strikers need to sit 2 / 3rd of the distance between the two CBs, far side.

So that it creates a problem as to who picks the marking duties

Quality first touch

Quite tame finish, which is probably the dizziness of the first touch and tends to become part of a “craft”. Harry Kane doesn’t indulge on his first touch, it’s perfect. His mind is already wired into finishing off the chance.

That comes with work.

Jimmy Floyd HASSLE-BAINK

One of the ways to build up defenders’ mistakes over 90s is to relentlessly running at them. Something Tammy Abraham (or Torres, Havertz) did relentlessly over the years.

From that aimless punt in the CB’s blind spot,

there was no reason for Durán to close down aggressively. A bit of guesswork

Oh surprise, that’s fluffed half clearance into traffic.

Well, doesn’t take a genius. Durán is whithin the defender’s field of vision.

Stops his motion, a few steps back and here he is in the defender’s blind spot.

Football is a chain of events, whether you break it down empirically, or on a spreadsheet.
Events occur in relation to the one before, albeit you can’t predict the next outcome; it is likely that a chaotic pressing run, arm waving and yelling is probably more conductive to a turnover.

Tammy Abraham took a lot of flak for doing these things actual footbal peope value: pump the ball anywhere near the defensive line, and the 9s is working his socks off to challenge it. All part of a wider picture of tilting momentum, keeping the crowd on side.

A VIEW TO A KILL

Scouting is about RELATIVE and ABSOLUTE attributes

Durán backtracks, locks and sprints in the other direction.

The level of the opposition is what it is, but the ground Durán eats up with a turn of pace when cutting isn’t fake.

Probably watched videos of Mason Burstow to try to catch the goalie early.

SPELLBOUND

The spinning is good, not losing speed in the motion.

The arm is strong to “throw [the CB] down the stairs”

To hold on until the ball starts it’s descending phase (it’s the moment to shoot it)

Durán dominates the ball by kicking it just after the apex.

That goal was scored in August 2021 aged 17 and 7 months.

These are scalable things: agility, acrobatic volleys. Proprioception gets worse, rarely better to the extent to fall when walking over a pile of cardboard piwwa boxes to scoring Jean Pierre Papin volleys.

Eyes on the ball, waiting for the “apex” (hihghest point of the trajectory) for the volley motion

Calculating where the ball is to drip so that the right foot lands level

Volleying the ball when it falls down, in the middle slightly above to smash it on the grass

and force a rebound gathering pace

Unfortunately offside (not relevant here), but top level stuff agility wise

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF

Durán’s box movement is very good there

Stalked the forest, too close to hide (behind the centre back)

I’ll be upon you by the moonlighht side (when the cross is hit)

Adjusting his footwork to land the planted leg beside the ball, toes pointing towards goal.

Shoulders over the ball.

Dominating the ball to hit with power without it flying over.

Strong right leg, and core balance, with arms for balance in order to not be disrupted by parasite movements.

These are repeatable traits when scouting a centre forward.

A broken clock is right twice a day but lightning never strikes twice in the same spot.

Mastering these components of finishing gives you reasonable perspectives of success.

The other cue is to stay whithin the width of the goalposts, to shoot in front of you.

Ideally one step removed inside, so that the curler looks like it goes away, but ends up caressing the inside side-netting.

The near post “pivot” shot is one Durán likes

The deciding – repeatable technical cue is how he lands his planted foot (right) with toes pointed to the target

Which makes the hip rotate accordingly in a clean hitting motion

Saved by an chivalrous save, but efficient foot save by Chevalier

Chelsea decided to pile up support / pockets attackers. Palmer, Nkunku, even Mudryk or Madueke who could technically live off scraps (assuming you decide Enzo pulls strings and Caicedo holds access to his own half and marshalls the entire width).

The recipe for success was to find a striker with gravity / gravitas that inspires fear to force hasted clearances.

Durán and Watkins at full speed on a cross?

No thanks. Andersen makes an absolute meal of it, that’s assuredly more difficult than just squaring a half volley to the defensive midfielder because Kai Havertz is hiding at the third post.

Speaking about fluking goals, luck, indeed often favours the prepared minds.

Diaby goes to his right shoulder, Durán goes to the opposite direction

Spinning on the run, don’t try this at home

Running across with low footwork and balance (so that the legs aren’t stiffer)

Sure, that’s not much.

