A bit of nigglwry (i know thats not a word) has crept in over the friendlies and via the FB page. I hope I spelled out what it is to play for this amazing club today. DONE. All I know is that the talking was done on the pitch, as you put in a magnificent fight to come back from a goal down against a good, young, talented side. Make no mistake, they will give all of the other teams a lot of trouble (us too as we play them again at the Stadium of Darkness in the return). 3 - 1 - 4 - 2 was the formation employed today, and for the most part I think that it worked well for us. I know that Ben had some different views?! I have been asked to make more players available in the midfield when we have been over - run in the past, and this is one solution. Look, I’m a 4-4-2 man simple as. The way I see it, at any time any formation can become another, and so its about applying yourselves to the danger. If you see a runner going through the lines and your a midfielder/striker/defender, don’t just look at it, go with! You then make a 3-1-4-2 into a 4-4-2 or whatever works! Trust me - no one is going to have a go at a player who chases a runner - EVER!!! In a tight first half, as I said at halftime, we created half a dozen decent chances.The goal when it came was pretty much all that they had to speak of end product wise. We were undone by trying to play passing football, so you can’t have it all ways! We were however a little fortunate not to go in 2-0 down bar a goal-line clearance. That would have been very harsh. We dusted ourselves down, and had a productive “chat” at halftime. Its good to get the input and passion from all the boys on the team. Chaps you hear the same voices screaming every week, and my request that the quieter members be heard was adopted well in the second half. I really want to hear everyone all around the pitch, it unsettles other teams, and is worth half a goal - seriously - it really is. Composure: An overused football term. Overused because it is so fucking blindingly fundamental! When we got our foot on the ball we looked like men against boys (which was actually the case on the day), and we did get out foot on the ball in the second half. The equaliser when it came, involved at least 6 Potten players recycling the ball across both flanks of the pitch. Jonny answered a call to lay a simple ball into the middle of the pitch where I was pretty much standing by myself. Dale mad a superb dash into the box pointing to where he wanted the ball. Breath, take your time, deliver….. Machine = goal! Composure: Win the first ball, recycle it, answer the calls from your fellow players, make a run, score the goal. B-e-a-utilfuly simple! And we do it well too! It might seem a tight score, But from what I remember: Bovingdon: 1st half: *Save Mark. *Goal *Goal-line clearance 2nd half: *Very debatable (at best) penalty appeal Potten End: 1st half: *Dale put through by Rob saved keeper *Gregor great cross in *Ben great cross in *Keeper Save from Dale *Diego - Saved *Rob shot 2nd half: *Dan saved *Dale just failed to get on the end of a flashed across box *Alkie just failed to get on the end of a flashed across box *Diego Header *Gav Cross Bar *+ 2 goals we did score. There were more I’ve missed I’m sure, and I think this is such a good building block for the season. If we keep making these chances, you know what? We could do OK?! Man of the Match: When you are in the first game of the season, a goal down with 20 to go……you get the equaliser…… your in the last 10 minutes. You have just proved as a team that you can play football. What do you do? I’ll tell you……. Do it a-fucking-gain! Another won ball, one two’s up the left, drive across the last third - probe - down the right, Dale Alkie one-two…………. You are aware that last season you didn’t score enough goals. The team give you a bit of stick for it. Your in the penalty area receiving a returned pass. Its narrow, you have the keeper to beat, what do you do??? Score a beauty that’s what! Mr Jigsaw Parmar - not a bit of it! 3 goals in his last 3 games. This is your season Alkie, and this is your man of the match. See you all next week. Keep it Rotten!
