In line with the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Football tournament, this weekly series will keep a close eye on the Ateneo Men’s Football Team (AMFT) as their season unfolds. This week’s edition serves as a season preview for the blue booters.
Season 79 Recap
There was a healthy dose of uncertainty before the start of Season 79. The AMFT, fresh off a finals appearance in the preceding season, looked poised to continue their good run of form, but the sudden exit of key blue booters like Kendall Colet and Mashu Yoshioka dampened some optimism.
This triggered a mass overhaul of the team’s composition and tactics. Head Coach Jaypee Merida shifted from the traditional back four into a more complex 3-5-2 shape, and regularly deployed six rookies in the starting XI. Their collective youth and inexperience made Merida’s decision a risky gamble, but the raw talent and ferocity that the Blue Eagles played with took the league by storm.
Ateneo dominated the elimination round with a near-invincible 11-2-1 (win-draw-loss) record, en route to a 1-0 Finals victory over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws. With majority of last season’s core intact, the Blue Eagles enter Season 80 as the presumptive favorites.
AJ Arcilla, Jayrah Rocha, Jordan Jarvis, Enzo Ceniza, Julian Roxas, and Jarvey Gayoso were all part of the UAAP Season 79 Mythical XI at the season’s end. Four of the blue booters also bagged individual accolades: Arcilla won the Best Goalkeeper award, Rocha garnered the Best Defender award, Jarvis earned the Rookie of the Year title, and Gayoso took home the Best Striker award and the Most Valuable Player trophy.
Players to Watch
1. William Grierson
Photo by John P. Oranga
The old saying “height is might” does not normally apply to football players. With the way the game is played around the world these days, the game usually champions smaller, quicker players capable of dribbling defenders dizzy. However, there is a certain utility to height that cannot be denied, and Will Grierson is Ateneo’s resident skyscraper.
Spending last season on the right side of a three-man backline, the 6’2” rookie defender proved to be a crucial cog in the UAAP’s best defense, which conceded just seven goals all season. Grierson’s physique makes him an intimidating aerial threat and allows him to cover ground quicker than you would expect. This was on display particularly in shackling De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Matthew Custodio, who routinely bullies defenders to create space, during their first round matchup.
This season, the Blue Eagles appear to have discovered a different way to use Grierson’s presence on the pitch. From neutralizing opposing attackers, Grierson has been tasked to torment opposing defenders as he takes his place in Ateneo’s forward line. His colossal figure naturally translates into a traditional target man role, which essentially functions as a focal point for attacking moves. Grierson can effectively hold-up the ball, allowing his attacking teammates around him to make runs behind the defense or bring the midfielders into more advanced positions on the pitch. Playing in attacking areas also lets Grierson use his height to attack crosses and finish off offensive passages of play.
While it may take a run of games for Grierson to truly come into his own as the big man up top, the extra dimension he brings to the Blue Eagle attack is certainly something opposition defenses will be dreading to face.
2. Enzo Ceniza
Photo by Janine Torre
Dribbling is perhaps the most visually appealing aspect of football—a big reason why Enzo Ceniza was one of the most exciting players to watch last season. What separates Ceniza from other flashy dribblers, however, is the drive and control he brings to the Blue Eagles with the ball at his feet.
Ceniza acts as the glue that holds the team together. The PAREF Springdale product is adept at maneuvering through tight spaces in the center of the pitch, using his deceptive strength and agility to dispatch defenders and provide service to the forwards. He also serves as a release valve when teams press the Blue Eagles through his evasive movement behind the opposing team’s midfield line. When found in more advanced positions, his deft touch and unpredictability with the ball keep defenders on their toes.
45′ + 1 – Ceniza shows a nice bit of skill but the keeper handles his shot. #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/fBdajjgY35
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) February 16, 2017
Ceniza’s stellar dribbling has also allowed other areas of his game to shine. His link-up play with the AMFT’s wing-backs were effective in creating overlapping threats down the flanks, adding another a layer to the potent Blue Eagle attack:
54′ – Ceniza and Mathay combine to draw the foul. #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/TEPnZv9GRo
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) May 7, 2017
His ball skills are also incredibly useful in creating space for the killer pass:
60′ – Ceniza finds Liay but his shot goes over the bar. #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/lekJfWoteN
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) March 25, 2017
But perhaps the most impressive aspect of Ceniza’s game is his nuanced finishing. His three goals in Season 79 (the fourth highest tally in the squad) displayed his composure inside the box. Ceniza rarely gets rattled in crucial moments, evidenced by the match-winning rocket against then-defending champions University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, which is arguably the high point of Ateneo’s six-match win streak.
70′ – GOAL! Ceniza pounces on the deflection and finishes with his right! Ateneo 1 UP 0 #UAAPFootball pic.twitter.com/PBMoeJIkqM
— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) February 26, 2017
However, Ceniza still has room for improvement. Though he has shown clear promise, his passing, specifically in picking out the Blue Eagles’ pacey strikers, still needs refining. He also has the tendency to improvise when attacking moves unfold, which can either be to the gain or detriment of the team at times. These are the growing pains normally associated with young creative midfielders to which Ceniza is no exception.
Still, the body of work he displayed last season was impressive, let alone for a rookie. Ceniza earned a rightful place in the Mythical XI last season with a handful of years left of eligibility. Ceniza has the physical tools and natural skill to elevate his game even further. The league should be put on notice if he does.
