This has taken me ages to do a write-up. Unfortunately life happened unexpectedly, as it usually does! This meant that I couldn't continue the Easter weekend attempt at watching and tweeting with analysis for each game. A little disappointed! And so taken a while to find time to watch through the games and comment, but here it is nonetheless...
I've do an analytical viewpoint of both games. This is based on the
highlights so level of analysis isn't totally in depth, with only key saves/moments mentioned!!!
Beeston game
Critically (and this is critically, wherein constructive criticism plays a part in
critical nitpicking versus unfoundedly slagging someone off!), it is quite obvious that Beeston have been strong going forward in the English national premier league, but aggressive defending is hard to make a note of given not watching them in person and judging on score lines. But nonetheless, ...
The Bloemegaans' first goal was . I'm not sure how . He could have dived . He did well to push out with the right leg and extend with a reactive split, but on the replay it looks like the ball went under the kicker and in on through. I also don't understand the feet together, extremely narrow stance. 'X stance' Aussie goalies are still able to close their legs well and still make a split/lunge save; all about balance, reactions and foot work, arguably...
I understand playing deep to give that extra time (miliseconds) to react to a powerful flick or shot, and also when unsighted , but didn't seem to work here. It's a risky ploy; a high risk, high reward scenario but makes sense when you think about the reaction times of the world's elite. For someone as tall as Pinner it's hard not to question why he doesn't attack shots with his depth and positioning, instead relying on it for save making. If he did I think he would be in a better position (metaphorically!), help his confidence and make the big stops whilst retaining athleticism like Reuss showed and Cortes does when he's "on his game". But that's just
me thinking!
Pinner
did however, do well to respond to this with his performance. Aggressively, he almost seems to play a more indoor style of game; acting, aggressive and very mobile game. So such a low 'line' at the goal line versus coming off it quickly and aggressively to challenge and stop close-in shots or take the ball off the ball carrier is a little confusing. Bloemendaal's player should have finished on the occasion of coming off the post at the left post to challenge, but that doesn't matter as he cut the angle and forced the ball wide, making sure they didn't get another goal to make Beeston's life difficult.
He made another key stop as two Bloemendaal players got free into the D. He did everything 'textbook' and more importantly, made the save. "Putting on a clinic" as they say in ice hockey! He went out to challenge the pass and then moved across in response to the pass being made before diving across to block and cover.
Totally confused by how the goal went in on the corner. Again Bloemendaal showed the use of the straight strike, or at least a strike within a routine still being used well at elite level! Verus not seeing it that much in the English game (need some variation and strikes can still confuse teams and goalkeepers not expecting it!). Either went through his arm, around him to the right, or over a pad... Might've actually gone between the open legs as he pushed across but didn't close absolutely... Beeston sort of ran out/dived with the log (indoor running out style again, crossover?!) and . Perhaps waiting and commiting to cover more over the right might've helped, but he still obviously had to cover the initial strike, which was actually a dummy, so reading the play and ? Very elite decision making obviously...
Third goal seemed harsh. Stepped out of the angle to get across and challenge. Pinner managed to cover well and do the hard part. But then couldn't close his legs in time to block.
Beeston did manage to respond. Maybe they just needed more corner opportunities! Straight down the middle looking for the rebound, which came as Stockmann couldn't get rid of it, followed by a well executed reverse shot into the roof of the net for the goal. Stockmann did well to stop it though, being patient and challenging because going either side presumptuously would have given the goal away to start with. Maybe challenge more or run down the rebound to clear after save?!
Think Bloemendaal's fourth goal could have come from over thinking. There were chances for deflections to change the angle. But Cierillo pushed the flick into the bottom right hand side. Pinner though confusingly went left, pushing out and unable to get back across (except for a last ditch second dive...), meaning he was beat. Not sure on the approach of depth as challenging would give that extra distance for getting behind a ball into the corners.
He did however make a great save on the last opportunity, staying deep but making the most of his innate reaction times/reflexes.
