Fluffing Our Lines
Posted by Kai on April 27, 2008
Redbacks: 2
Dark Blues: 2
Venue: Woodgrove Sec Sch
Scorers: Rizwan, Jaz
We managed to salvage a draw in a game we perhaps should have won. The Spiders failed to exhibit the one-touch football that we successfully executed from the previous week. Even so, we had a chance to open the scoring early in the match. Rizwan made a nuisance of himself and was brought down in the box. Kai stepped up to take the penalty and the usually dependable midfielder ballooned his effort.
However, Rizwan continued to trouble the Dark Blues with his enterprising running and scored the first goal of the game. He played a neat one-two with Irwan before finishing coolly. The Dark Blues got the equalizer when their striker managed to hit a looping header which Fauzi had no chance of keeping out. Things remained the same until half-time.
Azhar expressed his displeasure at the team’s performance and demanded that things change in the second half. After making some customary changes, the team showed a marked improvement. Unfortunately, it was the Dark Blues who would take the lead through the weirdest of manners. Undeterred, the Spiders continued working to get ourselves back into the game.
A flash point broke out when an opponent kicked Ming in the back when the winger was sprawled on the floor. Ayyub stepped forward to defend his brother. Amidst all the confusion and chaos, the Redbacks continued playing and scored the equalizer when Jaz’s effort found the back of the net off a huge deflection. Both teams had chances to win the game. In the end, they had to be happy with a draw.
When asked if he would relinquish his penalty-taking duties, Kai replied, “Missing penalties happen to some of the greatest players in the world. I have no doubts in my ability. I have the best penalty-taking record in this team. I’ll just continue practicing and mark my words, when another chance comes my way, I will put it away.
On a more serious note, the players would like to wish Aki’s mother a speedy recovery from her operation. We will keep her in our prayers and hope to see Aki back on the field soon. Take care bro!
April 29, 2008 at 1:46 am
hey guys,
1st half was really bad… i guessed it was one of the worst performance i had for some time… i speak for myself but i am really confused and shocked by the captain’s outburst.
til date, we played, we won some, lost some, drew some…. until the last match, i always feel happy that being in the redbacks, the players are able to express ourselves on the pitch… at times we defended well, at times we attack well… but why the outburst when in a half, the midfielders and attackers played badly and got battered for it?? i feel for myself, even more for players who battered during half time and not having the chance to redeem themselves in the 2nd half… but i guessed it was really a bit too harsh on the players… i mean… we win as a team… we lose as a team… some games our defence played badly and we can laugh about it… my MAIN POINT is we should shoulder the blame together as a whole for a bad performance…
so far, i believe we never have a fixed eleven… or 1st team players…. the formation is being sorted out… but who is really our main striker upfront? Or are we just trying out?
in the first half, it was really difficult for me to exert any influence… the opponents were playing so deep yet we hurried our passes and kept pumping long balls to no man’s land… khai and faizal was playing really high up the field… which was rare… and i had to move out to the flanks and drift away or higher upfront… basically the movement was the main problem… period.
of course, it’s nice to play simple and play one-two touch football… but can we do it? we can pass it but if the movement isnt right, the attack isnt going to work…
my best role is to play as the linkman between the midfielders and the striker… but i cant do much if there’s too many people playmaking at the same time… and i cant do anything if i rarely gets the ball…
we have YET to develop our own style of play… the kluang game was really good .. but it’s just for that one game we are able to play really well as a team…. i understand the captain’s frustrations… some of us have it too… but are we redbacks ready to realise our role in the system and play it to our maximum capabilities as a TEAM?
no offense azhar.. but i believe genuinely that all of us want to enjoy our sunday football as you said…
April 29, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Hi bro redbacks;
It was one of those days when we played badly individually and collectively.It was a timely wake up call by our captain for all redbacks to play our best proven game that is two touch football.We should play the ball on the ground and never bypass the midfielders if possible.
As a senior in the team I should have given my encouragement to motivate the team when things are bad,but as an individual I lack those qualities.I also observed that during our warm up sessions we are not doing it as a team which I believed,will play an important part during our game.
We should always held our head high even when chips are down.I do enjoy our weekly game and will always enjoy it in times to come.Just take every setbacks as a learning experience and move forward positively.Chin up lads.
Redbacks Forever…
April 29, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Whatever so called ‘outburst’ I have had is for the TEAM. Do I ever blame for individual mistake? Do I criticise players for individual error of not be able the simple pass?
