DEUS STANISLAUS

Deus — this video breaks down the real cheat code for you as a nine. Everything starts with how you use the central corridor.

That space changes everything. When you stay central, you get access to the defender’s blindside. The runs you made all camp that were the most dangerous came from that exact zone. That’s the area where goals are scored.

But every time you drifted wide, everything collapsed. The moment you left the corridor, the center-backs could see you and the ball at the same time — and once a defender has both in view, you cannot beat her in behind. She adjusts her angle, steps into your line, gets goal-side, and the run dies. Even average defenders can defend that.

This is why the blindside is everything for you.
When the defender can’t see you and the ball at once, she is forced to rotate her body. And rotation costs time. That time becomes your advantage.

Here’s the part most players never learn:
blindside = more time
more time = better decisions + cleaner touches + clearer angles

We saw you start to understand this in the final days of camp. When you stayed central, you naturally drifted into the blindside. And the moment the center-back stepped up, you didn’t run directly — you changed your angle, stayed hidden, and received the ball in a way that forced her to rotate. That rotation is a momentum reset.

Anytime a defender rotates, she loses control of the moment. Imagine you’re facing one direction, and someone forces you to twist the opposite way — your entire momentum breaks. That’s what you did to defenders without realizing it.

And because she rotated late, you could receive on the half-turn, open your hips, and create instantly. That’s why your best touches all came when you were hidden and receiving in the central corridor.

This is your weapon: when you’re on the blindside, you get two threats at once —

• The run in behind, because she can’t anticipate your first step

• The first touch past her, because she rotates too late to react

Both came from the same principle: she cannot see you and the ball at the same time.

Now think back to transitions — this is where your game made the biggest jump. Earlier in camp, you drifted wide toward open space when the ball broke a line. But in your last game? You ran between the posts, straight into the corridor, and the defender completely lost you.

Why? Because in transitions, defenders always ball-watch. And if they’re watching the ball, they’re not watching you. So you’re already two steps ahead before the run even begins.

That’s why your run in that clip was perfect. And when you compare it to your teammate in the intrasquad game, it’s the same exact pattern — central run, blindside entry, goal.

And look at the contrast:
Earlier clip from camp — you stayed in her sightline. She saw you and the ball at the same time. She simply slid goal-side, and your run died.

Last game — same situation. Only difference? You stayed on her blindside. She couldn’t predict you. She couldn’t anticipate your angle. And if the ball into you had been cleaner, you’re through 1v1 and scoring.

Deus — this week you made a real shift.
Great job

-O

You already have strong striker instincts, and I can see that in your clips. You make smart movements, look for space, and know how to position yourself. That is a great start. But here is the next step. To be truly dangerous, your runs need purpose—not just movement. A good run takes you somewhere. A dangerous run takes you somewhere the defender cannot control.

Every dangerous run comes from one of two things: staying on the center back’s blind side or keeping your hips aligned between the posts. If your run hits neither, it doesn’t create real danger. And that is okay in buildup play, but in the final third, when the ball breaks a line or there’s a transition, danger equals intent. Space alone doesn’t score goals. Timing, angles, and who can see you do.

Here is the cheat code: pin the two center backs. You’ve heard this in your IDP meeting. What they might have explained is from a team perspective. When you pin the center backs, you force them to stay central. Teams cannot afford to pull them wide because that would create a 1v1 nightmare in the box. Midfielders and wingers cover the rest, but your job is to exploit the blindside created by this positioning.

But let me break it down for you as a player. This is what pinning both Centerbacks means for Deus: When you pin both center backs, you automatically gain access to one defender’s blindside. That is a No. 9 cheat code. The defender cannot see you and the ball at the same time, which means you control the run, the timing, and the separation behind the line. You decide when to break, when to adjust, and when to exploit space. That is how dangerous strikers win games.

But if the defender sees both you and the ball at the same time, the run is neutralized. She can match your angle, stay goal-side, and control the situation. Even the fastest striker loses this race because visibility beats speed. That is why in your game we saw moments where you ran to where the defender could see you, and she blocked your path instantly, stopping your momentum. That is why these principles matter.

