Team Talk
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I decided to start another thread for Reds FC, to discuss our performance, formations, strategies, etc. The coming games thread could be used more specifically for the scheduling of games. Guys, please feel free to add any comments and feedback you have in your head. Having said that, to be more constructive, let's not get too personal with our comments!
Oh... By the way, please don't use this as a "you played well, he played well, sorry I didn't play so well"...
To start off, I would like to say touch on what I said on yesterday's game. While we have more or less formed a certain style of play, we have clearly shown that we are not able to change our style if the need arises. I guess this is something we can slowly work.
Not much time now, need to go to work... hehehe... feel free to add your comments!
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somehow i dun think u will get much response from the lads..Originally posted by Shadow_R:I decided to start another thread for Reds FC, to discuss our performance, formations, strategies, etc. The coming games thread could be used more specifically for the scheduling of games. Guys, please feel free to add any comments and feedback you have in your head. Having said that, to be more constructive, let's not get too personal with our comments!
Oh... By the way, please don't use this as a "you played well, he played well, sorry I didn't play so well"...
To start off, I would like to say touch on what I said on yesterday's game. While we have more or less formed a certain style of play, we have clearly shown that we are not able to change our style if the need arises. I guess this is something we can slowly work.
Not much time now, need to go to work... hehehe... feel free to add your comments! -
well, i shall give our shadow man some support here. i the games we have played so far, i guess maybe we can try playing derrick as a striker. so as to position him nearer to the opp goal where his powerful shots will cos more problems to the opp keeper. his burst of acceleration will give him the space to execute dat as well. alvin chia and ang are 2 of our best crossers of the team. can be useful on the flanks supported by the wing-backs. giving more work for the centre-backs.... bt there's gives and takes for everything. another pt to make is ... i suggest the team should list the players taking set pieces. corners, free-kicks (in def and att position), so that we can execute the set pieces quickly and maybe catch the opp off-guard. we need not rank the takers, juz list them down so these players can discuss and make the decision quickly upon a set-piece rewarded by the ref.
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Thks for supporting me as a striker. But I must admit power with no accuracy will bring no thread to our opp. Moreover, fitness level proven a major problem to me. Maybe when I got back my confident.
Some comment on last game played. Kai has switch to left wing during the game and not many players know about it. I believe that is why he was left out, quiet, in far left. Seems no one pick him up for the whole game. When there is such a chance, there should be some communication in the game. or maybe I'm the only one that not aware about the swap 
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nobody noes about the swap coz the swap wasn't even suppose to take place!...i myself "suka-suka" move to the left..u noe me lah..stubborn,damn attitude...make the team lose onlyOriginally posted by Mit: Thks for supporting me as a striker. But I must admit power with no accuracy will bring no thread to our opp. Moreover, fitness level proven a major problem to me. Maybe when I got back my confident.
Some comment on last game played. Kai has switch to left wing during the game and not many players know about it. I believe that is why he was left out, quiet, in far left. Seems no one pick him up for the whole game. When there is such a chance, there should be some communication in the game. or maybe I'm the only one that not aware about the swap -
Don't take it too personal. Just feel that you're having a quiet game and might loose your momentum.
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Our team lost not becuz of you lah. They played well.
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I got to admit that Derrick has got a stinging shot but personally feels that he would be better off on the left flank as a midfielder. With his kind of shot, he can also strike from his current position. In the recent games, I felt that Derrick was playing abit too deep into the opponent's half. Nevertheless, he has brought many balls down the left flank and crossing it in for the strikers.
In our last game, Chia and Baracuda pointed that there were not much action on their side. I seriously felt that it was not something deliberate but more of a reactive thing as the opponents were attacking more often on our left in the 2nd half and naturally, we countered through the same side. There were no thoughts of switching play with the wet weather and water logged field.
Robin Yap and Ang have improved tremendously. I can see that both of them are adapting well in their positions. Robin's touches in the previous game were confident and fantastic. Ang has been displaying more "killer" instinct and we have been seeing many of his shots on target. He has also been maintaining his pace of the game well.
