Missing Links In Maastricht

Usual script to explain why we fell short.

1. Bad start i.e. lost first game
2. Missed too many frees
3. Concession of sloppy goals
4. Concession of too many scorable fress

How did we fair in these areas?

We beat Amsterdam in our first game. Paddy kicked 100% of frees kicking off both left and right foot. We conceded one shot on goal in the group games (which was saved). There were frees conceded which could have been prevented but nothing detrimental.

So where did it all go wrong?

1. Our game plan requires a lot of energy, to defend and attack in numbers. Both Championship and Shield panels were wafer thin and we soldiered through most of the day with the bare 11. It wasn't sustainable.

2. Defensive set-up. We tried a different way of going about it. It was quite effective in the first game but was heavily reliant on communication. Bodies tired, voices went quiet and by the time the crucial third group game against Lux came about, we had lost out way.

3. Attacking play. I went to watch Tyrone and Kerry last week and was amazed by the gap between Tyrone's two man full forward line and the rest of their team. They couldn't transfer the ball up the field because of the size of the gap. There was no middle men to move the ball through. We had the same problem on Saturday.

4. Fitness and form. Some of us are off the pace, simple as. I'd very much include myself in that. Small decisions, getting on the ball, nailing the pass. Things were a little bit off.

5. X factor forward. We simply don't have one to bail us out. A'dam's success has been heavily linked to a new forward they got and he has been key to their two tournament wins. Hague had one on Saturday which kept them from being rolled over. Lux were in a similar place to us but their x-factor came from midfield and created a lot of problems. For now, we are a sum of the parts team hence we need to develop a game plan which is kind to the situation. That gets back to point 1. We can be successful playing the way we do, but only with 14 guys at the same level.

With all that said, we missed out on the final on points difference. Amsterdam beat Lux in the final but I definitely fancied us to take them if had got the chance. They had big holes in their team on Saturday and I think we had a better balance. We didn't do enough though and they were the ones who left with the trophy.

We finished 3rd after beating The Hague in a tame enough playoff game and with that, the curtain game down on the Benelux Championship for us.

The timing of the games meant that I did not see any of the Shield games but by all accounts (their accounts) they should have/could have done better. The first game against Amsterdam was one they could have won and a draw against Dusseldorf/Maastricht left them relying on Amsterdam winning their final group game. That didn't happen and the chance to win the inaugural Benelux Shield disappeared.

So that concludes the first part of the season and now we head off for a two week break. Plenty to think about in the coming weeks.