In this video, you’ll learn:
Ask yourself before every run: “Where am I going?”
Target the blindside.
Keep your hips aligned between the posts.
Pin the center backs.
Control the timing.
Force defenders to react, not predict.

You already have strong instincts, but by mastering this, you will become untrackable, fast, and lethal in the final third. The combination of vision, timing, and positioning will make you the striker every defender dreads facing.

You think like a midfielder, and that is a rare compliment. Midfielders are trained to value space and time. That is why you are so calm on the ball, able to twist, turn, and create your own time. That instinct is already elite. Not many players your age have that awareness. I am very impressed by seeing your footage.

But here is the next step. Even though you have those midfielder instincts, in the final third, you need a different mindset. To be a game-changer, you cannot always think about open space. Sometimes you must look at the defender in front of you and attack her. That is what makes you truly dangerous— directness.

In the final third, there is a specific area I call the selfish zone. In this zone, the priority is you, your shot, your goal. Do not drift toward space. Do not hesitate. Do not worry about the angles created by teammates or midfielders closing in. Your first thought must be: how do I get my shot off?. The defender directly in front of you sets the challenge, and you solve it. Drive straight, create separation, and finish.

I have been in your position. When I played at Wake Forest, I had the same habit. I tried to upgrade my shots, wait for the perfect touch, or drift into open space. What changed everything for me was learning the cheat code. The touch that enters the box is the touch you shoot on. No overthinking. No perfect angle. Touch in, shot out.

I saw a moment in your clip that reminded me of Ronaldo’s goal against Sweden in 2013. The moment his touch enters the box, he shoots. He does not hesitate. He does not wait for a better angle. He just finishes. That is the instinct you need in the selfish zone. Apply it and you will score more, you will control the final third, and defenders will never know what is coming.

Your midfielder instincts are incredible, but this is the next level. In the selfish zone, your directness and decisiveness make you elite. Attack the defender, finish fast, dominate the area. That mindset will elevate your game at the college level immediately.

HIPS BETWEEN THE POSTS = TOTAL CONTROL

Here is the ultimate cheat code, the one that ties everything together. When you are in the final third, keep your hips aligned between the posts. You do not need to be perfectly square, just enough that the goal is in your body line. This simple adjustment makes everything else easier.

When your hips are between the posts, your body signals threat. You can go left, right, inside, outside, or shoot. You are dangerous in every direction. That does two critical things. First, defenders are unsure. They cannot step aggressively because they risk being beaten instantly. Second, you naturally gain more time. When defenders back off, you have more space to execute moves, shoot, or pass without searching for it.

This cheat code works even when you do not have the ball. In one of your clips, you scored by running straight toward goal, cutting perfectly, and finishing. That is exactly the run I want you to replicate. When the ball breaks the line, run straight between the posts. Not toward space, not to the side. That is where goals are scored, that is where you are most dangerous, and that is where you dominate the defense.

Use this habit and everything becomes clearer. Identifying 1v1s is easier. Finishing is faster. Defenders freeze. You create space without forcing it. Every attack becomes simpler and more lethal. Hips between the posts = control, threat, and elite execution.

ELIMINATING LINES = WINGER DOMINANCE

Every defensive team has a shape, and that shape is made of lines. As a winger, your job is to break those lines.

Your line is not set by the ball, not by your teammates, not by offside. Your line is set by the nearest defender marking you. Right now, the fullback sets your line. By standing in front of her, you make her job easy. From her perspective, she can see the ball, see you, and see the whole play. That is a dream scenario for any defender.

Instead, your position needs to either be level with her line or beyond it. When you move beyond her line, two things can happen. If she follows, she moves away from her original position and creates space for your fullback to advance into. We see this happen in your clips when you break the line and the fullback chases you. Use this pattern. If she does not follow, the ball can reach you behind her, already facing forward, already breaking the defensive shape. That is the ideal scenario.

I notice a habit you have that I also had as a young player. You tend to drift toward the ball too often. That pulls you inside the line instead of stretching it. Your value as a winger is in stretching the defensive line, not joining it.

The simple rule for your next game is this: focus on being beyond the nearest defender marking you. Not in front, not inside the line. Beyond her line is where you control the attack, dictate the rhythm, and create opportunities before the defense even knows what hit them.