from last tuesday there were three big matches . wouldnt call them good matches because the level of play was very bad . i had not been writing and there is reason to that . i had posted a clip by michael owen as to how these modern footballers are not proper ballers . to be honest after doing this analyzing things for the last 15 years ( 10 years of blogging ) . when you watch the game it becomes so frustrating because so silly mistakes are made by the players and these players stand on the sidelines and dont do anything about it because i had been watching week after week . football is technical and tactical . if you not technically proficient the tactical sides makes no sense . as i had said that these players make mistakes and these so called coaches big coaches dont even try to correct it . had i been on the touch line i would be in fight every week if they made the mistake or that they would be straightened out . as i was saying if you are not technically proficient then the so called shape and combination make little sense . the most important thing is coaches take practice on how they will hold the team shape and what movement they will make but i had seen little effort being made as to how they will open up opposition defenses . i had heard from news that coaches have met with Grand masters to study tactics as to how they thing and what they do to unlock defense . while watching the game the teams bring the ball in the final third and they just dont know on how to work and put it in the net .
the first game i watched was the game between city and madrid . now in the first game city had everybody they wanted in their lineup . the first goal was grealish and most importantly gvardiol was amazing . he made the run and none of the two real midfielders who were in defensive positions tracked him . most importantly he used common sense which is rarely seen in footballers nowadays . i am not going to analysis of the game but talk what i feel . madrid has the front three of which vinicius operates on the left while rodrygo is on right . madrid's front three are not in cohesion . ancelotti had taught them the positional game but he hasnt fully orchestrated then offense so they have they have to improvise onfield . now gaurdiola should had looked at the game between barca and real madrid . where barca just isolated the individual player and shut him off . madrid's front three dont play off each other . let me give an example . whenever vinicius has the ball which he like to receives on the left flank. he like to run with ball and then try to find somebody in the box or do it himself .
let me explain fully . defense is not a single person's game cause for one mistake can make the difference between winning and losing . on offense you are afforded the mistake atleast you dont loose . i was talking about vinicius . when you defend you want the opposition to cordoned and given minimum of space to work the ball ( unless they are very good at moving the ball and can play one touch football which is taught and played ). when you want to win the possession back or want to deny space to opposition then you need to make them get the ball on the flanks cause on the flanks there is little space compared than in the middle . so first make sure that the ball gets to flank and then just defend properly. in the first game city were up two goals to one and they should had killed the game but instead they let vinicius scott free and paid the price . he had akanje against him who i rate one of the best defender in last 5 years .
in the second game city were just poor . they didnt have a play . if you had read my earlier post then i had criticized gaurdiola . gaurdiola knows how to move the ball . he knows how to move the ball but its the final third where he lacks the necessary creativity or say imagination because you need that . you need to analyse the players position their movement their reach. the space between the lines plus your players strength and weakness and then you have to take drills as to how what they will do when they are facing different scenario's . what i am saying about gaurdiola is also true about vincent company and every other coach .
let me give you an example as to what i was saying . in the second game the CB asencio played a long ball to kylian mbappe . now how do you prepare for this because . if gaurdiola had prepared his players better then this would hadnt happened . when i used to play i could read the player . first thing when the player is going to pass . he has to make long pass then his body position and his posturing changes . it can be half second or less but then it is enough for me to read and correct my position as well as my team mates positions around me . i should be able to call the play and read as to what the opposition is going and try to take measures correctly . get my team in formation and press them when the opportunity arises . i dont see that happening . there are times when i am frustrated by the lack of commitment by players and their failure to read the play . now just as you need practice about defense you need to drills about offense . you need to coach players as to what they need to do when they take the ball in the final third and how they move the ball as well as their positions . its not simple but then nothing is simple but practice makes it simple . last but not the least is the selfishness of the players is what makes me angry . when players are selfish then it teaches the younger players to be that which is not a good sign .
