Hello everyone and welcome to another Film Friday. Today, we are looking into how and why Nashville lost to FC Cincinnati.
A lot of factors go into a game like this, but let’s discuss the obvious ones.
Finishing
Factor number one is finishing. In the first half of the game, Nashville’s press forced Cincinnati to play without the ball. At first, that made the Cincinnati players uncomfortable. As the game progressed and Nashville failed to score over and over, Cincinnati’s confidence increased and Nashville became more frustrated.
Nashville had the lion’s share of possession throughout the game, but failed to convert it into anything substantial. Finishing was simply not up to par. Finishing is not completely reliant on skill; luck plays a huge part as well. However, to have 15 shots in 45 minutes and come out with nothing is disappointing.
In contrast, it took FCC four shots to get their goal. Which leads me to the second factor.
Desperation
After Cincinnati’s goal, the Nashville players were desperate to score. Even though they had plenty of time, the calmness in buildup play from the first half was pretty much gone. It was instead replaced with miss-hit passes, lack of concentration, forced passes, and players trying too hard to make something happen.
It is understandable that players who are chasing a goal play with some desperation, but for a team as experienced as Nashville, there should’ve been more belief and confidence within the team.
Disruption
The last factor is Cincinnati. Nashville fans might not like to hear this, but Cincy played the game right. They gave the ball to Nashville and took advantage of their chances. If it wasn’t for Joe Willis, this would have been even worse.
Cincinnati defended well throughout the match, and especially in dead ball situations, which is one of Nashville’s strengths.
Not only that, but they disrupted Nashville’s peace. FC Cincinnati players committed 18 fouls against Nashville. That is by far the most Nashville has faced this season. Every time a Nashville player had some rhythm, a Cincy player would knock them down.
Cincy also knew how to slow down the game when needed. Their players seemed to have mastered the dark arts, which really frustrated the Nashville squad and fans.
These are the big factors which resulted in Nashville losing at home. Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed the video, and please remember to share and follow.
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