Tactical Means of Improving Soccer

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27090, 26 May 1949, Page 4

Tactical Means of Improving Soccer

First Grade Soccer teams have played football of a reasonably high standard so far this season, but while the players appear to be physically fit, which is the first essential, positional play and pattern passing will have to be improved upon before it may be said that Otago Soccer is really good, writes a special correspondent. The poor conception of positional play lies in the fact that most teams take the field without a preconceived plan. If Otago is to copy the type of play practised by English professional teams, full-backs should mark opposing wing-forwards, wing-halves mark inside forwards,’ dnd the centrehalf should take care of -the opposing centre-forward. These remarks should not be taken literally and do not mean that the full-back should shadow his opposing wing, but that he should position himselt in order to be at hand if the ball is passed to the wing, so that he may tackle or intercept before the wing gains control. It will generally be found that the defending wing-halves must remain in close contact with the inside forwards because the .latter are usually the players from whom the attack is started or persevered with. The inside forwards, who operate a shuttle service, lend assistance to their halves on defence and carry the ball to their three potential scorers, the wings and centre-forward. The inside forwards should have the ability to tackle well, dribble, head and distribute the ball to the best advantage. Like every other player in the team, they must draw their opponent and then pass to the gap. Thus, the player receiving the pass must co-operate and position himself accordingly.

The centre-half/ or pivot, should generally play behind the attacking centre-forward in order to cut off a pass and counter any play by this man. If he is harassed by the centre-forward when defending his goal, he could pass ba l ck to the goalkeeper provided he has sufficient room and a prior understanding with his goalkeeper. A good centre-half can come up on attack, but once he has distributed the ball and opened up the attacking play, he must return to guard the centre-forward in case of k long clearing kick or breakaway by the opposition. Except when cutting into goal or harassing an opponent, the wing-for-wards should reinain within five yards of the sidelines—too often they take-up the inside forwards’ position, with the result that a ball passed to them either goes out of bounds or is easily intercepted by the opposing full-backs. The wings and centre-forward lie well up the field and seldom come behind the halfway line, and then only when the opposition is taking a corner kick or when a goal kick is taken by their team. Because they are the main goal getters, it should not be necessary for them to forage for the ball.

The goalkeeper must be given every assistance, his vision must not be obscured, and the defence must keep out of the goal area. The only time the backs or half-backs should enter the area is when the goalkeeper has moved out to clear. With this game, the attack and defence is made up in a series of diagonals. If the play is on the left flank, then the right full-back should covfer the left wing and the right back must move across towards the centre of the field in front of the goal and slightly behind the left fullback. The defending right-half is close to the attacking inside-left and the centre-half is in attendance on the centre-forward, also some yards behind his right-half. In this way, a cover is provided for the defeated or bypassed player. The defending player who has been beaten by his opponent, must immediately take up the position of the player who has come to his asistance or, if. the attacking player is still free, then the defender must chase and worry him. If players in Otago adopt this or any other defined policy of attack and defence, then the good Dlay witnessed this season will further improve and public support will not be lacking for the game which attracts tens of thousands in England and Scotland. Club coaches should not concentrate their attention on Senior players only. The junior players must be given every encouragement and coaching in order to improve the standard of play generally. Orr Impressive Rex Orr, the Zingari-Richmond full-back, was one of the most impressive players in the ZingariAlhambra game on Saturday. He was steady without being brilliant, and few of his long kicks failed to • find touch. He fielded the ball well, and deftly stepped out of tackles around the neck when endeavouring to clear from a thrust by the Alhambra side. He linked up with the backs in several movements and displayed good form 1 when he went up into the five-eighth position to take the place of a player who was injured. Hockey Fixtures at Mosgiel

It has been the custom for the Otago Women’s Hockey Association in the past to play senior matches on alternate weeks at Mosgiel for the early part of the season and then in the latter stages, when selectors are busy looking for possible representative players, to • play all matches in Dunedin. This season matches are being played at Mosgiel every Satur : day for the first round and the Taieri team will travel to Dunedin each week for the second half of the season. This may appear a little hard on the Mosgiel team, since no cup points are being counted for the first round.

Return to Form A L Mclndoe, the Pirates half-back and captain, for Otago in five games in 1947, including the match in which the Ranfurly Shield was won from Southland at Invercargill. Last season, however, the cares of captaincy appeared to weigh heavily upon him, and although he had the satisfaction of leading his side to championship honours, his play did not reach the standard of the previous season. In the games to date this year, however, Mclndoe has shown more than glimpses of his best form. Against Southern on Saturday he opened up the play well and made several sharp breaks from the scrum, one of which, in the closing stages, fell barely a foot short of the lme when a try would have changed the fate of the game. Women’s Indoor Basketball

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the Drill Hall, the Women’s Indoor Basketball Association commenced the first round of competition matches. This season teams have been graded into four sections, and it augurs well for general interest in the game that one section is composed almost entirely of new players.. With 32 teams entered, there are eight in each section, and it is hoped that in section 1 in particular the standard will be greatly improved. Already the value of a full-size court is apparent in more open play, and teams are beginning to realise the advantages of making use of the full width of the court. The first interprovincial matches will be played at King’s Birthday week-end in Christchurch, when the South Island Championships will be held. It is unfortunate that sufficient entries have been received for A Grade matches only to be held, but in spite of this the championships should be successful.