🐤🐤 CANARilly play 2 upfront?

Norwich U21's striker pairing - Ken ABOH and Dan OGWURU

Norwich was on the road this Saturday, playing at Bournemouth for the Premier League U21 Cup. A game of football happened, I turned up. Not sure about the competition, or the stakes at play. I knew I had a chance to watch Norwich City’s front two.

Ken Aboh and Dan Ogwuru were paired up top of a 442 for the Norfolk side, and proved once again that there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle. (or two).

🐤🐤 Canari-lly play 2 upfront, in an an era of Main Character Syndrome 9 (or coaches) expected to do everythig by themselves ahead of an areopagus of more or less convincing “progressors”. Or simply being holograms 9 who nevertheless “link up play in the half spaces” “chest second balls”

• Ken ABOH (10): 2004 born American-English striker, on the left of the picture

• Dan OGWURU (9): 2004 born English striker, heading the ball, signed from Manchester City in the summer.

• Errol MUNDLE-SMITH (2006) came on with 25 minutes to go, signed from the Kinetic Foundation football program in London.

  

SKIP IN THE BOX

One trait of good strikers is to stay alive in the box.

To an extent, everything can be coached, but nobody was ever coached or instructed to skip in a candy shop. You do that because it’s the best way to make something out of an opportunity if it arises.

STAND IN BETWEEN

One very annoying thing good strikers do, is to find the sweet spot at 2/3 distance between defenders because they’re the biggest chaos merchants on the pitch

By standing close to the CB but not quite, but too far from the fullback, they guarantee defenders cuss at each other blaming each other for communication / passing along the marking duties.

Stay tight = distance between defenders extends (more space appears)

Maintain zonal distance = lose contact with the striker (who can exploit space)

GET IN SYNC

Difference between strikers and entertainers will be: ball carrier has the ball, do you go away (strikers) or are you drawn to the ball.

Aboh and Ogwuru’s synchronisation is comically on sync, but evidences proof of good coaching

ALGORTHMIC PERCEPTION OF AFFORDANCES

dafuq am i reading

“Run the channel”

Strikers read situation: where is the space, where are opponents.
Winger pins the fullback, run the channel to draw the CB out of the box

NEVER MORE THAN HALF A BOX FROM EACH OTHER

In case of a standard 9 pairing, the general idea is to never be more than “half a box” apart from each other; or occupy consecutive intervals whithin the back four.

GET GOAL SIDE ON CROSSES

At the end of the clip (27”), Ken Aboh makes sure to keep the defender away with his arm to attack the near post area.

An annoyng situation for the defender who needs to tap the arm before trying to put his in front.

WORKING THE BACKLINE

The vast majority of tacticoachs nowadays only think about one thing and it’s fucking disgusting. Their grand plans that they need everyone to talk about.

Reality is that no defender ever commits an “unforced error”, it’s often the consequence of being rattled with different degrees of shitehousery (or gamemanship, or simply being annoying, remember when your sibling had something you wish you had instead).

Point is, that’s the “off the ball” stuff that doesn’t necessarily have to lead to “getting the ball”. The rate is about one in 4, one action for 4 moves.

Your modern strikers who only do what coachs want, only get one chance every 4 games.

Shoving the defender

Reading that the LB is out of position and running the channel

Manufacturigng space in behind by pinning the LB and dropping off the front

For a dart in the space just created. Look how Dan Ogwuru stays connected and attacks the inteval just next to the one Aboh takes.

Another channel run by Ogwuru, to force defenders to run and trigger the offside trap

BACK TO GOAL TO LAUNCH A RUNNER

A fairly routine play, but let’s look at the details

Ken Aboh is on ties, and starts to react about when the CB is about to connect. Proactive, not reactive

Balances himself to set shoulders over the ball and chest it down.

Winger starts running on the layoff (and not when the receiver receives)

BACK TO GOAL / CHEST IT

Ogwuru chesting it despite being pressed by the defender from behind, lays it off for Aboh’s curved run.

