Decision, decision and more decisions

On this beautiful clip we can see a lot of different things that happened, stay here and still chill because you will get excited with this one. But then remember we are here to learn. 

As a reminder, Follow this steps:

1. Take a look at the video
2. Read and think about the analysis.
3. Match the analysis and the video. Min 10:12

This is the summoning of a lot of situations. Let's break it down and see what it is like. First we have the Vilafranca counter attack. The transition is fast and good. Manlleu’s defence in my opinion is perfect. When the attackers get closer to the area, the defender chooses to focus on the ball, while a second defender is getting there to cover the second attacker. The counter attack deploy is perfect. 

Here comes the attackers problem, the defence is really tight pushing the counterattack towards the side of the rink and closing any option, instead of keeping the ball and starting a positional attack, the player with the ball decides to shoot. With a shot angle that is getting more narrow as they get close to the cage and the goalie is closing more. In my opinion that shot is a ball present to Manlleu. 

Check this out here, before the goalie gets out the cage, both Vilafranca players are at the back of the rink, while the Manlleu players are as well but they did not crash into the wall, which means that their transition will be faster and there is a third Manlleu player getting there as well. So I can say that at this moment, 2 Villafranca players are down for a transition while Manlleu has only 1. Ironically the one skating towards the goalie.

Now that we have this in place, Manlleu’s goalie gets out of the cage to get the rebound and start a transition. There is only one thing I can say to this goalie and is: “if you go, you go. Do not stop in the middle” After this risky move, because the goalie doubted. The two Vilafranca players get back to the transition, one of them fully making it. This means that this counter attack is now a 3 on 3.

Counter attack, the main thing here is the player's situation. There are 2 players from both teams already on Vilafranca’s side. These players are on the side, wide open, leaving the mid area free for the players coming. The focus comes here, look at the third player coming, the one with the ball and his defender. Both of them are coming from the previous counter attack. The defender makes it to the point that forces the attacker to skate towards the side, which is a win for the defence in my opinion. but , there is a big but here, the defender stopping pushing and launge. Mistake, too risky. 

The Manlleu player dribbles and this situation gets to a 3 on 2. With an extra detail, the player on the top of the triangle is free from the defender and also has the ball. I hope you remember the rule as a defender in a 3 on 2 situation, always, always cover the top. To be honest if after this the defence tries to adjust it will be even worse. I think the other 2 defenders made the right decision. After this mistake, the attacker gets into the direct free shot mark and shots straight to the net.

If you tell me that it is Vilafranca’s goalies issue or he could have done more, I will kindly ask you to unsubscribe. Everything I have explained here is too much for you, no hard feelings. The goalkeeper role there is trying to fix someone else’s mistake, actually 2 mistakes.

Now I ask for a bit of your attention if you want to get the most out of this text. Today I can prove how important decision making is in this sport. Firstly the shot to the goalkeeper, giving the ball to the other team launching a counter attack, and secondly trying to get the ball from someone that has more advantage than you. 

The unpopular opinion from today, decision making only matters when the basics are settled strongly. The 1% only makes a difference when 90% of everything else is there.

Grab a stick & keep skating! Or not