Offense

Offense or the forward line’s main job is to score goals or help the team in earning penalty corners. In today’s hockey there is one striker playing up front with 3 supporting him and 3 midfield players. So total of 7 players are required to score goals. Indian players rely on individual skill and try to score goals with their main weapon called dribbling. While one dribbles no other forward line player is out there to support him up front and no midfield there to support him twice. India rely on counter-attacks and with fitness level not matching the teams from Europe or Australia they cannot be faster than them on the ground. Ball runs faster than the player, so at that time they pass the ball. If there is no one out there to support the striker, they pass it backwards and they lose the advantage.
Another major point is reliance on flanks. The Indian team relies on flanks to cross the ball in the D. With 3 defenders covering the ball, it is a tough task to get the ball through the players. With the kind of individual skills that the players have. The should use more open spaces in the ground than going to flanks to score
CONTD…