Putting the Pieces Together

Putting the Pieces together

Team Goat 4 Naranja FC 0

(JinChuen X1, Yiwen X3)

Just like the way tabloid always loves to say, consistency is the sign of all great teams. We certainly showed a glimpse of this quality with our 12? 13? 14? games unbeaten run.

Just like our previous games we started the game a little nervously but soon found our feet. One of our dead-ball specialists (we have too many to brag: JinChuen, Manfred, Ariel and the list goes on) ok the recent one on hot-streak is Kiong. He whipped in one of those wicked free-kick over the top of the wall and straight for the "Tiong" aka crossbar. Off the ball, Naranja was playing their off-side trap for that and as a result was outnumbered for the rebound! Back to the ball, I ran towards the goal as soon as the ball was dispatch and I found myself just in front of the goalie and just in time to see the ball ricochet off the crossbar AND flew over my head! Damn, there gone my chance to score. But fret not, as when I turned around towards the ball, my ever-reliant vice captain was just behind me and nod the ball into the net for our one-nil lead!

With a one-goal cushion, we played with more confidence and the various parts of the team started to clicked together. Defenders were calling each other to go-for or let-go of headers, midfielders were always communicating to cover holes or offer supports. Strikers and wingers were gliding around to create havoc at the very front of the team!

It was therefore of little surprise that our goals start to flow with opponents' mistake at the back. It was heartening to see the team trying hard to keep possession from the back so as to implement our new style of play. More importantly, it was a great sight to see plenty of yellow jerseys chasing down opponents as soon as one of us lose the ball.

It was a great game with Yiwen (aka Alan) scoring a hat-trick on his first return game. It just reinforced his importance in the team. While it is even a more satisfying testament to our strength in depth to maintain our hot streak in the absence of such an influential player. Not forgetting our hardworking midfielder, the new midfield formation has served the team well over the last couple of games. Defending as a cohesive unit and attacking with possession and offering options for passes. We are certainly moving in the right direction as KangYang has wished we had! More impressively, we are able to swap our central midfielder with ease and confidence as all are now familiar with the working of the system! (But to be honest, the midfielder now have to run much much much more, but it is all worth it!).

All-in-all, it was a great cup game victory and we are through to the next round! It is now time to maintain our form and built on the improvements we have already achieved!

Kambeng!

-Lap