Intense and emotional match was waiting, with Shabab Al Ahli getting the winner-goal at minute 91’!

However, this match showed way more than that!

Before starting this match analysis, I will focus on providing an insight that is important when analyzing Youth Football – the age of the athletes (by year and by month).

Although both teams have 10 players born in 2009 and only one in 2010 (Al Wasl player born in August 2010 and Shabab’s in April 2010), at Al Wasl we have a more diverse group, with 6 players born in the first semester of 2009 against 7 players on Shabab’s side.

Why is this data important to analyze before jumping to conclusions about players potential and performances?

Let me give you an example, in the case of Al Wasl, the 2 CB’s have an age difference of 10 months between them.

That’s massive!

That’s 1 Season of potential learning, growth and improvement that one player may have ahead of the other.

And when we start analyzing the data in this details, our conclusions become more realistic.

So, it’s fair to say that, in general terms, Shabab Al Ahli’s team was more experienced.

About the match, Al Wasl presented a Tactical System that isn’t so regular to see in a GK+4+4+2, but in a diamond shape at the midfield, in a medium-low block (in the 1st half).

Meaning, in reality, a GK+4+1+2+1+2!

It was a very good surprise, although I’m not a complete fan of this System, as I found it difficult to sustain the side corridors pressing with the Game passing by, or, in other words, when defending I find this System to be incomplete as it creates the possibility of the other team to explore the sides with ease, potentially creating multiple 2v1 situations against the side backs, even if the team defends compact.

On the other hand, if thinking about the counter-attack (which I believe was the Coaches’ main idea) it can be a very dangerous system, once it’s basically opposing the Strikers against the Centre Backs (CB) of the other team, with the extra-support of the Offensive Midfielder (OM) behind them, in a man-to-man approach in the central corridor (and theoretically, closer to the goal).

The strategy was somehow successful, mainly in the first half, where they were able to be compact defensively and start their aggressiveness pressing after this first line of pressing (the Strikers) was passed and with the OM controlling the central area. 

Additionally, with the support of the side-backs, very similar in terms of profile, both very technically skilled and fast (what a performance by the Right-Back!), they were able to explore the sides for crossing and have the man-to-man situation mentioned before inside the box, with the support of the OM.

That’s exactly how the goal was scored!

The problem, as mentioned, is the ability to be sustainable in time, with the fatigue reaching and the pressing lines starting to be spread along the field, away from each other.

And when that happens, the strengths of this system (to be fair, as any other) are gone and we can only observe the gaps.

This was influenced by 2 things, not only the fatigue of the home team, but also an adaptation on Shabab’s side for the 2nd half.

However, Al Wasl was still able to have some potential dangerous situations on counters, even during the 2nd half, where the defending part was less consistent, also, in part, due to the Shabab’s players defensive positioning in that moment, allowing Al Wasl players to receive the ball freely.

As a final note for the home team, the set-pieces were a constant struggle to the team.

Their deficient positioning left important spaces available, specially in the 1st Space, either in Corners or side Free-kicks, was immense, normally having a 1v1 situation and, therefore, potentially having the opposite player being the one to freely attack that space.

Although (as any tactical decision) it may never be perfect, it would be something worth of correcting!

On Shabab Al Ahli side, the team presented their normal GK+4+3+3 Tactical Formation, with a greater rotation in the midfield, from 2 holding midfielders and 1 Offensive Midfielder to a single Defensive Midfielder + 2 OM’s.
The 1st half was, although they had more ball possession, an incompetent performance.

They weren’t able to create superiority in the areas where they should, they couldn’t attract the pressure to the right places, relying on long passes that were easy to disable.

The 2nd half brought a different system, with the team presenting in a GK+3+5+2, trying to create more play on the sides. 

It was well seen from the Coaches, creating a numerical advantage on the build up – 3CB’s against 2 Strikers from Al Wasl – which was the tone to have that leverage on moving the Game ahead, mainly to the sides. 

Then, by having the ball with more quality (without the need for those long passes to reach the wingers) on the sides, they exposed Al Wasl’s midfielders, now forced to move to the sides often, that with the clock passing, were more and more tired, and weren’t able to supervision all movements. Additionally, when getting another Striker between Al Wasl defenders, Shabab Al Ahli also made the home team’s holding midfielder to be restricted in leaving the support to the defenders, to avoid a 2v2 situation at all times.

A smart (and necessary) move from the Coaches!

On the other hand, defensively, the team always struggled.

Regardless if in a pressing moment, or in defensive transitions (counter-attacks) the team’s positioning wasn’t accurate, allowing, firstly, a lot of counters that could create dangerous situations, just as a lot of space for players to get the ball and run freely, when Al Wasl was able to make 3 or 4 consecutive passes on their build-up stages.

It wasn’t a fantastic performance, even with the tactical changes, and the individual behaviors weren’t there.

The Game Knowledge wasn’t there.

How to attract players, how to gain numerical advantages, how to make the first touch effective, how to screen to see where pressure is coming from, how to position their body accordingly, which foot to pass to my colleague (depending if right or left footed), among other questions, are aspects within the Knowledge of the Game that players of this age (U16’s) must possess, if looking for High-Performance Football.

I often say that Football shouldn’t be seen (and explained) as a 11v11 Game.

That Vision should only be for Coaches and players, eventually, with experience will get there as well.

But Youth players must understand the small games, the 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 maximum, and how to create numerical advantages in those relationships. 

How can I create 2v1 in a 2v2 situation?
how can I create superiority when, in theory, we have the same number of players?

Those are the main questions Youth Coaches should help their players understand.

Because a player (of any age), when he gets the ball, he/she is not facing 11 players, it’s facing the 1, 2, 3, 4 around and has the support of 1, 2, 3 or 4 around as well.

So, in my perspective, to master these relationships matter more than the rest.

And the global players, those that regardless the Formation or System, perform constantly at top-level are those that understand this concepts.

Resuming, a win of volume over performance quality.

Both teams have great Games ahead, with Shabab facing the 3rd place chaser Al Jazira and Al Wasl receiving Al Nasr for another Dubai’s derby next week!

Looking forward to see developments on both sides!

And you?
What’s your thoughts on both teams’ Season performances?

Let’s discuss and help local development!