U14 • Match Review 15/05/2021
I just got back from my U14’s match. It was their first match since October and I want to make a report about it. It was just a friendly match, but was great to see them play together again. We won 8–3 after a poor first half.
We’ve worked on a 1–4–3–3, very offensive and giving relevance to the wing players and central midfielders. Our striker, after one endless month dealing with Covid, was sensational and scored 5 goals.
We were missing our best central midfielder, an incredibly skilled boy who gives fantasy and unpredictability to our game. However, we’ve continued to work on our system and I was focused on the roles of CMs. Participating to UEFA C, I’m learning how to speak and explain in better ways to the boys and I was very focused on language and feedback.
The first half was very bad, we went down 3–2: the distances weren’t great, there were lack of communication and chemistry (I think it’s normal after 7 months). We struggled to progress the ball because of the stillness of our CMs, who were never really been able to receive correctly the ball and kicking cross-field passes for the wingers going deep. I left head coach talk in the first half, because I was trying to understand the problems and thinking about possible solutions.
At the break, I called our 3 midfielders and tried to explain how to maintain good distances, helping our defenders and giving support and unpredictability to our on-ball game. It was important to underline the fact that was key for them to create clean passing lanes and using smartly their body and touches on the ball to speed up the play and do not often lose the ball. My communication was really really good, the second half started incredibly better and we scored 6 goals (!), keeping clean sheet.
I love U15’s work because we’re starting to make progress about tactics, real-game movements, covers and game plans. More tactical, less technical. I do not focus just on our technical performance, but I want to make my boys aware of the situation of the game, how to attack and defend better, how to get the ball and what to do when we lose the ball. The clear and simple communication is the key to be understood and to see guys making progresses.
But, most important, they must have the right to be wrong, to make a mistake, to be defeated; the mistake helps my guy to analyze better the situation next time he’ll be in. My GK have conceded a goal trying to dribble their striker, losing the ball. If it happened, like, 10 months ago, I would definitely shout or make myself very angry, because it lead to a free goal and an enormous mistake. But now, I’m aware I don’t want to remove possibilities from my boys’ playbook, I want them to be free to decide what is good and what’s not, what can be used in that certain situation and what’s dangerous and maybe damaging.
I really hope to continue to work with this group because I see a lot of potential and a great willingness to learn and improve. Step by step we’re going to be a fun and organized team: for the moment I’m just satisfied with little improvements and adjustments which make a boy a better player and teammate.
