FC Utrecht managed to secure a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain yesterday, but this morning the Koreans from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors proved too strong for the team from Utrecht, winning 1-0. We spoke with FC Utrecht coach Kevin van Veen to reflect on these two matches.
I think we performed well yesterday and I saw things that we've been trying to develop in our playing style over the past few weeks. It's always great to see that come to fruition. We focused a lot on our buildup play; we did well up to the final third, but that's where things stalled. We didn't create a lot of chances yesterday, but we gained control over the match, and I was satisfied with that. We were very disciplined defensively, which was less the case today. Especially in the first half, we weren't compact enough. That highlighted the difference between yesterday's and today's matches and the corresponding results.
When asked about the different football cultures, Van Veen responded that FC Utrecht had prepared well for the different playing styles of their opponents. "You know that the Koreans are a disciplined team and sit back a lot. We tried to prepare well for their counterattacks and agility. The match against Paris Saint-Germain yesterday was more open, with higher pressure and intensity. This was reflected in the data we have. We measure distances covered and speeds; that's interesting because when players reach high speeds, it says something about the intensity of the match. This also allows us to measure whether we can deliver quality in movement and defensive pressing. Yesterday we scored very well in these areas, and today, much less so. This gives us a lot of information, and we’ll take this into account in the next match to avoid muscle injuries. We receive these signals directly on the bench.
I'm very enthusiastic about the innovations being tested in the tournament. The dribbling restarts are brilliant; there are far fewer stoppages in the game. It makes it much more enjoyable for the audience and for me as a coach. The more intelligent players also make smarter choices in this system. The rolling substitutions keep the tempo high, and effective playing time is just the fairest. These new rules should be implemented as soon as possible. However, the time penalty for a yellow card has a significant impact; it can quickly change the game's flow. I'm not entirely sure if that’s a good addition. The four-minute penalty might be a bit long for a tournament like this. But it's definitely better than before because now it affects the game itself, whereas previously it only had an impact on the next match.