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How did India lose to China in the Asia Cup ? (6/27/2009)
--Alka C. Mehta
How did India lose to China in the Kuantan Asia Cup, a study

I happen to witness India - China hockey match at Kuantan on 12 May 09. Defending champion India had to win to reach the semis of the Asia Cup while China needed just a draw. Ultimately, India drew the match, did a favour to the Chinese while it had to cut a sorry figure going out of medal contention too early in the tournament.

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Here are the reasons for Indians to draw the match, as I saw them. I may be right or wrong, but what I felt needs deeper look and debate.

Warming up before the match: a fault by the Trainer

When we arrived at Kuantan stadium – Indian team was training in afternoon heat at 1430 hrs, Trainer was making players run in swapping heat . Chinese were not even on the field.

In the second half of the match, Indians were running low on energy and Chinese were all over on field. Indian s were huffing and puffing on field and slowing down to catch their breadth .For each Indian player there were 2 Chinese players. That's where the match was actually being lost.

Indians warming up really hard in heat before the match and no Chinese players on the pitch for warm up,

On Indian coach Harendra Singh:

Every time his strategy is to attack and attack. Very good strategy – but it is only good if he tells them how to do that!

As usual every time Indian lose or draw, he blasted his team for not playing attacking hockey.

At Kuantan too, he aired his vent on the team for not playing attacking hockey. I don't think the team was less on the count of attacking. India did play attacking brand of hockey; even in last 50 sec India had a penalty corner, it could not have come about without attacking.

However, Indians ran out of ideas how to penetrate the 'Great Wall' of China.

What were Indian coach alternative – here is one - Dhanraj Pillay made enough of shouting from Indian bench – "boys put your sticks in". Does coach tell player – how to attack? i wonder. It was obvious from first match between Pakistan and China that the Chinese won't give space for forwards. But the lessons were not observed and followed.

Did Indian coach devise any plan to break Chinese defense. I do not think so. Indian forward had no clue.

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All Indian Attack are from left or right flank, Chinese are aware of that, they simply had to block side lines and Indian forwards are clueless.

Penalty corner

Capt. Sandeep Singh scored first two goals by drag flicking ball to left high of Chinese goal keeper in first half. On 4th PC in last minutes, when Sandeep Singh was taking the flick, I said to myself, come on Sandeep do not flick on left of goal keeper. Sandeep did flick on left and Chinese GK was ready, raising his left hand in anticipation even before the ball left Sandeep's stick, the goal was saved. Coach is answerable for that (The picture at the bottom captures how the last minute penalty corner was saved).

On Chinese Goals

Although when Indian were leading 2-1 and Pc was saved by Indians – a unnecessary foul was committed just out side the striking circle and hit was awarded to Chinese and ball was hit in the circle after back pass . There were eight Indians in striking circle and four Chinese. Still ball went between Indian defenders and one of the Chinese moved and he had to only goal keeper to beat with simplest of the task in the world for equalizing goal.

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Even the first goal was a result of PC and ball rolled in slow motion over the goal line as whole Indian defense watched as if frozen.

Indian hockey needs drastic changes and it has to come at fast pace, just like ball on hockey pitch. Other wise we will need to content with qualifier only.

Video link: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2945303/asia_cup_hockey_2009_why_india_loss/

