After a week of saying the right words about being ready to compete, Phoenix Rising’s failure to do so against San Diego came as something of a surprise.
Quite why that occurred is something of a mystery, even to Rising coach Rick Schantz.
“I wish I knew,” Schantz said. “Maybe it was they watched San Diego play midweek and lose. Maybe it was we didn’t train with the right vigor that we needed. We just kind of kept the regular schedule in our perfect week.
“Whatever it is, I didn’t get all the buttons pushed properly or the levers pulled correctly, so it’s got to be changed and fixed. I feel like we’re doing it now.”
The loss to San Diego was Rising’s second in three games to open the season. It’s being viewed as something of a wakeup call to a team most expect to compete for titles.
“From my point of view, I think we can’t underestimate any opponent, whether it is Vegas or San Diego or any other team,” winger Santi Moar said. “It’s been proven that we can lose against anybody.”
From Schantz’s perspective, the issue so far has been just that: competitiveness, desire and execution on the field. He doesn’t see the need for wholesale changes in the team’s tactics on matchday.
“I disagree with all the pundits out there that we need to change our system,” Schantz said. “Listen, we’ve been doing this for four years, and one of our big problems right now is not trusting the guys behind us when we’re pressing, not closing the spaces that we need to be closing. It’s too easy to play through us.”
Those issues with pressing have proved critical. Rising has long been known for its aggressive counterpress, with a heavy emphasis on either winning back the ball high up the field or preventing the opposition from ever becoming comfortable in possession.
“There’s a saying we say as a coaching staff: There’s pressing, and then there’s pressure,” Schantz said. “When you’re pressing, you’re working as a group to win the ball back. When you’re pressuring the ball, you’re running up there without the intention to win it. I think we’re doing a lot of pressure, and not really pressing to win it, so we’re not getting close enough. We’re not committing 100% to win the ball back when we don’t have it.”
That system can at times leave Rising exposed at the back, with full-backs expected to contribute to the attack. According to Schantz, though, it’s an overcommitment beyond the norm during attacks that’s causing harm.
“When we do have the ball, we’re usually in a desperate mode so we’re really exposed,” Schantz said. “Our transition defense has been crap, I’m sure everyone would agree. It’s not about are the center-backs good enough. I mean, if you’re attacking with eight players all the time, there’s a good chance you’re going to give up transition goals. For us, it’s about being a little more pragmatic in our approach, keeping our shape and not just throwing everything forward.”
The recent form has caused trouble for the squad beyond just on the scoresheet. Schantz admitted that the added pressure from poor form had taken a toll on new captain Darnell King as he gets to grips with his role.
“He struggled a bit,” Schantz said. “He’s had some sleepless nights after the games. He’s trying to wonder what it is that he can do to help. I told him right now, the best thing that a captain can do in these moments is to perform and to do everything right. You don’t have to be a screamer. You don’t have to be a yeller, but to be yourself. It’s not his job to fix the whole team. It’s his job to lead on the field, in the locker room.
“I need to help him, and I need to make sure that he’s learning and understanding how to feel, how to talk to people and things like that. But that’s the staff’s job right now. When things are in this moment, the best captains will roll up their sleeves and they’ll work. They’ll fight and they’ll do everything they possibly can, and I know he’s doing it.”
For now, Rising is focused on the training pitch. A new system utilized by Schantz aims to take on his concerns over a lack of competing from Rising players during the week.
“We’ve actually had two really good days and the focus has been on competition,” Schantz said. “We’ve actually instilled something that I’ve always thought about a little bit. Anson Dorrance made it famous in North Carolina where they call it the ‘competitive cauldron.’ Every exercise had points that could be earned and individual players were scored and rated.
“It’s a very harsh reality but right after training, then you put those scores and those ratings up in the locker room. We’ve seen a huge jump in energy. It might also have to do with the fact that we’ve lost two games and the guys, they know that they’re fighting for their jobs and they’re fighting for their profession. Right now, it’s go time for us and we have to compete.”