Still better that the worst counter attack in the history of humanity and beyond, performed by Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, having benefitted from elite tactical training curriculum and elite tactical instructions.

Or maybe they’re fairly mediocre (or soul-less) footballers.

Half asking, half arsed, half getting out of the way. Not half dreadful.

SUPERNATURE

They were angry with the man

‘Cause he changed their way of life

And they take take their sweet revenge

As they trample through the night

Winning a header in Everton’s 6yd box?

There’s no way to stop it now

You can’t escape, it’s too late

Look what you’ve done

There’s no place that you can run

The monsters made, we must pray

Start the jump motion from the ball’s highest point

Durán’s vertical is superior to Tarkowski’s

Also gets his elbow over Tarkowski’s

SUPER LONELY FREAK

(that’s Mykolenko at the back post)

And when the lights of hope are fading quickly, thel look to me

I’ll be your homing angel, I’ll be [over your] head

The preparatory work to clear out the drop point at the far post to put the defender off balance. This is hard to teach as such, without being a foul.

It’s all about finding the sweet spot between pushing and making it look natural, requiring enough strength.

The leap to actually smash the ball

A header across kissing the far post and could’ve given Villa a winner in injury time.

TOO LATE MARLENE

Waking out of nowhere

Zaniolo hits the bar, who’s ready to get the rebound?

Header without rebound outside the 6yd box

MEET EL PRESIDENTE

Take your time but don’t take

Off your high heeled shoes

Durán is a remarkable outlet back to goal, with some finesse not too dissimilar to left footed

The balance is excellent back to goal, ball is blocked with the studs, arms for balance and crouching to handle the shove.

And a smart “chop” to play a blind pass in the fullback’s back

A look at Jhon Durán’s passes received suggest he’s confortable connecting with forward passes, especially down the line (which is a door hinge for centre backs, wildly out of position)

Hold off the CB to create space to receive (with his stiff arm)

Reception front foot which is the farthest away from the defender

Get your planted leg clipped ; as the defender is too far to get the ball anyway

Foul drawn. That’s a pressure relief for a team, near the T (midway line and touchline)

Which is where you want your centre forward to get attracted to, ball side, on every out-ball.

DANSE MACABRE

Comin’ out for the [Medelin] mad bull

Jumpin on the hot seat, lyin’ in the dead pool

Delivery quake, expensive mistake

Palm is between the chest (and the throat) to hold off the defender.
That’s very mich what it is.

The damage, the damage, the damage, the damage

Give and go

One play Jhon Durán appreciates, is the “stan smith / starbucks / chino” favoured by tacticoachs: the give and go.

Amusingly, for a player that is probably difficult to sit down for a video feedback session (or paying attention to PhD lecture level of isolated – without opponent – finishing session pattern movement) ;

Durán is fairly agile to dump and go

Don’t need to talk to him about “half spaces” and barycenters, he can know the weak point between three opponents

Open reception leaves defenders guessing as for the next move

It’s the footwork that sparks our interest: to lay the ball back, hitting in the middle of the ball to avoid it bouncing (thtat’s academy technique)

Landing the left foot, lifting the right one

The right leg succesfully dodges Richard’s trailing leg (where he could maybe draw a foul, but also maybe not if the referees judges it’s off the play and not relevant)

(the right leg does a half circle motion inside to avoid Richard’s leg)

Right foot lands

Left foot lands, having restored balance – with shoulders over feet:

And the next stride creates half a yard of separation in his typical running motion

In other words: yes, Durán is a “pace and power” striker but the two aspects to like here are: leaving defenders guessing with few cues when he receives.

And the agile footwork to prepare the turn of pace.

The turn of pace is what he is, yes he’s powerful (power = speed x strength)

But also creates the conditions to cut and change direction in a specific football movement.

Compare to Chris Richards decelerating late, square, space between his feet. Does the splits when trying to change direction and can’t catch up as if he were on toes with shorter steps.

On the highest stage of all, why not? Give and go, and score. Simple

Finishing wise; one thing often overlooked

Duránhits the ball slightly over the top, so that he tops it

And the second bounce goes up and down (logically) so that the trajectory enters the “triangle” (or square, or “C” that is the goalkeeper’s arm, bust and leg.

