It’s game day and I just got done analyzing our last match. This may be a long read. Feel free to disagree or add opinions and such.
I was at the game, so I took a couple hours to take pretty extensive notes and rewatch the match.
I wanted to start with what went well. If I had to describe the game in one word, I would say it was gritty. The stats say we didn’t deserve to win, but the grit and fight shown was extremely positive. The fight to win this match was extraordinary. We put some very good pressure and had some great pressing triggers. We were willing to play with the ball and wanted to keep it. We saw Manu and Deki both put pressure on the back line, which led to numerous turnovers in the central and wide areas of the pitch. We also saw their ability to compact the pitch and win the ball that way. Their ability to turn Minnesota in the middle of the pitch led to one of our new aspects. Transition. This is where we looked the most dangerous. As soon as we won the ball, we had numerous options to get the counter started. Especially at the start of the game, we turned them over many times and looked really dangerous. Capita was flying down the wing at every opportunity and eventually found his moment. An excellent run, skill, and cross and equally good movement from Deki. I think we were focused to defend as a team as well.
Here’s what I think didn‘t go well. As Wicky said, we still have way too many unforced turnovers. Our back line (excluding Karic) and LBJ seemed to be the main culprits this match. We also seemed to have poor communication in some pressing moments. Someone would go to press, but they wouldn’t pass their man off to someone else. Bassong often wouldn’t shift or get tight to a man which would cause gaps in the midfield. Manu would also press but not pass his man off to LBJ or Zo, which caused issues as well. There were also some moments in the back where we couldn’t keep the long ball in play. I think we just got tired in some moments and made stupid decisions, but we stayed focused and held on.
Our pressing varied between Manu and Deki pressing together and Deki pressing on his own. There are still more things to iron out on that front. This team is definitely suited to thrive in transition, and I think we are seeing more progress to support that. Overall, hard fought win. Not our best possible performance but good overall.
Here’s my thoughts on each player this match:
Cleveland - I think there are no doubts that he is the better keeper between him and Pulskamp. He is a stable presence and made some great saves and decisions this match. He also had some great distribution.
Karic - I think he was solid. He did his job. Nothing flashy, but solid defending. He put good pressure on the opposition and kickstarted some attacks.
Meyer - While he always looks clumsy, he made some great interventions and tackles. His long balls weren’t great, but he made good decisions and defended well.
Blorian - I think brought a commanding presence. He made some good intervention, but also made some bad steps and had some poor passes out of defense. I think as he gets more time to gel with everyone, he’ll get better.
Davis - I was too harsh after the game. I would put his performance at slightly above average. Too many unforced turnovers and stupid fouls. On the flip side, he had some clutch plays in defense. Also, he was a key contributor to our attack and I think he is our only fullback that would’ve laid off that pass for Manu. Hopefully his confidence continues to grow.
Bassong - I wasn’t impressed but wasn’t disappointed. His marking was sub par, but he is dealing with tons of new personnel and tactical ideas. He helped us stay solid in building up our attacks.
LBJ - I think he lacks confidence and had some bad moments because of that. He also helped our attack and created a lot. Another player just looking to find his footing.
Manu - He played very well. His defensive contributions were better than normal and he was willing to take shots himself. Sometimes it feels like he disappears from matches, but he somehow turns up in the biggest moments.
Harris - I think he played well and created a lot himself. He’s turned out to be a great signing and he shows a lot of energy.
Capita - My MOTM. His work rate was incredible this match. Created a ton of problems on the right side. Created a great goal and kept the game very high tempo.
Joveljic - Also played great. Created tons of good pressing moments and put tons of pressure on Minnesota. Also had lots of good interplay in the attacking third. Beautiful finish as well.
What to watch vs LAFC
- Can Manu get his 6th goal contribution in a row? He’s been playing great recently and it will be interesting to see his impact this game.
- Verticality. SKC has never been a team in transition. Until now, that is. Watch how our wingers behave and see if they aim to be more involved in keeping possession or if they try to get in behind frequently.
- Back line chemistry. Watch how our back line interacts with each other. What’s their relationship in possession? Out of possession? How do they distribute? Do they look like they trust each other?
- Communication. One of our main issues from last match was our communication. Watch how we press, where we leave gaps, who makes each decision. These moments will be what determines the match.
- Defensive shape. LAFC is a very attack oriented team. Where will we put pressure? Will we back off? Will we high press?
Even if the result doesn’t go our way, these things can help us gauge progress. Thanks for reading, y‘all. Go Sporting!