That half volley touch to roll the defender was good

But the CB taking over once he puts his arm in front

CONSECUTIVE INTERVALS

Ken Aboh’s run might be a decoy, but makes the CB spin round like a record

Dan Ogwuru let down by a poor touch, but succesfully exploited the interval adjacent to Ken Aboh’s.

On the subsequent play, the 3rd man combination play failed to connect because the pass was played behind Ogwuru.

However, the play was

Ken Aboh’s banana run to create separation (run along, then drop off), sound one touch layoff (front foot)

Dan Ogwuru’s run starting on the trigger that was the pass to the CF1, so he could receive the pass in th space created

BANANA RUN TO ASK INTO FEET

Ken Aboh manufactures the space he’ll ask the ball into.
Ball goes to the right, goes to the left

So he can dart to the space he created for himself, when the winger is ready to pass

Getting the leg in front

Only to shift it the other way when laying it off

Then going around the penalty spot opposite side of the crosser

GET AWAY FROM THE BALL CARRIER

Few things are more unsettling for CBs than to open a can of worms where a runner on the ball with space gets out, and two runners also get in two different directions.

The ball carrier’s aim is to draw the CB then release the good option (or go by himself)

But if anything, strikers shouldn’t come in to feet unless it’s to find a 3rd man runner or prepare a switch.

That statpadding and nice triangles don’t improve the chances to score, it just makes “build up” more predictable until to release a matchwinner 1v1 or a runner through

BOX PRESENCE

Overrall, that’s a good sequence because it’s refreshing (somehow) to watch strikers focused into getting into good positions and crash the penalty spot.

The main difference between a good player and top level player isn’t much the quality of plays, but the ability to produce them more often regardless of the success/setback experience in the previous involvement.

Slightly more dynamism by Aboh (on ties, skipping, feet closer together) would’ve allowed to trigger a shot quicker than he just did. Jermaine Defoe was brilliant at air shooting whatsoever, which is the reason why he did get the shot off when the ball got to him.

Landing both feets

Skipping/reacting, but planted foot (left) doesn’t land with toes pointing towards goal

Top level is about dynamism, the spin is decent, but so is the defending.

Getting a shot off = good

Scaled up a level above, that shot doesn’t happen either.

These are usually the fine margins that don’t get captured by xG models.

Even accounting from defensive pressure. How quickly can the striker skip, spin and shoot.

Following cross is sent at the far post

in another game of fine margins, Ogwuru doesn’t quite connect with the cross

• Balance slightly off, hard to lift off properly with feet apart

• Supposed to start his leap at the apex (highest point of the trajectory) which he does a bit late

RUB CBs THE WRONG WAY

Two good instances of movements to scrap the defender’s arms, to get wrong side in order to reach ball side in the goal mouth from the defenders’ blind side.

Movement is good, service ought to go through the mixer, as it’s much more difficult to defend.

ALSO RUB THE GK THE WRONG WAY

Making him lose a couple o f seconds to switch back on

WORKING THE BACK LINE

I chose that angle in oter to have a better perspective of the different types of movements

• One into feet, one on the shoulder of the last defender

• Running against the flow (ball goes left…) to stay whithin the width of the 6yd box

• Running across each other

• Chasing even lost causes

This is why defenders end up making unforced errors after 70’ (credit to Bournemouth, they did very few)

RUN THE CHANNELS

Ogwuru identifies the ball is recovered and immediately runs the channel, let down by his first touch but drawing the CB outside of the box is one of the fundamentals of the 9 game especially in England.

An identical example, and the quick thinking from Ogwuru to start his run

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Uncertainty creates chaos, there’s areas of the pitch where things will happen: these “dead zones” behind fullbacks

Aboh works the channel and eventually wins it back.

Would’ve benefited from hitting hit the ball like a shot, as opposed to a pass that got cut off.

