The ten-minute check

The first ten minutes tell you whether your pre-match read was right.

I watch one thing: the distance between defence and midfield when the opponent has the ball. If that gap stays compact, the passing lanes through the middle are closed. If the midfield drops too deep, space opens just in front of the back line. That space becomes the dangerous area.

I saw it last weekend. Pre-match I expected a narrow home win. Inside eight minutes the away side played three easy passes through that gap without pressure. The read was wrong. I closed the tab and kept the stake for another day.

Give the match ten minutes before you commit.

Question: What is the first structural detail you check when the match starts?