Incidents in 1st Quarter, France 1 Portugal 0, 2006 World Cup
France is looking better than it did at the beginning of the tourney, it is looking like a team that attains lofty heights and long distances with the ball, an aerial type of team. And it is looking healthy.
035 Frenchman ran down bouncing ball, inside Port penalty box, on left side, 20 yds from center of Port goal line. There was a Port 2 yds to his right chasing him, the Port goalie had the angle cut down. The Frenchman wound up and blasted a low Wheaties-box-photo style shot that missed Portugal's left goal post by 10 feet.
The shot might have looked good to the simpletons, but it ws a rushed shot with little chance of going in. He could have (i do not know this to be so, it seems to be so, but the fact that such it seems is significant) flipped the bouncing ball to his right over the Port who was chasing him, his moving to the middle of the field this way would give him a better angle on the goalie. This Frenchman, who was #7 Malouda, wound up to blast a shot, as a result the ball bouncing in front of him, which was on its way down, was lower to the ground when his foot hit it than it would have been had he just raced to it and flipped it over the defender's head.
135 The ball bounced at a Frenchman from his right side. He was 30 yds from the Port goal, on the right side of the field. He let the ball bounce past him, and then crossed a long cross over to his left, that went straight to a Port defender. The Port nearest him was six yds in front of him. This Frenchman had clear sailing for at least 10 yds if he had sprinted parallel to the end line towards the middle of the field with the ball--he had a chance to start an aerial dribble in that direction before passing.
The interesting thing here, is that the Frenchman could have reduced the distance between himself and the goal, by dribbling parallel to the endline towards the middle of the field, because he was on the right side and this would have moved him towards the middle closer to the goal. Seems several times in the 2006 World Cup, offensive players have had the opportunity to improve their field position by dribbling towards the middle of the field, perhaps because defenders are not aware that such movement towards the middle improves field position; yet they have failed to take advantage of such opportunities to dribble unimpeded towards the middle of the field.
Having moved towards the middle the Frenchman involved in this incident, could have then passes off; and the situation would then become unpredictable and surprising, he would have had more time to size up the situation when he finally got rid of the ball, and he would have been in a position to after dribbling (preferably dribbling keeping the ball off the ground) towards the middle swerve towards the Port goal, he would have been in a position to race to the area of the field where the recipient to whom he chipped the ball was.
But instead he immediately crossed the ball over, such might look good to simpletons, I doubt it was the wisest course of action if he was someone who had skill dribbling balls on the bounce, or in the air.
I've noticed when I drill at air dribbling the ball 15 yds at a sprint using mostly my feet, keeping the ball off the ground under control, I can chip the ball high, sprint at top speed 10 yds and catch it with head thigh or foot before it hits the ground again. This tells me that I am able to chip the ball for instance to a team-mate 15 yds away and then be just 5 yds away from him when he gets the ball that I chipped to him to help out. When I drill I almost always keep my head and eyes up so when I air-dribble the ball, my eyes never drop below the level of my chest. Thus I am able to see what is going on in the field while air dribbling the ball in some direction.
258 The Frenchman, was in the left middle area of the field 25 yds from the Port goal. A bouncing pass came to him, he attempted a short pass to his right on the first touch. The ball bounced off the Port defender to the Frenchman's right, then bounced in the air 5 yds to a Port in front of the Frenchman; it bounced off the second Port's chest at the Frenchman. The Frenchman headed it, the Port a yard in front of him headed it, the Port kicked it,it hit the Frenchman's head, it bounced off his head at a nearby Port who kicked it away.
I encounter situations similar to what this Frenchman encountered here all the time when I sprint 15 yds keeping the ball off the ground but under control. This incident illustrates how advantageous unusual situations can materialize for an offense when its players are good at air dribbling and allowed to do it. The Frenchman involved in this incident is probably trained to excel at volleying long crosses in towards the goal, but he seemed to lack the same level of skill when it comes to moving short distances with the ball while hitting it with feet, chest, thigh, and head.
At the beginning of this play the ball came to the Frenchman on a low bounce, he stopped it with his foot and then waited for it to bounce again before attempting the pass that was intercepted. He could have had he the skill, initiated an aerial dribble on the first touch, when the ball was in the air after he touched it, and also after it bounced when he attempted the pass.
