Although the players agreed it was very cold and hard to concentrate, Bloomsbury held their good composure from the first minute and the back line was held very well which drew in the opposition to expose space in behind for Che.
With the wind picking up, balls over the top were the go-to for the weeks theme and topic of counter attacking, eventually resulting in the opening 2 goals with two fantastic individual runs from Che. Che achieved his hattrick in the second half followed by a cool finish by Zac from a fantastic cross which solidified the win. Frustratingly, Bloomsbury couldn’t keep their first clean sheet of the season, but a comfortable win, nonetheless.
Sami came off due to injury meaning Dante took a stab at GK, at one point dribbling out through the field before sprinting back to defend his goal.
An all-round good display in the Camden Youth League both offensively and defensively for Bloomsbury. Noah received a well-deserved MOTM.
The players all showcased the weeks theme of counter attacking and attacking in overloads. An aggression when pressing set the tone for the rest of the team and the game itself.
Ayman Mechik was very competent in showcasing the weeks theme when creating overloads by driving forward with the ball. His ability to move the ball quickly set the tone for the rest of the team.
Very impressive to see the teamwork on display and how the weeks theme and topic were taken into action. Overloads occurred at a rapid rate. This partnered with a fantastic high starting position from the goalkeeper which allowed the team to play the majority of the game in the final third.
Iziah Vidal Louis and Charlie French epitomised the teams work rate and ability, constantly battling against the older opposition and bouncing up again when they were down. A fantastic display from this pair which drew attention from other coaches and parents alike.
A free kick from just outside the box lead to Henry Jang Lazarou christening his new boots with a goal. Something he was desperate to do from the outset.
The boys had understood the 3 buzz words very well with these being – bravery, positivity and confidence. The only thing that the boys struggled with was the positional sense. This ultimately led to a very exposed goal line on numerous occasions. Other than this, the boys contributed to a very exciting encounter in this all-Bloomsbury affair.
Marcelo was instrumental in this victory with his ability to launch counter attacks quickly and effectively from wide areas which showcased week 4’s theme of counter attacking and finishing at speed. Usually deployed at the back due to his strength and eye for a tackle, the decision to play him in a more advanced area of the pitch was not just rewarded with a goal but coupled with a couple of assists and many creations of goal scoring opportunities for the team.
It was a case of tackling 2 birds with one stone this week as the boys not only demonstrated their ruthlessness once again via the use of sharp and quick counter attacks, but also demonstrated the use of the press that was touched on last week in which they hunted the ball down as one solid outfield unit in order to retain possession higher up the pitch.
Sweaty smiles galore from the boys, even in the bitterly cold and windy conditions. All the players made very well constructed points of positivity post-game and are positive looking forward into next week’s game.
The team mantra, which is applied to individual sessions, weekly routines, and matchdays is ‘start strong, to end strong’. Something that the team could not fulfil on this day. After a slow start, Bloomsbury were down with a mountain to climb after some great goals by the opposition.
It was then that the boys started to develop a real fighting attitude. Being in a losing position is something this team was not used to. Could we be the comeback kings? Our efforts deserved a win, however in football, winning is not always possible.
After an uplifting talk at half time, Bloomsbury came out extremely strong and ready to fight, getting a goal in the first minute through an intense press and intricate football, and Deniro bringing the team back into the game.
From that moment, the boys took the initiative, dominated the game on and off the ball, winning every 50/50, and were so unfortunate to not get level, and go on to win. It simply wasn’t their day, as the opposition scored from a corner to the near post, and the match settled. On this day we weren’t the better team, but we will be back!
Our first loss of the season shows that the boys are human, and that of course, we have much to improve on. This result will push the team to greater heights, as they’ll be hungry to win again. Upset faces was a positive sign as it shows that these young players care about their football. There is no doubt that the boys will come back from this in a convincing manner!
There was a strong overall performance from the team and good implementation of this week’s theme and topic which included fast counter attacks leading to plenty of goal scoring opportunities, many of which were capitalized.
