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We tried to play in 4-3-2-1. The objective of the first half-time was to try not concead any goal (if we could score one, it was even better). We were resisting well during the first quarter though Shooters put a lot of pressure. Finally, their forward succeeded to score. He runs very fast but was followed closely by Edu. He succeeded to intercept a fast pass by doing an amazing shooting tackle. There are not a lot of players who are capable of such a scoring gesture, it was just a brilliant goal ! The problem is they scored a second goal too quickly after. Shooters are very dangerous on free kicks and they demonstrated it at every match. Against us, it happened with a corner kick; a shooter ahead of Sebastien put his head first.
Then, Oumarou got a bad injury, a blow on the knee. Out of the field during that time, he was replaced by Bernard. But in the heat of the action, there had some floating in the positioning of our defensive players. The shooters didn't miss that opportunity, a pass in the axis, a duel with Willy and the shooter calmly placed the ball on the left, near the post. Already 3-0 and it is only the first half-time (Oumarou came back) ....
It is not that we were defending badly but the shooters are very good in their attacking movements. They create many chances to score and usually they have quite some realism. We were trying to go back to their side otherwise it would have been to much asphyxia !
On second half-time, Shooters didn't score though they had some chances (brilliant saves from Willy, and solidarity in defense). We played better but were not dangerous enough to create real scoring opportunities. Actually, Shooters play high and when a Bleu receives a ball, there are quickly one or two shooters on him pressuring him immediately. So, we didn't succeed to "not loose the ball quickly and keep it long enough for Les Bleus to give some air". Well, we tried our best ! We should not be ashamed of the final result because it was not a bad performance from Les Bleus (Shooters have always scored more than 3 goals to all other teams). No doubt that they are just the best team in the league.
So, this defeat doesn't break our moral and the feeling that Les Bleus are still on their series of good performances. It is more important to focus on the next coming adversary : some very strong opponent named Vikings !
Final score : Les Bleus 0 - Shooters 3
We dominated the first-half time without being so dangerous. Unfortunatelly Lewis and Bernard got injured, then no more substitutes for Les Bleus (hope they will heal quick). The Orange are tall and strong guys compared to us (I quote Sebastien :-)) There are many shocks but the spirit is ok : no intentions to hurt.
Second half-time, we created more danger and scored logically thanks to Loic with a goal full of opportunism. After leading 1-0, the Orange pushed and we moved backward, which looks often the case when one team leads and the other needs to go after the score.
The problem is that we moved backward too much and don't have the skills to regain some calm. In that case, Les Bleus don't produce counter-attacks but most of the time they shoot long panicking kicks to move away the danger. When this state stays for a long time, no doubt that what is feared happens again ! A free kick, two deviating balls, an orange player at second post who just needs to push the ball and goal !
What a disappointment, the worst scenario ... It is to say that our general mood was so down at that moment. The horror to get a draw again !!! Or maybe worse a defeat after all the efforts ....
There was probably 5-6 minutes before the end, every side continued to play but looks like the score will not move as there were no serious chances from any part. Then, Loic got a deviating ball from Bertrand and run to it in the same time as Orange goalkeeper and a defender. Seems to get a triangle shock ? Actually, the 2 Orange crushed themselves and Loic with a lot of composure and fastly enough, succeeded to place slowly the ball in an empty cage.
Time was over !! What a scenario for Les Bleus who got the 3 points in a way it never happened last year. A reversal, a decisive goal just before the final whistle and the power to not give up after being equalized !! It was such a damn good victory for the mood !
Final score : Les Bleus 2 - Orange 1
The way it happened, was SO FRUSTRATING that I was not feeling like writing just after it but finally it is quite a long report.
Because is it football : there are still so many matches to play, Les Bleus have to rebound and there are things to learn from defeats ...
We have started in a system (4-3-2-1) : only 1 forward and 3 defensive midfields. Actually, it was a tactical bet and it worked at first half-time. We were playing with 3 defensive midfields but we played very HIGH. It means the defensive can become offensive quickly, and it is a compact block of players. The team was well organized, we get almost all the balls in their side and make it circulate well. So, we scored logically thanks to a wonderful shoot from Greg ! No seriously, it was quite a not powerful long shoot but their goalkeeper helped us with such an unbrilliant miss but who cares, it was A GOAL, it was deserved. We were leading 1-0 probably after 15-20 mn !!
We had the game under control (no danger from Koreans) but didn't succeed to score another goal though several opportunities. David got injured, Christophe took his place.
At half time break, there may be the thought of changing the system (4-4-2) but we were afraid also to be unorganized as it worked well in first half-time. Tactical decisions and changement of players are always sort of bets and we are never sure what can happen.
At second half time, we still got the chances to score a second goal and kill the game. The problem is lack of realism in the last pass or the last striking gesture, maybe also lack of luck but we already had some with the first goal ! And we still got some luck : the Koreans WON A PENALTY BUT MISSED IT !! We were still leading 1-0 and we had again chances to score after that (hit the post from Max, diving head from Loic, etc ...) => ARGHHHHHHHHH, the ball just doesn't want to enter : there is a lack of STRIKING KILLING in our attack movements ....
More we miss the chances, more it becomes frustrating and more the fear of being equalized grows. From now, we have never been able to secure a game 1-0 and what is the recipe to entirely kill a game ?
And then, they equalized 1-1 ! (don't remember exactly their movement, except that the korean striker shot a 1 meter distance of the cage with rage).