Photo by John P. Oranga
Key Subplots
1. How will the team fill the voids left by Carlo Liay and Jordan Jarvis?
Photo by John P. Oranga
When the team shifted to a 3-5-2 shape last season, Coach Merida needed a sweeper in the middle of the three-man backline. However, instead of deploying one of his center halves in that role, Merida opted for a more unconventional route. He placed Season 79 Team Captain Carlos Liay, who had been the team’s nominal central or attacking midfielder, at the heart of the Ateneo defense.
It was a gutsy move, but it made sense. Liay was not built like a traditional center back, but his ability to collect the ball in deep positions and instigate attacks from the back made him a great fit for the formation. Liay played well in the first couple of matches in defense before his leg injury, linking ably with Julian Roxas and Ceniza, while helping maintain the Blue Eagles’ rigid defense. When he returned midway through the season, Liay was tasked with a completely different role: As a forward. Merida paired him with Gayoso or Rupert Baña up front to great effect either as a super-sub or in the starting XI.
Jarvis was another versatile option for last year’s title-winning squad. The reigning Rookie of the Year grew up playing as a midfielder, but his blistering pace and crossing ability allowed him to thrive along the flanks. Jarvis spent most of Season 79 as the team’s starting right wingback, though his high attacking work-rate effectively made him a winger for long stretches, and was occasionally deployed in the midfield. Perhaps his most impressive performance came in Ateneo’s 7-1 drubbing of the Adamson University Soaring Falcons where Jarvis finished with a hat-trick in his first game as a midfielder. He recorded four goals (tied with Sam Lim for second on the team) and an assist in 15 games.
With Liay having graduated and Jarvis having recently signed with Global Cebu FC in the Philippine Football League, both these players’ impacts on the field will be sorely missed. Liay and Jarvis’ positional flexibility allowed Ateneo to experiment with different player combinations without skipping a beat.
The silver lining is that their respective departures will allow younger players to shine. Three of the new recruits, midfielder Joaquin Roque, and defenders Jose Poe and Joshua Laud, occupy the same areas on the field as Liay and Jarvis, so it is possible that the young guns can replicate some of their production. It also gives oft-used sophomore options like centerback Justin Dy and midfielder Niño Herrera, who played only 10 games in Season 79 due to injury issues, the chance to earn consistent playing time.
Ateneo still has an arsenal of weapons at their disposal, but Liay and Jarvis were not merely talented players; they were key cogs to the system. Time will tell if the Blue Eagles can rise above this setback.
2. Wing play will be central to the Blue Eagles’ attack
Photo by John P. Oranga
Last season, the Blue Eagles packed some serious firepower going forward. The Ateneo attack netted a whopping 33 goals in just 14 matches, while UP held the next closest tally at 22. Incision was the name of the game last season as the bulk of Ateneo’s goal threat came through passes breaching the defensive lines, especially through the channels between the fullback and center back. This was the perfect type of service for the pacey forward line, which included players like by Gayoso, Paolo Alilam, Lim, and Baña, to latch on to and stretch the defense.
This attacking style can be extremely potent against teams who play a high defensive line or use an offside trap because of the acres of space they risk behind. However, preseason matchups against National University (NU) and UP have shown us that the Blue Eagles can struggle to create attacking opportunities when pegged back by a high press. Without an answer to an aggressive defensive style, Ateneo risks being shackled no matter how much firepower they possess up top.
Ateneo’s wing-backs emerge as the key to punishing teams who attempt to blitz them in possession. By hugging the touchline, they have a chance to escape the press and bomb down the flanks, which then opens up pockets of space in the middle for their teammates to operate.
Look out for Michael Castillo and Carlitos Mathay to be the main wide men in question, with the likes of Justin Dy and rookies Roque and J. Poe giving Coach Merida a wealth of options. In the 3-5-2 formation the squad usually employs, wing-backs function simultaneously as outlets for pressure and extra men in midfield. With pace to burn and sharp technique between them, this current crop are more than capable of flourishing in this role.
Looking better equipped to deal with more aggressive defensive schemes, it would not come as a surprise if the Blue and White manage to match or even surpass the lofty scoring totals they set last season. With a target on their back as defending champions, the Blue Eagles’ game on the flanks will be crucial to maintaining their free-scoring form.
First Round Fixtures
All games at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila
February 4, Sunday, 3:00 PM vs UP
February 11, Sunday, 9:00 AM vs NU
February 15, Thursday, 4:00 PM vs DLSU
February 18, Sunday, 3:00 PM vs UST
February 25, Sunday, 9:00 AM vs UE
March 1, Thursday, 2:00 PM vs Adamson
March 4, Sunday, 12:00 PM vs FEU
Roster
Goalkeepers: AJ Arcilla, Kenn James, Gavin Rosario
Defenders: Jayrah Rocha, Justin Dy, Carlitos Mathay, Jose Poe, Ged Poe, Joaquin Roque, Michael Castillo
Midfielders: Julian Roxas, Jimi Haosen, Koko Gaudiel, Enzo Ceniza, Mark Nacional, Iñigo Herrera, Joshua Laud, Rupert Baña
Forwards: Jarvey Gayoso, Paolo Alilam, Sam Lim, William Grierson
