through attrition as we were probably tired at the end & had a defensive lapse.

Both effective strategies - But we have applied the claw pretty well against AU because we still got a lot of chances on the break etc. However against the Roar (the more superior side) we were dominated. Every half break was shut down which Adelaide couldn't do.

You can't score if you don't have the ball. While they couldn't score because they found it difficult to get close enough (And Reddy).

We also have the players for an attacking press in Fitzy, Macca, Duke & Simon - With Flores the outlet on the turnover or the safety if they get through.

Just think defending your guts out when you are the champs at home is not as smart as the AU game made it look.

Even if you just change it up for 10mins & if they tear you a new one & look dangerous go back to what you were doing.

Having the ball doesn't guarantee a victory (especially in football) but it helps.

 

[kenny bania]

te="priorpeter, post: 186549, member: 44"]Think it was "the claw", from memory?[/quote]
It's croar, not croar!