Alexandria offers - when?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Whether you like it or not it is effective and it takes discipline. I applaud the club for sticking to a curriculum like this when parents have no clue (including myself at the time) of why they are opting for this style

Yes, it seems effective now that my child is on one of the top two teams, but it was never effective before. It could be that it becomes more effective anyway as kids get older and more experienced. I don't know. It could be that the club is doing the right thing by everyone in sticking to and opting for the style. It would be better if individual coaches could communicate that rationale to parents, which never happened for us. YMMV. Anyway, we have stuck with the club and it has worked out in the end for us too.

It is an appropriate style for certain moments of the game. It is an inappropriate style at certain moments of the game. They’re not teaching a well rounded curriculum and the players lose out as a result. Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect. They are teaching poor decision making skills.

[Anonymous]

controlled possession. spacing. movement without the ball and yes decision making are all essential when building out of the backfield.

You are clearly critical of the style of play but offer no alternative suggestion. Am I too assume you prefer kick over the top and run or have the GK punt to midfield and battle it out for a 50/50 ball.
Maybe one player hogs the ball and weaves and out frustrating the rest.

If ever there was a style that requires control finesse and decision making then this is it. its not pretty when players start or dont have ball handling skills but that comes with time.

[Anonymous]

You are clearly critical of the style of play but offer no alternative suggestion. Am I too assume you prefer kick over the top and run or have the GK punt to midfield and battle it out for a 50/50 ball.
Maybe one player hogs the ball and weaves and out frustrating the rest.

I'm not critical of the style of play. Barcelona is one of my favorite teams. However, I agree with the poster above who notes that it is not the correct choice under all circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect.

I agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Have white or blue offers gone out yet?

Any word on this? My child is hoping to move up to white, but we haven't heard yet, so I think that is a no go.

[Anonymous]

All
We are talking about a curriculum and style that is being taught to U9 and up in to the older age groups. Someone just mentioned Barcelona. We are talking about young kids learning a single style of play that is not easily executed. to say its not appropriate at all times suggests more options should be taught and at their disposal given the circumstance.
Well of course and that comes with age and experience. My kid is at an older level at the club and I've seen first hand how this plays out.

I'm struggling to see your point when its obvious that not all situations call for one style of play. You do however need to start youth with a solid foundation and then build on it from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect.

? Building out is all about high pressure. If there is no press, it isn't really "building out" to move the ball to midfield uncontested while the defense remains balanced.

I think you mean going over the top occasionally to mix things up or to beat a sell-out press is also a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect.

? Building out is all about high pressure. If there is no press, it isn't really "building out" to move the ball to midfield uncontested while the defense remains balanced.

I think you mean going over the top occasionally to mix things up or to beat a sell-out press is also a good thing.

It’s about breaking lines of defensive pressure and scoring. Trying to muscle through a high press with possession style emphasis is a recipe for exhaustion, more potential for poor touches and lost possession, and just not smart soccer. The best ball may be over the top, or a solo dribble. Alexandria tries to teach rote pattern memorization. It creates a predictable style of soccer that doesn’t provide for players to develop creativity. It will work sometimes, but clubs who have focussed on developing a player’s soccer IQ will easily dispatch these teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All
We are talking about a curriculum and style that is being taught to U9 and up in to the older age groups. Someone just mentioned Barcelona. We are talking about young kids learning a single style of play that is not easily executed. to say its not appropriate at all times suggests more options should be taught and at their disposal given the circumstance.
Well of course and that comes with age and experience. My kid is at an older level at the club and I've seen first hand how this plays out.

I'm struggling to see your point when its obvious that not all situations call for one style of play. You do however need to start youth with a solid foundation and then build on it from there.

Agree. It's a fallacy that Barcelona does not change its style of play or tactics when faced with different opponents. They adapt to the situation on the field. Our kids play for a possession based club and formations are changed, players are moved, tactics are adjusted as the game is going on. You can be a Club that teaches possession and learns a style of play, but that does not mean you remain dogmatic. The reason it is done in the younger years (stick to the plan) is so these kids don't fall into long ball/kick ball with all of the other DMV teams relying on solely size an physicality to win which will not develop a player over time. It will not develop their soccer IQ, their first touch, their reading of the field, etc. The foundations and drills, rondos, etc. are to build upon. And nobody knows what physicality these kids will have at 16/17 vs what they had U13/14 and under. Clearance wide from the back or down the center is used when appropriate, even for Clubs that are possession. The difference is this isn't something they do ALL of the time. It is also not something they do in the younger years so as not to form bad habits.