Also called: the Romelu Lukaku finish.

I will not / je non post the Kolo Muani / Martinez, and Martinez’s otherworldy knee reflex to finally keep Randal’s last swish of the sword in the World Cup final.

On the right:

Roland @ Ronceveaux has just broken the rock with his Durandal sword that remains intact. Engraving by Edouard Francois Zier from the book “La legende merveilleuse”” edition Mame 1888

On the left, Randal can’t slice through the Argentine goalkeeper to win the World Cup.

Dur… Randal.

Point is: Usually GKs don’t have that extra reflex (that Martinez had to lift the leg), and hitting between arm and leg gives a goal.

Duran Durán.

---

In terms of connecting play, Durán can occasionally drop off the front (as Watkins usually pins the right centre back), but more as a “I’m not getting on the ball enough, give it to me”.

Saying his technique is “rudimentary” wouldn’t be fair, Durán’s passes “round the corner” are reminiscent of throwback 1990s strikers who’d feed their wingers 1v1.

Not the best idea “as such” as you would prefer back and forward (for the winger to receive at a better angle) – but that’s the theory.

Speaing pleasure and vibes, that’s a satisfying pass to pull out for strikers and it immediately energises the receiver.

Creating space

The kind of move that keeps attacking sequences alive:

Diaby creates separation, immediately drives diagonally to create angles.

Durán identifies it – Diaby runs to his left shoulder

Therefore Durán runs to his right shoulder

Creating the conditions to find a free player depending on which bait the defenders take.

Richards and especially Clyne both ends of Andersen are seasoned Barclays defenders, know to float about to force a decision: don’t take the bait or tuck in excessively.

Can’t leave Watkins with 5yards to drive only to “tuck in and maintain distances”

Can’t take the bait and track him because there’s probably another “untactical” midfielder ready to break into the gap created.

The point is: Durán is able to read attacking plays, and create space to keep movements alive.

Luis Enrique managed the feat of having Messi Suarez Neymar banging goals, which is a landmark in football’s history. Otherwise you’ll always need a decoy space to favour your Palmer / Olise.

Or Drogba who can get his Ancelotti-labelled 40 goal contribution by creating space, creating goals and scoring ones himself.

Durán creating these decoy runs to shuffle defences is exactly what’s expected of him, goals being an addition to this.

---

2018-19 U17 National League in France @ PSG (2-2)

Talent is everywhere. E. Dia (13), a second half substitute at left back; is now a striker in French third tier for FC Rouen and was on the bench vs Monaco in the French Cup quarters.

The striker was the ultimate maverick and evidences the density of the French talent pool.

---

Football is ultimately about synergies between attackers, and instant perception-action

Football is like chess, with protagonists occupying boxes on the plate.

At the exception that these protagonists think, therefore makes it having nothing to do with the game of chess.

Durán and McGinn in adjacent spaces (that only exist between opponents, unlike chess).

Durán makes the run

Because he’s got pull, he drags half the defensive line in his trail making McGinn the open man.

This is the bit that catches the attention. Running a successful counter answers to simple principles:

• run diagonally to isolate a 1v1

• overlap the carrier

Quick thinking from Durán who immediately overlaps McGinn opposite to the flow (McGinn goes left shoulder, Durán goes right shoulder).

Quick perception / action and reading of the attacking situation.

In other words: “tactically aware”.

Kickoff played backwards?

One of the woke-iest rule change was to allow the kick off to be played backwards.

Hopefully, people like Jhon Durán are there to bring some balance back and intercept after barely a split second of “ball in play”

Tracking back

Durán is at the sweet spot between workrate off the ball and shot volume

Total shots x Total tackles paints a picture

Long gone the time where Chelsea would play a left back upfront, to score 38 goals like in 2022-23

In the general mayhem of things, that was low-key the worst season since 1924

Looking closer at quality

Not many strikers are over

⚔️1 tackle WON per 90

🎯1 shot ON TARGET p90

⏱️🎶 Durán has only 400′ but on the other hand if you’ve ever listened to their music, that’s more than enough for a decade.

As mentioned in the introduction, Durán’s peculiar involvement is a throwback (or just a wave of fresh air). It’s not rare to see him tracking back like a lunatic to try to get the ball back.

Demba Ba had limited minutes, and scored everytime he was involved.