Ayyub, you don’t to have to be confused or shocked with the so called ‘outburst’, it’s all in the game. There wasn’t any personal attack on any individual, it happens in a team. Imagine a specific instruction given by a Capt of a ship for the crew to sail a certain direction, but the crew simply ignoring the instruction, eventually the ship will go to the wrong direction. What the Captain should do? Direct it back to the right direction. My action wasn’t an outburst, just trying to steer the ship to move in a right direction.
Whose our striker? Can you pick a candidate that is better than Irwan now? Do recommend to the team. Can the team play the simple touch? That is what we are working on. You have to believe, if not nothing will be achieve and look forward to.
Don’t take things personally a team is ‘WE’ not ‘I’. If a Captain’s ‘outburst’ to correct the direction spoilt everyone Sunday and taken as unfair, what is fair to the Capt.
April 30, 2008 at 3:03 am
Hi guys. I was there to see our team. How bad can we be? Remember we are still a social team, but the good thing about us, is that we love our soccer so much, we love Redbacks so much and that’s why we come every Sunday to be together. Here we do have some good serious footballer and some not so good (but serious) footballer among our midst (like me). Cheers guys.
We have tasted the sore of losing games but many times we have won them also. That is soccer. We must learn that its all in the game, the shouting, the encouragement, the push, the outburst etc. I believe what Azhar did was to spur all of you on. Imagine if he has not talked to you all during the break, we may have lost coz the way we play in the 2nd half will not improve. You see for yourself, we played better in the 2nd half coz we looked better organised. I believe Azhar meant well. As much as we want to enjoy football, we also want to win every game if possible. So encourage one another. Remember, our current team is relatively still new and there is so much more to learn from each other. GO REDBACKS!!
April 30, 2008 at 7:21 am
Fact is, we really screwed the formation in the 1st half inthis game. Fact is, we recovered and played better (may not be the best of performances) in the 2nd.
Lets not take things to heart. I scream at our defenders tooo many times in too many games and its something that the defenders had learnt to live with. That goes to Abg Sani too and at many times, I was corrected too by our keeper Sharizan and Fauzi.
So, no worries guys… its all in the game. We live and let live once everything is over.
Tactically, its kind of frustrating also playing at rightback the other day. For one, the options I had most of the time was Rizwan which is rather difficult for me to make the pass at times. I should be having at least 3 options at any time, i.e. the stopper, the defensive/central midfielder and right midfielder. It resulted me in pushing the ball out everytime I gain control coz the there was simply lack of support.
2nd half was a different game altogether. There was Rohaizat and Faiz most of time running towards me whenever I get the ball and there was lesser pressure running to the back coz Rohaizat was covering my position everytime I ran along the flanks to give more options to the midfielders. I definitely enjoyed the 2nd half better.
It would have been better if we at least have 15 minutes to have a team talk at every game. and this is just before the warm-up sessions. Guys, try your best to come at 4.30pm. I think we would be more effective in delivering the Capt’s instructions and strategy. That’s what we had in Kluang… the right frame of mind before a game..!
Ta,
Azam.
April 30, 2008 at 9:21 am
It’s not easy playing in the first half of games because you have to start cold, get settled into the game and get a feel of your fresh opponents. If things don’t go well, you’re gonna get an earful and chances are you would be changed. That’s the way the game is. Azhar means well, even if he may sound a bit harsh. However, it’s all about us improving our game. The better we play, the more we enjoy our football. Don’t take things personally. We’re only human. All players lose form and apparently that was the case for the players in the first half. If you’re not doing too well, it’s just fair that other players waiting on the side take your place and show what they are capable of. The players in the second half played well partly due to the problems that were highlighted at half time. They knew what they had to pay more attention to and what to avoid.
It’s a team game. All about the team. There’s always the next game.
April 30, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Ohh btw Kai, next penalty, kasi aku ambik. Lepas, tu, kau ambik balik.
May 2, 2008 at 4:01 am
I’ll keep it short and sweet.
Personally,I feel Azhar has the right capacity to perhaps comment on abysmal performances,as he knows the capacity our team is capable of playing. As highlighted,that just a week before the game you had all played wonderful football,to claw a draw out of an impossible scenario,shows the team’s quality.The distinct difference was just perhaps a shift of mental attitude.Capt did right in highlighting that during the break.Not a personal attack on player’s ability but on the heart and head component.
