A Failure to Communicate.

The Great Communicators

Jamie Carragher never shuts up. Of course not many people understand his words, so he often uses hand gestures as well. Dirk Kuyt, Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing are relatively quiet. Stevie G, Luis Saurez and Craig Bellamy never ever ever appear to shut up. Why is that? And does anybody else listen?

Players need to communicate, they need to tell each other what is going on, and help each other on the field of play. Ask yourself this question. How many eyes does a soccer player have? The answer is twenty four. His own eyes, plus his team mates, and his coach. This is a lot of territory that can be seen by this player, without actually seeing himself. The challenge?
He has to learn to trust his team mates and what information and intelligence they are providing him. so how do we develop this "trust"

The Team Builder


I sometimes use the following exercise to train both trust and communication skills in my squads.

BLINDFIELD


Set up 2 20 x 20 grids. Put two gates on opposite sides of the grids, anywhere on the edges.

Now have the players scatter kit bags, sneakers, cones, balls, whatever you have on hand, into each grid so there is a similar uncoordinated amount of debris in each grid. This is the minefield.

Divide the team into two equal squads, give each team a blindfold (hence "BLINDFIELD"). Place the blindfold on one player from each team. This player then enters the "minefield" through one gate, and must pass through the minefield and exit at the other gate, The blindfolded player must listen to instructions given by a team mate on the sideline to safely pass through the "BLINDFIELD". If they step on a "mine", they must do a forfeit (time, press-ups etc), before they can continue. The first team to get all of its players across wins (yes wins, because sometimes people lose).

The game encourages a couple of very important techniques;

1. Communication. The "communicator" must use simple, concise and direct language to help the player in the minefield.

2. Listening. Players must learn to listen and to hear what their team mates are saying when under pressure.

3. Both players must learn to trust each other.

No communication in the minefield, then your team mate blows up.

A simple exercise, but a very effective technique to get players to communicate, listen and trust.

Hal White

YNWA

And a little SCTV of "blowin' up real good".

We miss you John Candy!!

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