2 great games

We played 2 games today vs two good Mountsorrel teams and we all had a great time.

We have endured a difficult time of late and recently in training we have been working on creating space, ball retention and passing.

And today all of the above was on display in abundance as the lads showed they have clearly been taking notice in training.

The pitch surface was conducive to a passing game and both teams set out to do just that. In fact from the first whistle in game 1 , DFC started passing the ball around beautifully in the best pass and move performance I have seen for a few months. The team spirit, the togetherness and the renewed confidence was there for all to see and I left Mountsorrel later a very happy coach.

We talked before the games about having fun, keeping our heads up if we suffered adversity and keeping going until the end. And to a man that's what every one of the lads did in both games!

Game 1 highlights

We set up slightly deeper than usual in an attempt to move away from the stretched counter attacking style we have benefitted a lot from in the last 2 years. We are in transition at the moment as we look to adopt a more grown up game with more build up play, playing as a unit and avoiding forcing play too much as we have in the past. As other teams have developed we have found we are getting caught too easily upfield and are running ourselves ragged up and down the pitch. A group build up allows us to move up and down the pitch as a unit and today showed positively that although it is early days, we have much to look forward to!!

Daniel was our captain today and played a magnificent John Stones esque role from the back.playing as a lone central defender aided by a defensive midfielder as we set up in a narrow 1-1-2-1-1 off the ball and a 1-3-2 on the ball formation. Daniel was very composed at the back making some tremendous interceptions, dropping the shoulder and playing the ball out in short passes expertly. When needed he motored around to defend, close space, make blocks and press the opposition into trouble or closed areas. Daniel was enjoying himself so much today, as a team we decided to give him a break from Goalie duties and he played the full game in the outfield. Daniel never resorted to hit and hope long balls, never stopped running and went home with the Team Player of the match award! Well done!!

Clark started the game in goal and was tremendous. He played the ball out expertly from the back and made some great blocks and saves. In fact one of his saves can only be described as a 'worldy' when he palmed a bullet of a shot wide of goal. In the last few weeks Clark has been so close to taking the Team player trophy away and again he came very close indeed. When playing outfield, he was always their snapping at the heels of the opposition, making an impressive number of tackles, and also working the ball neatly with his team mates as we passed the ball around sweetly. Clark that trophy has your name on it very soon I'm sure of it!! Well done again!!

Josh started up front and combined really well with Owen. The 2 of them talked constantly through the game as each took turns to play the number 9 and 10 roles. Josh regularly tracked back as a 10 and won back possession in midfield but it was his composure on the ball today that pleased me most. A great through ball from Jake saw Josh motor through and when the selfish striker in me expected him to slot it past the advancing keeper, he unselfishly laid it across to Owen who was unfortunate to see his effort come off the bar.

Jake played a central right role today and covered an incredible amount of ground up and down the pitch. He too looked to pass the ball around and he did so intelligently and accurately. He made a numbers of excellent tackles, and showed great composure with both feet to move the ball around. His work off the ball was incredible and he was unbelievably disciplined in maintaining the right positions.We witnessed a few tricks too as Jake showed off his technical ability to all watching!!

Callum played centre left in a role he has made his own in recent times. Callum maybe suffers the most from the style of play we have adopted recently as he is being asked to move forward more patiently than his usual game but today he showed both his ability to pass the ball around intelligently as well as the Callum flair and power we are all used to. Again today, there were times he twisted the opposition in knots but added to this was a greater patience in moving the ball forward and I was incredibly impressed!!

Sam played both in goal and up front today. He made a couple worldy saves of his own that was met with great applause from the crowd! Sam really listens to what his coaches ask for, is always questioning his positioning and is very quick to react to advice from his coaches. he played the ball out just as we have worked on in training and in his role up from played a brilliant 10 role, passing when it was right to pass and taking on his man when the time was right! Well played Sam!

Dexter played as a central defensive midfielder and as always was very strong in the tackle! Time and time again he was there to tidy up, or drift across to make a very important clearance. Dexter is also good moving the ball forwards at feet but today, as the game went on, became better and better at working the ball forwards with shorter space creating passes. Dexter also likes to move forward quickly so being asked to be more patient in his build up doesn't come naturally to him. However, he also delivered some great defence splitting forward balls and ran his socks off in another great display.