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Subjective study – part 6 a, Sandeep Singh's PC's
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 6:43:10 PM
In continuation to part 6 - Sandeeps's flick Another player takes on Prabjoth for deflection from left and is well out side the line of goalpost. The fourth player covers left bottom of the post as you can see, though the ball has passed his head line the post man is still keeping his stick down to follow the instruction of coach to see any ball left down or he is not in a position to judge the speed of the ball to take his stick high in the air. The goalkeeper is normally asked to cover the right side of the goal from the line of the first runner. Here in this case, the goalkeeper never really did expect the ball to come left top as you can still see that the goalkeeper is still on his right leg and left leg still on air which means that his body weight is still on right leg. Had he anticipated that sandeep would have put ball in left top then he would have certainly placed his left foot well on the ground. This shows, that Sandeep was right on his decision to flick the ball on left top. Now the question is about - the velocity of the ball…. was it having enough velocity to beat the goalkeeper? Was the ball stopped in centre of the goal, or in line with first post, or second post? …which has an influence of scoring angles and body and hip rotation to be created by the drag flicker. Was the pusher had higher velocity on the ball? Did the stopper fumble with the ball and was the ball rolling? Did Sandeep drag the ball in dead stop or on rolling movement? These all questions would answer certainly whether, he was in a position to generate enough speed in the ball or not.. Moreover as you know that the match was played on a hot sunny day and the 4th PC we got was almost in the last 50 seconds. Due to the hot conditions, I am sure that the pitch must have dried up…. And certainly the lack of water would cause more friction in drag and the velocity of the ball is likely to reduce. This would have lead to Sandeeps flick being slowed down and goalkeeper saving the goal.
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Subjective study - part 7, a piece of guidance for future studies
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 5:58:04 PM
But last not the least a word of advise to the author of the study… the related video links shows that when Indian team was doing warm up, the Chinese team also did the warm-up at far end. While doing a study, you need to have data’s on facts and figures, how many possession we lost, when and where? Intentional errors, unintentional errors? Turnovers? How many attacks on right, centre and left? Which area of the field they penetrated? How many entry in to 25? Into circle? How many shot at goal? Who and when? Who missed? Etc.. This would give a complete description of the game and in figures. Then no one can challenge you in your study, only the way you interpret the result it matters. Now it is just subjective and the video links does not provide any facts and figures. But my appreciation goes to you for having put up some observation which could be topic of debate and if the national coaches sees it, it would help them in really studying the flaws of the game.
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Subjective study - part 7, Goals conceeded by India
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 5:51:38 PM
I do agree that the goals which India conceded were indeed bad. Especially, the second goal through 8 players in defense. The culprit I feel in that occasion was Prabodh Tirkey. He could have easily trapped the slow moving ball. I heard the coach lamenting about this to one of his close associates that ‘ball could have been trapped easily with a ‘chimty’ something like ‘Chinese chop sticks.’
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Subjective study – part 6, Sandeep Singh's PC's
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 5:50:19 PM
Sandeep Singh is great flicker indeed and no doubt the coach also has faith in him since he has been groomed with him in the juniors. It is always good if you have a good drag flicker, who can be trusted upon. The coach was quite confident of Sandeep and that’s why he allowed him to take the first 2 PC’s directly and Sandeep succeeded in it. Though the team tried out an indirect variation in the 3rd PC it was not successful. But, then the coach in 4th PC must have felt that when you have an ace drag flicker who scored 2 directly, and brimming with confidence - why not try for the direct and he has bestowed faith on him. Now the question is, when it comes to direct flick, the opponent goalkeeper also is put into a mental task and to a conflicting mind - That is…Sandeep has already scored 2 goals on left top… then he may have an option now to put either right down, left down or right top. In Sandeep’s mind too the conflicts would have taken place that – he has already scored 2 goals on left and that the goalkeeper may be expecting him to put in other 3 corners. Perhaps this has lead to make a decision to put the 3rd PC on GK’s left top. In this case, I think what Sandeep did is right…. As if you are listening to a coach’s instruction for a direct flick to be put in any one corner as observed in their previous video clips – then the flicker is a FOOL, as he is predetermined and it is only 50-50 chance to score. The flicker should be in a position to scan the opponents running out, the goalkeepers positioning and the space available, his ability to fake etc. to be considered while flicking instantly. As per the picture (sagittal view) provided by you in your study – (though it is not a clear view of whats actually happening?) the first runner is out of screen which shows that he is beaten. The right post man is covering the pusher and also is not shown in the screen which shows that he is not within the goal and ball line. Another player takes on Prabjoth for deflection
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Subjective study – part 5, team did not devise any plan to break chinese defense
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 9:50:40 AM
Every coach, does have a game plan, and I think before the game, they must had a team meeting and perhaps the coach must have had a game plan explained to the boys. If there is no game plan how the team scored 2 goals? I think enough out put has been given. Moreover, players do claim that Harendra is a coach with board plans and explains his scheme of attack and defense to his players during the team meetings. There have been coach with Indian team who does not have any plans on his mind but only give boasting lectures of their glorys and say ‘chakdey patte’ a key term which is used to motivate the players. Hence, it is baseless to say that he never devised plans….have you attended any of his team meetings? Or have you spoken to any of the team members to find out if a team meeting was held or not? Without fact finding, it is baseless to say that he never had any plans…. That’s the reason I stated that your study is just subjective observation. There is no evidence or fact finding which does not eventually support the depth of your study.
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Subjective study – part 4, team management shouting during match
