Comments on: Fundamental Guide to Soccer IQ http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:20:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Gary Kleiban http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/comment-page-1/#comment-4045 Gary Kleiban Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:12:49 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=1250#comment-4045 Carlos, on the money again! I'm going to write a whole post on this now ... Carlos, on the money again!
I’m going to write a whole post on this now …

]]> By: Gary Kleiban http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/comment-page-1/#comment-4044 Gary Kleiban Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:43:17 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=1250#comment-4044 Excellent comment Carlos! It contributes so much for our readers. I remember exactly where I was, what I was wearing, and how I felt when I witnessed that play against Serbia. I had a smile on my face during the whole buildup and got goose-bumps when they scored. It was incredible! Your Ibra example is great as well. There are soooooooooo many different scenarios to illustrate and analyze. It's just crazy to me, how this is not understood by the mass American soccer fan, coach, and players. They'll cheer when a player's decision was completely wrong, and they'll criticize when the decision is "correct". Most often this happens when a team is holding possession for a while .... let's say greater than 10 passes. You'll hear comments about how stupid this is - that it gets you nowhere. Excellent comment Carlos! It contributes so much for our readers.

I remember exactly where I was, what I was wearing, and how I felt when I witnessed that play against Serbia. I had a smile on my face during the whole buildup and got goose-bumps when they scored. It was incredible!

Your Ibra example is great as well. There are soooooooooo many different scenarios to illustrate and analyze. It’s just crazy to me, how this is not understood by the mass American soccer fan, coach, and players. They’ll cheer when a player’s decision was completely wrong, and they’ll criticize when the decision is “correct”. Most often this happens when a team is holding possession for a while …. let’s say greater than 10 passes. You’ll hear comments about how stupid this is – that it gets you nowhere.

]]> By: Rafael http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/comment-page-1/#comment-4043 Rafael Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:33:30 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=1250#comment-4043 That's a beautiful observation CarlosT. That's the ugly irony of this game in the U.S. I think the trap is that we think we have the best athletes in the world, therefore, we should be able to pull off these difficult plays. In addition, individual performances are held high in our country rather than team domination with simple tactics. Until we all get this, we are not gonna dominate in this sport. It's so simple, it's ridiculous. Winston Churchill said, "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results." That’s a beautiful observation CarlosT. That’s the ugly irony of this game in the U.S. I think the trap is that we think we have the best athletes in the world, therefore, we should be able to pull off these difficult plays. In addition, individual performances are held high in our country rather than team domination with simple tactics. Until we all get this, we are not gonna dominate in this sport. It’s so simple, it’s ridiculous.

Winston Churchill said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

]]> By: CarlosT http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/comment-page-1/#comment-4039 CarlosT Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:54:27 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=1250#comment-4039 One more thought, Gary, that I'd like to hear your reaction on. It seems to me that while this style of play is associated with hugely talented teams like Argentina and Brazil, the technical skills required are actually not that advanced. The vast majority of individual actions in this move are trap, pass, and run, all very basic stuff. There are a couple nice fakes and a couple nice passes in the air, but for the most part it's guys passing the ball like they learned to in their first week. In an odd way, the normal way that a lot of lower talent teams choose to play, booting the ball up the field and hoping that something happens, seems a lot more technically challenging than the way that the "big" teams play. Let me know what you think. One more thought, Gary, that I’d like to hear your reaction on. It seems to me that while this style of play is associated with hugely talented teams like Argentina and Brazil, the technical skills required are actually not that advanced. The vast majority of individual actions in this move are trap, pass, and run, all very basic stuff. There are a couple nice fakes and a couple nice passes in the air, but for the most part it’s guys passing the ball like they learned to in their first week.

In an odd way, the normal way that a lot of lower talent teams choose to play, booting the ball up the field and hoping that something happens, seems a lot more technically challenging than the way that the “big” teams play. Let me know what you think.

]]> By: CarlosT http://blog.3four3.com/2010/01/20/fundamental-guide-to-soccer-iq/comment-page-1/#comment-4038 CarlosT Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:25:32 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=1250#comment-4038 Nice post. You are so correct. I think the perfect illustration of what you're talking about is Argentina's second goal against Serbia in the 2006 World Cup. It's simply the best team goal in history, hands down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0O7KkZn4rk It included 25 passes over 56 seconds, and every single move illustrated the principle here, but pay special attention to Cambiasso, #5. Watch him always looking to put himself in a useful position. Time after time, he's there to take the pass, and after he's moved the ball on, he's on to the next spot. I think it was especially fitting that he ended up being the scorer. I also think another big part of Soccer IQ is recognizing when you're in a situation when you can take a big risk, and not be punished. I remember seeing a goal that Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for Juve years ago. The ball was played up to him just past the center line. He flicked it on with his heel, turned, chased the ball down, outran a defender, shot from just inside the penalty area, and put the ball past the keeper. Brilliant stuff. Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEOoE0XjeDw What I'm sure you'll notice from the video is that the moment was ripe for a risk. Ibrahimovic was well covered, with players ahead and behind, so holding the ball probably wasn't the best choice. At the same time, Roma was holding an insanely high line and there were acres of space behind him. Now, if he flicks the ball on and he puts it in the wrong place, there's a fair chance that a Roma defender could get to the ball. On the other hand, Juve was well positioned to defend at the moment, and if he puts it in the right place, well, we know what happened. Ibrahimovic showed big time Soccer IQ when he took that risk. Nice post. You are so correct. I think the perfect illustration of what you’re talking about is Argentina’s second goal against Serbia in the 2006 World Cup. It’s simply the best team goal in history, hands down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0O7KkZn4rk

It included 25 passes over 56 seconds, and every single move illustrated the principle here, but pay special attention to Cambiasso, #5. Watch him always looking to put himself in a useful position. Time after time, he’s there to take the pass, and after he’s moved the ball on, he’s on to the next spot. I think it was especially fitting that he ended up being the scorer.

I also think another big part of Soccer IQ is recognizing when you’re in a situation when you can take a big risk, and not be punished. I remember seeing a goal that Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for Juve years ago. The ball was played up to him just past the center line. He flicked it on with his heel, turned, chased the ball down, outran a defender, shot from just inside the penalty area, and put the ball past the keeper. Brilliant stuff. Here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEOoE0XjeDw

What I’m sure you’ll notice from the video is that the moment was ripe for a risk. Ibrahimovic was well covered, with players ahead and behind, so holding the ball probably wasn’t the best choice. At the same time, Roma was holding an insanely high line and there were acres of space behind him. Now, if he flicks the ball on and he puts it in the wrong place, there’s a fair chance that a Roma defender could get to the ball. On the other hand, Juve was well positioned to defend at the moment, and if he puts it in the right place, well, we know what happened. Ibrahimovic showed big time Soccer IQ when he took that risk.

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