The difference between the glamorous volleying crosses at goals and the air-dribbling, is that when volleying crosses you can focus on what point in space the ball is volleyed at. But in air dribbling you also have to control how far the ball goes, and how fast it gets to the point you are getting it to.
328 portugal drive and shot--the Port got a ball rolling towards him from his left, turned to follow the ball, dribble it once, shot from the middle of the field 24 yds away from the French goal-line, the goalie made a sprawling save another Port almost got the rebound. The French goalie was 6 yds in front of the goal-line, thus the effective distance of the shot was 18 yds. Here turning to follow the ball almost paid off for the Ports.
France looks big and fast, Portugal looks small and slow. But such could be an illusion created by how the white uniforms of France, white shirts shorts and socks, contrast with the Portuguese, whose shirts, shorts, and socks are all wine colored--perhaps to remind you of the famous economist Ricardo's Portuguese-wine-is-cheaper example that mistakenly is supposed to prove free trade to be always good for everybody. Ironically Portugal has been experiencing big trade deficits, big foreign debts.
The French players have a lot of reach with their legs.
455 #10 of france, Zidane, got the ball 45 yds from the French goal, in the middle, nearest Port 8 yds away, he dribbled it slowly forwards 10 yds, passed to a man on the right wing, the Frenchman on the right wing after dribbing forward, sent a long cross in straight to a Port defender who had no Frenchmen near him. Of course what I am thinking is he had the time space and position to initiate a forward air dribble but did not, and the goodie goodie two shoes alternative to such "mis"-behaviour fizzled into nothingness.
524 #17 of Portugal, Ronaldo, did the little dance where left and right feet cross over the rolling ball, he did it better than the other 2006 World Cuppers I've seen; unlike them, he did not lose the ball while doing this ball-dance, and actually faked out a French defender a little. I appoint Ronaldo Lord of this type of ball-dance.
600 portugal drive--the Ports on offense seem to be missing on short rolling passes which if they hit accurately would get them somewhere.
620 Frenchman #3 got the ball on the left side, 40 yds from the Port goal, he had time and space, nearest Port was 10 yds away. He indulged in a wall pass with a nearby Frenchman, got the ball back, he was now 40 yds from the Port goal, but now the defending Port was just 3 yds away. No advantage gained, my opinion. He passed in a roller to a Frenchman with his back to the Port goal, this Frenchman tried to hit it behind his back with his right foot towards his left, the pass was intercepted by the Ports.
800 protugal drive shot sails just a foot over crossbar-- Maniche of Portugal got the ball in the left middle, dribbled forward a couple of yds, shot with his right from 30 yds, a powerful blast, it sailed just over the France crossbar. It was still moving fast 35 yds from the point he kicked it when it hit the barrier. The goalie was six yds in front of the France goal thus the effective distance of the shot was 24 yds.
The French look like they are taller thicker and stronger compared to the Germans. The Germans and French both wear white so I can compare them without worrying about illusion.
The Portuguese in wine colored uniforms look much smaller than the French in white. Their (the Ports) movements, are smaller, they take shorter steps, pass the ball shorter distances, push the ball a shorter distance away when they dribble.
1300 French muff scoring chance--Vieira of France, got the ball in left middle, 40 yds from Port goal, nearest Port 8 yds in front of him. He passed to the middle to Ribery who had his back to the Port goal, Ribery under pressure passed back to Zidane, Zidane passed to his left to Ribery to where Ribery had moved to, Ribery passed out to the left wing to Abidal, Abidal got a slow roller moving towards him with time and space, he was 35 yds from the French goal, he sent a low cross in to a spot 5 yds in front of the Port goal where there were three Ports and one Frenchman, the cross missed everyone.
If Viera or Anidal had been able to initiate effective forward air dribbles when they had the chances in this incident, France might have gotten closer to scoring a goal--these French make the Ports look like midgets. But I admit the cross only missed its target frenchman, who was in a good position though surrounded by Ports, by a little.
The French have come out looking more white than they do in the roster lineup photos. Their players have a white european style of playing. Appears almost half of the French starting lineup is white racially.
