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Legal League, Saturday September 24th 2011
Happy Valley, pitch #4
Goodfellas 2 - 3 Revolution (half time 1-1)
Goal for Goodfellas: Cedric (assist from Flo), Howard (assist from Spenny with the help of the post which is neutral)
Goal for Revolution: who cares?
Team line-up (4-4-1-1)
Andy
Ikes Flo Bear Raz
Belgium David Howard Garrow
Cedric
Lionel
Subs: Spenny, Nathan
Sub on his way from work: Anthony
Sub's sub: Andrew (Shiu) who was still recovering from a knee injury but was ready to help
Start of the game
The game started well with Goodfellas attacking every ball and winning most 50-50.
Pressure was on Revolution's players who were forced to send long balls over theirs midfielders, balls which were then cleared by Flo and Bear.
Good timing / perfect header
A free quick was awarded to us in our own half for a bad challenge on one of those bloody long balls.
Flo took it and sent a long cross over Revolution back line in the direction of Revo's box
I rushed into the landing zone on the left side of the box, quickly turned around to face the ball and jumped to deflect it towards goal.
I didn't even see the ball going in. As I was told it actually went into the top left corner beating the league's tallest goal keeper.
Who said we should aim low?
1-0 Goodfellas
Think twice of 2nd balls
The game continued with Goodfellas putting pressure and trying to create.
With the short pitch and 20 field players squeezed in a narrow space around the midfield area it was no easy task.
Revolution kept applying what was actually their strategy: long balls in hope one would slip through.
Our back 4 were on their guards and cleared everything that was sent at them.
But Revolution were also going for the 2nd ball, which they were pretty successful at collecting.
Revo's corner kick (act 1)
On one of those half chances Revolution managed to get a corner kick.
There were some talks at the second post to decide which player to mark, which went someting like :
"Your man, my man"
"My man, your man"
but at the end it was nobody's man and the lonely Revolution striker had a free header
Both teams were on level term again at 1-1
Bent it like David
Revo did not create much more in the first half and Goddfellas was clearly dominating the game.
We have several good chances.
The best attempt was when David inherited the ball in the midfield area and stepped up to took his responsibility.
He got past a player or two and with a good view on goal tried his luck from way outside the box.
The ball was well hit and went high in the air with a perfect curve.
Everyone, including the goalie, watched that ball going for the top right corner ; but the post denied what would have been a contender for goal of the season.
What an effort!
After the shot against KCC which went slightly wide, it's getting closer and closer. Next time I'm sure it will be in.
Flo's injury
On one of those countless air challenge, Flo when up for a clearance, he was dominating the ball as usual.
A Revo player when up a bit late and made contact with Flo's face instead of the ball. Our man badly hit.
Blood was pouring from the French man nose. It looked pretty serious. Flo had to leave the pitch as the bleeding would not stop.
We had to reorganize the back 4. Raz took position as center back, Garrow moved down as left back and Nathan came on as midfield winger.
Speedy Spenny
Few minutes later coach decided to preserve the French legion and Lionel gave way to Spenny.
Spenny immediately found his pace and on his first run was at the reception of a sweet pass over the defense.
He got himself in a good position on the right side of the goal but his shot got deflected by the keeper.
You are not alone
Goodfellas had several good opportunities in this half including a header from Belgium that went to wide and one from Raz and may be one from Bear too that they could not smash in goal.
There were a couple of crosses from myself that either got blocked or didn't find anyone in the 3rd post (next time I will aim for 1st of 2nd post, promise).
I also remember well having told D-Cheung who was trying to dribble the entire squad on his own: "David you are not alone!"
That's what I call true solidarity ;-)
Half time
Anyway the first half ended on this score of parity ; 1-1 it was.
In the mean time the ambulance had arrived, and as it was still around while everyone went checking on Flo before his departure to the hospital.
Shiu went with him through this painful journey (thanks man!)
Second half
The second half went on like the first one but at some point we stopped creating and Revo collected more and more 2nd balls which got them closer to our goal.
They did not had much clear chances but they managed to obtain a couple of corners.
Revo's corner kick (act 2)
On one of those corner kick shot at the front post, a Revolution player was faster to put his foot than our defender his head and the ball went right under the crossbar
1-2 Revo
Heads down
Revolution shouted they wanted more goals and suddenly Revo got plenty of chances
On our side it seemed like our team had switched off a bit.
One of their crosses got cleared by a desperate tackle from Bear, which could have ended up in our own goal, but hopefully it went wide.
Another attack, which came from the right side (from were I was watching), produced a cross that Mullens managed to punched out of the box.
Unfortunately the ball went back to another Revo player who slotted it home.
1-3 Revo
Anthony to save the day?
I think that's when Anthony showed up with fresh legs.
There were a couple of substitution at his point which I may not recall exactly and the game took another dimension.
I think Belgium got replaced by Lionel, Howard moved on the side to let Anthony took control of the midfield, which he did alright.
Revo did not existed any more as we got our foot on ball again
There was one tremendous effort from Anthony's which slalomed in Rev defense, dibble 2 players on the goal line only to see his attempt on goal get rejected by the left post.
It ain't over till it's over
Goodfellas started to gain confidence again and Spenny had one opportunity from within the box.
His shot deflected but the goal which had been slowed down was still going towards goal.
What followed was just unbelievable.
As everyone was watching it seemed that only one man was still in motion: Howard.
The ball first passed in front of a defender and rebounded on the right post.
It passed again in front of that same defender who looked like he was watching a tennis match.
The ball was traveling in the 6 yard box back to the keeper this time.
Howard, quick on his feet, change direction in a split of a second and managed to put his foot on the ball and to drag it towards goal.
That same defender strangely could not clear it and the ball finally passed the line.
2-3 it was and game was on again
One last chance
Despite some good combinations, very nice moves and a couple of crosses Goodfellas didn't manage to put what would have been a well deserved 3rd goal.
We had plenty of chances though which included more crosses from me at the 3rd post (I tend to forgot Peter Crouch is not in the squad)
One of best chances in those last minutes was an open goal opportunity for Nathan whose shoot got blocked by an excellent tackle from the Revo defender
We had the chances but not the luck.
Conclusion
More than a game we have temporary lost our 2010 best defender. Let's all hope Flo will recover soon.
We should not be ashamed, we have produced the best football (and honestly I'd rather play fine like we did and loose than play shite like they did and win)
We should not be afraid either. Flo may have picked up an injury but if you're afraid when you play you risk even more to get injured, so don't think about it.
What we can improve?
- better defend on corner kicks and set pieces
- better follow-up on our defense clearance from long balls to collect more 2nd balls
- work on those crosses and corner kicks on attacking phases to make better use of them
I'm proud of the team, which has produced a good football ; Revolution got lucky and they know it.
Let's keep on with the good stuff, I'm sure our effort will pay off soon.
