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Speid believes Cavalier’s plan worked
June 02, 2023
In Monday's first-leg Jamaica Premier League (JPL) semi-final, Cavalier spent most of the match on the back foot, as Harbour View controlled possession and dictated the pace of the game, but coach Rudolph Speid argued that it was all a part of their plan.
Speid explained that the aim was to keep Harbour View off the scoresheet or keep the game as close as possible while trying to hit them on the break with the abundance of pace that Cavalier possess.
"Our aim was just not to concede and to keep the game as close as we could, and whenever we get it, we take it, and that's what we did," he said.
"One of the things that teams have to worry about when they play us is the pace that we carry. When we take off (player with) pace, we can add more (players with) pace, so our methods always have to do with the amount of pace that we have," Speid continued.
Harbour View controlled possession in what appeared to be a one-sided encounter. Speid insists that Cavalier are adept at playing with or without possession and that for the first leg, they chose to employ the latter strategy.
"Even if it looks like we are being outplayed, it doesn't matter, all we do is just drop into our shape, block up the spaces and deny teams from scoring, and then in the quint of an eye, we could be in your box and that always makes us dangerous," he pointed.
Orlando Russell scored minutes into the second half after latching on to a pass from Jerome McLeary at the far post to give Cavalier the only goal of the game.
Speid said he is grateful to have the advantage to take into Sunday's second leg at Sabina Park, although he thought their lead could have been bigger.
"Colin (Anderson) got a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0, and I think had we gotten that, we would have got more, but if you had asked me at the start of the game if I would have taken a 1-0 lead, I would say yes, so I am grateful," he said.
