MR U16s NL 2023/24 Team (Market Road league) - Bloomsbury Gold

And we are in the FINAL!!!

Both teams played in  1-2-3-1.

A match between the first and the second respectively in the league, had everything to be a good match. We had something to prove. Personally, we had a better team, and play more interesting football. However, we had some bumps in the long road in the league, including a defeat against Bloomsbury, which took us out of the league title run. Nevertheless, the Cup is a different competition, where we knew that we needed to be more consistent, pragmatic, and great mentality to potentially get rid of the "ghosts" hunting us.

In the first half, overall, we understood the principles of the game and controlled the moments of the game. Without being extremely brilliant (credit to the value of the opposition), we dominated the opposition for pretty much 23 minutes out of the 25 of the first half. We created good chances to score, including a triple chance in the same play, but the ball didn´t want to go in. It looked that the "ghosts" were back. Knowing the potential and the cynical way of play of the opposition, it looked like a deja vu. However, the boys have shown the composure to be resilient, and believed that each one of them would bring positive actions towards the team. Naturally, we opened the score, by Joseph that got assisted by Donte. The opposition, tried to react, and in the only moment of the first half we got exposed in the middle area, by attempting an interception, led to their only shot on target, and what a shot, but mainly what a save by Amir, that has shown of what great goalkeepers are made of.  That save took us to half-time 1-0 up.

At half-time, I spoke with the boys, to manage the moments of the game, to keep looking to score the second, but keep playing as we did in the first half, to avoid Bloomsbury to get back in the game. They were the ones having to go after us. Furthermore, if by any chance, they would score, we needed to keep the right mentatlity, that we wanted to be in the final more than them, that we have been showing more attractive football than them, but to achieve that we needed every single player believing in themselves, and having each one supporting and praising each other.

The second half started with us, keeping the possession, being patient, moving the ball, creating 3v1 in the defending third (GK + 2v1), where Hugo, Jonathon and Ibrahim, understood their positioning, when to receive and where to be to create the space to receive and drive breaking through their pressing lines, as they did in the first half too. Harry, Arthur, Donte, Rufus and Joseph , created good movements to support play and provide two,three player cove movements that broke the opposition several times, which allowed us to attacking equality or superiority in the last third. Nevertheless, we lost a ball, that gave them a corner. In that set-play they did very good one, and ended up making the equalizer. The match with roughly, 20 minutes to play, get back where it started. We again, ended up going on top of them, whilst they waited for a chance to hurt us in a counter or exploiting the space in behind. Our reaction was positive, and Donte made the 2-1. We kept the same pace, and we knew if we would get a 2 goal margin, we most probably would reach the final. However, it wasn´t the case, we created, created, but either their goalie saved the shots, or our shots were out of target or hitting the several bodies they kept in front of their keeper. We got exposed, and again in one of the few times they got to our goal, they scored again. With 2-2 and roughly 15 minutes to play, we had a couple of minutes that we allow them to believe and even though they didn´t get clear chances, we had moments where we felt the "ghosts" coming to hunt us again. One play that seemed under control, but their forward (former EFA player), reach the ball before Amir, but his touch was too long, and lost the angle. Then, with all the respect to every player from our team (as all were fantastic and understood their roles and responsibilites), Harry picked "the Baton" and started orchestrating the team, by bringing his quality to a higher dimension, he controled the midfield, he made it play, he drove and combine, and he made the assist Arhtur. He wouldn´t do it alone, but with his inteligence and decision making, he brought the best of every player around him. Especially, in a moment of All or Nothing.

The last six, seven minutes, I took Joseph out (ST), and decided to put Rufus on the role, to use his body and technique to retain possession, and get the ball away from our goal. Bloomsbury, started getting desperate and playing long, with no success. We controlled the last minutes, and we had a chance to kill the game by Arthur, but we all were condemned to suffer until the final whistle.

Amir: An amazing save in the first half, no chance in their goals. A couple of balls that potentially should he his, but allowed their forward to anticipate the play. Excellent distribution (modern GK) creating the superiority playing out, and outstanding communication, a leader of command, a captain!

Hugo: Despite the fact of telling me he is out of shape, he can´t stop improving. He acknowledged my constructive criticism and feedback from previous matches, and understood where to be on the pitch, what allowed him to get free to drive, until when to drive before to release, had a few good runs and tried his luck too. Defensively, important on controling the depth of the pitch with some good clearances.

