2026-08-23, 11:31 PM - Word count:
My summer training session with other Celtic players was winding down for the day, each of us finishing up our individual drills to focus on improving our weak points. Out of breath from the exertion of the morning, I kicked the ball towards the holding net and went back to pick up the markers I'd been practicing with. The training focus was definitely helping me as I was expanding the variety of moves that I could utilize in game situations, but I knew that I still needed to get better at disguising any tells that would give away my moves and get more confident with beating my marker in live one-on-one match situations. The skill set that had helped me get drafted had been based around athleticism and shifty moves that got the fans excited and created chaos up front, but getting to the majors division and converting to a centre attacking mid meant I had to become a more cerebral player. This had helped me to become a player that won a division MVP award, but over the past season I'd fallen into the issue of overthinking my dribbling and being indecisive or getting the moves wrong, turning what would have normally been a created scoring chance into a turnover or blocked shot going back the other way.
Late in the summer, Liffeyside were slated to play a friendly against a local club of Irish selects as a first tune-up before playing our actual pre-season slate. With Ireland only having a few professional players in the SSL, of which I was one of the top forwards for my country, it was more of an event for the fans to give them a chance to root for the present and future Irish stars. For our team, while the coaches would tell us to treat it like any other match, it was very much an opportunity to play around with the moves we wouldn't be as quick to try when the situations got more serious.
Nearing the end of the first half, we had managed to get the first goal against the selects, and we knew that at the half the starters would probably be pulled so as not to risk injury. I'd tried a couple moves against the defender marking me in the match, but hadn't been able to break free yet. In the 42nd minute, the ball was played down into the corner and Dybala came up with it, pivoting and getting the ball to me near the outside of the box. With the centre-back in between me and the goal, I figured that it was now or never to go for a move. The defender was playing towards the inside, guarding against a move to the inside. Seeing this, I faked right with my leg and my head, trying to bait the defender to move further inside, before dribbling outside and cutting through the box. The defender was caught too far away to interrupt my path to the goal now, and I shifted the ball back to my right foot and easily found the top corner of the net with the shot. After a nightmare season where I'd had trouble balancing the logical and creative play, I was finally feeling like myself again after all my off-season work.
Late in the summer, Liffeyside were slated to play a friendly against a local club of Irish selects as a first tune-up before playing our actual pre-season slate. With Ireland only having a few professional players in the SSL, of which I was one of the top forwards for my country, it was more of an event for the fans to give them a chance to root for the present and future Irish stars. For our team, while the coaches would tell us to treat it like any other match, it was very much an opportunity to play around with the moves we wouldn't be as quick to try when the situations got more serious.
Nearing the end of the first half, we had managed to get the first goal against the selects, and we knew that at the half the starters would probably be pulled so as not to risk injury. I'd tried a couple moves against the defender marking me in the match, but hadn't been able to break free yet. In the 42nd minute, the ball was played down into the corner and Dybala came up with it, pivoting and getting the ball to me near the outside of the box. With the centre-back in between me and the goal, I figured that it was now or never to go for a move. The defender was playing towards the inside, guarding against a move to the inside. Seeing this, I faked right with my leg and my head, trying to bait the defender to move further inside, before dribbling outside and cutting through the box. The defender was caught too far away to interrupt my path to the goal now, and I shifted the ball back to my right foot and easily found the top corner of the net with the shot. After a nightmare season where I'd had trouble balancing the logical and creative play, I was finally feeling like myself again after all my off-season work.
<center><img src='https://i.imgur.com/X6cSRMC.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /></center><br><center>Sig by Pandar</center>
