09-23-2019, 11:55 AM
A couple more thoughts and responses--
Yep, the announcer was really solid. Much higher caliber than the average streaming webcast level.
One thing I've noticed, from teams with which we are more evenly matched: leaving one player high, to make it more risky to switch sides of the field through the backline. Yesterday, a ball from out wide pushed back to a center back led to a switch MUCH less often, and often led to either a ball back to the keeper to clear or a long ball forward by Girma or Hiatt. It worked pretty well, until the attacking players for Stanford started dropping much further back to get the ball.
On the midfield - one other issue I was noticing was our mids playing defense as if (surprise) they practiced against us all the time. A number of times, I watched a Stanford midfielder approach a Bronco midfielder who had the ball and their back to Stanford's goal, and run inside them as if to intercept a back pass. And then the Bronco would simply turn, and the defender would be out of position and trailing on the inside.
Yes, it was very good to get Haley off the schneide, especially given her missed PK against UCSB.
The unbalance to Stanford's attack was so noticeable because Santa Clara would leave Malatskey, Greubel, or whoever was playing wide on the left pretty much in a 1 v 1 all the time. A ton of throughballs from a covered middle to the left side led to very few threatening chances until Greubel left two Broncos on the ground before feeding Haley late. The center backs were staying home, instead of providing additional cover, correctly realizing that the immediate threat on the left was less dangerous than taking one bit of attention off Haley, Macario, and Smith.
And yes, it was a MUCH more entertaining game than either of the parked bus frustration fests last weekend. Santa Clara played enterprising and attacking football, and given the history, they know Stanford's tendencies and weaknesses, and how to get in Cardinal heads.
One other thing - our bench is MUCH shorter than it has been in the recent past. Only three subs used, and for fairly limited minutes Makes me a bit worried about depth going forward.
Lastly, on lineups. Stanford officially plays a 4-3-3. which often works out to more of a 2-3-4-1 (L-R: Girma and Hiatt at CB, Harber, Breide, Pickett; Malatskey, Macario, Doms, Smith; Haley). When subs come in, Greubel for Haley pushes Macario up top with Abby on the left, Wesley a 1 for 1 with Harber, and Goad a 1 for 1 with Doms. We've occasionally played the back as a diamond, with Hiatt in the stopper/deep holding mid role, but if the other team brings two forwards up top, or a 4-2-3-1, we generally stay in a flat four across the back.
That beginning formation, especially with as wide as Pickett tends to play, leaves Breide trying to cover an awful lot of the center of the pitch in front of the defense, and that's a lot to ask. And the reason why Santa Clara was able to play those long balls through the middle. We end up with Harber, Malatskey and Doms near the left touchline when the ball is out there, and Macario higher up the pitch, leaving the center of the pitch with about a 40 yard by 30 yard space being covered by one Stanford player. (Sorry if I'm not expressing that clearly.) Andi Sullivan, Tierna Davidson, even a Kirsty Zuhrmuhlen (one of my favorite unsung players), they could control that space. Right now, Stanford isn't.
VG
Yep, the announcer was really solid. Much higher caliber than the average streaming webcast level.
One thing I've noticed, from teams with which we are more evenly matched: leaving one player high, to make it more risky to switch sides of the field through the backline. Yesterday, a ball from out wide pushed back to a center back led to a switch MUCH less often, and often led to either a ball back to the keeper to clear or a long ball forward by Girma or Hiatt. It worked pretty well, until the attacking players for Stanford started dropping much further back to get the ball.
On the midfield - one other issue I was noticing was our mids playing defense as if (surprise) they practiced against us all the time. A number of times, I watched a Stanford midfielder approach a Bronco midfielder who had the ball and their back to Stanford's goal, and run inside them as if to intercept a back pass. And then the Bronco would simply turn, and the defender would be out of position and trailing on the inside.
Yes, it was very good to get Haley off the schneide, especially given her missed PK against UCSB.
The unbalance to Stanford's attack was so noticeable because Santa Clara would leave Malatskey, Greubel, or whoever was playing wide on the left pretty much in a 1 v 1 all the time. A ton of throughballs from a covered middle to the left side led to very few threatening chances until Greubel left two Broncos on the ground before feeding Haley late. The center backs were staying home, instead of providing additional cover, correctly realizing that the immediate threat on the left was less dangerous than taking one bit of attention off Haley, Macario, and Smith.
And yes, it was a MUCH more entertaining game than either of the parked bus frustration fests last weekend. Santa Clara played enterprising and attacking football, and given the history, they know Stanford's tendencies and weaknesses, and how to get in Cardinal heads.
One other thing - our bench is MUCH shorter than it has been in the recent past. Only three subs used, and for fairly limited minutes Makes me a bit worried about depth going forward.
Lastly, on lineups. Stanford officially plays a 4-3-3. which often works out to more of a 2-3-4-1 (L-R: Girma and Hiatt at CB, Harber, Breide, Pickett; Malatskey, Macario, Doms, Smith; Haley). When subs come in, Greubel for Haley pushes Macario up top with Abby on the left, Wesley a 1 for 1 with Harber, and Goad a 1 for 1 with Doms. We've occasionally played the back as a diamond, with Hiatt in the stopper/deep holding mid role, but if the other team brings two forwards up top, or a 4-2-3-1, we generally stay in a flat four across the back.
That beginning formation, especially with as wide as Pickett tends to play, leaves Breide trying to cover an awful lot of the center of the pitch in front of the defense, and that's a lot to ask. And the reason why Santa Clara was able to play those long balls through the middle. We end up with Harber, Malatskey and Doms near the left touchline when the ball is out there, and Macario higher up the pitch, leaving the center of the pitch with about a 40 yard by 30 yard space being covered by one Stanford player. (Sorry if I'm not expressing that clearly.) Andi Sullivan, Tierna Davidson, even a Kirsty Zuhrmuhlen (one of my favorite unsung players), they could control that space. Right now, Stanford isn't.
VG