"Can't out think possession based teams"...hmmm, interesting. How did the games for the 06 and 07 teams against Surf shake out a couple weeks ago? Are there two teams that rely more on possession than those Surf teams at those ages? When it comes down to it, most top college programs play a similar style to these Slammers/Koge teams, which makes these players attractive to those programs. Heady athletes that can adapt to multiple systems of play and are not just system players.
Slammers HB Koge
- Thread starter Socal-Soccer-Dad
- Start date
Players that play possession can easily switch to direct
Players that only do direct can't play possession.
Men's D1 is moving away from unlimited subs to more align with with the international game. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/2/1/...ules-changes-proposed-for-di-mens-soccer.aspx
What this means is that players / teams that do possession will soon have a higher value to college coaches. Fast gazelles will still be in demand but coaches won't be able to just keep subbing when players get tired. This is when possession tactics come into play.
Expect this rule to also happen on the womens side in short order.
Lightning Red
GOLD
Exactly. There certainly is a reason that 100% of the 2025 HBK girls are already committed to D1 college programs. (80% to Power 4 schools)
I'd expect the same for the 2026 class.
The success at the college level & beyond is also noteworthy.
Really? Players that only play a direct style can not play possession? Wow that is news to me. What evidence do you have for that statement? The teams I was referring to definitely can play both styles. If you do not have the speed or athleticism to play a direct pressing style of football...good luck. I am aware of the sub changes that are coming down the pike. Teams will not change their style of play b/c of a sub rule. It is my understanding it is just no re-entry within a half? Direct does not mean kick ball. You are still possessing the ball, but possessing it with purpose and intent to put the ball in the back of the net and when you are out of possession, everyone buys into the press. When you can implement this system you put those possession first teams (death by 100 passes) on their heels and they panic. If you watch the top women's college teams you will see most play a similar style.
Yes, possession takes longer to develop in players than direct. This does not mean that direct players don't add value to a primarly posession team.
From the article I provided a link to...
Committee members, who met in Indianapolis this week, recommended that no reentry be allowed in either half once a player leaves the game via substitution in Division I men's soccer. Additionally, teams will have six moments to make substitutions in a game, and substitutions can occur during any stoppage of play. Teams would be awarded an additional moment to make substitutions in overtime.
In all three levels of men's and women's soccer, the committee recommended that the clock would stop on all substitutions in the last 15 minutes of the second half and in overtime periods.
Committee members discussed the substitutions options thoroughly and wanted to discourage using substitutions as a tactic to slow the pace of the game.
"This aligns with the sport that our incoming student-athletes are used to," said Tim Cupello, men's soccer coach at UC Riverside and chair of the rules committee. "It also aligns with the sport they would be playing if they are fortunate to continue playing after college into a professional career. The game model and coaching style will reflect what they had during their youth development."
We are viewing a direct style totally differently I believe. Again, the teams I was referring to keep possession on average probably close to 70% in most games they play. I feel as though you view possession as a slowed down probing style of football a la the Barca and Spain teams of the 2010's and Man City today. This became the du jour style at the youth level for some clubs and as a result certain clubs have been successful in implementing it. Personally I think many of those players have a more difficult time transitioning to a more direct style (like I described it) than vice versa at the next level. The style I am referring to is more of a Liverpool/Bayer Leverkusen style of play. There are benefits to being exposed to multiple styles of play, football is always evolving.
Surf