Strikers should also try to switch around more often to position yourself better for possible opportunities. For example, switching left to right and vice versa. Chances of the opponent's defence being confused on which defender should take on the striker may surfaced. I have seen these in many competitive matches which I had played and it works if well executed. I will touch on this in greater detail in the next game. Chia, you also have to be more conscious of your offside positioning. You are the only one of the 4 strikers to always be caught on offside. Be patient and alert. As a striker, your burst of acceleration is important but must see before you "cheong". For Ang & Russ, they have shown effective speed when necessary with the added advantage of their physique. For Chia and Robin, I hope to observe more speed from you guys since both of you are "lighter" and smaller in size. I know all of you have been putting in great effort on the field and I am very glad to see the discipline and commitment. Our regular ref, "Mr Magoo" also commented that our team is very disciplined and committed. Keep up!!
Lancer, you are confusing me a little. Do you prefer to play on the flank as a midfielder or as a striker? Pls let me noe. I hope to give everyone a comfortable position so that they will enjoy the game as much. Khairul has voiced out his recent preferances and I am also exploring the possibilities of switching the players around. However, pls remember that when there is certain preferances, we may compromise the players for the other positions as well as possibly affecting the team's style of play.
Khairul has also pointed out that we should consider switching our formation for more effective play. I agree with Khairul and we are looking into it. Changes and switches will be adopted at the right time and right situation so as not to create too much disruption and confusion.
As pointed out, we will move on to work on set pieces now that our throwings have improved so much. During my trip to KL, I will brain stormed on the future issues concering the team as well as strategies to improve our team. In the meantime, I hope the Reds kick some ass for the coming game this Sun at Marina South. Hope to see those on the injured list returning. Keep shape!! -
Originally posted by Robin.G:
Chia, you also have to be more conscious of your offside positioning. You are the only one of the 4 strikers to always be caught on offside. Be patient and alert. As a striker, your burst of acceleration is important but must see before you "cheong".
Lancer, you are confusing me a little. Do you prefer to play on the flank as a midfielder or as a striker? [/b]
sorry sorry, i will try to be more alert regarding my positioning... As for which position i prefer to play, as i have told u before, the most preferred position is still the striker position... but since now the team is changing to be more versatile in play, i dun mind playing the right or left mid but as u have pointed that day, i dun think i can last long as a midlfielder than as a striker.. midfielder need more stamina and i think i have to build up that area first.. -
I notice we dun really stress on man marking,we could in future matches get specific players in midfield to stick to the playmaker or a defender to keep close to a striker....in that way,our midfield would tighten up and
opposing strikers won't have that many chances to take shots.Someone in the team must take the initiative to dish out the roles. -
u noe guys, actually i dun wanna make this sound so serious...after all we are only a social team....but since it is pretty obvious that u guys are sincerely trying to discuss this issue in great detail, well, here goes.........
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nothing personal....i really meant wat i said....robin wanted me in the middle but within 5 min into the game i was already running away to the left...i was actually surprised nobody said anything..Originally posted by Mit: Don't take it too personal. Just feel that you're having a quiet game and might loose your momentum. -
talking about crosses, there aren't many of those in our games..in fact almost zero!!...so if there are no crosses i dun c y we nid to have a big fella like ang as striker since there's no ball in the air for him to attack.put him in centre mid to wrestle for the ball instead of the smaller guys in the team...Originally posted by Robin.G:I got to admit that Derrick has got a stinging shot but personally feels that he would be better off on the left flank as a midfielder. With his kind of shot, he can also strike from his current position. In the recent games, I felt that Derrick was playing abit too deep into the opponent's half. Nevertheless, he has brought many balls down the left flank and crossing it in for the strikers. -
agreed...nothing deliberate...Originally posted by Robin.G:In our last game, Chia and Baracuda pointed that there were not much action on their side. I seriously felt that it was not something deliberate but more of a reactive thing as the opponents were attacking more often on our left in the 2nd half and naturally, we countered through the same side. There were no thoughts of switching play with the wet weather and water logged field. -
to be fair it was me who was offside most of the time...Originally posted by Robin.G:Strikers should also try to switch around more often to position yourself better for possible opportunities. For example, switching left to right and vice versa. Chances of the opponent's defence being confused on which defender should take on the striker may surfaced. I have seen these in many competitive matches which I had played and it works if well executed. I will touch on this in greater detail in the next game. Chia, you also have to be more conscious of your offside positioning. You are the only one of the 4 strikers to always be caught on offside. Be patient and alert. As a striker, your burst of acceleration is important but must see before you "cheong". For Ang & Russ, they have shown effective speed when necessary with the added advantage of their physique. For Chia and Robin, I hope to observe more speed from you guys since both of you are "lighter" and smaller in size. I know all of you have been putting in great effort on the field and I am very glad to see the discipline and commitment. Our regular ref, "Mr Magoo" also commented that our team is very disciplined and committed. Keep up!!