You can’t restrict players to play within a hoop and not move. They care

24 minutes into the game

---

In terms of “running technique”, Durán’s is effective and complement his power.

Cutting on his left shoulder, right foot lands under his “cone” (and not miles away or off balance) and change of direction

Cutting on his right shoulder, left leg also lands under his “cone” meaning his centre of balance stays whithin it

The sprinting motion is legit: the left tibia is in the same angle as the chest (leaning forward)

Taking care to decelerate before clattering Gomes

Durán has the peculiar (from an academy curriculum standpoint) knack for sensing when to take the ball off the opponrnt, after Gomes shows a split second of hesitation/

Pass blocked

There’s : quality in the running motion, speed to get there, and a streetwise knack for sensing the moment to bite in 1v1.

---

The same here: sprinting motion is legit (tibia / chest in the same angle)

Decelerating, keeping balance shoulders over toes

To cut and go again, start and stop to close down the goalkeeper.

…or +7 minutes into injury time after scoring a brace to bring Villa level

“Once…” *Lionel Richie’s voice”*

“Twwwwice” *Lionel Richie’s voice*

“Three times the giddy”

Keep your head down, job done, no grin, no dwelling

For all the talk about *attitude*, football doesn’t change character, it reveals it.

Lessons learned from Jhon Wooden probably are worth more of your time than “put the soles on the ball” or “don’t sign players who play AFC Cup / AFCON every two years” and “erase creativity” as far as respectable management principles go.

Fotball’s unwritten rules are simple

• When the team has the ball, trust your team mate and get away from him

• When the team doesn’t have the ball, help out your team mates and just to be close to youuuu… (enough Lionel Richie dammit).

Character evaluation? Just look at these two points.

Don’t move the goalposts, don’t overcomplicate football.

An interesting piece of research, to dispel the myth that players’ on pitch shenanigans, or thuggishness would have anything to do with their passport.

Durán, found by Douglas Luiz and about to lay the ball off to Iroegbunam, his fellow 2003-born team mate.

“Timbo” skewing his pass for a throw in, triggers Durán waving arms.

Deciding to nitpick on the centreforward on limited minutes for telling off his own team mate is a choice. Suggesting that’s “attitude issue” is the cesspit where a lot of fanalysts will fall heads down into.

The alternative being to get a grip, and look at every successful centre forward from Wayne Rooney to Didier Drogba to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, or Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker

This whole episode centred around wingers and “who’d you like to play with” is worth a listen; for the reality of on-field interactions between wingers and centre forwards.

Football is ecological, solutions are found by those who perform it; with the resources they’ve got at disposal and interactions they can create with their environment.

---

On limited minutes, is it a good decision from Durán to chest it

and volley that thow-in?

Yes, you, I’m gonna stare at you. I took my shot

Striker staring at his boots when missing a chance = red flag

Striker staring at his team mates for volleying the ball from 25 yards out = gowan son

A matter of perspective, who you ultimately want to thrive in the 48.000 packed stadium.

Far from the idea to compare playing levels. But the idea that football is a recreational activity – especially for succesful teams and centre forwards, can sometimes get lost.

Strikers challenge for positions. 4 players for 4-4-2 in the 1990s.

Dexter Wansel was already asking in 1977 what the world is coming to.

Well, here you are half a century later: left back Kai Havertz as the only senior centre forward in the entire club. Or Haaland, and squeaky bum time every international window if ever he picks up an injury.

Sheringham and Cole would famously loathe each other, yet wanted “the best for Manchester United”

In Sheringham’s words for a podcast.

---

Workrate, attitude, and never giving up.

Gamemanship

Football is a fierce environment where minutes and opportunities are scarce (or good results when misfits get a prolonged exposure to “maintain their asset value”).

Centre forwards battle all game against defenders to build a match up, and hope to not end on the wrong side of the game inside the game, relative to rattling their counterpart enough to force them into making a mistake or give up (or switch sides).

Positional play is the ennemy of “let me switch sides” at half.

The trauma of an evening with Jhon Durán will linger for Bushiri, who was left in sheer disbelief by Durán’s pettiness – to Villa Park’s great amusement.

In other words, centre forwards need to maintain an even state of kicking people as much they’re being kicked.

