Touches Match Report.
Dear Forumites,
This has to be one of the most difficult reports to convey as you just had to be here to see what was going on.
However I made all of my observations with the help of our Esteemed Website moderator Tallman and his partner, Patriot and his brother and Andre Samuel and Cowen.......Yes alyuh fellas miss a big lime. Now the first thing is that I actually put on my uniform and took a good look at myself before I walked out my house, and yes I realised the night dew has taken its toll and my pan not as sorf as it used to be.
So I reach in grounds pay my 50$ and first thing is that they had a setta tents all over. I sure they for some other function but as of this evening, they were taking up space and block the view of the field. However plenty people had lil groups under the tents.But when breeze blow the tents was jumping up as they wasnt tie down properly.
I would estimate about 1,500 people in the stadium and all were confused and had mixed reviwes after the game.
Leo had the starting 11 warming up by themselves, under his supervision playing one touch by the line. The subs in the center circle doing the same and the keepers in the post.
Now I was a little concerned as our opponents were bigger in stature and in height than our TT players. They seemed fitter and while I had a preconceived idea of #11 Norberto Solanos, kinda smalley on the field, all of the Lima players average nearly 6 feet or more and they had some White European looking players as well.
I really think the purpose of this match was to scout the foreign based and differentiate the sheep from the goats and at the end of 94 mins certain men are not to get called back.
The starting 11 were as follows in a 4-4-2 formation;
-------------------------Ince
Atiba Charles---, Lawrence,--- Avery John,---Rojas
Edwards,----- Whitley------, Brichall----, Fitzpatrick
----------------------Yorke and Jones
The starting 11 was spot on!.....the only men who pull stones was Tiger and Rojas.
Fellas the opening 40 min was total exhibition football from TT.........then in the 41st, one mistake, corner, goal score and then we just ent get it right.
Trinidad and Tobago had at least 95% possession in the first half, pure 1-2, short passes runs off the ball man running in space, the through ball being attempted and all men hustling and the team moving as a unit.
I couldn't believe at times that it was TT playing as they were totally composed on the ball, outclassing their opponents, getting out of the tough situations with no problems.
The visitors had only one chance at goal and they scored off a corner in the 41st min. The ball was cleared and the player picked it up ran at an acute angle and slap it past Ince on the near post.
Now T&T on the other hand scored a goal......by Jones, but deemed offside.....had a shot crash off the bar, had some attempted headers at goal. Mankind hit a acrobatic volley/scissors/bicycle and the home team actually looked like they knew what they doing when in attack.
We looked like a team who have a WCQ a few weeks away.
Of note the standouts of the game were Birchall, who took most of the corners and free kicks and Yorke, who play like a general again.
3 locals were used in this match and from what I have seen of Birchall and agreed upon by my company is that he is a fixture and the question now is who go replace him. He does the basics good, good first touch, good passer of the ball, excellent on crosses and corners and he fit and running harder than others on the team. The most notable play was a Lima player beat the offside trap, the defenders stand up gaping appealing for offside and the Lima forward had a free one on one to goal. Birchall ran from the half, past all the defenders, caught the Lima player by the box and Jam the man winning the ball and playing it to safety. Leh we just say he have a different work ethic that the TT team need.
Yorke was class holding up the ball coming into the game at times laying off and spreading the play. Being a forward one minute and a roving midfielder the next.
Edwards was his usual, up and down the flank, beating when necessary and having a good game.
Avery hit some men some blade and lets just say the stretcher came out. But he didnt get carded.
Lawrence only flaw was he get skinned twice in one play by a Lima player in the first half. Lawrence had the ball, the Lima player take it, belt him and when lawrence recover roll it tru he legs and leave him on the ground. Other than that he play good. Atiba make some mistake but generally had a solid game, Jones could have taken the shot but opted to pass in the first half.
Yes T&T was down by 1 but all signs indicated that we would come back and put at least 2 on this Lima team.
Boy was I wrong ! Leh we just say the 2nd half was an experiment gone wrong.
Subs....Nahkid for Seaton, Glen for Yorke and Phillips for Tiger.
Nahkid start off with some pretty touch and his control and passing is the best among the TT team. Spreading the ball, bring it out from the back and being useful.....But the instructions were play it long for Glen and it was a setta boom kick to Phillips who mistrap or for Glen which he didn't get. Then Blade start to pelt and Nahkid get heated. Some small scuffle and then two player hack down Nahkid once then twice. After that he went up for a ball challenging a Lima player and when he came down to earth he was on the ground not moving and taken off via a stretcher.......he lasted 15 min.
With Nahkid off, Rahim came on but he ent do much, Jones get subbed for Hector Sam and Anton Pierre to a round of applause came on for Lawrence.
