Is it really that hard to complete passes at the professional level? It is painful to sit in the stands and think "wow we are really possessing the ball because we completed 3 passes" because we typically cant seem to get beyond the second. What do they actually do in practice besides take selfies for Instagram?
There are three aspects of passing: making yourself available to receive a pass, the actual pass, and first touch from receiving the pass. The way I see it, the guys need to work harder at finding the open spaces to make themselves available to receive the pass. Not working hard, or smartly, off the ball can limit the number of passing options. Some of our players, especially the entire back line, panic too much and launch aimless long-balls down field when they should just slow things down for a moment and look for a simpler pass. I heard it from a Dutch coach once that a player should approach passing from the standpoint of knowing where the farthest teammate is on the field at all times, then progressively look for easier/smarter options closer to you. Obviously, this requires vision and awareness while on the ball, but it's a skill that can be practiced. I question that many MLS players, especially on the Union, think this way. Too many times I see that under the slightest amount of pressure from an opponent the proclivity to get a bit restless and make a low percentage pass to a teammate who is simply not open. There are a lot of factors involved in passing together as a team, but I think perhaps the Union struggles are in 1) how hard they work off the ball to utilize space and width on the field, 2) composure and vision on the ball of some of the Union players, and lastly 3) pass accuracy.
Good post! I would add that the team needs to work as a unit....You can't have gaps in the lines and be disorganized. The work off the ball is just as important to keeping the ball.
I'm going to refrain from making a snarky comment about how it must be easy to criticize the players from the comfort of one's seat at the stadium ...
This weekend might be interesting. Watching RSL I think they generally do a better job passing and moving than the Union, their midfielders and forwards do well to maintain possession. I thought the Union's movement and passing looked really improved during the first game of the season, but have looked progressively worse since.
True. You did use the word "painful". Yep. How'd I do? Point is, of course it's going to be hard to pass the ball and keep possession. There are professional players on the other team who are trying to get the ball into their possession, especially teams with higher pressure and not ones willing to sit back and bunker in. Mentions of the Carroll-U10 comparison in another thread comes to mind.
MacMath Gaddis Okugo Berry Fabinho Carroll Edu Nogueira LeToux McInerney Maidana This has been Hacks best line-up so far (at least by consesus) against Portland. We haven't played that formation since....I know McInerney is gone and it's not what I would think would be best but I think it's odd that after a good showing Hack decided to go in a different direction with setting the team up.... It's basically the same players....they just need to play better!
That's because injuries have factored into the team selection since match 1. carroll was a late scratch vs NE due to illness, or that would have been the same lineup. Berry has been out injured since the NE game. Maidana was out injured last match, and Berry wasn't back to 90 min fitness yet.
I thought Hack said he was last game (he was on the bench) but Wheeler played his way into the line-up? Carroll only missed 1 game and we played 5....same with Maidana. Casey was the only one who has missed multiple games to injury?
Are you kidding? You do realize that these people are professionals right? I'm pretty sure they are well schooled in it. The progressive check down is only when you have the luxury of time. In the absence of time and under pressure there are 2 options - the lofted ball to your winger and the nearest semi open teammate. The real problem in passing is that you have to have a passer and a receiver and each need to understand each other. You can be wide open and I see it, start the pass and you go up the middle right before I let it go and I was expecting you to go outside. The season is young. The passing is 100% better than any previous year. Chill. I don't see this as a major problem.
I missed the game, had to work. It sounded like the Union did well but had some breakdowns on defense....can they put another performance like that again is the question. I know our points are around the same as last season but I like how this team plays a lot more....the results will get better
The greater issue at hand has to do with how players are brought up in the game since their youth. The principle of checking down does not literally mean at all times one must know exactly where on the pitch all teammates are, as this post seems to interpret it. It should be obvious that that is humanly impossible in game conditions; rather, it is a mental approach to the art of passing. I could also turn that statement right around and suggest that because these guys are professionals that some of them should not be cheaply giving the ball away as much as they do. It's fantastic to see the improvement from what they were over the last few seasons, and there is always room for more improvement.
Never believe what you hear Hack was quoted as saying around these parts. #lostinnegadelphiantranslation
So you have a different source for Hack quotes? Are you saying Tannenweld and Zeitlin (sp) are liars? It seems the Hack quote about Wheeler is on the money....Hack is fumbling right now, if this was one of the top 4 sports, he's be getting murdered right now!
I think he's saying these Deep Thoughts with John Hackworth* should be taken with mounds of salt. The media is quoting his bullshit verbatim. *Can be interchanged with the following terms: Hackisms Hack-aganda Spin Hack-tor Hacked on Phonics