Hourihane

[Jamie Pedlar]

I agree you can't see what is right in front of your face

Youth football we played a game against a team that really liked to pass the ball and their coach repeatadly told them decide on your option before the ball gets to you, you know where your team mates will run, how do you know hoiurihane hasn't assessed his options as the ball is arriving? (his tactics worked there team was a year below us but gave us a good game, and they are running away with there league!)

 

[Pogleswoody]

I agree you can't see what is right in front of your face

Youth football we played a game against a team that really liked to pass the ball and their coach repeatadly told them decide on your option before the ball gets to you, you know where your team mates will run, how do you know hoiurihane hasn't assessed his options as the ball is arriving? (his tactics worked there team was a year below us but gave us a good game, and they are running away with there league!)

sounds like a very poor coach to me. passing isn't a mechanical, repetitive act. good players have spontaneity and invention, most of the best things you do , you don't think conciously about (or don't register the thought) they just 'happen'.

if you want to encourage spontaneity and invention then you can't decide what you are going to do until you've got the ball! If you froze the play and asked George Best: 'what happens now George? now you've got the ball?' basically he wouldn't have a clue 99% of the time. he was so good he didn't know what he was going to do!

 

[monkeywrench]

I disagree Dave. It's really important for the players to be aware of options and what's around them before they get the ball.

I'd also say that spontaneity and invention are extremely rare these days - look at the problems England have had. For years.

 

[Balham Green]

I agree you can't see what is right in front of your face

Youth football we played a game against a team that really liked to pass the ball and their coach repeatadly told them decide on your option before the ball gets to you, you know where your team mates will run, how do you know hoiurihane hasn't assessed his options as the ball is arriving? (his tactics worked there team was a year below us but gave us a good game, and they are running away with there league!)

sounds like a very poor coach to me. passing isn't a mechanical, repetitive act. good players have spontaneity and invention, most of the best things you do , you don't think conciously about (or don't register the thought) they just 'happen'.

if you want to encourage spontaneity and invention then you can't decide what you are going to do until you've got the ball! If you froze the play and asked George Best: 'what happens now George? now you've got the ball?' basically he wouldn't have a clue 99% of the time. he was so good he didn't know what he was going to do!

Thats all very well Dave if you have a 'George Best' type player! Most players aren't very bright and will often make the wrong decision so if they play to a system/plan more likely 1. to get it right; 2. for their own players to know what they are going to do too! Not to say they should ALWAYS stick to the script.

 

[memory man]

I wasn't good enough to play very much at amateur level, let alone make it professionally. But I would have thought that early in any game a firm touch of the ball and a safe pass delivered to a team-mate must make you feel better, whichever direction it is aimed in. I wasn't able to get there on Saturday but looking at the time the lad made this early pass, it was many seconds later that we won the penalty. I haven't seen this lad more than a dozen times but he has always looked a pretty decent footballer to my layman's eye.

 

[esmer]

I agree you can't see what is right in front of your face

Youth football we played a game against a team that really liked to pass the ball and their coach repeatadly told them decide on your option before the ball gets to you, you know where your team mates will run, how do you know hoiurihane hasn't assessed his options as the ball is arriving? (his tactics worked there team was a year below us but gave us a good game, and they are running away with there league!)

sounds like a very poor coach to me. passing isn't a mechanical, repetitive act. good players have spontaneity and invention, most of the best things you do , you don't think conciously about (or don't register the thought) they just 'happen'.

if you want to encourage spontaneity and invention then you can't decide what you are going to do until you've got the ball! If you froze the play and asked George Best: 'what happens now George? now you've got the ball?' basically he wouldn't have a clue 99% of the time. he was so good he didn't know what he was going to do!

I tend to agree with that (sorry monkeywrench) there is very little thinking time in modern football, good passing is very much a natural ability, a mixture of spontaneity and lighting reactions and having what the professionals call a picture in their heads of the sate of play around them, and a feel for the game. The ability to "see" a pass and make it quickly is the hall-mark a top player. It's what makes watching Barcelona mind boggling.

 

[monkeywrench]

Apologies not necessary Es, I think you're missing the point I'm making. Or trying to make at any rate! Good players are aware of what's around them and what's on before they get the ball. It's good coaching to get players to look around before getting the ball. Comes naturally to some. Not to others.

By having a look beforehand gives you that split second extra time on the ball and I'm not talking about having a pre-determined plan in mind.

No way the Barcelona players are closed as to what's around them before getting it.

 

[Mark Pedlar]

I agree you can't see what is right in front of your face

Youth football we played a game against a team that really liked to pass the ball and their coach repeatadly told them decide on your option before the ball gets to you, you know where your team mates will run, how do you know hoiurihane hasn't assessed his options as the ball is arriving? (his tactics worked there team was a year below us but gave us a good game, and they are running away with there league!)

You forgot to add that your own - hoof it and chase it style was/is very successful which is why few coaches (and more especially parents) like "proper" football.

And it's "their' btw!

 

[John Cooper]

Conor is suspended for Rotherham. Is Lowry fit enough to slot in?

 

[Paul_Roberts]

Apologies not necessary Es, I think you're missing the point I'm making. Or trying to make at any rate! Good players are aware of what's around them and what's on before they get the ball. It's good coaching to get players to look around before getting the ball. Comes naturally to some. Not to others.

By having a look beforehand gives you that split second extra time on the ball and I'm not talking about having a pre-determined plan in mind.

No way the Barcelona players are closed as to what's around them before getting it.

And Xavi and Iniesta have admitted as much in many interviews. Xavi said he reads football like a game of chess, plotting where the ball's going to go several passes before it gets there.

Of course, you can't always stick to the plan because you don't know exactly what the opposition's going to do - but it must help to have a plan in place before the ball gets to you, enabling you to stay one step ahead of your opponent.

 

[esmer]

Apologies not necessary Es, I think you're missing the point I'm making. Or trying to make at any rate! Good players are aware of what's around them and what's on before they get the ball. It's good coaching to get players to look around before getting the ball. Comes naturally to some. Not to others.

By having a look beforehand gives you that split second extra time on the ball and I'm not talking about having a pre-determined plan in mind.

No way the Barcelona players are closed as to what's around them before getting it.

We're probably at cross purposes, I think we can agree the good passers are always aware of what is going on around them. I've heard it said that having good peripheral vision is also a factor.

 

[monkeywrench]

Apologies not necessary Es, I think you're missing the point I'm making. Or trying to make at any rate! Good players are aware of what's around them and what's on before they get the ball. It's good coaching to get players to look around before getting the ball. Comes naturally to some. Not to others.

By having a look beforehand gives you that split second extra time on the ball and I'm not talking about having a pre-determined plan in mind.

No way the Barcelona players are closed as to what's around them before getting it.

We're probably at cross purposes, I think we can agree the good passers are always aware of what is going on around them. I've heard it said that having good peripheral vision is also a factor.

We are indeed mate.

 

[Taxman Dave]

As it is a thread about Hourihane I have to repeat what I said on other threads. The boy was immense on Tuesday night. He rarely wasted a pass, was great in breaking down their attacks and provided good cover at the back. His goal was well deserved and given time he will be playing much higher up the leagues (hopefully in Green still).

I took a mate last night who's a baggies fan and he was raving about Hourihane all the back to the Midlands.

It's a shame he's out on Saturday - can't believe the ref booked him for diving.