The concept of “personal space” holds value, and access is often guided by the use of arms to keep the opponent at a distance.

---

The important thing to know about winning penalties is that it’s not a skill, unless it happens more often to the same people. In which case, we can only say that they get more penalties than the others.

Enough circumventing, and mosquito-shagging with the tip of your cow-boy boots.

If you’re lucky to have a pandora box striker like Durán, just ask him to rub defenders the wrong way in the box until you get something.

Long throws are a good way to create a surprsing amount of chaos.

Technically not “grabbing”, just arms all over the defender

Not finished having the hand on one, lets’ bravely block the clearance

This time not get the leg out of the way, contact knee against knee and draw a penalty.

---

As for lose balls or 50/50s, Durán getting done by Doku who makes sure to get the leg in front before hitting hip vs hip and “retain under pressure”.

You’re the world’s strongest man, until you meet the one who walks the talk

Something David Silva was absurdly good at – Juan Mata was not.

Guess who started for Spain and who only played the odd footballing third world friendlies with three defensive midfielders behind him. Juanito.

---

This isn’t a prescription, this newsletter isn’t aimed at telling Didier Drogba or Nemanja Vidic how to play the sport (and win accolades). They do, we comment.

There’s obviously a grey area between playing the game like an emperor penguin, and being a nasty piece of work out there to play elbows out. There’s no more proeminent “villains” in pro football, mostly because players often turn out to be in the same circles on and off the pitch.

You can witness professional teams training in sport socks without getting bruises and gashes every other change of direction. During games, intensity is (always) higher and sticking the boot results either from being caught in motion (being late), or some mild to moderate intimidation tactics. The game is the game, played by fiercely competitive individuals.

He who hasn’t played (let alone done half the sacrifices to get there) shall refrain from giving lessons, but observing.

Same applies for getting the upper hand in 50/50s, protect the drop point, pull shirts and put the defender off balance.

Pump faking Chris Richards after making eye contact

Cutting the run, block, go in the other direction: separation created

Wharton slips, Guehi on his way back in position is tricked…

…mostly because centre forwards are usually tasked to lak the ball back, not receive and turn to drive at the defence

A flying arm catches Guéhi between the chest and throat. This isn’t an endorsment, but a description that the referee decides to not call.

First attemot at a through ball unsuccesful, hit first time the rebound.

Pure, unfiltered chaos. Yes, that shot was shanked for a goalkick

But forcing defenders to brainstorm and second guess centreforwards is the challenge at stake; that they’re good ultimately decides their level of performance. But isn’t the primary parameter when building up that matchup.

---

In 2018-19, I was assistant coach at U17 level, and we had a French-Guyanese striker who was raw like Durán. These are the players that get you places.

---

In 2019-20 I coached two forwards, one was talent ID by the same scout who identified Serhou Guirassy at Grassroots level. (2002 – unattached).

The other one found some form a few weeks before getting released (at U19) and had a knack for scoring a couple of goals in training, usually the last two clutch goals to finish scrimmage and decide who’d pack equipment up.

What is the point I’m trying to make? I knew one didn’t score a competitive goal, yet was always in winning teams in training.

And opposition teams (unaware of these facts) often talked about “the two strikers” I paired upfront.

Information is a currency in football, it’s never an even state. You know, they don’t.

Watford FC sent an email to get a parking spot to watch this one.

---

Another striker played for the rival club, made a good impression against my team at U19 level, and called me in the summer to join. I thought I could make something of these runs, and gait.

Of course, aligning intentions with a week of training is always challenge.

But he was offered a professional contract nevertheless, and impacted a Ligue 2 game with the same kind of stuff.

Future opportunities are obviously a byproduct of consideration being given versus what is put out on a day to day basis to justify them.

Which backs the point previously mentioned: you know, they don’t.

And then there’s the outlook of it. They being stakeholders, and opponents.

It would be untrue to claim the entire exercise of player valuation in football relies on actually tangible stuff. Most of it is opinions, listened to depending how and who they’re put together. And how the “market” is likely to have an interest in it.

---

A lot of decisions on the pitch are taken live by protagonists themselves which are the players, (more than based on scarce opposition analysis bullet points at best printed and plastered somehow on damp dressing rooms walls and forgotten halfway through being read), but usually refer to mental constructions defenders will make out of opponents during the game.

