The main things to look for in a player when scouting, with the intention to recruit, were covered in the article about elite players. Now I want to cover one of the properties that is impossible to identify solely by scouting at games. That is, WORK ETHIC A player may currently have great qualities and […]
Diving is Smart
Foul simulation says a lot about a player or team. It is a good indicator that they have “street smarts” on the field. Whether it is an attempt to give your team a free kick, waste time, or persuade the ref into giving an opponent a yellow card, the idea is to give your team […]
Top Freshman to Watch in College Soccer
So many entities around the net publish their yearly list of “top 100 freshman” to watch during the college season. It’s really just a list of those players with impressive “pedigree”. Have you been in ODP or National player pools? Have you been on a high profile club or team that’s won big titles? Have […]
Stop Making Excuses!
You know, this is one of our soccer problems in this country… EXCUSES! These things we use so often are arguably an instinctive property of humans. We think that by using them we protect our egos, self esteem, self worth. In the short term, it might work. We go on living our seemingly flawless lives, […]
College Soccer Analysis
The college season is now upon us. Teams are wrapping up their preseason games and begin their quest to enter the post-season. I want to start off by telling you what college soccer means to me. To put it in a nutshell, the vast majority of the time these games make my blood boil! It’s […]
UEFA Champions League Groups are Set!
This is the greatest club football competition in the world! The group stage draw is now set, and as usual there are some juicy match-ups. This year’s draw holds two very anticipated ones. Inter Milan and defending champion FC Barcelona will clash in a battle of top teams who traded star forwards this summer as […]
Physically Maturing Early: A Double-Edged Sword
Beginning puberty early has interesting consequences as far as a player’s soccer development. The immediate thought that comes to mind is a positive one. These players will have a physical advantage, and if they have at least average skill, they become dominant in their age group. There’s a lot of good things that come along […]
What’s an Elite Player?
This term “elite” is abused. In conversations with players, fans, media, coaches – the soccer community in general – I have heard many label this or that player elite. And sometimes it’s actually a decent player. But elite they are not. Also, it’s remarkable how many times the player that was referenced is really just […]
What Everybody Ought to Know About Possession
The lack of holding ball possession is an ugly plague that infests every sector of soccer in this country! Aside from the aesthetic appeal that comes with stringing together five, ten, twenty, forty touches while the other team fails in its attempt to recover the ball, here are some vital things you must know about […]
US Soccer 2.0: So close and yet so so far!
Welcome to 3four3. This is the first article being published here so I thought I’d provide a little background and explain the motivation. By attaching the “2.0” to US Soccer, I’m trying to convey the concept that things have changed. Not in the “it’s all different now” sense, but more that this country has taken […]