The mental is not our strength, and with equalizer, doubts started because of all the missed chances. Some members may still believe in victory, some may have problems to get rid of the disappointment.
Another post hit (head of Pascal) for Les Bleus, a few other missed chances. But finally, it is the Koreans who scored another goal 2-1 with a misunderstanding between Oumarou and Edu, their opportunist striker jumps out first and made a lob.
Well, with 5-7 mn left, we still got some chances to equalize. But mentally it was too much to handle for Les Bleus. Even before the final whistle, we can feel there was sort of give up because of the disappointment.
WE COULD HAVE WON 3-0 but WE LOST 2-1
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL BUT WE DON'T MAKE IT BECOME REALITY AND THAT'S WHY, IT IS SO FRUSTRATING.
Things to learn from this defeat and use it to be better :
1/ REALISM: for sure in the attack movements (we got many), we have to kill the game ! We don't have the right to create so many chances without scoring.
2/ MENTAL: Half time break, I think at that moment, we could have warmed up more the team to gain back fighting spirit and concentration like when we start the game. Try to forget we lead 1-0 : it is not easy because we know we lead 1-0 and unconsciously a team plays differently ...
3/ TACTICAL: David (injured) is able to play more defensively than Christophe in the axis. Actually, we realized it more after and could have been better to switch in 4-4-2 because the team was less in place and organized in second half-time. Maybe it would have helped but not sure, we'll never know ...
The positive thing is to learn improving organization systems. If we are able to switch from one system to another between matches and even between half-times, it gives more winning weapons ! (of course players have to follow the instructions of the system chosen, and the system is chosen consequently because of the players on the pitch)
Final score Koreans 2 - Les Bleus 1
We played in 4-4-2. First 30 mn was quite balanced like an observation round where nobody does really want to take risks.
Voodoo could even have scored by a head on a corner but Edu made a brilliant save ! Then, we camped on their side in the last 15 mn and got several good chances including 2 duels with their goalkeeper (Loic and Jerome) but he made also 2 brilliant saves !
Voodoo were not able to come back any more in our side and they were relieved that referee whistles the end of the 1st period.
2nd half time started as a continuity of first half time. Les Bleus dominated Voodoo by playing high and pressuring them. We had possession of the ball
and produced nice collective movements following by opportunities to score (shots from from Christophe, Olivier near the post). And the best chance to lead came by a superb movement Greg-Max. Finishing by a back centre pass from Greg, Max at the reception, just several meters
from the cage at first post, shoots the ball and missed the frame ! Everybody still wondered how possible at this distance ! (well he said 'false rebound' :))
Afterwards in the last 20 mn, les Bleus could not keep that tempo for such a long time, maybe also because of the physical tireness starting. Then naturally, Voodo started to come to our side becoming more and more dangerous. Oumarou missed a control and stopped their last forward irregularly, he got a yellow card but we all had the fear that he could get a red card ! Another triangle action with a shock between their forward, Seb and Edu was another warning to be very careful … Actually at that moment, the K.O. could come from any side.
But this time, we showed the character and the mental strength and stayed CONCENTRATED. We have certainly learned from the last match against the Koreans, learned not enough to win the game but enough not to loose it because it would have been such an injustice.
AGAIN, we have lacked of realism and finition but it is more due to Voodoo goalkeeper's performance than the clumsiness of our players. Regarding the whole match, for them a draw final result came more as a welcome relief. For us, it is a disappointment in the result because we would have deserved to win but there is the satisfaction to produce some good football ! It gives us confidence and lots of hope for the next matches ... Come on, if we continue to play like this, the ball will certainly touch the net !! We sure need a reference game like a 3-0 or 4-0 (well, after game against Shooters).
Final score : Voodoo 0 - Les Bleus 0
Starting the game, the tactic for Les Bleus was to play grouped in our half side so that we don't run everywhere in vain. Actually, we don't successfully do it. We were not positioned or organized well, and also the Japanese by their moving style created many spaces between our lines. They were always in possession of the ball, so we run and run after it ... They logically scored : one goal following an individual rush from a japanese and a favourable reflecting ball . Despite a good head from Olivier and a shot from Max, les Bleus have been well dominated.
On second half-time, les Bleus showed another visage. They had more possession of the ball and played higher. The game was more balanced and every side had his chances to score. There was a fantastic shot from Greg which hit the transversal post, and another shot from Jerome not far also to score. The Japs were still very dangerous but Edu helped by his defense, made many brilliant saves. Then in the last minutes of the game, when everybody was so tired, the Japs scored their second goal.
Looks like Edu saved a ball on one position leaving the cage empty, the ball got high high and there was a duel between Seb and a japanese who hit the ball first. No regrets on the second goal, because the time was over and it would have changed nothing..
With the damn scorching heat, everybody admitted that we were too short physically. Especially when we play youngster Japs who move well and make the ball run well. This first game starts by a defeat but we can see that in the bus and at the pub, it didn't diminish our good team spirit.
We keep great hope for the next coming games ! (Orange, Korean, Voodoo) Other results : Big Bamboo Voodo 0 - Rubin Shanghai United: 0 Korean Red Devils: 8 - Longbar ANZACs: 2 Malones Shanghai Shooters FC: 9 - Azzurri FC: 0 O'Malley's Oranje: 0 - Shanghai Krauts FC: 3
Final Score : Les Bleus 0 - Japanese 2
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