Also, not trying to connect with his team mate, but put the ball in the mixer between GK and last man, and let happen what can happen.

SELFLESS CHANNEL RUNNING

Dan Ogwuru’s run serves the purpose to stretch the CB pairing and force and ask a question from Max Kinsey (5).

Nature abhors a vacuum said Louis Pasteur. What was he cooking?

Probably not what he was looking for initially by the way but oh well.

Ken Aboh can get goal side and attack the space vacated by Ogwuru.

That game of vacating / filling space continues and Joe Duffy crashes the edge of the box.
Aboh’s close control and spin is quality, but will probably want to use his arm to shield from the defender with Archie Harris hands all over which could put him off balance (without guaranteeing to draw a pen - football’s peculiar rules seem to suggest that as long as you connect with the ball, you can pretty much be assaulted - because see you kicked the ball alright didn’t you?)

Then, the less said the better. Shoulder over the ball and going through it?

Canarilly score from there? Tchip.

LINKING UP THE TWO STRIKERS

A striker pairing is like a pendulum, or a clock.

There’s a few unwritten rules that helps to deduct the starting position

• Always be on both extremes. One into feet, one into space.

• See both the goal and the passer in your field of vision

Therefore:

• diagonal run for a straight pass

After the first move breaks down (bit phoned in), what Ogwuru and Aboh do is top level: they split in opposite directions to where they came from.

Because the attention is drawn to Aboh (10) who hits the channel, with a convincing run. Lewis Brown (4) is caught chasing shadows, drawn to Aboh

Therefore Wilson wrong foots the defence and plays Ogwuru into feet

Sure, Ogwuru could definitely use both feet (back foot, to hit the pass with his right, as he’s not under direct pressure from behind) - if he’d receive a stronger pass

Ogwuru’s pass lacks a bit of power, which prevents Aboh to get a clean first touch.

It’s counter intruitive, but it’s usually easier to deal with a cinderblock pass than a pass making three weeks to reach the intended receiver

Aboh’s reflex to get his hip betwee the ball and the defender is good

But probably needs to do more with his arm to keep the defender at bay, and trick him with a shoulder drop / spin. Pretend to move back to goal to flat foot the defender and roll him.

Shoulders not above the ball mean not perfect balance to keep hold of it, and would get dispossessed against a better defender than Noa Boutin.

A strong arm / hand doesn’t necessarily require to slap the defender in the face, but at least tap his arm so that he gets a small bruise and can’t grab the shirt

That spin is good: pretend you’re going back to goal

To actually roll the defnder and gain a step / half a yard

Winning the other half of the yard with a further shove. Shoulders above the ball, mean ball is shielded and the defender can’t reach the ball

PIN CBs, ALLOW RUNNERS

Two CFs allow to pin the two CBs of a back four, then allow runners from midfield or wide to exploit intervals (or space to gather speed from) against both streched back 4 or compact back 4

You can’t “decide” to be a 9, you are or arent. Lot of teams can’t retain the ball in attack because too many players are ball watching and crowding areas that they shouldn’t, especially between touchline and box on the side of the ball.

Errol MUNDLE-SMITH replacing Dan OGWURU - 70’

Norwich U21s coach Alan Neilson replaced Dan Ogwuru with Errol Mundle-Smith

who immediately stood out with a three part move:

1. Into feet with a sharp separation move to find space between opponents

2. Into space for the return pass

3. Shoulder drop to flat foot the defender and get away, to create a yard

Ajusting the planted foot to put a cross across the face of goal

BANANA DRAG (too)

The thing with the banana drag is to make it compelling enough for the defender to fall for it, it’s about delaying it long enough so that it doesn’t transform into a cheap turnover

Having a go was a striker decision, pass if you run out of opitions and there wasn’t one standing out. However, planted foot a bit ahead of the ball + balance backwards probably prevented the shot to get off with enough power

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Another instance a few moments later.

