Gunners_Boys 07-08

  Sunday April 24, 2022 | Princeton, MA Back-to-Back Game On a second leg of a back-to-back over the weekend, without the full, the proper manpower was going to prolong the Gunners Boy's challenge to improve the recent results.  This gives this new the chance to grow from this pain. No Excuses are made; they carry on putting the work in.  First Half This time around, although the Gunners found themselves down a couple of goals, they were able to compete better in midfield.  The focus quickly shifted to progress, rather than results. The Gunners actually found ways to string together passes and kept their opponent at bay. At the half, it was a 2-0 lead, but very encouraging signs. Half-Time Adjustments Possession was the keyword, topic, and priority expressed at the half.  If the Gunners improve this aspect of their game, it would significantly reduce their problem by whatever percentage of possession they are able to manage. Simply put; if we have the ball, they...

Saturday April 23, 2022 | Weston, MA Short-Handed During the school vacation week, the Gunners Boys were short-handed, with many players missing, gone on vacation. With a brand new team, attempting to find some foundation to build confidence, this situation definitely causes a setback.   First Half The Gunners Boys were in for a tough contest this game, as Juventus was ready to destroy, demolish, and disseminate every ounce of courage out the Gunners. Juventus attacked relentlessly, and put their subs in throughout the entire game, which created what seems to be an endless flood of attacks. Down 4-0 at the half, there was so much work to be done, it was tough to decide where to start. Half-Time Adjustments At halftime, the Gunners were encouraged to focus on improving defensive shape, and transition. In short, simply get back behind the ball, as soon as we lose it. Otherwise, it was going to be a repeat of the same in the second half. 2nd Half- Final Result Unfortunately, the ...

Young Gunners 07 v. Sudbury Sunday April 10, 2022 | Worcester, MA Season Opener The first game for a team that has yet to compete outdoors can pose lots of challenges, and it certainly did today.  Although these boys have played and figured out how to manage indoor games, the 11 v 11 is simply a different matter.  It did not take long for the Young Gunners to find out how challenging this can be.  First Half The game started off with the opponent coming out of the blocks seemingly on a mission to score quickly and put the game away early. With no defensive shape from the Gunners' side, they were able to walk in on our keeper at will. Our left side of midfield was completely exposed, allowing Sudbury to create endless scoring opportunities. Half-Time Adjustments At halftime, we discussed correcting defensive shape. The center backs were being pulled out wide, from the lack of defending on the Gunners' left wing.  In order to neutralize this, it was crucial for our cen...