As some may have concluded I am a big supporter of the Ladies as well as Coach O'Neil & staff & have attended many games over the last few years, including almost all this year's home games, excluding last night's which I couldn't make.
This is an excellent team. Not blazing, but good speed; very good quickness; excellent skills & instincts, excellent game awareness; & excellent team work & chemistry. And very deep.
IMO it is thinking to much right now. Against Penn State they were consumed with playing for the BIG Tournament Title instead as treating it as another game where they were going to go out take it to their opponent & beat them. As a result they were tight as bow strings. As ag67 has posted, on PS first corner & goal no one moved. They were like petrified wood. They didn't play much differently for the rest of the game. Certainly not the RU team that I saw completely out play PS earlier in the year.
Last night, though coach O'Neil had some positive things to say, he said that they played not to lose & he wasn't happy about that. Several of the ladies have spoken about going deep into the Tournament. I believe they have to put that mind set aside & play each game as just that, a game against whomever they are playing that day. In other words they have to forget about titles & tournaments & go out & play RU soccer. If they do that they will play fast & loose & all of their considerable skills & individual & team talents will come into play.
There is a psychological element at play here, even if subliminal. The ladies have to put it aside. This is oftentimes not easy, certainly easier to say than do. The ladies have to do it. Coach O'Neil & staff have to impress upon them the need to completely & totally focus on the game at hand.
This is an excellent team. Not blazing, but good speed; very good quickness; excellent skills & instincts, excellent game awareness; & excellent team work & chemistry. And very deep.
IMO it is thinking to much right now. Against Penn State they were consumed with playing for the BIG Tournament Title instead as treating it as another game where they were going to go out take it to their opponent & beat them. As a result they were tight as bow strings. As ag67 has posted, on PS first corner & goal no one moved. They were like petrified wood. They didn't play much differently for the rest of the game. Certainly not the RU team that I saw completely out play PS earlier in the year.
Last night, though coach O'Neil had some positive things to say, he said that they played not to lose & he wasn't happy about that. Several of the ladies have spoken about going deep into the Tournament. I believe they have to put that mind set aside & play each game as just that, a game against whomever they are playing that day. In other words they have to forget about titles & tournaments & go out & play RU soccer. If they do that they will play fast & loose & all of their considerable skills & individual & team talents will come into play.
There is a psychological element at play here, even if subliminal. The ladies have to put it aside. This is oftentimes not easy, certainly easier to say than do. The ladies have to do it. Coach O'Neil & staff have to impress upon them the need to completely & totally focus on the game at hand.
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