First Premier League start – about time.
Breaking down Josh Acheampong’s long awaited first start in Premier League.
On the bench; Disasi, Veiga, Tosin. The ball doesn’t lie.
It takes time, but everyone eventually does what works.
Presented on the format of a play-by play
Acheampong, Josh or JA, I will not proofread that article for typos
Worth having a look at this one, from one year ago, where Acheampong was already making the pitch look small at Selhurst Park.
Another Cucurella turnover (that’s why he usually passes it back to the sender)
Carrier not closed down, one foot in front one foot behind to run in the other direction;
Fundamentals for young CBs (we’re talking U14 in any half decent academy)
Defensive reading is good; eye contact with Colwill, who’s closest to sweep behind another Cucurella howler.
Defend in space requires to know where you stand “geographically”
Sprint to the near post, block the left leg close to the 6yd line then ready to clear anything without facing his own goal ; once the cross is hit
Difference between top level footballers, and players who are not;
Caicedo cuts off the pullback, look who’s on toes, who’s in timberlands.
That’s how you stay prepared to adjust footwork and land support foot next to the ball, if that’s a poor backpass, overhit, underhit, far or close to you
for an emergency clearance
One thing I like a lot about Acheampong is the weight and technical execution, with swerve and accuracy to get around the corner.
Swerve gets around Eze, and that’s a split second that can put the receiver in a better position than the pass you received.
Theres a reason why football experts at Lyon shunted Malo Gusto out of winger/ central midfield to put him as fullbacks
Another cheap turnover, look at the CBs ready to defend in space:
better keep carriers in front, than leave gaps for runners behind.
Anyone who’s into coaching / player dev knows this behaviour / response to situation is very obvious from the outside, but gets some doing to ingrain into young CBs’s game as consistently as displayed here
This was very impressive, most of the debutant CBs would whack the ball with the baseball bat, or let it bounce and panic whilst they’re expecting the GK to pick it up
A half volley pass which is very impressive from an agility standpoint, it’s not up and down, it’s not a pass.
Just a volleyed pass at shin height
Don’t involve the goalkeeper unless required
Mateta testing Colwill’s patience
Acheampong delaying the technical decision, could pass back, take a touch (argh) or slice the ball at the last instant.
Point is to have Mateta get beyond, as when he does, strikers never track back when they’re tricked by a CB’s touch; but definitely can’t be an error from the CB (say there’s a support striker ready to nick the ball, happens every week at academy level – CB gets smart, and red card tackles the striker out of panic)
Long ball with backlift
For a ball that goes quickly up in the air, rolling backwards to not gather speed when it bounces.
Good technical execution, leaning backwards, arms for balance
And limited leg swing to finish the move
Nothing groundbreaking. Something any half decent EFL CB will play 30 times per game for the striker to chase.
It’s still a skill to be able to play that specific type of “approach” speculative long ball that doesn’t crash on the first man (nor slides out of play)
Handling a backpass in the channel
Long first touch in open space in front of the striker
Short touch to flat foot Eze
And needle pass in the same motion
Technique is a means to solution a problem, where is the space. Play where the space is, and disguise intent.
Criteria can be: speed between the short touch and that pass. Played at 1.5x speed, therefore creates a gap by beating the tempo.
Technique, requires more than flicks and shit, and why Malo Gusto stopped playing left winger at U17 level for OL. That’s why.
Another turnover. Look at the change of mindset
Ball isn’t even out of Eze’s feet that Josh is already backtracking
Meaning when the pass is played for JPM
Josh has the 3 yards of space in front to sprint
and set his footwork where he wants to show the channel.
Caicedo, ball watching as usual if your roll back the sequence. A small hop (to mark who?) then a step back. If Mateta decides to play the blind pass to Sarr (7), the window is open.
Space and time wasted at first, can’t be caught up all the time.
Long ball from keeper to channel.
See how PL teams know how to hit that specific channel between fullbacks and CB, forcing CBs tod efend wider than the box.
Mateta backs off, strong stance; arm between chest and throat
Josh navigates trying to maintain his balance, standing his ground without allowing the striker to back off into him.