Mundle-Smith with a good “peel off” movement straight after laying the ball back.

The pass isn’t the end game, it’s the mean used to create a situation.

Attackers who think ahead get chances.

Delaying the “banana drag” to flat foot the defender:

Decision time:

Attackers need time in sandboxes to compute that there’s never a perfect chance in the box, half a window is better than “full window, maybe”

Being level with the defender in the box is already good. From that point, one of these options can work:

• Arm to keep the defender then try to get a shot off with the left

• Get the hip in between, delay, wait to get knocked over

• Spin and drop the left shoulder, to expect to get clipped

That last attempt at at nutmeg was unfruitful

WORKRATE

Ken Aboh’s game was fairly complete both sides of the ball, with industrious and consistent closing down of the back line over 90’

Games are built up with an accumulation of actions like that which will eventually tire defenders

Unfortunately, Elliot Myles’ cross (akin to Aboh earlier in the game) was more of a pass, than a shot between defenders/goalkeeper.

Press defenders. A blind lip reader could hear the “wtf are you doing”

WHEN TO GET GOAL SIDE?

Mundle-Smith’s reading of the situation is good: RB pinned by Myles (7) then the channel is open.

There’s one prime location to meet the trajectory, therefore it’s better to come from the defenders’ blind side (and protect access with arms), than being visible at all time

Ken Aboh’s run is quality, in the consecutive interval.

Goalkeeper Cameron Plain spreads out.

In that case, ideally, strikers need to aim at the “triangle” between arm and leg that only excellent GKs can adress with a further move with the leg or arm.

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Box presence creates chaos, chaos create rebounds

Pin the CBs and crash the 6yx box, and goals will come

ZIDANE TURN?

The pass was slightly slow to reach Aboh, who therefore had to find a solution which he did with creativity and that “Zidane turn”

Getting the arm in front is paramount, so that the defender doesn’t (therefore can only get another part of his body in front - leg, if he tackles)

Taking the chance was the right decision, you aim at producing confident attackers, not perfect xG spreadsheets. And rebounds create chances, more than tippy tappy golden xG nonsense.

Aboh’s balance is good, planted foot beside the ball, toes pointing where he wants to shoot, shoulders above the ball

The next level is to score regardless like Aguero (goal 36) did vs Aston Villa (and generally from that very location where he’d hammer a curved shot at the near post.

GOING AGAINST THE TIDE

Ball goes left, I go right.

Time to appreciate Mundle-Smith’s first touch, but especially Aboh’s movement to create space at the far side.

RELIEF OUTLET

Every team needs someone to do the dirty work of getting under clearances (usually ball side, to go from having pressure piled on, to counter attacking and drawing a free kick)

Excellent work by Ken Aboh to gain territory

Mundle-Smith saw space, but it might have been preferable to ask more questions:

He’s effectively drawing the cover to the ball, instead of making Lewis Brown (4) decide between keeping his man (and leaving his team mate 1v1) or reaching out to create the double team (but letting a runner lose to crash the box in his back)

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Similar instance moments later:

Mundle-Smith creating space where the ball’s about to land

Risk worth taking, that’s what attackers need to be doing: unpredictable turn or roll, draw a set piece (a throw-in) rather than pass back.

SCREEN AND BOX MOVEMENT

Aboh’s screen is a good adaptation to the situation: if the RB (2) is beaten, then the winger is through.

Get the left leg in front, let it roll.

Mundle-Smith’s movement can improve on that cross:

The rule of thumb is to get around the penalty spot opposite side, then dart for the ball once the cross is hit

That gives the best chance to flick the ball, or get cleared out when the defender thinks he’s only got the ball to connect with (and the striker appears in his field of vision)

same instance moments later; after appreciating Aboh overlapping and getting into final third

On that cross, you’d want to meet with the trajectory, not run after it

Something more like it: