Edu Castro's play book

Look at me, we are going international he he. Not really to be honest. We are looking at campeonato placard day 25. This game is between the amazing Benfica (at this time has more Spanish influence than most people want to admit) and Sanjoanense. The game ended 5 - 0 for the locals.

Hit the minute 0:39 if you want to see all the move, I highly recommend . It is worthy

Keep reading, and don't be lazy. Roller hockey is an amazing sport, you should be spreading the word. Come on!

Keep reading, and don't be lazy. Roller hockey is an amazing sport, you should be spreading the word. Come on! (sorry for repeating myself)

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 0:47

As far as I can see, Benfica is like Barça’s crazy cousin. They have some things in common but at the end of the day they are completely different.

Why?

Easy last season Benfica sign up Edu Castro (Barça’s head coach for 7 seasons), Joao Rodrigues (Barça’s player since the 2018/2019 season) and Pau Bargallo (Barça’s player since 2016) ex Barça players and head coach from last season. Then Nil Roca, raised in Barça, was a former Barça player from the age of 14 to the age of 25. And remember Lucas Ordoñez, Barça player until the 2018/2019 season.

Half of the floor players were coached by Edu Castro for I will say at least 2 years. Edu Castro is well known for the move we are analysing today, which is similar to the one we analysed last week and also the so many that we analysed last season.

This is again a move at 7, from behind the cage started by Joao, extremely dangerous last season at Barça connecting this move with Pau and Alabart. 

Keys for this kind of moves:

• Offensive triangulations, usually these moves are carried out by 3 players. This means that players always try to keep a triangle shape, paying special attention to the execution moment.
• Blind playing, I’m talking about the blocks and moves in between the players without the ball. Extremely important, when the ball is at 7 and there are two more players around the area, a lot of attention goes straight to the ball carrier but not to the other two.

Let’s go. It is gonna be quick, we start with the attempt of Lucas Ordoñez (Benfica Nº9), he misses and Nil Roca (Benfica Nº24)  picks up the rebound, after being pushed out from the box. Quickly Nil passes to Joao Rodigues (Benfica Nº79) located at 7.

Take a look at Lucas, he is already in front of the goal keeper and if you look at his defender, the defender has an eye on Lucas and the other one on Joao. 

Nil goes back to the box, and as soon as Nil’s defender is close enough he moves one meter and PUM, block. Nil’s defender got the block, he was only looking at Nil.

Lucas’ defender swaps to Nil which kind of stops the move. Right after Lucas steps back to the penalti point letting the area breath, if you don't want to be that poetic let’s say that he made some space by clearing the area out. 

I'm telling you, Nil won’t stop. Nil couldn’t get the space so he tries to get rid of the defender on a smart move, he uses Lucas’ defender to make his defender path harder. Look closely because it is a super smart move.

Damn I did not realise about this on the first viewing.

Defenders swap again automatically and when Nil comes back to the original side, just when they swap. Lucas is on the opposite side, and Nil has a bit of space to get the ball.

Joao’s magic, Joao passes the ball straight to the stick when there was no margin error. Impressive, in one tap Nil sends the ball to the opposite top corner

Grab a stick & keep skating! Or not