Even the most meticulous of coaches know that, sometimes, a break can be a good thing for a team.
The Hounds got as close to a break as the condensed USL schedule allows after drawing 1-1 with the Charleston Battery on July 7, as head coach Bob Lilley gave his players Friday and Saturday off after traveling back on the Thursday after the match.
The intent, of course, was to give the Hounds — shorthanded with injuries and international call-ups — a chance to recuperate ahead of this Saturday’s 7 p.m. home match with Loudoun United FC, and early returns in training seem promising.
“It was nice to give them (time off),” Lilley said. “We played four in 12 days and had a busy schedule before that, as well. I thought they came back pretty well on Sunday, Monday, even today (Tuesday). I think we got some good work in that, hopefully, we can tighten things up and get ready for Loudoun.”
Having lost their previous meeting at Loudoun, the Hounds know that the last-place team in the Atlantic Division poses a threat. But having traveled to Virginia for both of the previous meetings, Lilley hopes to garner an edge by playing at Highmark Stadium.
“We played two games there and split with them. I hope we’re more aggressive offensively and make it harder for them to play. We had a lot of changes in the lineup last time at Loudoun, and I thought we were a bit tentative. (This time) we won’t have as much rotation, so hopefully we can take a positive approach right from the start and create our chances, have more of the ball than we did in the two Loudoun games,” Lilley said.
The short form of that thought? In Lilley’s words: “They’re dangerous when you let them play, so for us, we have to make it hard and own our field, basically.”
Owning their home turf will require a tight defensive effort, as the Hounds have been unusually vulnerable to the big through ball this season. Responsibility for that, according to the coach, sits with more than just the four or five players at the back.
“Well, our lines need to be together, for one thing, and our defending the front areas has to be better. Teams are breaking through our lines, not just our back line, and the game gets easier when you’re not collectively defending, or you don’t get numbers in areas, and that requires good defending throughout,” he said. “I think pressure on the ball is a big thing as well. If you don’t get pressure on the ball, things are going to find ways to get behind you.”
With the time off, the Hounds also got a chance to be spectators, watching the finals of the European Championship and Copa America on TV, as well as the start of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
In the opening match of the North American tournament, Hounds defenders Jelani Peters and Mekeil Williams both played a big part for Trinidad & Tobago, which got off to an excellent start with a 0-0 draw against Mexico in front of a large pro-Mexican crowd in Texas.
“I’m happy for them. It’s a big point for them,” Lilley said. “They’ll have a better chance of going through the group now, and I guess it’s good and bad — good for them and bad for us — because we may miss them a bit more. But I’m happy they get this opportunity, and hopefully they’ll represent Trinidad well, and also they’re representing the Riverhounds.”
Coach Lilley’s full comments from after Tuesday’s training session can be seen in the video above.