Vanya demonstrated good counter attacking ability, coupled with a strong drive to press and win the ball back if dispossessed, and achieved two very good finishes. Nikolas with a great toe poked strike from far out, also showed effective, fast counter attacks down the wing. Jacob Dos Santos had excellent footwork to beat off many players before playing his teammates through, creating a good number of chances. Oliver Brito Dos demonstrated brilliant ball carrying, driving forwards to create goal scoring opportunities for his team, unlucky to not have gotten onto the score sheet himself. Jon Dedinca’s positioning was very good in the game, always making sure that he was able to receive the ball in good attacking positions.
Both Morley and Vanya were very pleased to have score good goals as a result of the team performing well together.
Superb performance from every single player incorporating all the things they have learnt over the last few weeks and putting them into practice in the applicable situations. With great pressing by the whole team, they rarely gave the opposition time on the ball. All the players should hold their heads up high after a spectacular team performance!
Around 10 minutes in, the East End Lions took the lead, doubling it just before the half. Adam Ismail sparked the comeback just after the restart and Yili Krasniqi provided the equalizer around 10 minutes from the end. Unfortunately, the opposition scored a free kick close to the end of the game.
Every player that took part in the match can be praised for their efforts and their desire to win which was very apparent. Yili Krasniqi’s much-deserved goal showcased his ability to attack at speed which showed week 4’s theme of counter attacking and finishing at speed.
Zak Dalvi had an exceptional game, showing great understanding of the wing back position and helping to drive forward in counter attacks. Yacine demonstrated great pressing and counter attacking, making many great runs forward to create options for his teammates. Otto Lenssen took onboard advice about stretching the pitch and in doing so created many good opportunities for both himself and others and was very unlucky to not have scored on numerous occasions. He demonstrated good counter attacking and impressive defensive skills.
Jon Dedinca showed a real threat when carrying the ball forward from defence to create overloads in midfield. This partnered with a very solid defensive display which gives him the MOTM award.
After a slow start for the Bloomsbury boys at the Camden Youth League, they slowly began to grow into the game only to be pegged back by a blitz from Benfica which left the group trailing. Taking the 3 key words which were bravery, positivity and responsibility into account, 2 of the words were executed superbly but 1 was left out of place. Responsibility out of possession killed Bloomsbury as too many second balls where lost and recovery runs were at a minimum.
The Gold’s showed determination and the strength to dig deep and adapt their game in different conditions. The team’s ability to react to the cold climate and muddy pitch for the JPL at Meriden Sports and Social Club was very impressive to see.
Rupert’s overlapping was a constant threat down the left side of the pitch, putting multiple crosses into the box and topping a good performance off with a goal. Alex Crocombe kept spirits high with his communication and information which was a massive help to the team giving each player a second set of eyes.
Goal scorers Tristan Turner and Archie Alberts were superb at creating overloads through the middle of the park. They both drew pressure from defenders very well before playing into a teammate to create an overload which showed the weeks theme.
It was a difficult game in horrible conditions in the JPL which took an effect on many of the players.
Ethan and Victor applied the weeks topic of counter attacking with an overload really well for the second goal and created lots of opportunities in the final third by fusing.
Whilst finding it hard to play in such harsh conditions, they battled through but were only second best with late goals effecting the result negatively. Overall, it was a great team effort but unfortunately the boys weren’t able to produce or create opportunities as a team.
Seb and Strahinja worked hard in midfield with limited outlets as the team were a man-down. Jack Orbell was creative and aggressive forcing mistakes in the opposition and showing creative instinct with some great passes. Ruben managed to score in the second half and Eitan made a few great saves including a penalty.
Overall a disappointing result regardless of playing with a player down. It was a tough battle, but the team fell short to a couple of clinical finishes.
The team faced a different challenge today, with our opposition sitting deep and forcing us to shoot from distance or play in tight spaces. It was impressive to see how quickly the Academy boys recognised this and found solutions without instruction. Three of our goals came from outside the box, with the most impressive coming from Che, a curling effort into the top left corner.
When asked where they would like to play, it was pleasing to hear every substitute looking to be challenged, asking to play in different positions and accepting the challenges set. An example of this was Archie, who was challenged to play using 3 or less touches where possible, and Joe Barron who recycled possession effectively and consistently throughout.
After a scrappy opening 8 minutes, Joel Goodgame broke the deadlock, finishing from the edge of the box after Che’s initial effort had hit the inside of the right post. Che took the assist but was delighted to go one better and finish his next two efforts, the first from close range and the second snuck under the keepers body.