Overally well managed. A stronger CB will have gained a step on the frame above, stood his ground to have the striker crouched forward (and handball it)
That management is equally clever, Mateta backs off into air and fails to make it stick.
Koscielny was outstanding, whilst not being built like a WWE character, to manage his weight and avoid being used as a stool at the very last moment
Problem solving in small spaces: perception action, therefore depends on time constraints and “affordances” (= what you feel you can do with the conditions you’ve got)
Mateta’s closing down is annoying because it doesn’t give the solution. If JA goes forward or back, Mateta can get across
The composure from JA to delay half a second is what separates “tekky players” from “dribblers”. Saka masters the art of shifting the ball against the defender’s momentum
Right when Mateta is about to get level flat footed, JA shifts the ball forward
Arms to keep balance
and a clean passback.
It’s all about playing with the opposition, and exploiting the space he doesn’t take. Technique exists in the context in which it’s used, timing is equally important as the pure “mechanical” aspect of ball mastery
For once CHelsea have enough bodies behind the ball. Triple team out wide
Look at the near post to get on the imaginary line (shortest distance)
Already on toes balance leaning forward, easier to move towards the ball ans clear
Fun game to play. Defenders and Marc Cucurella.
Long ball; start the leap at the apex (highest point of the trajectory)
You can have the same timing and a good leap, the tallest player will always edge it.
Chelsea squad.
Built by 5 english sporting directors, and all over the place on second balls.
Carries out of defence.
Thing about Josh is not even that he’s that gangly awkward looking CB you need to watch a lot to be sure.
Carries the ball like the silkiest attackers (Olise, Hazard, Messi). Knee bent
This is aesthetics, but sure helps moving like there’s no gravity
Doesn’t seem much, but main reason why many coaches (rightly or wrongly) don’t want CBs carrying out (they’ve coached more games than you, opinionated ideologue) is that this play frequently ends one way or another.
CB going through at goal (1 in 100)
CB toe poking out of play (the Rüdiger special)
CB lunging into a leg breaker chasing his touch (98 times out of 100)
THe composure to spin (left foot) and retain is something you only see in the top end of CBs
That one, (from Gusto’s passback) wasn’t great, an up and back with lot of snow, easy to clear. Off balance, requires strength to have a lower trajectory down the line (as far as possible – whithin the bounds)
Maresca’s Chelsea, easier to open than a bag of crisps, the ones Dewsbury eats at home whilst he’s sick. Get well soon (but far, please)
Mateta makes it stick, Colwill tight with no foul
Caicedo still kinda ball watching. Does he have a clean 2-3 yards in front to protect the ball and close down Lerma?
Ends up changing direction level, therefore not screening the defence
Josh in between, with no cover inside
Makes up ground (speed)
Brings his balance as low as possibl
Spinning at speed without losing time
The point is to delay with footwork, to allow the return of defensive team mates
Job done, Josh didn’t give the solution, stayed on pace with Eze (who was offside anyway)
That’s good defensive crisis management
Look at the location with the post, that’s good positioning
One yard removed from the near post, so that he can get at the near post on the move (one step and clear it with the left)
Soles on the ball. Fair enough, what next
Don’t try this at home. Having powerful players who can make up ground on the ball will be the difference between a performative “sole on the ball” mannequin challenge, and a team that will be able to change the picture with individuals (who cost money, and won’t join your club).
The composure and technical detail to have a bit of swerve
Variety: leave the striker guessing. Is he gonna play the FB, the CM or carry. Keeps everyone on edge
Cucurella torched on fire by another player.
Crowds boo him because he’s not good.
Back to good players
Easy for Colwill and Josh to be ball watching (being drawn to the ball losing your position with no immediate chance to win it back, and leaving the ball-goal line)
Discipline to defend front and far post
Difficult task when none of your fullbacks are suited to the league. One not suited can work out if he gets end product. Cucurella and Gusto guve none, and let the defence hung out to dry
Enzo, playing like the Sun King – separation movement hermano ?
find separation during the CB-CB pass?