To be fair,individually,we players have to understand that everyone,including Capt,comes to a game with the intention of enjoyment.And yes,our team,will realistically have to make do with what we have.That’s the outlook of a social team.By essence,it’s easy to state my best position,what magic i can do if i play as playmaker or etc,but the fact is,we make sacrifices for the team.Capt,is a central midfielder playing as a defender,curbing his attacking instincts,to put it simply.And I am an injured central playmaker who realizes that there is more to life than personal glory,and that is the vitality of Abg Sani,the enthusiasm of Azam and Sham and the commitment of Capt.
Let’s just take the bitter pill at times to enjoy the camaraderie of each other.Redbacks was founded on the basis of friends playing ‘trying’ football.
ps: Let’s allow Kai to take more penalties and miss more.So I can bombard him.Wahahaha.It’s a month’s away from the Euros.Don’t forget the trip.Wahahaha.
May 2, 2008 at 6:37 am
hahaha…
hey guys and dear captain,
it’s great to see many concern and replies… i just want to highlight that i am not taking this personal alright… fair enough to the capt, the team did performed better in the 2nd half.. maybe i am confused how we are going to develop that one-two touch football.. bottomline… it was a feedback from me… just because i am really concern for the team.. a feedback is better than no feedback…
i was frustrated not having a good game… also confused why we have yet to know everyone’s role and best positions.. perhaps the captain needs to get some core players to motivate the team too like Abang Sani mentioned…
On Irwan…haha… if a striker hasnt been scoring… i am sure we have other players who can produce the goods… or have been scoring of late… haha… i dun need to mention who la…. khai, ming, myself, azhar, jaz… all are ready i am sure…haha Wan… must be feeling the pressure huh…
anyway hopefully this sunday we will have a better game and most importantly enjoy ourselves..
regards,
Yub (from Desaru now! hehe…)
May 2, 2008 at 10:09 am
Oh ya…on a positive note,I will like to encourage young players like Faiz,Ming,Wan and other players to always seek help and views on playing strengths and weaknesses.People like Rohaizat and Capt have been there,done that and so forth.Even myself,get feedbacks from these peepz which have never failed to spur me on.
We each know our playing capacity,and feedbacks from these players help.Seriously.At Wan’s age,I was far worse than he is now.But the desire to learn from older player has helped me improve in leaps and bounds.
Go around and ask for areas of improvements.You are only as good as you think you are.You are only better when people tell you what they think of you.
Regards.
Hidup Belakang Merah
May 2, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I think Irwan is doing a great job as a striker. He’s unsettling the defenders, making space for teammates and bringing others into play. All he needs to do is score. Allow me to quote Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for this piece of advice: “Scoring goals is like a bottle of ketchup, once you get it out, it continues flowing.” Being a striker is difficult and you will always be measured by the amount of goals you scored. I have faith in you bro! You bring something different to the table. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon enough. Most importantly, enjoy your game.
Hidup Irwando! Hidup Redbacks! Hidup Friday Night!
May 2, 2008 at 5:10 pm
hi guys…
at last my PC is back..
wow…so much great stories happening huh..
what’s pass , let it be…from now,lets listen to the statergy which been given by our capt. that is very important. lets communicate more in the field.if you need to shout,just do it. no matter you are young or step veteren. after all, its all in the field. no heart taking.(later got heart problem).cummon guys.its not that bad game afterall last sunday. relax la..just like jaz say MKPL(MAIN KELAKAR PUN LEPAK).
to khai..thks for the trust in me bro..i will try my very best in every game..
and to all my redbacks bro, lets enjoy the moments we have together.no grudges.
This Sunday game,after sliding Hardy Mirza, lets celebrate at bedok corner ramai2..da lame tak chill out together.
To fauzi,since your girlfriend skool at ite simei,y not ask her to bring along all her skool team cheerleaders..maybe that is what we need rite now..”Merapatkan silratulrahim sesame insan kan pahala.”
Peace..NO WAR…
Irwando…
May 3, 2008 at 4:58 pm
banyak kau punye rapatkan siraturahim Mr Irwando…. tapi, bedok corner it is….
May 4, 2008 at 2:35 am
can i take the next penalty? pretty please. i love pressure and i can handle it.
ps. man u fans heard that quote somewhere? hehe.
May 4, 2008 at 4:44 am
hahaahhaa
faiz ballack kepe!!! hahaha…
May 4, 2008 at 5:52 am
Yeah, it was also used to describe the bravery that Lampard displayed when he hit his penalty past Reina in that game against Liverpool.
We’re going to MOSCOW!
May 4, 2008 at 2:02 pm
redbacks going to moscow? angkat bola eh? hehehe