Victory and Desire

Great technical skills can carry an athlete a very long way. These skills with concurrent physical attributes such as speed, strength, co-ordination can make a very formidable athlete indeed.

But all great athletes have one attribute that cannot be trained. It must be there already, it is within them from the moment they are born and remains with them long after they retire (look at Gary Neville or Mark Hughes).

Without desire their is no victory, a talent that is just going through the motions. Torres' had desire but it was only evident when he thought or felt that Liverpool was going to be in the Champion's League. That is not true desire. It is a selfish desire. A true "winner" is won that wants victory regardless of where it places their team. It is a selfless desire for the greater good of the team.

Liverpool's current example of selfless desire in none other than Dirk Kuyt. Game in game out he plays to win. He wants to win and he will sacrifice himself to win. It is his purpose as soon as he steps on the field. liverpool is very fortunate to have him in the front row, or anywhere on the field for that matter. This is a player that is critical for a team's success and any player like that is worth their weight in gold.

Tonight I watched a young woman play with desire. She wanted her team to win. before the match I asked her how many goals she would get. "Three" she replied. But what was more important was what she said after. "We will get seven". Seven. She alone scored three in the first half. The team scored seven. The team. Her desire was to score for the team and for the team to win.
Desire can overcome many things, desire can't be beaten. A good tackle can stop a run, a great save can stop a shot, but desire cannot be stopped. Desire creates more desire, it encourages others to perform. Even in the face of defeat desire does not quit.
It can't be trained, but find that player that wants the team to win, and you have yourself your own Dirk Kuyt, and that is real good.

Walk On

Hal White

MAN TO MAN MARKING PART II

I watched Jamie Carragher  the other night and it was apparent he was in his opponent's personal space. he was there the whole game. He just wouldn't leave them alone. He had his hand on their shoulders he pushed them away, he shoved them with his shoulder. He pushed them around. Of course this is his job, and has been for the past 20 years, to interfere with, harass and stop his opponents from  scoring. What makes him (and others like Vidic, Gallas, Skrtel, Terry and Puyol) so successful?
They are willing to make physical contact with their opponents. Soccer is a contact sport and whoa to the soccer mom and dad who think their little jewel isn't going to be pushed around, stepped on or tackled. This is the game. Attacking players make moves to get around defenders and defenders get in attackers personal space and screw them up.

A simple drill I watched the other night requires very little organization, about 20x40 m minimum 10-12 players and a couple of balls.

Have the players spread out in the grid and start by just passing around. Low hard quality passes. The passer follows their pass, and the receiver takes a touch and then passes to another teammate.
Now comes the challenging part. The passer must "tag" the receiver. This means the passer must sprint after their pass and close down the receiver. Do not have them block the pass. Use at least two balls to maintain tempo, increase to three if the players can handle the additional pressure.
This drill if performed well encourages fitness, initial contact and passing under pressure. Simple to learn and not hard to master.

Walk On

Hal White

You Never Walk Alone and Man to Man Marking

I have savoured the last few days enjoying, no, absolutely feasting on Liverpool's defeat of Chelsea. Not because of the presence of Torres. Not because I hate Chelsea (I admit I am not a big fan of them, but I don't hate them). Not because of anything other than seeing a team play well.

All components worked together. Back to front, front to back. No one player was doing anything other than playing for a team, and as a team. The "politics" of soccer is not that of a capitalism, but one of community. It was the socialism of Shankly, where one player was part of a whole. And that was on display for the first time in a long time in the Liverpool squad. Chelsea isn't defeated easily, and only when all members of a team are playing together.

BRIGHT LIGHTS

The best thing I have seen recently is the usurper Martin Kelly. He has usurped the right back position from Glen Johnson, who appears to be refinding his form on the left side of the pitch. So somethings change and others get better.

Also Meireles. Wow. Now he cannot stop scoring, and not easy goals either, most of them off of the volley or half volley. They look good and when on target are unstoppable .

The Passing Game and Man to Man Marking

The pass and move theory was subscribed to Liverpool early on and whether it was invented there or not it results in the most attractive forms of attacking football. It also presents extreme challenges for defenders in a game.

In a session the other night I divided the pitch into three zones. The two outside zones were 10 X 20 and the centre zone was 30 x 20. In each end zone it is one v one and the centre zone it is 3 v 3. the objective is simple the ball has to pass from one end to the other through the players in the end through the middle to the other side and then back. All players have man to man marking assignments. This drill requires constant passing motion to score goals, and constant defensive pressure, especially in the middle zone , to intercept the ball and prevent scoring. Encourage contact, shielding and strong shoulder challenges. It is a very tiring drill when executed properly and regular breaks are required.

Walk On

Hal White