Defenders thinks this striker looks a handful. They don’t know his Goals -NPxG ratio.

But the general demeanour, short/long sleeves, gloves, pump fake movements, are they yelled at often, do they talk a lot, how are they with refs, do you see / feel them.

You could train a striker to “unattach the goalkeeper’s gloves” or try to draw a free kick on a… g o a l k i c k and he still wouldn’t get anything out of due to the bovine stupidity of it.

Football don’t give free candy for good behaviour.

The majority of the shitehousing / gamemanship in football exist in an universe where an overweight, orange-tanned, fake-haired politician can become a presient: in other words, an accumulation of ridiculously petty shit part of a bigger picture.

---

Russell Martin asking his Southampton forwards to adopt the “6 second rule” favoured by Pep Guardiola: 6 attackers with 6 tactical fouls after 60 minutes.

61% possession, 111 yellows and 3 reds. Level with the mischiefs.

You are not them, don’t act up. Gegendepressing stuff.

Referees aren’t impressed, not under pressure from TVs to not book Foden or Silva.

---

Diego Costa has been sent off once since 2013

Diego Costa’s only sending off has occured with Wolverhampton Wanderers

The point: you can’t process / or engineer some of the organic aspects of the game.

As I’m proofreading this, I see Chelsea being linked with a 6ft2 Barcelona target man.

Who definitely had plenty of opportunities to refine his shitehousing, channel running and headed play skills at Barcelona. Makes sense.

---

Durán winning a free kick by clattering Lewis Dunk. That’s an art that can’t be taught

How to get a corner to run out the clock

The Lukaku / Anichebe trick to back into the defender to gain territory.

The rule of thumb is that until the ball bounces, the defender has the upper hand (more time, and facing the ball that arrives)

Once the ball bounces, the attacker has the advantage.

That’s why Durán backs off, whilst the ball is at playable distance to keep one bounce

Spin and put his arm on Leny Yoro’s chest

Small nudge to put the upper body off balance, even more due to the fact Yoro was already backtracking on toes (Durán is a big boi)

Ball clipped for a corner, that’s 30-45’’ won easily

You can complain Mr. Yoro, but You Only Rant Once.

Referee calls a corner and agrees with the turbulent Durán.

---

The “attitude issues”

I’m covering it at last, because I’m not very interested in indulging in character assessments / assassinations. Players aren’t their passports, they aren’t their looks.

Football doesn’t change character, it reveals it.

People are complex, football is a complex sport, footballers are therefore complex whithin that complex system. You don’t get to stack players into boxes, let alone yours.

One simply doesn’t get to shoehorn players as “free spirits” and “trouble makers”.

Is Ben White problematic? Is Jhon Durán problematic? Is Nemanja problematić?

You can tell a defender how to prepare his next opponent, take the information that’s their job.

It’s different for an attacker. He’s not gonna level down his game to look out of his depth. This is the nuance I’d make.

The “maverick” defender better get the ball back more often than not.

If you’re quick and can’t take advantage of Jannick Vestergaard lack of pace, you’re simply dumb. It’s not about listening or not to video feedback, or opposition analysis.

---

The Uber Eats-isation of football analysis, from “tactics” to realising that players are individuals who perform it; therefore leading to cookie cutter analysis such as “I’d like this and not that”.

I’d like creative players who fit into a system.

By definition, creative people do not.

Artists and engineers are two different life approaches.

One creates new solutions based on what he perceives, the other one is tasked to only solve problems the way he’s taught to.

There’s good and bad artists / engineers. Bad artists give up when they figure out they cant eat their art. Bad engineers are put into a professional development plan (or are fired). Bad artists sometimes become sad engineers.

You don’t get to pick like an Uber Eats order the characteristic and skillset that are associated to certain roles on the pitch, without the associated character traits.

Just like for goalkeepers, stikers are often not all there. Who’d want to be hammered from point blank range and get a shot in the face? Or who takes pleasure in shooting the football very hard?

Unai Emery is the best coach in the world in taking average/good players, and drilling them the movement and level of detail to bring them to the next level.

Coaching is merely the process to make below average players look above average.

Put it bluntly, scrubs are scrubs, and good players stay good players.

That coaching is remarkable, Unai Emery is respectable (which tends to not be so frequent for authoritarian managers), he delivers 45’ minutes of video feedback every day.