1510 Portugal chance--the Port dribbled forward on the ground to a spot 30 yds from the France goal and unleashed a shot that bounced once before the France goalie 24 yds away stopped it. The Ports are getting lots of these situations, around 35 yds from the other team, with the nearest Frenchman five yds away, a decent level of time and space, the ball in position for ground dribbling not air dribbling, the Port slowly dribbling forward. Seems the French are letting the Ports take the shots, the Ports are grabbing at the opportunities to shoot. If you were good at dribbling forward with the ball on the ground like me, you would love to have these Ports for team-mates.
The Ports, unlike the French, are setting up plenty of opportunities for their offense. They look like a team that excels in setting up opportunities for its offense, yet at the same time is mediocre when it comes to cashing in on those opportunities.
The French, in their long white socks, look tall elegant and strong. But the opportunities are not being set up for the French offense.
1812 #7 of France, Malouda, got the ball with his back to the Port goal, approx 45 yds from the Port goal, in the left middle area of the field; he immediately passed to his left, towards the middle of the field, he underled the pass recipient, the Port stripped the ball from him. This Malouda had time and space, the nearest Port was six yds away. Rushing when nobody is near you, underleading short 10 yd passes, these are not virtues.
The Ports resemble the Italians, the French resemble the Germans.
2040 France chance--Henry
France looks like the best soccer players amongst the USA's professional tackle football, baseball, and basketball players, taught to play soccer in France.
2210 france opportunity-- Frenchman #7 Malouda got the ball on the left, near the outside corner of the Port penalty box, 35 yds from the Port goal, the nearest Port was 10 yds away. The famous Zidane had set him up with this opportunity. He dribbled forward 10 yds, moving parallel to the sideline, and then still had time and space--he then sent a cross in to a crowd of Ports, straight to a Port who intercepted his pass heading it away. Seems players should be able to do better, when they get the ball, 35 yds from the opposing goal, and plenty of time and space. The Ports may not be thick and tall, they may not wear white socks that contrast with the green field to make them look graceful, but they are a team that has made it to the World Cup semifinals; they are not a team for France to squander opportunities with because the main thing the French player in question is concerned about is not being railed at by simpletons.
END OF FIRST QUARTER
@2006 David Virgil Hobbs
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/vincemoon
http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/
035 Frenchman ran down bouncing ball, inside Port penalty box, on left side, 20 yds from center of Port goal line. There was a Port 2 yds to his right chasing him, the Port goalie had the angle cut down. The Frenchman wound up and blasted a low Wheaties-box-photo style shot that missed Portugal's left goal post by 10 feet.
The shot might have looked good to the simpletons, but it ws a rushed shot with little chance of going in. He could have (i do not know this to be so, it seems to be so, but the fact that such it seems is significant) flipped the bouncing ball to his right over the Port who was chasing him, his moving to the middle of the field this way would give him a better angle on the goalie. This Frenchman, who was #7 Malouda, wound up to blast a shot, as a result the ball bouncing in front of him, which was on its way down, was lower to the ground when his foot hit it than it would have been had he just raced to it and flipped it over the defender's head.
135 The ball bounced at a Frenchman from his right side. He was 30 yds from the Port goal, on the right side of the field. He let the ball bounce past him, and then crossed a long cross over to his left, that went straight to a Port defender. The Port nearest him was six yds in front of him. This Frenchman had clear sailing for at least 10 yds if he had sprinted parallel to the end line towards the middle of the field with the ball--he had a chance to start an aerial dribble in that direction before passing.
The interesting thing here, is that the Frenchman could have reduced the distance between himself and the goal, by dribbling parallel to the endline towards the middle of the field, because he was on the right side and this would have moved him towards the middle closer to the goal. Seems several times in the 2006 World Cup, offensive players have had the opportunity to improve their field position by dribbling towards the middle of the field, perhaps because defenders are not aware that such movement towards the middle improves field position; yet they have failed to take advantage of such opportunities to dribble unimpeded towards the middle of the field.
Having moved towards the middle the Frenchman involved in this incident, could have then passes off; and the situation would then become unpredictable and surprising, he would have had more time to size up the situation when he finally got rid of the ball, and he would have been in a position to after dribbling (preferably dribbling keeping the ball off the ground) towards the middle swerve towards the Port goal, he would have been in a position to race to the area of the field where the recipient to whom he chipped the ball was.