It was looking comfortable for the Academy until they conceded a soft penalty, but Sami Wright stepped up and made a strong save down to his left. The Academy made it 4 right on half-time, Ebenezer grabbing a goal from close range against his old teammates with a turn and volley from inside the box. The 2nd half saw more of the same, with an added intensity from the Academy. They were more patient with their build up and looked strong at the back with Dante now on the pitch. The next came from Simon Danquah who deserved his goal after a tireless performance on the left, which was his first time playing on that side of the pitch. Having caused havoc all afternoon, Che Chinakwe Early completed his hat trick with 10 minutes remaining with the best goal of the day, curling his right-footed effort into the top left corner from outside the box. Joel Goodgame topped off a superb individual performance by breaking the lines once again and setting up Jake Cameron for his brace in the final couple of minutes.
Joel Goodgame’s contribution to the game from midfield was outstanding, receiving on the back foot and always looking to play forward. Joel receiving the ball was the trigger for our full backs, Goncalo and Simon, to get forward and create an overload, which they also did extremely well. Although we must remember our defensive responsibilities, even when winning comfortably.
The Girls Super League (GSL) saw another tense and exciting game, with Bloomsbury Academy U13 taking on the current leaders of the pack Vicky Park Rangers, which sadly ended in another defeat for us.
During training this week, the girls focused on ‘counter attacking, playing with an overload’. This involved being aware of the combinations and timing of movement, developing reaction time to meet the changing pace, improving the control and creativity of play, whilst also ensuring that there’s good communication and effective team play.
The girls effectively implemented these training objectives into the match, with help from a new formation, which allowed them to create overloads in wide areas to bring the team up the pitch. This was able to successfully happen, due to the impressive defending. One player in mind that stands out when defending is mentioned is Georgia, as she used her previous knowledge of 1v1 defending from a few weeks ago to ensure all tackles were made in the central areas of the pitch. Carla also effectively applied defensive principles, to guarantee the ball didn’t go around her. Once the ball was brilliantly defended, the counterattack would begin, in which Theresa offered a vital role, through her ability to hold the ball up and bring individuals into the game, facilitating forward movements and potential shots.
Although the number of chances during this game weren’t particularly high, as the decision making was a little careless once the overloads were created, the application of the defensive principles and most of the objectives for counter attacking were evident in this match, proving this team to be strong contenders in the U14 league once these tweaks have been made.
In this game we had the opportunity to face HMH, which frustratingly ended in a draw, after many chances were created for us. However, this progressive movement of having goal scoring opportunities does shine a positive light on the girls’ performance overall.
During training this week, the girls focused on ‘counter attacking, playing with an overload’. This involved being aware of the combinations and timing of movement, developing reaction time to meet the changing pace, improving the control and creativity of play, whilst also ensuring that there’s good communication and effective team play.
Nina played a huge role in ensuring a clean sheet was kept for Bloomsbury, through her impressive breaking down of play through tackles. Once these defensive principles had been applied, the counterattack was triggered, which saw many accurate throw-ins from Emilia, who consistently found the feet of her midfielders down the line. As the ball travelled further up the pitch, Malaika and Georgia created many opportunities through their positional awareness and bravery on the ball.
This bravery was revealed in all the girls, creating an overall positive game for the team. In order to progress further and get on the scoresheet in upcoming weeks, finishing should be worked on in training, so that the players are aware of what shots to perform in certain situations.
The boys gained a professional win against a good opposition in the Junior Premier League. Although there were really bad weather conditions during the day, the team didn’t let it affect their performance. Players followed all the instructions that were given. Bloomsbury managed to score early in the game after a set piece where Saul De Botton scored at the back post. After a long period where the boys controlled the game, they created some good chances to get a second and third goal but didn’t manage to take them.
Matteo Salford did really well defensively against a strong opposition of midfielders. He won most of his individual battles and had great positioning during the time he played both as a holding midfielder and as a centre back. A very solid performance which was pleasing to see.
During the third period Tom Haering made some superb saves which helped Bloomsbury keep the lead. Alex toledano had a great solo goal and managed to take his touch and finish at the far post with a lovely, curled strike. He said he was “really happy for my first goal on an 11 aside format.” Unfortunately a last-minute goal from the opposition prevented Bloomsbury from keeping a clean sheet.
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