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 9:38:41 AM
For me, I think what Dhanraj did was right… as a manager and because of his involvement with team and game I think his guidance to the players were good enough. His shouting does show that how much involved he is… He was reminding the players to put his stick down…. it has come out of his past experience. When players are in the ground and under pressure they may forget to do minor things which enable you to react faster. I have seen many times the abuses and shouting’s of management officials from team bench. I noticed that most of the managers who accompanied Indian team are passive and can only abuse the players if they missed a goal or did mistake and are never worried about winning or losing than their priority for personal shopping. But never took a positive step to guide the players. But I have heard about Dhanraj, that he was on the field during warm up and training goalkeepers which no other Indian managers have done. In one of the Champions trophy match in 2005 at Chennai, the team was doing the warm up for specific training and the physiotherapist and the trainer of the team was making the goalkeepers and players to warm up respectively, where as the Golkeeper coach, the chief coach and the manager a former Olympian were on the fence talking to spectators until the former IHF Secretary General shouted at them made them to run into the field and be with the players. Since you were in Kuantan, you must have noticed Pakistans Hony. Secretary, Asif Bajwa was doing more coaching on the field, during the game than the chief coach Shahid. Perhaps his shouting sounded deeper into the players than chief coach since he was PHF Secretary General. Certainly shouting from the bench does make an impact on matured players.
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Subjective study – part 2, man to man marking by Chinese players
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 9:09:26 AM
As per you statement there were 2 players for each Indian players looked little whimsical. Then in that case there should be at least 20 Chinese players on the field. Perhaps Chinese had a defensive man to man marking strategy and 2 players closed down on to the ball carrier always to break the move. The Chinese did well to break the moves in their defensive area. But then the players should have realized that, and could have gone for 1 touch game in midfield and breakthrough into their circle with their fanciful and skilful dodging ability. But instead, they dribbled more in midfield and less in opponents 25 yards area. For this, we need to breed players like Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon who were really skillful in their 1-1 dodges. I do agree that the present batch of players lacks the skill of these kinds of legends. But the man to man marking is not the situation where our team begin to lose, but their inability to interchange positions and their inability to draw the defenders (drawing 2-3 defenders close –making them common) to a common area and then play the ball to the open space for our other players to capitalize.
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Subjective study – part 2, attack
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 8:54:53 AM
You have stated that coach always wanted to attack and the team went into attack from right and left flank.. if they have done that - then it is a good thing that they have done as they did really stretch the team in the defense. The principle of attack does state to increase the width in attack so that penetration was much easier. As too much of centre attack would make the defense to be crowded. I think India did have an equal amount of attack from both right and left. The coach can say and train how to attack from both right and left, but Indian players are not stereo typed players as that of the Europeans. They have more varieties than Europeans. It is easy to have a stereo typed system to be countered easily than one on which they have variation. If not for the stereo typed players, needs super fitness to undertake such a demand. The only thing here is that the players should have the quality of critical thinking to do things which can lead to goals or attempts. Small area games in this respect need to be drilled in to the players which certainly would develop critical thinking and decision making. It is not quantitative training lead to performance but quality. But then, it is not always the attack will fetch you result or goal but may be 1-2 chances out of many such attacks would bring you the result. Few years back I remember one of the leading State hockey association secretaries made a comment on Harendra Singh saying that he was more of a defensive coach. But then he was building up his juniors and now when he has switched on to attack mode you claim that he is always attacking?
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Subjective study – part 1, warm-up
by stoneman hockey on 6/30/2009 8:36:28 AM
In continuation with my discussion below – I would like to clarify these things from the said author of the article… if Indian team had done warm up in the hot sun.. and if it is claimed that they were exhausted then how could the Indian team take up a 2-0 lead? I don’t think so, if they were exhausted they could take a lead 2-0. You were sitting pretty well in the match and as I have said earlier the heat must have made them to exhaust. But then, there are recovery drinks and hydration has to be done from time to time…Then, when the score was 2-2 all still India did make some attacks and got PC’s.., which shows that the Indian team had energy and were not exhausted… The thing is that the Chinese did lots of pressing in the second half which lead to the goals. In the recently held Junior World Cup in Johor Bahru and Singapore - Spain coach was demanding for 18 players to be registered for the match so that the toll on the players could be avoided. The home team Malaysia though they were the hosts and acclimatized to their homeland did have 6 cramps during the 1st match they played. Hence, there are no measurements for warm up- the stretching exercises only lengthens the muscle but too long stretching does makes the muscle to loose its elasticity. Stretching does not increase the body temperature and does not regulate the person to bring his heart rate close to 100-120 b/min which shows that the players are warmed-up and if bit of running and dynamic movements has to be rehearsed as that of the game which would bring up the heart rate to 100-120 b/min. The coach could have made frequent substitution in the game to over come this exhaustion and to see that players are hydrated well. In the Junior world cup semifinals – the Aussies made around 80 substitutions in the whole match against Germany. They played with the same pace and same thrust. Thats how you got to over come these issues of exhaustion. But these are few tips or so called guide lines which a coach can exe
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Oh my goodness..
by stoneman hockey on 6/29/2009 8:50:18 AM
I put another 3 pages stuff's along with the down part... but all seems to be missing... I shall put it up once again...about the analysis
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Replies...

