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I got to know about Zone 14 when I read about it in the Times Sports Section before the Solihull match recently at Wetherby Rd. As Harrogate Town FC took apart the league leaders and favourites to win our league I thought Simon, John and Vill had read the same article!!
IN May 2002 Sports Scientists identified a "Golden Square" on a football pitch which helps teams score MORE goals. The key area, named Zone 14 by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University, lies not in the goal mouth or even the penalty area but just outside it. The term for this space is usually called The Hole.
The zone is only effective when exploited by a skilful player who can quickly change the direction of attack with a short pass or twisting run lasting no more than eight seconds. This brings to mind Daniels, Colbeck, Emmett, Kerry, Thirwell for starters. All players with this ability. And Swain.
We recently witnessed the truth behind this theory. If you were at the Hednesford, Solihull and FC Utd matches you would have seen us score 12 goals. We also conceded 6 goals. The two conceded against Hednesford could have seen us drop two points and the four at FC Utd did see us throw away a three goal lead and control of the game. Most of the 18 goals in the three matches were made directly through Zone 14. Enough said.
I believe that if our players are MORE AWARE of Zone 14 and the danger of conceding this space to the opposition then the team will stop the flow of goals against us. This means tightening up the centre of our midfield and defence when we lose possession in these areas. Even better please don't lose possession in this area!!
This was clearly evident by a game of two halfs at FC Utd. We were outstanding for most of the first half. We played through Zone 14 and the three we scored were directly through the ball being passed through the channels into Zone 14 just outside the penalty area for our players to run onto and score or to benefit from their keeper pushing out a save into our players following up.
What we did to FC Utd in the first half is what they repaid us with interest in the second!! You could see their manager had told them at half time to play as high a back line as possible so squeezing the space for our midfield. And how they benefitted. The time and space that our midfield had enjoyed in the first half disappeared immediately as their midfield were all over ours. In the first 10/15 minutes of the second half we lost possession or gave the ball away in our own half time after time and a short telling pass through our defensive middle of the pitch into the area of optimum opportunity for them ZONE 14.
They had worked out by denying us space and time high up the pitch would punish us. No more the long high balls that Ellis and Brown mopped up with ease in the first half. They squeezed up, played to feet and put us under far more pressure. They learned their lesson and used the lack of pace we have at the back to their benefit by forcing us into mistakes and mistackles.
Swain's schoolboy error will be one he will learn from no doubt. It put us under even more pressure and disadvantage. He will go out tonight and play the match of his life!! However, the ref did him no favours and the incident involving Swain was the result of a very late tackle on him. The ref should have stopped the game and cautioned their player. Colbeck's caution for diving was questionable as he didn't even appeal for a penalty. When Emmett dribbled into the penalty area late he was blocked unfairly. This challenge by two of their defenders was obstruction at the least. Finally, did any of you see the way Emmett was pulled back as he was running onto a pass down the right wing? The Lino did because he put his flag up to inform the ref. The ref thought he was flagging for offside. The flag was pointing down the line not across the pitch for offside. The ref blew and awarded them the free kick. The lino should have kept his flag up and insisted the ref came over to him. I noticed our bench were not impressed and they were further away from the incident than the ref. He lost the plot a bit and the 3000+ crowd threw him.
Google Zone 14 and read about it to your hearts content. We can discuss it tonight. Come on Simon. Tighten them up and no more going to sleep. Fire them up from the first second.
GENUIS IS ONE PERCENT, PERSPIRATION IS 99 PERCENT
COME ON TOWN
IN May 2002 Sports Scientists identified a "Golden Square" on a football pitch which helps teams score MORE goals. The key area, named Zone 14 by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University, lies not in the goal mouth or even the penalty area but just outside it. The term for this space is usually called The Hole.
The zone is only effective when exploited by a skilful player who can quickly change the direction of attack with a short pass or twisting run lasting no more than eight seconds. This brings to mind Daniels, Colbeck, Emmett, Kerry, Thirwell for starters. All players with this ability. And Swain.
We recently witnessed the truth behind this theory. If you were at the Hednesford, Solihull and FC Utd matches you would have seen us score 12 goals. We also conceded 6 goals. The two conceded against Hednesford could have seen us drop two points and the four at FC Utd did see us throw away a three goal lead and control of the game. Most of the 18 goals in the three matches were made directly through Zone 14. Enough said.
I believe that if our players are MORE AWARE of Zone 14 and the danger of conceding this space to the opposition then the team will stop the flow of goals against us. This means tightening up the centre of our midfield and defence when we lose possession in these areas. Even better please don't lose possession in this area!!
This was clearly evident by a game of two halfs at FC Utd. We were outstanding for most of the first half. We played through Zone 14 and the three we scored were directly through the ball being passed through the channels into Zone 14 just outside the penalty area for our players to run onto and score or to benefit from their keeper pushing out a save into our players following up.
What we did to FC Utd in the first half is what they repaid us with interest in the second!! You could see their manager had told them at half time to play as high a back line as possible so squeezing the space for our midfield. And how they benefitted. The time and space that our midfield had enjoyed in the first half disappeared immediately as their midfield were all over ours. In the first 10/15 minutes of the second half we lost possession or gave the ball away in our own half time after time and a short telling pass through our defensive middle of the pitch into the area of optimum opportunity for them ZONE 14.
They had worked out by denying us space and time high up the pitch would punish us. No more the long high balls that Ellis and Brown mopped up with ease in the first half. They squeezed up, played to feet and put us under far more pressure. They learned their lesson and used the lack of pace we have at the back to their benefit by forcing us into mistakes and mistackles.
Swain's schoolboy error will be one he will learn from no doubt. It put us under even more pressure and disadvantage. He will go out tonight and play the match of his life!! However, the ref did him no favours and the incident involving Swain was the result of a very late tackle on him. The ref should have stopped the game and cautioned their player. Colbeck's caution for diving was questionable as he didn't even appeal for a penalty. When Emmett dribbled into the penalty area late he was blocked unfairly. This challenge by two of their defenders was obstruction at the least. Finally, did any of you see the way Emmett was pulled back as he was running onto a pass down the right wing? The Lino did because he put his flag up to inform the ref. The ref thought he was flagging for offside. The flag was pointing down the line not across the pitch for offside. The ref blew and awarded them the free kick. The lino should have kept his flag up and insisted the ref came over to him. I noticed our bench were not impressed and they were further away from the incident than the ref. He lost the plot a bit and the 3000+ crowd threw him.
Google Zone 14 and read about it to your hearts content. We can discuss it tonight. Come on Simon. Tighten them up and no more going to sleep. Fire them up from the first second.
GENUIS IS ONE PERCENT, PERSPIRATION IS 99 PERCENT
COME ON TOWN