glad to hear those comments from magoo...obviously he's forgotten about my "walk off during half-time" stunt... -
i think we work on our basics first before even considering set-pieces...Originally posted by Robin.G:As pointed out, we will move on to work on set pieces now that our throwings have improved so much. During my trip to KL, I will brain stormed on the future issues concering the team as well as strategies to improve our team. In the meantime, I hope the Reds kick some ass for the coming game this Sun at Marina South. Hope to see those on the injured list returning. Keep shape!! -
nothing personal guys...just my 2 cents worth...
cheers...
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Wah... suddenly got 16 replies!! Steady lah!
I must say that there are many interesting options and views that have surfaced... good to see and consider!
Another thing I want to raise again is that I still feel that there is not enough communication on the field... While there shouldn't be too many players giving orders, we should communicate with each other more. But please... I am not referring to scolding each other... -
Much have been said about our flank plays or the lack of it. Before I go into further discussions about this, I would like to share certain information I've gathered from the net.
Firstly, let's look at how 4-4-2 should be played.The 4-4-2 formations are probably the most common formations next to the 3-5-2. However, even top teams like Brazil have found it hard to play 3-5-2 as very specific player skills are needed.
As for 4-4-2, the sweeper/stopper version has the sweeper as a "Last Chance Defender" behind the defensive line. The flatback formation is for more advanced teams and requires a high level of fitness which we sadly lack. Below are some details about the individual positions.
Sweeper (SW): The sweeper should have a good understanding of the game and be a leader on the field. He controls the defense, always staying behind the fullbacks. We should not have a problem in this position as I feel both charles and jeremy are able to handle the task.
Stopper (ST): The stopper is responsible for marking the centerforward or centermidfielder of the other team. He also has an important offensive part of distributing the ball to the midfielders. He is also responsible for blocking shots from the D. This has to be a relatively fit guy as he will be part of the defence and will also have to make up the numbers during attacks. Alfred would have been my first choice as I've seen him played this role well over the years. Sadly, he will be out for two months after last week's injury. Jeremy is a good choice too with his size and ball skills.
Left/Right Backs (LB/RB): In the flatback formation, they mark the opponent's forwards and are the only real defenders. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play. That is why with Ian and maybe patrick who enjoys more participation in the attacks, the flatback may not be suitable for us.
Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): They mark the opponent's forwards. In the flatback version, or in more advanced teams these players are used to carry the ball up the outside with the midfielders, allowing more effective crossing. Since the early 90s, the 4-4-2 system has also evolved. The old 4-4-2 requires the LD/RD to overlap the midfield and deliver the crosses. However, this creates defensive weaknesses. Coaches have since refined the 4-4-2 in the modern game. Now, lateral defenders will bring the ball up till they have the chance to pass it to the lateral midfielders or striker to cross the ball in.
Left/Right Midfielders(LM/RM): They are in charge for the crosses in the offense, and they usually carry the ball up the field, since they have more room than the centermidfielders. Due to the short length of our field, early crosses from deep or square crosses from the touchline may be more effective than the swinging crosses we often see on EPL.
Left/Right Centermidfielders (LC/RC): Distribute the ball among the offenders and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Good passing, and ballhandling skills are needed to fill this position. Again, due to the small size of our field, the early pass is important as any delay in the attack will only give our opponents more time to pack their defence.
Forwards (F1/F2): In these very basic formations, the forwards do no special work. Runs to the corners need to be only occasional, and dropping back to the midfield shouldn't be the primary way of getting the ball. This position is actually self explanatory.