by Editor Arumugam on 6/29/2009 10:29:49 AM
Dear Stoneman, this part is for brief comments,the sytem cannot and will not take more than certain number of words. You perhaps exceeded this limit. My suggestion to you would be, why don't you write an article covering all the points you want to convey, that will have better visibility and readability. we are open to every type of article and opinion because this site feels it is the reader who have to ulitmately take his or her opinion, this site's duty to provide a platfrom for that.
subjective study?
by stoneman hockey on 6/27/2009 8:41:10 PM
This study is just subjective.... Firts of all the game starts at 3.00 pm. The players got to do warm up for atleast 20-25 min - which includes stretches, jog, bit of skill, goal shooting, PC's and small area game) at least 40 min before the start of the game. Because, just 10 min before the game starts, the players has to get ready for TD's stick check's and bit of refreshing. It was unfortunate that the heat and humidity was taking a toll of players. But then, Chinese team also would have entered the ground almost at the same time for warm up... It is quite surprising to see the author has mentioned that the team was not there... Did he find out if the Chinese team had done warm up some where else? So warm up is the responsibility of the trainer and I think he has done his duty. I dont know if there was enough shade or indoor hall in Kuantan to do warm up. Was any observation done on the amount of warm up they did? But however, I think the previous day the pakistan coach also commented for his teams draw against china was due to the weather as they practised in pakistan only under floodlights for Asia cup preparations. Perhaps, had India come 2 weeks before and had an experience of playing under this hot situation, it would have help the players to get adapted to the enviroment. For every coach, there may be some startegies fixed, Rajender singh used to play attacking hockey. In the same way, Harendra feels that attack is the best form of defense and if you are leading 2-1, unless you have 2 goal difference you cannot relax. Hence, the coach always wants his team to attack. Just observe the spectators, they would always want there team to attack and score goals.. So if the coach has that strategy in mind - it is defined and the team has to play according to his defined strategies. You have stated that India went into attack from right and left flank.. if they have done that - then it is a good thing that they have done as they did really stretch the team in the
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by A.C MEHTA on 6/29/2009 6:16:01 PM
Dear Stone man Thanks for your comments. One must always remember Situation awareness .Stretching is one thing and getting exhausting another. Above article based on true facts .Please do watch the video in the link and if you require further clarification please pass me your e mail. You may search in Google with My name to contact me.