Game Tape: Making the Correct Outlet Reads
Two similar right side 2-v-1 outlets. One was a misread and the other was a success.
The first video is kind of a two-for-one We get a misread early on and then the correct second read but it ends with a bad pass.
Watch the right side of the pool, the bottom part of the screen, and take note on where the ball should’ve been passed and when it should’ve been passed.
There is a bad shot from the left side deep wing. I label this the 5 spot but most U.S. teams label this the 1 spot.
The first error is on the defender at the flat closest to the shot. He is caught watching the shot instead of trying to push a topline counter.
Luckily, it doesn’t hurt the overall counter attack.
Where Counter Attack Will Develop
Because the shot came from the goalies right side, the goalie should first look to his right side to see if his teammates are burning the shooter and setting up a one man break away or 2-v-1 with a trailer (Diamond Drill) on the right side.
Also, most teams want to work right to left in the 6-man counter and in their front court offense. So the right side should be where the goalie first looks to push a counter attack.
The goalie in the video does look at the right side once the ball is thrown in from the bench.
But then he looks left and stares at this side too long.
There should’ve been immediate recognition that the action is going to be on the right side. He can look left briefly or towards the middle to hold the lead defender on the right side in an uncommitted position to help make his outlet pass to the right easier. But that is not the case here.
My Favorite Counter Attack Move
The other clue that all the action is going to be on the right side is this move by the X5 defender.
He hooks the shooter’s hips/lower back and puts himself into a lead position with the defender on his back.
I thought the defender going to offense was going to draw an ejection here.
The shooter took a bad shot and then let himself get put into a bad position, on the back of the transitioning player.
Also, the shooter is caught in a vertical position with his one hand down looking like he is pulling back the transitioning player.
The transitioning player does not get the call but the move is still going to put him at a serious advantage on the counterattack.
The shooter had to go passive and let the X5 defender go or he would’ve been ejected. This gives the X5 defender a good position to explode off the shooter and push a counterattack.
I love this move.
I look for this move after every shot. I prefer it coming on the top line of the counterattack because I’m either throwing a lead breakaway pass or my teammate is drawing an ejection and I’m hitting him with a lead pass again for an uncontested breakaway. If he scores I get the assist. The only offensive stat I’m probably going to get.
Even though this move is not on the top line this still should’ve been a huge tip-off to the goalie that all the counterattack action is going to be on the right side.
The goalie can look briefly left to make sure he isn’t missing anything but he needs to bring his attention quickly back to the right side and attack this 2-v-1.
This read needs to happen before half-tank.
And the ball needs to hit the right outlet now!
If the ball is in the outlet’s hand or is about to be there then the lead defender has to make a decision. Does he press the ball or does he pick up the player in the middle?
Ideally, the goalie makes the outlet pass and the defender makes the error of pressing the ball giving his teammate swimming middle an uncontested lane to the cage.
And in this scenario, the defender would’ve pressed the outlet because he presses the outlet anyway even though the ball isn’t there yet.
Because of terrible camera work1, we can’t see the outlet in relation to his defender now. It’s safe to assume the defender has the high lane on the outlet pass and the goalie does not want to make this pass now.
Right Secondary Read
So with the middle defender now pressing the release the goalie makes a right read on his second option.
He has enough space to give his teammate swimming middle the ball. The problem here is the margin for error is very slim. That ball needs to be put right on the field player’s hand so he turn around and attack the goal.
But it lands here.
And what should’ve been a counterattack goal is now a turnover.
Successful Read, Pass, & Counter Attack Finish
Here is a similar situation from the same game.
We have a steal on the right side again. So the action is going to be mostly on the right side again.
The ball goes back to the goalie and this time he hits the outlet right away.
This time the defender drops back to cover the middle.
The 2-v-1 is essentially over but it doesn’t mean the rest of the counter is over.
The outlet without a defender pushes the ball up wide and then as he approaches the 2-meter line he brings the ball up in an attacking position pulling the wing defender towards him and getting the goalie tip on his legs.
As I said earlier, we want to work right to left and this counterattack is finished on the left side (the top of the screen).
The counterattack is helped by an ill-timed switch by the other team.
But he can’t take advantage of it if he does not continue the counterattack and attack the 2-meter line and the goalie with the ball up.
Not every 2-v-1 on the right side will turn into a goal but making the right read and passing it quickly allows your team the best chance to either finish the 2-v-1 or to extend it into a full 6-man counter.
Yes, usually we we want to scan the whole pool on a counterattack to make sure we see the best opportunity but when a great opportunity is right in front of you just attack it.
I was behind the camera.
I found a lot of typos and spelling errors after sending this article out. My apologies to those that had to endure it.