Amsterdam game
Unlike footage I've seen of him in recent Hoofdklasse games and in previous Euro games, including the K016 round, van Essen was far more alert, making a crucial and incredibly key stop (i.e. Berliner go ahead if he doesn't make the save!) on a breakaway, getting a piece of it with his pad as he goes in to block low. I'm not sure if this lackadaisical approach (i.e. not 'owing the D' or being in the ready stance pretty much all the time) is down to giving the appearance of non-interest and an aura of calm with concentration (put off the opposition?!) because the way Weinhold holds himself is deadly resolute and similar, but hey ho! Either way it doesn't matter, because he can clearly play at this level and knows what he's doing!!
He came up trumps again, coming out to challenge standing up as an attacker break free with a shot higher in the D. He came off to challenge and
AGAIN got something on it! This time he didn't look so sure (in that place of whether to stay up or leave your feet!) or convinced or confident, but still made the stop and went across to cover the post! VERY important save to make, so that's all that mattered!
Similarly, Stubbe came up trumps when called into action for the first important time. The Amsterdam forward Again, he challeneged, stepping off his line to attack, and got a piece of it again; either glove or pad as pushed out.
On the first goal for Berliner, Essen looked a little unsighted, in that he had to react late because a Berliner player was in front looking for a deflection and thus making things difficult to locate the ball/concentrate. The goal itself was a mid-high (i.e. off floor/backboard area, but not obviously high) shot, requiring him to dive across in extension and push out to get to it. Because of the speed of the play and distance to get across/cover, meaning he was more likely to miss it; dropping with the glove to early as pushing out to timing. He made the right moves but missed the ball, only just though as replay shows. I *think*!
On Amsterdam's goal, not much Stubbe could have done, with the redirect. Ball squeezed through defender's legs. Maybe post man deal with by standing up, can't do much really?! But I didn't get the theatrics after, although Stubbe could have been potentially obstructed on the play...
AGAIN Stubbe showed the importance of SCRAMBLING. Something I've harped on about all weekend due to examples of it so much at the Euro weekend (with my poor twitter coverage anyhow!). He made a hash of the first save, with the ball going behind him out from the right kicker. Guess at this level nerves can creep in, thus affecting otherwise sound technique. But, regardless, he dived back, kept the ball in play, cleared it and got defensive help to rid it. If he
didn't make that save, it's one up on Berlin to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam's second goal saw Stubbe dragged out wide so that he couldn't stop it. And was still going movement wise, making it harder to react. He dropped the leg back against him rather than extending in the right way/angle and was beaten. Perhaps he could have dived back to get behind it, or been more patient staying with the post etc. not sure?!?!
Berliner then made a hash of the stop at the 'castle' at the D on their short corner attempt, but showed resilience and character to make something of the pressure situation (important in any sport to battle through and score!!). Weirdly from the replay it looked like the save was what redirected it up over van Essen into the goal. He stayed deep when he could have attacked the shot. And also dropped rather than staying up. He still got something on it, turning with the right kicker, but this dropping motion and momentum could have arguably impacted on the save attempt. Better to stay up on a shot like this?! Probably! ....
Amsterdam's response saw Stubbe get a piece of the breakway. He did everything right, coming out to meet the attacker and the shot. But didn't pull off the save in spite of the angle and depth and having got something behind it...
Given that the highlights clip only showed the goals, van Essen clearly had a strong game, making some key saves and more so than Stubbe. Sliding out to block and getting the glove across on a high drag flick at a corner...
Thoughts
This is Pinner's second go of European action (I think, I remember him playing in the Euro Hockey League when he was wearing Obo) and K08 is no mean feat. I'm sure Beeston will come back stronger and evolving that with their desire to push as far as possible in this tournament. Pinner is still young even if he's been playing for Beeston for ages and has still got time to improve and develop. Now that he is England's first choice, I can see both sides of play (club and country) impacting on each as he looks to develop into one of the world's top ten. van Essen did a good job even if his attitude doesn't show like he wants to win! And Stubbe didn't seem to pull out all the stops like he did in the game before. Stockmann didn't have much work to do but did do well to stop the straigh-down-the-middle-otherwise-befuddling-for-a-goalkeeper-routine.
Writing wise if I do this again (follow the Easter weekend games!), I think it may be better to do a write-up like this for each game, along with a twitter feed of analysis!!
