Strategy to survive and possibly beat St. Ignatius

ELKSONE

ELKSONE

#EPND
Years ago I watched a match between Centerville and Kettering Alter, a crosstown rival. At the time, circa early 80's, Centerville was a dominant program and a solution for Alter that evening was to pack the goal area and play defense through all of regulation to survive the game without losing.

Do you think it's possible to play a similar strategy through regulation, OT and hope you can beat Ignatius on PK's?

I know it's a long shot, however if you don't match up which many if not all don't, could this work?
 
 
ELKSONE said:
Years ago I watched a match between Centerville and Kettering Alter, a crosstown rival. At the time, circa early 80's, Centerville was a dominant program and a solution for Alter that evening was to pack the goal area and play defense through all of regulation to survive the game without losing.

Do you think it's possible to play a similar strategy through regulation, OT and hope you can beat Ignatius on PK's?

I know it's a long shot, however if you don't match up which many if not all don't, could this work?
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That has been tried and has been successful a couple of times before.
 
I don’t think that strategy works against this St I team, but I do think it may be the only strategy most teams could attempt. I really do think the best strategy is to defend deep and look for counter attacks. I DO think they can be scored on, but the firepower that St. I has is hard to describe. Any team that I have watched that attempts to play them straight up will lose.
 
Two of the better teams in Greater Cleveland played St. Ignatius during the course of the season. One team played a low block and was able to maintain contact for a half-plus, while the other team played more straight up and the game was out of reach by halftime.
 
ELKSONE said:
Years ago I watched a match between Centerville and Kettering Alter, a crosstown rival. At the time, circa early 80's, Centerville was a dominant program and a solution for Alter that evening was to pack the goal area and play defense through all of regulation to survive the game without losing.

Do you think it's possible to play a similar strategy through regulation, OT and hope you can beat Ignatius on PK's?

I know it's a long shot, however if you don't match up which many if not all don't, could this work?
Click to expand...
Anyone can be beat.

The true beauty of soccer is an elite goalie can pretty much single-handedly win a game on the right night... Pack the box!
 
I suppose it's possible, but it will make for a long 110 minutes for a back line. Problem is, Ignatius is pretty creative on offense and has a lot of ways to beat you, so it would basically become a 2 hour long training session for them, throwing every possible combination at you all night long.

The longer a team can keep them from scoring, it's possible they can get them frustrated enough to maybe make a mistake. It's probably the best strategy a team would be able to come up with, though.
 
Ha. Their left back made a run up the right wing in the first half and the Iggy announcers commented about the freedom he had on the field. I wouldn’t call that packing it in. Moeller doesn’t play a low block or a mid block. If you watch them play at all they typically try and press all over the field.

That said, I do think to have any sort of success vs. Iggy you need the following:

- a great game by the keeper
- a concerted effort to get the mids and back line behind the balll in transition. Probably more of a 4-4-2 formation to get 8 behind the ball.
- great communication to pass runners between teammates and make sure half spaces are accounted for. Or, if man marking, covering the space left behind by runners to maintain shape / organization. It’s critical to have shape and organization in own 1/3 across the width of the 6 and 18
- less focus on winning the ball / tackling and more focus on blocking shots, eliminating passing lanes and marking runners.
- a disciplined back line that’s careful to not step up and help when/if the mids get beat but rather delays and buys time for teammates to recover.
- smaller gaps in the middle of the field with backs and mids. Give up the flanks. Tuck in the backside mid and back for support. And when ball is reversed to the opposite flank having the mid drop quickly to support in defense or cover for back who steps out to defend.
- the two 9s or the 10 and 9 stay aggressive and opportunistic in the counter. They must work together to try and creat me quick opportunities to counter if given the chance.

Obviously this is more difficult than it looks and most HS teams are not very well organized defensively to play this style. Iggy movee incredibly well off the ball and their pattern play is exceptional. They are very good at dragging you out to create space and mismatches.
 
arizonawildcat said:
I believe it was Moeller who packed their defense against Ignatius. Final score: Ignatius 8, Moeller 0.
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I watched that game. I wouldn’t have called what they did, parking the bus.
Scottyflatstix said:
Ha. Their left back made a run up the right wing in the first half and the Iggy announcers commented about the freedom he had on the field. I wouldn’t call that packing it in. Moeller doesn’t play a low block or a mid block. If you watch them play at all they typically try and press all over the field.

That said, I do think to have any sort of success vs. Iggy you need the following:

- a great game by the keeper
- a concerted effort to get the mids and back line behind the balll in transition. Probably more of a 4-4-2 formation to get 8 behind the ball.
- great communication to pass runners between teammates and make sure half spaces are accounted for. Or, if man marking, covering the space left behind by runners to maintain shape / organization. It’s critical to have shape and organization in own 1/3 across the width of the 6 and 18
- less focus on winning the ball / tackling and more focus on blocking shots, eliminating passing lanes and marking runners.
- a disciplined back line that’s careful to not step up and help when/if the mids get beat but rather delays and buys time for teammates to recover.
- smaller gaps in the middle of the field with backs and mids. Give up the flanks. Tuck in the backside mid and back for support. And when ball is reversed to the opposite flank having the mid drop quickly to support in defense or cover for back who steps out to defend.
- the two 9s or the 10 and 9 stay aggressive and opportunistic in the counter. They must work together to try and creat me quick opportunities to counter if given the chance.

Obviously this is more difficult than it looks and most HS teams are not very well organized defensively to play this style. Iggy movee incredibly well off the ball and their pattern play is exceptional. They are very good at dragging you out to create space and mismatches.
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This is perfectly stated, and exactly what any team that hopes to beat them would have to do. Go watch some old Chelsea or Real Madrid vs Barcelona games for some examples. They can be scored on, and if you have the defense and discipline, then maybe, maybe.
 
ELKSONE said:
Years ago I watched a match between Centerville and Kettering Alter, a crosstown rival. At the time, circa early 80's, Centerville was a dominant program and a solution for Alter that evening was to pack the goal area and play defense through all of regulation to survive the game without losing.

Do you think it's possible to play a similar strategy through regulation, OT and hope you can beat Ignatius on PK's?

I know it's a long shot, however if you don't match up which many if not all don't, could this work?
Click to expand...
Yellow Springs did same thing to Centerville in '84. They kept Greg Ayers (Dayton Dynamo) out top. If memory correct, long time ago, Ayers scored on a break away and YS won 1-0.
 
swowrestling said:
Yellow Springs did same thing to Centerville in '84. They kept Greg Ayers (Dayton Dynamo) out top. If memory correct, long time ago, Ayers scored on a break away and YS won 1-0.
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They tied 1-1. Centerville only lost to St X and Mt Lebanon PA during the regular season before winning the State Title that year.
 
I think you are referencing the 1983 season, swowrestling. Yellow Springs lost in the state semifinals that year.
 
EagleFan said:
Did the Avon coach read this thread when it was first posted??
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One previous suggestion was to have 8 behind the ball
Avon put 10 behind the ball. Their focus was on tackling, not to win the ball but just to disrupt, and blocking shots
The strategy appeared to be play for a 0-0 and take your chances on PK's because the Avon goalkeeper is very, very good.
 
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