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Back to our flank play and an apparent lack of crosses. The following are my humblest opinions and observations.
1. Our team definitely favours the left in attacks, not just for the last game. Reasons may include Colin's kick which is often to the left; certain players may feel more comfortable passing to the left for reasons I'm not certain about and maybe players on the right are just not good enough. Personally, I've gotten more loose balls which other players failed to picked up than actual passes to me in position. Maybe during the next game, try to look for the free players on the right. Alvin Chia and me were like spectators during the second half of the last game.
2. The left is too packed with both our players and opponents during an attack. Furthermore, playing the ball for too long only draws more defenders at you and will prevent your ability to deliver a cross in. A winger's role is to chase and cross.
3. Give us more balls and we will give you more crosses. Even if I am lousy now, more chances to practice on the field can only help me improve, right?
Lastly, we lost the last game because we failed to adapt to the conditions. Just remember, as conditions worsens, passes should become lesser and longer. -
i would like to stress again that this thing about our attacks being biased towards our left flank is totally "accidental". i can assure u that neither me nor any of the other midfielders feels that our right sided players are simply "not good enuff".
if it is clear that colin's kicks always travels to the left (simply coz he's right legged and so naturally his kicks will end up to our left mid), then the right sided players shld make an effort to drop back and fetch the ball from the keeper...this is one basic thing that we r not doing : right n left backs must dropback to give colin more passing options whenever he gains possession of the ball. -
I agree with Khai fully with this one......i dun think there is any intention by the team to attack or pass always to the left side.....its just that,its the different stlye of play on both sides.I for one can say for sure that i do pass to the left side more often.Its just that it looks like we attack more on the left because there is Ian
at the left who likes to bring the ball up from his position.Our players
on the left like Khai,Lawrence and Derrick all like to run down the left side and try to cross,but on the right,players like Alvin Ang,Boon and Alvin Chua all often cross from deep,which gives a false impression that most of the action is always concentrated on the left side.There is no implications that the left side players are better than the right or anything like that.Whatever it is,i feel that it is important to switch the play from
side to side.I notice that we always
take it that we have to go forward everytime we get the ball,there is always support behind you,so i feel its ok to pass backwards occassionally.
I wanted to say it but Khai already took the words right out of my abt the left and right backs pulling back to give Colin passing options.With a little practice and confidence,i'm sure that in time to come...Ian,Kelvin,Alfred and Pat can all start the attack from their respective postions and slowly build up from there.Its a good strategy when we are unable to win the arial challengers in midfield from goalkicks against tall and tough opponents.No point pumping up the ball all the time if its going to reach the opposition each and every time.Its not a totally bad idea because i often see Ian and Pat being able to bring the ball up and supplying the passes to the midfielders after they win the ball in defence. -
After reading Bara's post on the formation thingy...i would like to voice out some opinions on the defence side.
I feel that at the moment we are playing a flat back four where if you are in a helicopter looking downwards,you would see all four of us in a cute straight line.So technically there are two stoppers,namely Charles and Jem...there is no fixed or real last man actually.We take turns depending on the situation to be the last man defending which is confusing and also it sometimes makes me hesitate to go in for 50/50 balls because i am afraid that if i fail then its good luck to Colin.I personally feel that Charles is a much more stable and natural last man.What i'm saying is, whether its better if i play in front of him and so we form a diamond shape.In this case,my job would really be to mark the nearest striker to goal,since the last man shouldn't be taking any players,and also to cut out all through passes and players.I will have more confidence because i know there's always good ole Charles behind to cover my back and it gives me the chance to attack as well. -
Jem, it is what I am suggesting. Playing you as a stopper with charles as the sweeper. Doing so will free up some defensive duties from the center mids and at the same time, you will be in better position to do your long passes up to the forwards.
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Maybe we could try this out on Sunday and see how it goes,but i'm positive it will turn out quite well.Originally posted by bara_cuda:Jem, it is what I am suggesting. Playing you as a stopper with charles as the sweeper. Doing so will free up some defensive duties from the center mids and at the same time, you will be in better position to do your long passes up to the forwards. -
we had quite a decent session yesterday...think the guys enjoyed it too...but would have been much better if we had the whole team down