As much as it benefited someone like Watkins (programmed for the top level, just had to pace his career differently in and out of the Academy system – a thing to keep in mind when retweeting Fabrizio Romano commenting on the “next big thing”. Ollie Watkins was. Just couldn’t cut it. And that shouldn’t be anyone’s business but his family’s at 15)

That approach may or may not resonate with each individual.

There’s the didactic aspect (the message), and the way to convey it.

Some players need load of feedback, some like to go through on their own, some need to be shown, or simply learn the hard way in training.

There’s no “one size fits all” or “the feedback will make the difference” and then sorting out players from their propensity to take yours.

---

There’s different ways to get the same outcome:

• “peel off the centre back” with pattern movement (isoated with plastic mannequins)

• Show on a diagram to receive “back foot in the half spaces”

• “Make it difficult for this guy, he’s [not good] when he needs to defend in midfield”

And / or make sure the ball goes back to front quickly, so that players don’t get impatient. And once on the pitch, let them quibble. Refer to the Alan Shearer video.

“ask in a way so that I get the ball the next time”

---

That’s natural selection: Col(d) Palmer has ice cold blood, guts and came out on top.

That situation was a truther and much more insightful than the portrayed “abandon of responsibility” from the Lemon Man.

That’s a bad look; sure. But on the other hand if the Olise bag wasn’t fumbled, Noni wouldn’t sniff the pitch past the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup.

That scene would have happened at the end of the 8v8 in training behing closed doors, curtains.

These things always come back biting you on the ass.

---

Also, the 21 year old backup striker sulks because he wants to play more.

Get a grip. If he was happy to not play, surely you wouldn’t be when he does.

---

Strikers resonate differently to getting “conditioned” or ready to play a game

---

Sometimes it takes precise instructions, for players who build a mind map of the areas they can take advantage of. Some demand and grasp it.

The striker who scores here couldn’t bag a goal at U17 level.

His workrate was relentless, and after simply explaining what I’d expect off the ball I figured out he was a sponge able to understand every “pressing angle”, and is one of the most tactically intelligent player I’ve coached.

He scored 30 seconds after coming on for his debut at U19 level (replacing the striker who didn’t even have time to put his jumper – jumping off the bench)

Player empowerment goes a long way, when the “job description” is clear.

Due to a shortage of CBs, I paired two U17s in central defence one month later:

one CF, one CM against Ali-Cho (OGC Nice) and Lgharbi (France U18) and Angers 2019-20, U19 Champions that season (1-1) on March 8, 2020 (“let’s play a last game before shutting the country down”).

That’s him, rushing out to intercept:

---

Another striker was tasked with the pressing trap of

• ball side striker blocks the DM

• ball far striker stays between CFs

(usually, forwards self organise the other way round, and the second striker can’t be arsed to cover all across the pitch, therefore the first line gets beaten everytime)

The idea would be to encourage the pass back to the CB who’d play into traffic.

Fair play to the Concarneau coach, who pointed out we had “two quick strikers” in his regional newspaper before the game.

Sit deeper than the team who want to sit deep. 1-0 inside 30’. Curtains. 3pts.

That striker, U17 as well, did play 9, 10, 8 and RWB in the same U19 game due to various events. Tactical intelligence.

---

Sometimes it requires soaking the striker with praise, because negative feedback once in the game is only ever used by coaches to absolve themselves for their imaginary audience.

“do it” – not saying what, though.

4D Chess.

Serhou Guirassy energy? That’s right. Talent ID by the same super scout at the same grassroots level as U18.

---

Sometimes it takes “this is what you’re good at, so we’re gonna maximise, make sure you’re here and here”.

ex: Relief outlet in the channel when we get the ball back on one side. 2018

There won’t be “striker buy-in” if the ball takes three weeks to reach the attacking line.

If the willingness to implement “tacticoball” supersedes the one to actually play football, it’s easy to fall out with “mavericks”

There’s a build up to that “punt in the channel”, with the knwledge the ball wil be won back and the striker fed early.

As of 2024, Hacene is the best player in French Tier 3,

Just getting promotion to Ligue 2.

---

Talent pathways are complex, dense and opportunities are scarce in the window where players are looked at (seriously) by clubs, between 16 and 21.

