DEUS STANISLAUS

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.