Then doing his best Leandro Paredes impression
Another turnover from “dis is a controlled performance”
Two defenders and Marc Cucurella
Vincenzo’s offside trap
Josh starting the duel with Mateta, get you arm above his
walk the fine line between grabbing (don’t) and having the hand to push the shoulder off balance when you cut (change direction) to go for the cross
A big miss on that corner, left unmarked somehow
A far post finish in the air Acheampong usually likes
After a CB – Sarr fkick pass carves through the BlueCo bag of crisps
Another instance of backing off whilst keeping eyes on the ball
This is a difficult one to judge, as Gusto is again woefully out of position, (inverted fullback gimmick is funny until you need to defend crosses at the far post. Hence why no serious manager did it, and it cost Pep and Zinchenko a goal per game against top 10 teams)
but the cross is an up and under
JA is caught in between, cross at the far post for a flick on is a EFL recipe for a chance
Caicedo’s separation isn’t Kanté, he’s out of the cover shadow before the pass is released
therefore is probably ahead of where he should be, and JA plays a bit behind him
Pass bounced back for Colwill, and some chemistry to find.
Good players have variety, and everyone needs to be able to adapt to different options
“the circuit” puts players asleep (and onlookers)
JA gets shoved in the back when he’s hopping to challenge the GK, by Richards who knows doing it in that location when he skips won’t be a pen. just puts off balance
Get your arms above the melee, otherwise opponents (who did so) prevent you to open yours and take a good leap
JA fails to connect with Gusto, who’s most obviously too deep there
Should be level with Eze to make a difference on the first touch
Gusto, some 8/10 attributes, some 2/10 attributes (finishing heading keeping a marker), and some concentration lapses
When you move up the levels, every good attacker worth his salt has the double separation movement.
Shit players don’t move
Average players move once (late and out of psotion, easy to mark)
Good players cut (change of dirction) four times in the same play
Infomation is visual, but arms help to feel the striker
Sarr got around JA and could’ve tackled in. If JA uses his right arm to feel Sarr, then he can get his body across and resist (or get tackled in too)
Glasner said Chelsea play 4-1-5
JA was pointing at Mateta’s separation movement, a fire not quite put out by Caicedo rushing from LCM position. Enzo doing whatever the fuck he’s doing
Ah yeah, here he is
The floor is Lavia when it comes tod efending the box
Chelsea have a 1.5 B team of can sized players
Cucurella and Enzo don’t score, can’t head, what the fuck are we doing.
That’s it, thats why Chelsea can’t win every ther game
images that precede unfortunate events
Opportunity to see some trademark Josh defending
sprint for the ball when the pass is played, not before
make up ground to go ball-goal line
decelerate
to have the footwork set on the positive touch
Agility. coordination
Left leg is closer, therefore will block the cross.
Right will only flick with the shinpad
Defending with that weird “set up at the box height” that Pellegrini did at City and West Ham.
Gusto out of position
Another instance of Neto looking busy, but actually doing fuck all.
Guehi reads the newspaper and pings a long ball
CHelsea play without midfielders, so it’s difficult for their defenders (Badiashile and Fofana are injured as a result of having to work for 4)
Impressive intervention by Sanchez who punches
Aceampong isn’t goalside as a result of the musical chairs that force Colwill to take Munoz
can’t cheat the beautiful game. Neto looks busy, marks the short option yet Guehi’s mechanics SCREAM ‘I’m gonna launch it”
Cucurella is the worst outfielder on the pitch, so Palace target him on every attack
Caicedo is short, rash so clamps Mateta instead of jumping and winning the header
There’s no PL team in the past 20 years who won the PL with an undersize DM
Carrick, Vieira, Matic, Ballack, Mikel, Rodri, Fernandinho (would jump higher than you), Fabinho. Liverpool will win it this year with a back 4 who wins 80% in the air.
Even Arsenal only started being serious when they played Saliba and the guy who can’t play games scheduled in Spain.
defensive header, losing a few brain cells (which is something that might be spoken about, it’s a mini concussion)
Head it over the midfielders, possibly behind the backline
Lacroix pumps a long ball (that’s a PL newcomer long ball, just smash it)
Goes high and lands slowly, as opposed to the usual Guehi / Chalobah low long ball
It stays a bit longer in the air
Josh is a tad late triggering his leap, hasn’t landed his right leg with arm in protection
Mateta beats him to an inch
Josh “explodes” a bit, which is an issue if you’re 6ft (because you fall on your arse and the flick is good)
Mateta can’t quite connect because the ball connects both players and stays in the same place.