The only way out is to give chance after chance after chance, because even doing so doesn’t even guarantee a breakout.

Your Groucho Marx / God Complex life principles can wait.

The striker currently playing third tier French football as of 2024, is the #13 seen at 1:51, who came on as a left back (video below).

What should have been, what turns out happening? That’s not relevant.

That’s what it is. The illusion of “control” over games, or “guaranteed breakout”, “cannot go wrong”. Connections, opportunities, who you know.

Who wears a cow-boy hat and who people would like to find a good reason to criticise for petty (to stay kind) reasons? That’s not relevant either – it’s a player’s game.

If Anthony was born in Colombia or Ecuador, as opposed to the gold mine of talent between Paris and Le Havre (the Seine valley).

Would he have made his debut at 16 or 17 in Primera Division?

What if. But the goalposts don’t move, a player is a player.

Aged 17 away at PSG at National U17 level for QRM (Rouen-based club).

But sometimes, winding up strikers it can ideed also be down to “I heard … say this about you” to pump the player up.

There’s a lot of books about “tactics”, few with one size fits all scripts to interact with people in a sport environment.

---

As for the “ruined a house”, Jhon Durán, probably wasn’t renting a student accom on £300 a week. Stories of footballers moving in / out are not even interesting to the public (who cares) and if they host a few parties or break a few plates, well they earn good money and can leave it some behind. Again, who cares.

The last time Chelsea FC was relevant, Diego Costa lived off barbecues and kept the whole Cobham village awake. Two league titles, thank you very much.

Was he borderline overall, or just on the family guy meme?

---

There’s probably much worse things (and individuals) to draw scrutiny on.

As far as (anyone) should be concerned, is the quote “Sport doesn’t change character, it reveals it” and the two bullet points:

• When the team has the ball, trust your team mate and get away from him

• When the team doesn’t have the ball, help out your team mates and just to be close to youuuu…

Character evaluation? Just look at these two points. Durán seems to fare alright.

Character test succesful. Hot on the tracks.

---

There’s subjects that don’t get to be trivialised.

Footballers are one side of complex individuals, with sinuous (personal) journeys.

Over the counter character assessment from glass towers are often out of order.

This being proved right over and over again, doesn’t provide avid commentators with more perspective the time after .

Pochettino thinks Lemons absorb bad energy. Hmmm…

He also walks the talk, and evidences a track record of having players playing out of their skin. Which is a welcome change from the “My Door Is Open FC” who end up being described as locking themselves down trying to figure out “the tactics” with a camp bed in the office at the training ground, in the inevitable (and quite boring) manageral sacking post mortems.

• Richie Lambert getting to England and Liverpool

• Jay Rodriguez, the Burnley Butragueño

• Harry Kane, Son and Dele Alli !

• Moïse Kean scoring 18 goals from wide

• Mbappé getting 17 assists (and 31 goals) in Ligue 1 – never had more than 8

• Messi three short of breaking the assist record in Ligue 1 (18)

• Cole Palmer with 31 G/A in Premier League for his breakout season

Making the job unworkable for the Spanish speaking, universally respected Pochettino;

then signing a maverck Spanish speaking striker who thrives in chaos, crosses and first time volleys.

There must be good reasons, that build expectations of things finally adding up somehow after two mediocre seasons; and a brutal swerve of the steering wheel to finally target Tosin Adarabioyo (and more or less anyone aged 24 and below, and over 6ft3).

Valles, Tosin, Tah, Upamecano, Duran, Omorodion, Sesko… a mock NBA draft.

Keep Pochettino and sign Duran, and he bags between 12 and 24 goals.

Some of the regrets I have with players that I coached mentioned in that article, was to not have voiced my hunch and strong gut feeling even more than I thought I did.

I should’ve done (even) more.

Does it resonates with finishing 12th and 6th having spent 1 B ?

Partager:

• X
• Facebook

Like Loading…

About the author

• Facebook
• Instagram

• Comment
• Reblog
• Subscribe Subscribed
  • Sébastien Chapuis
  Join 1,764 other subscribers
  Sign me up
  • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• • Sébastien Chapuis
  • Subscribe Subscribed
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Copy shortlink
  • Report this content
  • View post in Reader
  • Manage subscriptions
  • Collapse this bar

%d