Owen like Josh played a more advanced role in game 1 sharing the 9 and 10 roles. Owen also adapted well and his link play with Josh was superb. Time and time again Owen won back possession high up the field and turned defence into attack. Owen is a natural flair player but today he tempered his flair with good passing moves as well making good decisions more often than not. The woodwork became Owen's fiercest enemy today as he found it a few times but in an excellent move deep in the opposition half, Owen weaved his way through a tight defence to slip the ball past the keeper from a tight angle in a composed finish!!

All in all an extremely impressive display from all the lads! Well done!

Game 2 Highlights.

Sammy walked away with the team player of the game award and before I even announced it all the lads shouted his name. Every blade of grass!! That is what Sammy covered. He was everywhere today and after busting a gut to get forward and support an attack, it was Bryn that pointed out that he had sprinted the length of the field to get back!! And it wasn't just the length of the field, he got back from wide right to wide left too. the amount of speed and energy he showed was incredible but it wasn't just his effort. He tackled, he passed, he beat his man and helped inspire his team mates to work harder themselves. Having only just joined us, in his first ever game, Sammy is now part of the team, hugely popular already with his team mates and we are all so so glad he has joined us!! Well done mate!!!

Joe has grown and grown in confidence lately and is really enjoying his football. He played in an advanced role today and was superb. He has the confidence now to work the ball, to beat his man and shows a great intelligence in choosing his pass or deciding to run into space. At the death he was so unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet and a goal for Joe would have been greatly deserved. Joe was outstanding today and should be hugely proud of his performance!

Ben arrived today with a whopper of a blister on his ankle but the medical crew comprising of Sarah and his Dad, did a great Job of patching him up. It looked very painful though so we played Ben in a lone 9 striker role with Joe undertaking the 10 role moreso. Ben helped by staying up front, stretching play and giving us an outlet. We witnessed a lot of drag overs, twists and turns as Ben tried different techniques to get past a strong defence and was so lucky not to get on the scoresheet today. Another hard working and strong performance.

Kudzai was our captain today and played centre wide for us today in a very powerful performance. He also looked to do the right thing time and again, picking out great passes at times and at other times powering forwards. He burny a lot of energy in his forward runs abut got back well too to help out at the back. Kudzai used his strength to his advantage time and again to regain and retain possession. Well played mate!!

Having played a part in game 1, we rotated Josh, Owen, Clark and Sam in game 2 and Dexter had a brief run out too

Like Daniel, Josh had regained his mojo back so much today, we gave him a break from goalkeeping duties. We tried Josh in a defensive and defensive midfield role today across both games which lets face it is rather alien to him but he put in possibly his best display of the season. His energy, hard work and composure on the ball with both feet was great to watch and it was great to see him playing with confidence again! Another contender for team player of the match!

Clark having played a blinder in game 1 just decided what the heck and did it again in game 2. More excellent saves, more great tackling and as is always the case with Clark he just keeps running and running when we can all see he is exhausted. A few of the lads agreed that were it not Sammy, Clark was right up there for the Team player of the match award ! Great player, great teamworker!!

Sam did a 2nd stint in goal today and gets better and better between the sticks making some important stops as always. He worked hard in the outfield and broke up play time and again recycling the ball really well! I asked Sam to play a central defensive midfield role also and he did very well there showing just how versatile he is as a player - well done buddy!

Owen played at the back and up top in a commanding performance in game 2. some great tackling, a lot of physicality, 1-2s and some great displays of flair were on off to all of those watching. Owen even said he would go in goal :-) We needed his experience, know how and flexibility in the outfield however as he played a number of positions to allow me to rotate the lads! Well done mate!!

Dexter did me a stint in the first half of game to and helped keep things tight, showing his physicality and game reading skills to make a number of interceptions. He left with a few war wounds and enjoyed comparing bruises with his team mates as if they'd just returned from active duty !! :-)

All in all a positive experience for all, 2 great games, and a lot of confidence should be taken from how we adapted to a different playing style.

It should be noted that after we left it didn't end there! An impromptu stopover at the Copt Oak public house (ahem) for a swifty on the way back saw both Sam and Josh decked out in their Desford kits land themselves a WAG each as 2 older girls took a shine to them.Not realising they were with us the girls slipped away and phoned their mates when standing right next to me to talk about the 2 cute footballers they had met....................Dave and Jeff !! Apparently Josh is Dave!... ''well we didn't want to tell them our real names did we dad!'' said Josh, "They weren't really our type!"

:-) :-) :-)

Thanks all !!