Height will help you if you mistime a jump. Time a jump being 5 inches short, you’re fucked
Colwill, experienced with 41 games for Huddersfield carrying them to the Playoff Finals (at 19 – I need to see more said Tuchel)
Aim is to squeeze the player, without grabbing, that’s the fine line
Both players kinda connect, which is the point, force a shit header to pick up the second ball
Mateta with the Anichebe special, gain up as much ground you can
Manage to make the ball bounce, and attacker has the advantage ojn the next move
Josh backing off
Decision making: stepping in, then backing off again because Colwill can challenge again
Eye on his marker
Making up ground
Good reading of the situation seeing Sanchez claim it
Neto looks busy, actually does close to fuck all
more experince will help Josh get the arm above the opponent’s
which is NOT elbowing people in the face, just landing the “chicken wing” over the opponent whilst jumping.
It’s dangerous when players decide to elbow and it’s not accepted between players
Manipulates the press. Tactico drivel
Drive to get clear: got to be technically proficient and quick
To move Eze, and play with the left
Cobham produce two footed defenders. Chalobah Guéhi Tomori Humphreys.
To this day I don’t know if Bashir Humphreys is right or left footed, I try to ask whoever knows whoevers might know
Mateta has gravitas, he’s gonna commit your two CBs (what a bad forward won’t)
Questions asked how open Chelsea is, with Enzo jogging back. 105 million excuses
Josh long ball
A support leg a tad stronger will help not have the ball “screwdriving” to beat the defensive line
Support leg stays planted
Only leaving the ground to release energy (and limit the strain on ligaments) but once the ball is out from the feet, with left foot toes pointing in the intended direciton
Mateta’s right am preventing Acheampong to get in front
Hopefully Carlos Vanarama was paying attention
Stayijng on the ball-goal line
Gusto’s more a burden than a help here
This is 2v1 defending. If 1v1, just get back in cover.
BlueCo signings all share the same uncanny “looks like one, not quite it” once you pay actual attention.
Only to half attempt to win it, and dodge the challege, making Josh stand in between a yard away
Mateta can swing a cross
Probably blocked if Acheampong wasn’t disrupted by his own unhelpful team mate
Players who can carry out are valuable at CB
Usually they can’t defend
Josh can.
That’s why Madrid and PSG want him
FOrcing a decision from Lerma, to slide it to Enzo in the pocket
Neto on the cross – you’re not there for football reasons, no reason to play football
This is a good pass in the pocket, if Neto had any idea of how to find separation.
Painful to compare to Michael Olise
Chelsea.
They paid 1 million for a set piece coach
Zonal line with four garden gnomes at the end of the chain (the most important ones are where Neto and Cucurella are – the two removed from the end of the chain)
Guess where the ball lands, two players removed from the end of the chain
Football. Weak link sport
Josh caught this time
Reason to this (57.09) is the carry is straight, dribble with an angle and you can wrongfoot an opponent
Carry inside (bold) to play outside with the left
Or like most CBs do, drive outside for a straight line breaker
Reaction is still good
delay, allow players to get back behind the ball
Smart pass from Josh round the corner for Enzo
for a PROPA. PROPA english football channel hook by Enzo
Neto manhandled by Mitchell, someone was talked into paying 60 m for him
No chance to beat the best defensive LB in PL
This burst to get past Mateta was impressive, that’s top level
Stuff you pay 80 million for
and even that, Leny Yoro doesn’t do
Zipping a line breaker on Nicolas Jackson’s front foot to receive. Quality
Biggest difference between academy football and senior football, is that you’ll have teams outright playing on you to press you
Chest was abit overkill
But difficult one. Too far to chest it t Caicedo, Eze too close for a chest volley
Enzo doing whatever the fuck hes doing, not screening the defence (Conor Gallagher does, they’ve got the best defence in europe, Chelsea are 3pts from 7th)
Close down the carrier
decelerate
zig zag and swarm
Of course there’s status in the game, but that’s where defenders usually make their presence felt by pushing the opponent
Chelsea doing whatever
THe challenge in scouting and player dev is to find quick CBs who like to defend crosses, the overlap is not frequent. Think Gary Cahill vs Rudiger
Josh and Levi’s speed is impressive
Good gamemanship from Josh to prevent Mateta to get momentum and a run in to the near post
Some Cucurella. One of the oddest players at top level. Just gets into 10-15 tackles per game, wins about a third or half of them and leaves players clean up the mess.