But instead he immediately crossed the ball over, such might look good to simpletons, I doubt it was the wisest course of action if he was someone who had skill dribbling balls on the bounce, or in the air.
I've noticed when I drill at air dribbling the ball 15 yds at a sprint using mostly my feet, keeping the ball off the ground under control, I can chip the ball high, sprint at top speed 10 yds and catch it with head thigh or foot before it hits the ground again. This tells me that I am able to chip the ball for instance to a team-mate 15 yds away and then be just 5 yds away from him when he gets the ball that I chipped to him to help out. When I drill I almost always keep my head and eyes up so when I air-dribble the ball, my eyes never drop below the level of my chest. Thus I am able to see what is going on in the field while air dribbling the ball in some direction.
258 The Frenchman, was in the left middle area of the field 25 yds from the Port goal. A bouncing pass came to him, he attempted a short pass to his right on the first touch. The ball bounced off the Port defender to the Frenchman's right, then bounced in the air 5 yds to a Port in front of the Frenchman; it bounced off the second Port's chest at the Frenchman. The Frenchman headed it, the Port a yard in front of him headed it, the Port kicked it,it hit the Frenchman's head, it bounced off his head at a nearby Port who kicked it away.
I encounter situations similar to what this Frenchman encountered here all the time when I sprint 15 yds keeping the ball off the ground but under control. This incident illustrates how advantageous unusual situations can materialize for an offense when its players are good at air dribbling and allowed to do it. The Frenchman involved in this incident is probably trained to excel at volleying long crosses in towards the goal, but he seemed to lack the same level of skill when it comes to moving short distances with the ball while hitting it with feet, chest, thigh, and head.
At the beginning of this play the ball came to the Frenchman on a low bounce, he stopped it with his foot and then waited for it to bounce again before attempting the pass that was intercepted. He could have had he the skill, initiated an aerial dribble on the first touch, when the ball was in the air after he touched it, and also after it bounced when he attempted the pass.
The difference between the glamorous volleying crosses at goals and the air-dribbling, is that when volleying crosses you can focus on what point in space the ball is volleyed at. But in air dribbling you also have to control how far the ball goes, and how fast it gets to the point you are getting it to.
328 portugal drive and shot--the Port got a ball rolling towards him from his left, turned to follow the ball, dribble it once, shot from the middle of the field 24 yds away from the French goal-line, the goalie made a sprawling save another Port almost got the rebound. The French goalie was 6 yds in front of the goal-line, thus the effective distance of the shot was 18 yds. Here turning to follow the ball almost paid off for the Ports.
France looks big and fast, Portugal looks small and slow. But such could be an illusion created by how the white uniforms of France, white shirts shorts and socks, contrast with the Portuguese, whose shirts, shorts, and socks are all wine colored--perhaps to remind you of the famous economist Ricardo's Portuguese-wine-is-cheaper example that mistakenly is supposed to prove free trade to be always good for everybody. Ironically Portugal has been experiencing big trade deficits, big foreign debts.
The French players have a lot of reach with their legs.
455 #10 of france, Zidane, got the ball 45 yds from the French goal, in the middle, nearest Port 8 yds away, he dribbled it slowly forwards 10 yds, passed to a man on the right wing, the Frenchman on the right wing after dribbing forward, sent a long cross in straight to a Port defender who had no Frenchmen near him. Of course what I am thinking is he had the time space and position to initiate a forward air dribble but did not, and the goodie goodie two shoes alternative to such "mis"-behaviour fizzled into nothingness.
524 #17 of Portugal, Ronaldo, did the little dance where left and right feet cross over the rolling ball, he did it better than the other 2006 World Cuppers I've seen; unlike them, he did not lose the ball while doing this ball-dance, and actually faked out a French defender a little. I appoint Ronaldo Lord of this type of ball-dance.
600 portugal drive--the Ports on offense seem to be missing on short rolling passes which if they hit accurately would get them somewhere.
