So this has taken me a while to collect, but here are my reflections on the tactical side of our game (While using examples from the AFC game, these are also trends I am noticing this season). In no particular order =
1) I think Chief got it wrong out the gate with the back 5, that wasn’t. With Payne roaming high, wide and sometimes in. It meant that we didn’t always know where to find him as an outlet. It also meant that he did a lot of running around without being overly effective.
2) I think Corica showed other coaches/teams how to setup to nullify our “draw in and counter” strategy. They pressed in two groups, with the forward line chasing our defence to make a pass, then a second group pressed for the next pass. Their defenders never engaged in the press. They held their positions on our attackers/Kosta. This meant that even if we beat the press, there was no space between Kosta and the defender to make a pass or over the top through ball.
3) Which comes to my third point, we have been relatively successful with Wootton playing long diagonal through balls this season and last. But when we are playing them from deeper and since we have no other way of progressing the ball, they are less effective. AFC moved their defensive line to squeeze the space between themselves and Paulsen, making it harder for the ball to go over the top. Again, nullifying its effectiveness.
4) As for our control of the game, I used to play under Kenny Cresswell, and he would drill into us ‘ball security’. The ability to keep and move the ball forward, if it wasn’t working forward, then come back and go again. But importantly, keep the ball. On Saturday, we had none of it, and it has been a growing theme this season. We slow the pace of the game down, go back and forth along the backline but then aimlessly give the ball away through poor touch, poor pass or both. It meant that time and time again we were the ones putting ourselves under pressure and were unable to build pressure on AFC.
5) I think contributing to the above was the lack of movement in the middle and from throw ins. I am not sure how long Sam Sutton held onto the ball each time he took a throw in, but I often used it as an excuse to go visit the various attractions of Auckland. Having no options and static movement made us predictable and meant we turn the ball over regularly/cheaply couldn’t dominate the game.
6) Most would agree that we looked most effective when Marco came on. We know that he is still building his stamina, but I think he is key to us having a plan B (or a new plan A). When he came on, he dropped into half spaces between AFC defence and midfield, was able to get the ball then move it, progressively. Kosta can do this, but as we often want him running on the end of a ball, he isn’t always looking for others/there isn’t always others for him to bring into the play. Maybe that was the idea for Payne to play that role as part of his being everywhere, but not sure it came off. Also when Ishige plays it, he goes for low percentage flicks rather than control and directing play.
7) Yet despite this, and I agree with the Pod on this when they say our ceiling is higher than AFCs, we were competitive throughout the game despite not being very good or effective. Even we made it hard for ourselves, we still managed to be on an even footing for most of it. I hope the coaching staff and the players learn from this and we keep moving forward.
8) COYN! Bring on the next game and lets go big again for the next derby.
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