After a week of practice we got exactly what we needed which is a punch from a reasonably sound team that offered up some lessons to be learned, Last year, we beat this school 4-1 and promptly lost our next two games albeit to strong opponents. My point being that a loss can often do you more good than a win as it can prompt critical examination of the bad and the good and the motivation and need to fix it. As with any unsatisfactory result, the responsibility lies with me. I ask the players to take the same vision – look inward to reflect on where they can improve and reflect on what they did well.

The good: For 20 minutes at the end of the first half, we were the better team. The field was tilted down their end and we were getting the kind of play we wanted and the goal to show for it – a give and go high quality score. A team goal. We were receiving easy balls into the back line and transitioning easily back into the mid-field.

The bad: We did not match the opponents intensity and speed at the beginning and at other moments in the game. Our touches were not of the quality we need and we need to move the ball faster to avoid being dispossessed. We were too often flat and not compact in the back allowing more open play. As the second half progressed, there were fewer give and gos and some hero ball resurfaced.

Lessons learned:

1. Playing it out of the back and building this way is a gamble with enormous risks. One failure led to a goal and another almost could have. Our opponent punted every time and it was highly effective.

2. We cannot hero ball our way to goals. We have arguably the best and industrious strikers in Eastern PA but we must remember to work the ball off of one, two, three, four players to get the look we want. Wall passes, baby through balls, far post, etc.

3. In the back we MUST BE EVER VIGILANT and compact when not in possession. Proper positioning – on the field – and with the feet not at attention but run ready. Fundamentals we will work on.

4. We must be a positive energy team. We want to leave the refs alone, build each other up, have each others back, and play with a positive fire that roars down the field. This must be in practice, outside of practice, and it will spill on to the field. Our first week was mired with absences-some out of our control, some within it.

5. The quality of our touches must be higher and our passing and movement must be better. Technical mistakes led to turnovers, mental errors led to poor off the ball movement.

6. We must be focused on the task. More listening, more growing.

Some highlights to me:

Kaarsen played for me for the first time at centerback and I was overall pleased with a lot of what I saw.

Nolan Browne is developing some skills to match his athleticism.

Yahriel gave us meaningful minutes

Dillard created no fewer than 5-7 real dangerous chances although no goal to show. If we can serve him better, he will be transformational.

Steven, Braden, Harnit, and Ben were tireless in the midfield.

Hetrick’s goal is exactly how we want to see things.

We will see some changes heading into next week. I will post more later and provide feedback to the players via email. JV did well today and clawed back a goal by Tyam. Nice job.

This is EXACTLY what we needed – a game to expose our weaknesses yet doesn’t count. Let’s all take our medicine and get well from it boys.

PLAYERS – respond to me when I email you your feedback.