One of the big issues I have with my U10s team is the players going and engaging 1v1, flying into the tackle, and getting taken out of the game.
We’ve spent a lot of time working on sensible defending, and the idea that defending isn’t necessarily tackling. I’ve said I want them holding their playing up, blocking the route to goal, showing the player wide, and waiting for help.
They don’t understand this of course. They’re 9. They want the ball. They get excited. They go and try and get the ball, and end up swiping at fresh air
Trent’s performance on Sunday was one to show them. Because defending doesn’t mean tackling. He made the sacrifice of looking rubbish - prompting internet cartoons of him getting skinned, stats bellends droning about him setting new records for being dribbled past, and Gary fucking Neville going ‘oooooooooooh’ - in favour of doing the sensible thing. Showing Doku into less dangerous areas, slowing him down, waiting for help.
Trent is never going to be an outrageous one on one defender. But he played Doku well. Because Doku is an end product-less show pony. All fur coat and no knickers. All fart and no shit. Let him dribble, let him fanny about. All Trent has to do is to slow him down so that Ibou, or Grav, or for fucks sake, it was that kind of game - Salah team up on him.
Sensible defending. Which doesn’t mean tackling.
The thing I’ve been frustrated at Trent for is his tendency to end up forward in games where we are on the front foot, and not seem that arsed about getting back. There is a distain to his efforts to get back in shape and do the basic right backing. Man Utd being a good example of this.
But criticising his performance on Sunday seems like having a pop for the sake it. It a bit personal. A bit Neville.
I agree with most of this but at times you have to tackle. It’s an essential part of the game. Not necessarily the Gerrard lunge or Souness smashing someone in the middle of the park. More the well executed stopper like Bradley on Mbappe. Trying this on Doku leads to potential free kicks and cards. His speed carries him into the defenders leg.
Someone described him as Adama Traore. He reminds me of Franz Carr…very little end product after haring down the line.
Yes, but the key thing it picking your moments. You have to wait for a loose touch or a decision moment to pounce.
You only get one chance to make a tackle, so you have to be patient and wait for your opportunity to make it count.
Some players are better at this than others, and Trent is definitely not a good one on one defender, so he’ll always need help. Which is why more often than not, he needs to just stop progress rather than try to win the ball.
You should have a word with our midfield.
This is where we miss some like Henderson, couldn’t tackle to save his life, would just hound a player all over the pitch allowing us to play a high line, get a foot in and pick up the second ball.
This also allowed Trent and Robo get up the pitch and do what they do best. Lots of critism of these 2 this season however their roles have changed. Even so the coach had created a phenomenal unit.
Against Shitty we showed that we can play with different tactics though a game and be good at all of them. It was reassuring and yet some are still on their crusades to poop on certain players. Incredible.
I think this was a match where we needed someone like Gomez to match up against Doku. Gomez would have ate Doku for breakfast. Where he lacks in probably the long passes etc , he more than makes up for it (when fit) by being almost impossible to best 1v1 from the right back / left back position.
But Trent did the job yesterday for the team. Didn’t look comfortable but didn’t concede goals.
It is understandable with the concern shown re TAA performance against Doku. It is understandable that the tactics have been put into question on allowing the scenario to keep unfolding during the 95mins of the game… Bottom line though, the Cheaters never scored… and if they had scored from the one good chance Doku created, we still would have won… because we scored twice…!
That game on Sunday was as good an indication that we have got ourselves a proper tactician at the helm… he has just nonchalantly, outsmarted Fraudiola it has to be said…!
For all we know, these are exactly the type of tools needed in our locker, next time we meet up with the bigger fish, Ancelloti
No one’s complaining on that. But Trent if he plays that way is going to be taken to the cleaners in our match against Newcastle where there are Hall / Gordon and to a lesser extent Isak to contend with.
Although you name checked Gomez as the kind of player who would handle it better - probably worth remembering that the last time Gomez played against Newcastle he was the one taken to the cleaners while Trent came off the bench to get two assists.
I coach kids too, and body shape at that age is non existent when tackling. Which is fine because I prefer spending time coaching attacking 1v1 skills.
I don’t think that’s what TAA was doing. His body shape when tackling at times is too rigid and upright.
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter as we won and most likely we’ll have another right full next season with a different skill set.
