Firstly, our months of practice, however crappy they may be, paid due dividends when crunch time came. Team sports require players to have a good understanding with their team-mates, and the only way to do it is to play together as often as possible. Our play has matured over time and instead of being a direct play team aka long-ball, we settled onto the more slow and patient build-up of a passing game.
This is my personal take on our team's overall play on matchday:
Ah Son: Playing with a recently recovered broken foot, Son was slow to warm up to the match, letting in lots of goals early on in the practice match. But he soon found his rhythm and got into the game. Made a few spectacular and crucial saves throughout the game and a few of his throws were absolutely key.
Eugene: To me, Eugene is the engine room of the team. He never stops running, always press forward when we are attacking and falls back quickly to help out in defence. He is also not afraid to belt out shots and does a very good job in laying on second balls for his team-mates. Outstanding performance, especially in front of his girlfriend haha.
Samski: The attacking centre-back. The most vocal player on the pitch uses his vision and experience to instruct his team and ensures the shape is always maintained. I am absolutely convinced that Ah Son was very very glad to have Samski marshalling the defence in front of him. Made lots of good tackles to break up the opposition's play and also participated in some attacking movements. Definitely the first name I'd put in any starting lineup if I ever was coach.
Timo: Our very own Stevie G marks his return to regular football with an outstanding scorcher of a goal. Scoring from the halfway line, he unleashed a powerful screamer that found the top corner of the net. A torn anterior cruciate ligament kept Timo out of action for close to 2 years, but besides losing a yard of pace at most, Timo is in top form. Pure class.
Elf: I dunno why but our captain here always reminds me of Raul when he plays. He plays as the fox in the hole, the target man, the lone striker. He was involved in almost all of our team's attacking plays and grabbed himself a magnificent goal as well, albeit in the practice match. His presence upfront reassures his teammates that there is always someone to seize an opportunity to strike.
Sendoh: Mr Funnyman's athleticism, speed and positioning greatly disrupted the opposition's play and despite being one of the smaller players, he used it to his advantage and waltzed past opponents. His clever running and passes were breathtaking. Great player to watch, not to mention entertaining with his off-the-ball antics.
Air Force One: A new, last minute addition, AFO did not disappoint. He ran, he supported his teammates, he attempted shots on goals, he defended. All without much effort to say the least. I don't know much about him, but his contributions to the team on matchday is greatly appreciated and I am hopeful he will become a regular in our weekly sunday kickabouts. Forget cable-skiing, this is much more fun. :p
Uncle ES: He may have been an unused sub for the actual match, but taking part in the teamtalk and willing to let the youngsters take the lead was a very very gracious gesture on his part. His unwavering support for the team through providing quality opposition in our warm up matches for months has definitely made all of us better players. When others his age would be playing golf and doing less strenuous activities, he has no problem lacing up his boots, ready to face whatever the opposition can conjure up. One word - RESPECT.
The Kid: Many years ago, this was me. A scrawny kid who had his own ideas on how a game of soccer should be played, and what his role in the team should be. Not anymore. The dynamic direct running, the fanciful tricks and flamboyant attempts to score goals in the most bizarre of ways has been passed on to Mr Chelsea. He is a natural with a football, possesses great pace, trickery and most important of all, he is fearless. Unafraid to try new things, unafraid to provide alternative options en route to goal. He had the last say on matchday. The winning kick came from The Kid. My man-of-the-match, even though all of us almost killed him when he tried to dribble the ball into the net early on during practice. Our star player for the future. Daryl
Post script: File picture from 2005. Our sole foreign talent, Yandao has since retired after undergoing surgery twice due to football. He can be found enjoying the sun, the sand and the sea every sunday on a bicycle with some beautiful ladies in tow. Also, our resident Eric Clapton has lost interest in sweating to play football; he now prefers Winning Eleven in the comfort of an air-con room. The core nucleus of the team remains unchanged. The current captain is No. 7, deputized by No. 11 & No. 16.
