Well, let me start by once again iterating that these blogs aren't trying to criticise anyone or place blame in anyway. The whole point is to have a forum to discuss our performances, good and bad, and just have a laugh and look back on the performance from the weekend. If people are still offended after this post, and i get a direct request I will not bother posting further.
With that in mind. I think the weekend's performance was good without being great. Kevin got us off to a great start by listening to what was said at training last week, and having a shot when in range and confident. Helped by a bit of an error by their keeper, but aided by awkwardly bouncing his shot right in front, the goal went in for a 1 nil lead inside the first few minutes. We then continued to pass the ball well, moving up the field with a series of one-two's on a number of occasions.
Unfortunately lateish in the second half the first of a few defensive lapses led to them equalising. I will put my hand up, and i think the rest of the back line will as well, to say that we did not clear the ball well when required. On too many occasions we didn't clear the ball far enough or with enough urgency.
After the re-start it was more of the same really, good in attack, not so good in defence. Somebody (memory fails me) put in a good cross for Nits and Shiraz to bundle home (feel free to claim it someone, just couldn't see from my end of the pitch). Not long after there was another unfortunate defensive error, the person involved has already contacted me today to cancel dinner plans as he has been sort out by all media outlets for exclusive interviews and training sessions to teach his sublime finishing skills to the next generation! 2 all.
Kenny was rewarded for some more hard work in the box (non sexually) with being brought down from behind and having a penalty awarded. Tony stepped up to slot home to make it 3-2 with about 10 to go. The third goal to equalise, again was a result of not enough urgency at the back with a scramble and a stab home. I personally had one of those flash back moments after it went in, if i had of just gone to ground instead of just flinging out a foot i reckon i could of stopped it (or at least deflected it in! ha ha!).
So what to take from it. I'm not sure, the 4 or 5 of us interchanging out of the back line need to work together (as we have been but more) at training and talking to each other more. If we can continue to score goals and play through the park like we did (especially in the first half), but shore up the defence, another 3 points can't be too far away!
Anyone else?
See you at training on Wednesday,
Yours in Football
B!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Winter means Rovers!
Ok everyone, this a-league off season I'm donating my blog to match reports for the AA10 West Ryde Rovers. They are by no means accurate, they are simply my recount of the events. Fellow Rovers I'm not using this to judge, again it is just my recount and opinions on the games. So feel free to comment and correct me or tell me I'm being a jerk! Enjoy!
**************2 points lost, not a point gained!************************************
We started first half very poorly, even though I warned the mid field pre-game that they needed to drop deep to pick up the ball, and pass through the opposition, they proceeded to completely ignore me. No one dropped to receive the ball, no one played the easy ball when we did have it. Their first goal was a comedy of errors from myself, Dusco and the linesperson. Their striker (who was like 17, and ran me ragged all game) was no joke, maybe 5 metres off side, goal keeper finally found his boot and cleared myself. Not seeing a flag I chased hard, and then Dusco put his hand up and said he’d been called off side so I pulled up, their striker, now standing literally next to Dusco just passed the ball in. No flag, no whistle, goal. I know I shouldn’t of pulled up, even with Dusco’s call. (Unfortunately no one stuck a rocket up me but...) I stuck a bit of a rocket up Sasha about if he wanted to play at the back all he had to do was ask and I’d push forward, just before half time and had to explain after the game i was just trying to express some encouragement and got carried away! OOPPS! Chief and I also exchanged some heated words at the half time whistle (white line fever no hard feelings guys). Nits missed a penalty after being brought down in the box.
Second half was better with at least some reasonable possession, Then Kenny (I think it was Kenny anyway?) also missed a penalty from a hand ball. 30 seconds later they scored I think from a corner and resultant scramble, I can’t even remember how exactly. Heads went down, but luckily that meant that not everyone was running towards goal and we suddenly found our midfield and just played through them for the last 30 minutes. Tony slotted a penalty after another hand ball (dubious, but we'll take it) he also moved into the mids basically whilst we defended 3 at the back. Not exactly planned but given that Sasha was pretty much a CB anyway it was a good outcome because he hustled really hard and I reckon changed the game in our favour. Leo tried to fight some guy, then Kenny stabbed home to equalise. They hit the cross bar twice, both bouncing straight down (at least one looked to cross the line to me) but neither awarded. Numerous other chances on top of the 2 missed pens meant it could’ve quite easily been 5 or 6 to 2. Basically we cannot be happy with a point when we missed 2 pens. I also honestly believe we are a far better team than:
a) the way we played
and
b) the opposition, their defence in particular was sloppy and haphazard.
Need to do better next Monday. Hopefully we have more than 10.5 turn up (the 0.5 was chief (re-injured within 10 minutes) we had two U17’s fill in for us luckily).
(Once again Rovers, feel free to correct me, add your insight, and all round contribute)
See you at the back stick,
B!
**************2 points lost, not a point gained!************************************
We started first half very poorly, even though I warned the mid field pre-game that they needed to drop deep to pick up the ball, and pass through the opposition, they proceeded to completely ignore me. No one dropped to receive the ball, no one played the easy ball when we did have it. Their first goal was a comedy of errors from myself, Dusco and the linesperson. Their striker (who was like 17, and ran me ragged all game) was no joke, maybe 5 metres off side, goal keeper finally found his boot and cleared myself. Not seeing a flag I chased hard, and then Dusco put his hand up and said he’d been called off side so I pulled up, their striker, now standing literally next to Dusco just passed the ball in. No flag, no whistle, goal. I know I shouldn’t of pulled up, even with Dusco’s call. (Unfortunately no one stuck a rocket up me but...) I stuck a bit of a rocket up Sasha about if he wanted to play at the back all he had to do was ask and I’d push forward, just before half time and had to explain after the game i was just trying to express some encouragement and got carried away! OOPPS! Chief and I also exchanged some heated words at the half time whistle (white line fever no hard feelings guys). Nits missed a penalty after being brought down in the box.
Second half was better with at least some reasonable possession, Then Kenny (I think it was Kenny anyway?) also missed a penalty from a hand ball. 30 seconds later they scored I think from a corner and resultant scramble, I can’t even remember how exactly. Heads went down, but luckily that meant that not everyone was running towards goal and we suddenly found our midfield and just played through them for the last 30 minutes. Tony slotted a penalty after another hand ball (dubious, but we'll take it) he also moved into the mids basically whilst we defended 3 at the back. Not exactly planned but given that Sasha was pretty much a CB anyway it was a good outcome because he hustled really hard and I reckon changed the game in our favour. Leo tried to fight some guy, then Kenny stabbed home to equalise. They hit the cross bar twice, both bouncing straight down (at least one looked to cross the line to me) but neither awarded. Numerous other chances on top of the 2 missed pens meant it could’ve quite easily been 5 or 6 to 2. Basically we cannot be happy with a point when we missed 2 pens. I also honestly believe we are a far better team than:
a) the way we played
and
b) the opposition, their defence in particular was sloppy and haphazard.
Need to do better next Monday. Hopefully we have more than 10.5 turn up (the 0.5 was chief (re-injured within 10 minutes) we had two U17’s fill in for us luckily).
(Once again Rovers, feel free to correct me, add your insight, and all round contribute)
See you at the back stick,
B!
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