Phil Bardsley was called rash for less than that
Good emergency tackle by Josh. Not tackling with the left for a shit second ball, but right leg (more difficult) to make it a pass
That’s what Wesley Fofana’s been doing for 6 months. Now his hamstring popped.
How do you recognize a shit player? He always gives a worse pass than the one he received
Cucurella could play Enzo, but no, let’s throw a bag of shit to Gusto to draw more pressure
Inverting the spreadsheet
Jackson back to goal
Barge into the defender
to protect the drop point
Chest a perfect layoff
Chelsea shit on second balls, no wonder nobody else wanted these second string players they assembled
Neto looks busy, he’s just terrible. Surely your hardworking attacker wins second balls?
Worst outfielder, weak link
Away at Palace and Maresca prefers playing an undersize LB in Cucurella than Veiga.
This is a challenge for good players becuse they have to assume Cucurella will lose the duel whatsoever
Sancho as makeshift left back. Stays on the ball for too long, gets mugged
Another opportunity to see how elastic can Levi Colwill be
Welcome to the Levi Colwill penitentiary
Arms around but don’t grab
Stand the ground, but don’t grab
Stand the ground, and win with the right foot
Caicedo makes an unhappy meal of that clearanc
kind of situation that requires reading, to make the Kompany foul 80 yards from goal if 2v2
81st minute. WHat the fuck are you doing.
elite counter management by Palace
3v2, run across, play the free man
Sarr diagonal carry, Mateta run across. This is a killer for defences. Bleach or gasoline, they can only save the world with a swiss knife (not the 200 million dross BlueCo signed)
Both fullbacks woefully short, it will always cost you games
This is bad squad building
Away, you need your DM to compete for the header
to avoid at all costs your back 4 to dismantle and open the gaps for the quick forward to make a run
Also difficult against a short player who can jump like Nketiah , if you compete you might clamp him and make a foul
Josh doesn’t get the timing right, Enzo and Palmer watch on
The interception-pass is Varane stuff, let alone for a first start in PL
But that’s not a milestone, these players have 10+ years of being better than their age peers in a 10 million inhabitants city.
Enzo does whatever the fuck he does, not screening the defence
another last man for a maiden PL start
Long ball on the big man, flick for the quick guy
6ft4 CB who can track Nketiah? Moves like there’s no gravity pull.
That’s outstanding player development
Conclusion
Top end player development ticks the boxes that usually contradicts themselves:
Quick guy, but coordinated to move in different directions (not just straight line)
Plays line breakers yet good in small spaces
Hell of an impression in a stadium when he gets on the ball, the second touch glides
Ability to know where he stands wrt ball and goal
Will get more gamemanship against strikers before aerial duels and contact in the box
Out of hundred of million signings (Anselmino, Badiashile, Disasi, Tosin signed by the current SDs, they get outperformed by Chalobah (about to be called back), Colwill and Acheampong who cost 0
Would any F1 team do unspoken things to get Adrian Newey? Sure, he’s a cheat code for success, the best enginner in the industry.
Chelsea also had the best engineer in the industry. Forced out.
That signals the end of the Chelsea CB pipeline
There was no need to sign Tosin, the inspirational leader (has he had a single word for a player born during the World Cup 2006 benching him after the disasterclass at Ipswich), and Chalobah could’ve mentored Acheampong.
Don’t get fooled by the Chalobah recall news:
The reason is that Glasner told them they’re in the jungle without GPS, and they took it personally.
The ball doesn’t lie, you’ll always end up playing the good players
Otherwise you’re losing the whole dressing room once they cotton up one choice is completely biaised for political reasons, they’ll assume every other choice is.
Sébastien Chapuis 