Then they had scuffle again, a man hack down Edwards and when he was getting up Edwards stamp the man under low, a Lima player rush out from no-where and pelt a lash/shove at Edwards and well scramble start up. I like how Birchall was right in the action roughing up man and both teams were squaring of in the center of the field.
After that the game got nasty about 4 yellow pass to the visitors and T&T never get any kinda rythm or passes again. The quality on the field was not up to the standard of the starting 11 and it showed. However the Lima side did not get any real opportunities besides a player breaking the offside trap twice with Birchall cleaning up and Atiba the second time.
I could see why Pierre got rested, he got left out a few times and was caught on occasion, I think Beenhakker know what kind of player he is and wanted to give others a chance. In terms of starting he ent up to it right now as Atiba, Lawrence and Avery holding the middle better.
Now the following players proved to Leo and the fans that they just ent ready.
Marlon Rojas........boy they real try with he, Leo even leave him on the field when everyone was begging for him to be substituted, In no mans land, was left out on every occasion a player took him on and his speed is non existant. Also his control was down right poor tonight. He ent ready for this level and his performances at Real Salt Lake also indicate his abilities. But he get beat back twice by a player with the name of Phillips. This fella just ent look like a footballer, he too heavy and slow and he ent make one good trap or pass for the night. They was begging for him to come off the field.
But I think the rest of the team must take some blame too, when you see two men in the same area having a bad game you dont play no ball in that area and keep pressure on them..
Anyway, Hector Sam didn't spark up anything and Glen as some people say have speed but no brain. He miss a sitter in the six yard box after a good cross by Jones and he fell down at a real bad time, trying a beat when he should have passed or shoot. He did get fouled on what looked like a certain penalty but the ref waived play on.
SO fellas what I could say.....the starting 11 besides Tiger and Rojas play good, all the players who came on as sub looked poor. The team just couldn't find a rythm or a way back and it is quite evident which players have made the team for the El salvador game.
We need a left winger, left back and a defensive mid. All the other spots looking taken.
I ent sure how Stern John fitting in as the Jones/Yorke combo was working. Jones had speed and muscling the defenders well. He also takes it to the defenders and makes some useful runs. Yorke was class again tonight.
Birchall is a must, Edwards also looking good.......Whitley ent play good tonight but it looking like he and Theobald will fight it out for that spot. Defensive mid .....we hadda find one.
In the back Avery, Lawrence and Atiba holding it down.
SO player ratings:
Ince 7.....commanded area well, distributed well. hard luck on the goal, not much else to do.
Rojas....4, If he get called back to training he is very lucky after tonights performance.
Atiba....7, made one or two mistakes, but is a good player, when he gets the overseas contract he will improve.
Lawrence 7......decent game.
Avery 7.5.......put in the Blade when necessary, read the game well.
Birchall 8.........good debut from the Englishman, fit and ran more than the others on the team, very lively,brings a different work ethic and the correct things to the TT team.
Edwards 7.5 ......had another good game. Is a must on the wing.
Whitley...6.5 Not a good game but tracked back well, defending the ball in important situations and covering space, but it just wasnt his night.
Tiger 6....tried hard but had little support from Rojas. hit two men a real nice drag, but most of the time had to scruffle and fight up. Not one of his better games.
Jones......7....played avg but you could see he have something special in him, he made some good crosses, he outsprinting men, he not getting knocked off the ball and winning headers in the air. But I jsut feel they ent find he position yet. He is an athelete no doubt about that but we hadda find where he is most useful.
Yorke....8.5 Effort and Commitment once again.....vision, passing and ideas spot on. He just need more men on his level to play with.
Subs:
Nahkid....6.5 he try for a 15 min, but the long ball just wasnt on, you could see he was playing to instructions. he had the best touch and brought a calming influence, I hope his injury is not serious. But Nahkid can give us a quality 20 min, that is certain.
Rahim.....6...Not much as he didnt get much time or ball while on the field. He didnt make any mistakes though
Anton Pierre 6.5....Play with heart, but he was getting leave out, he doe have the polish of the other competent defenders, but he will be a useful bench player.
Glen....6.missed a sitter in the six yard bax from a jones cross, he run hard but wasnt real effective.
Sam......6..Nuttin to write home about, was tightly marked and didnt have much time to make an impact
Phillips.....3.5...I feel bad for the man you could see he trying, but nuttin happen for him tonight. Clearly not up to this level.
So fellas thats it, Tallman came up with the Subject line of this post, and we all knew those who could not see the game will bombard us with plenty questions and devils advocate criticisms. But if the purpose was to screen potential players....then it was a very useful exercise.
In terms of general play the starting 11 was up to scratch. Tactics and movement on spot. After the goal and the subs....it all fell apart. Dont panic fellas.....plenty improvement has been made, time is just the factor now.