I see this complaint often and it is made by people that just don't understand and have never been a part of programs like this. It also is hard for these parents to watch their kids make learning mistakes that cost a 'win' in the younger years. Guess what? Mistakes are the biggest teacher. Kids learn by being allowed to make mistakes. My kids are the hardest on themselves. Much harder than any Coach or teammate could ever be. They learn from their mistakes. It's a necessary process for growth and development--even when it cost a loss in a tournament Final, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All
We are talking about a curriculum and style that is being taught to U9 and up in to the older age groups. Someone just mentioned Barcelona. We are talking about young kids learning a single style of play that is not easily executed. to say its not appropriate at all times suggests more options should be taught and at their disposal given the circumstance.
Well of course and that comes with age and experience. My kid is at an older level at the club and I've seen first hand how this plays out.

I'm struggling to see your point when its obvious that not all situations call for one style of play. You do however need to start youth with a solid foundation and then build on it from there.

Agree. It's a fallacy that Barcelona does not change its style of play or tactics when faced with different opponents. They adapt to the situation on the field. Our kids play for a possession based club and formations are changed, players are moved, tactics are adjusted as the game is going on. You can be a Club that teaches possession and learns a style of play, but that does not mean you remain dogmatic. The reason it is done in the younger years (stick to the plan) is so these kids don't fall into long ball/kick ball with all of the other DMV teams relying on solely size an physicality to win which will not develop a player over time. It will not develop their soccer IQ, their first touch, their reading of the field, etc. The foundations and drills, rondos, etc. are to build upon. And nobody knows what physicality these kids will have at 16/17 vs what they had U13/14 and under. Clearance wide from the back or down the center is used when appropriate, even for Clubs that are possession. The difference is this isn't something they do ALL of the time. It is also not something they do in the younger years so as not to form bad habits.

I see this complaint often and it is made by people that just don't understand and have never been a part of programs like this. It also is hard for these parents to watch their kids make learning mistakes that cost a 'win' in the younger years. Guess what? Mistakes are the biggest teacher. Kids learn by being allowed to make mistakes. My kids are the hardest on themselves. Much harder than any Coach or teammate could ever be. They learn from their mistakes. It's a necessary process for growth and development--even when it cost a loss in a tournament Final, etc.

The other fallacy is that Barcelona and Clubs like this do not allow for 'creativity' of the player or the player to 'think' and do for themselves. Our Coaches do not even talk during the games. The players are in charge. There might be general comments 'move up/don't create gap in midfield, etc.'. ...but they like creativity. They allow for dribbling out of the back, taking space, etc. It isn't get the ball and pass immediately. It is situational and the kids over years learn when either is appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Have white or blue offers gone out yet?

Any word on this? My child is hoping to move up to white, but we haven't heard yet, so I think that is a no go.

I heard that the general plan is to mostly keep players on their old team and then adjust in the fall

[Anonymous]

Have white or blue offers gone out yet?


Any word on this? My child is hoping to move up to white, but we haven't heard yet, so I think that is a no go.


I heard that the general plan is to mostly keep players on their old team and then adjust in the fall

Right, I know. However, I know that a few players in my child's year do not plan to commit to return at this time, due to uncertainty and COVID-related job insecurity. So either current players will move up, or they will fill the vacant slots with outside players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect.

I agree with this.

If the team with the ball is good, you want to invite pressure and build out of the back. You create space and then advantage. Unless the pressing team is clearly superior, the possession team - if quality - hopes for the high press. The tried and true way to frustrate a possession team is to park the bus, i.e., not press high. Whenever we see teams chasing the ball all over our back third in the first ten minutes of the game, we are pretty confident we will prevail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Building out from the back under high pressure is incorrect.

? Building out is all about high pressure. If there is no press, it isn't really "building out" to move the ball to midfield uncontested while the defense remains balanced.

I think you mean going over the top occasionally to mix things up or to beat a sell-out press is also a good thing.

It’s about breaking lines of defensive pressure and scoring. Trying to muscle through a high press with possession style emphasis is a recipe for exhaustion, more potential for poor touches and lost possession, and just not smart soccer. The best ball may be over the top, or a solo dribble. Alexandria tries to teach rote pattern memorization. It creates a predictable style of soccer that doesn’t provide for players to develop creativity. It will work sometimes, but clubs who have focussed on developing a player’s soccer IQ will easily dispatch these teams.

There is definitely structure. It is pointless to try to develop players within the framework without it. But a lot of the players also play futsal and have a lot more creativity within this framework than we see from other players. More 3 v 2 creativity than 1 v 1. All I've seen from other top clubs are a bunch of dogs chasing a frisbee. It is garbage, with a few exceptions, on the boys side.

[Anonymous]

It is pointless to try to develop players within the framework without it. But a lot of the players also play futsal and have a lot more creativity within this framework than we see from other players. More 3 v 2 creativity than 1 v 1.

My son plays futsal and soccer for Alexandria, and says he far prefers futsal. He does look like he's having more fun playing it. Too bad it is not offered year round.