Ibrahim: The "beast" on a good way! A very good game, defensively wise,  he won pretty much every battle, he understood well the moments to slow down or to accelerate the play, overall good defending, and he also adventured himself to finishing zones. Another great performance.

JB: His return to the team, a player that when is on the right mindset, and commitment can give a lot ot the team. A reward for being much more discipline in training and the commitment shown in those sessions, got him a place to play this important match.  A very good perforamance too, a few runs and good passes, combinations. Defending wise, aggressive and fought for every ball, missed a bit of discipline in terms of understanding when to press or when to delay. But very happy with him, and can´t wait to see him flourishing even more.

Rufus: A good game, but not an extraordinary game. He felt tired, nevertheless, without shining, as he usually does, was  a team player, and played to the limit of his physical capacities, and had a positive impact in the outcome of this match.

Arthur: I just invited him due to potential Harry´s hamstring constraints. Usually, I don´t invite players that aren´t attending to training. However, Arthur has been a solid player, when training and in matches. He proved me right on calling him. He was team player, won several battles in the midfield, his game was even better in the flank, he distribute, made runs, in terms of finishing, he is not a killer, but he puts everything he has in the game, and was awarded with winning goal!!

Joseph: His debut, he started on the bench, as I wanted him to read and understand how we play 7v7. The first couple of minutes, he struggled in his movements and spaces to occupy, but he quickly got the feedback and interpretated what were his roles in possession very well. Defensively wise, he needs to build up a more teamwork ethical commitment and understand when to press and when to stay positional. Nevertheless, he played very well, his movements allowed his teammates to progress through the thirds and create chances to score, with the ball, overall, he was good, by doing one twos combinations, he shielded well, and dribbled on a high level. He had a few chances to score and openned the marker.

Donte: He started as striker. He did very well, by linking the play with his back to the goal, his capacity to turn is phenomenal, his body faints, through balls outstanding. However, he tends to get out of position, as in one way he was a fish out of water as a striker, as he feels the need to  be more involved in the game, instead target man. When back to the space he gets his game to a higher level, he had only one mistake, when he tried to re-set the play, and offered a corner to the opposition. nothing that would put a stain on his magnific performance. He was a team player, he helped on winning the midfield, destroyed the oppositiion with his skills, played and made the team play, he had several chances to score, he got rewarded with an assist and a goal. If I am not wrong, he is now the top scorer in the team, and the second one in assists. With the right mindset, he is a massive asset to our team.

Harry: Knowing in advance his physical constraints, I needed to manage his time on the pitch and keeping good communication with him. He was very good in the first half, he controlled the tempo of the game. Then, I fell the need to take him out for 15 minutes. To get him ready to the last 15 minutes of the match. When he went back to the match, the game was "crazy", where we score and they scored. He picked his "baton" and orchestrate the team to glory, by winning several duels in the midfield, then his game intelligence and technical ability got us closer to the success. He didn´t score, but had chances to it, on the other hand, he served his mates and in one of those sublime plays, he found Arthur that just needed to do an easy tap in. In that play, credit also to Donte´s screening and Joseph movement out of the ball that dragged a player to Arthur show on the right spot, Donte´s has an impact as allowed harry to take 2 players out and call a third to his attention before making a magestic assist.

Hamza: A truly team player!! Unfortunately, he is injured, and he can´t contribute with his skills in this phase of the season. However, He has been present and close to the team, by coming to support, and in this particular match, he has shown another good skill, photographer!!! looking forward to see all the pictures you took!! This is something, that makes me love my job as a coach!!!...and it is lovely to see Hamza engaging with the team, even considering how hard it is for him not be able to help the team as he wanted!!! BRAVO!!!


What a tasty win against a rival!! Each game is different and special! Now the focus goes back to the league matches. Then, when we find out  against who will we play in the final (Regents park v Highbury Wolves), we will prepare the game the best way possible. Finals are to WIN! However, we cannot be complacent and think if we defeated Bloomsbury, the Cup is ours. No, definitely, not!! We will have to show on the pitch again, what we can do by respecting the opposition, and win.

Congrats to all the players, and coaches! ...And massive thank you to all the parents watching the game and the support they gave to their beloved ones and to one another!!! EFA Family on its BEST!!!