620 Frenchman #3 got the ball on the left side, 40 yds from the Port goal, he had time and space, nearest Port was 10 yds away. He indulged in a wall pass with a nearby Frenchman, got the ball back, he was now 40 yds from the Port goal, but now the defending Port was just 3 yds away. No advantage gained, my opinion. He passed in a roller to a Frenchman with his back to the Port goal, this Frenchman tried to hit it behind his back with his right foot towards his left, the pass was intercepted by the Ports.
800 protugal drive shot sails just a foot over crossbar-- Maniche of Portugal got the ball in the left middle, dribbled forward a couple of yds, shot with his right from 30 yds, a powerful blast, it sailed just over the France crossbar. It was still moving fast 35 yds from the point he kicked it when it hit the barrier. The goalie was six yds in front of the France goal thus the effective distance of the shot was 24 yds.
The French look like they are taller thicker and stronger compared to the Germans. The Germans and French both wear white so I can compare them without worrying about illusion.
The Portuguese in wine colored uniforms look much smaller than the French in white. Their (the Ports) movements, are smaller, they take shorter steps, pass the ball shorter distances, push the ball a shorter distance away when they dribble.
1300 French muff scoring chance--Vieira of France, got the ball in left middle, 40 yds from Port goal, nearest Port 8 yds in front of him. He passed to the middle to Ribery who had his back to the Port goal, Ribery under pressure passed back to Zidane, Zidane passed to his left to Ribery to where Ribery had moved to, Ribery passed out to the left wing to Abidal, Abidal got a slow roller moving towards him with time and space, he was 35 yds from the French goal, he sent a low cross in to a spot 5 yds in front of the Port goal where there were three Ports and one Frenchman, the cross missed everyone.
If Viera or Anidal had been able to initiate effective forward air dribbles when they had the chances in this incident, France might have gotten closer to scoring a goal--these French make the Ports look like midgets. But I admit the cross only missed its target frenchman, who was in a good position though surrounded by Ports, by a little.
The French have come out looking more white than they do in the roster lineup photos. Their players have a white european style of playing. Appears almost half of the French starting lineup is white racially.
1510 Portugal chance--the Port dribbled forward on the ground to a spot 30 yds from the France goal and unleashed a shot that bounced once before the France goalie 24 yds away stopped it. The Ports are getting lots of these situations, around 35 yds from the other team, with the nearest Frenchman five yds away, a decent level of time and space, the ball in position for ground dribbling not air dribbling, the Port slowly dribbling forward. Seems the French are letting the Ports take the shots, the Ports are grabbing at the opportunities to shoot. If you were good at dribbling forward with the ball on the ground like me, you would love to have these Ports for team-mates.
The Ports, unlike the French, are setting up plenty of opportunities for their offense. They look like a team that excels in setting up opportunities for its offense, yet at the same time is mediocre when it comes to cashing in on those opportunities.
The French, in their long white socks, look tall elegant and strong. But the opportunities are not being set up for the French offense.
1812 #7 of France, Malouda, got the ball with his back to the Port goal, approx 45 yds from the Port goal, in the left middle area of the field; he immediately passed to his left, towards the middle of the field, he underled the pass recipient, the Port stripped the ball from him. This Malouda had time and space, the nearest Port was six yds away. Rushing when nobody is near you, underleading short 10 yd passes, these are not virtues.
The Ports resemble the Italians, the French resemble the Germans.
2040 France chance--Henry
France looks like the best soccer players amongst the USA's professional tackle football, baseball, and basketball players, taught to play soccer in France.
2210 france opportunity-- Frenchman #7 Malouda got the ball on the left, near the outside corner of the Port penalty box, 35 yds from the Port goal, the nearest Port was 10 yds away. The famous Zidane had set him up with this opportunity. He dribbled forward 10 yds, moving parallel to the sideline, and then still had time and space--he then sent a cross in to a crowd of Ports, straight to a Port who intercepted his pass heading it away. Seems players should be able to do better, when they get the ball, 35 yds from the opposing goal, and plenty of time and space. The Ports may not be thick and tall, they may not wear white socks that contrast with the green field to make them look graceful, but they are a team that has made it to the World Cup semifinals; they are not a team for France to squander opportunities with because the main thing the French player in question is concerned about is not being railed at by simpletons.
END OF FIRST QUARTER
@2006 David Virgil Hobbs
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/vincemoon
http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/
posted by David Virgil at 9:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home