Constructive Criticism here...

[Weh-it-is]

Greetings to all.

I wanted to start a tread to give some ideas of things that we might be missing in order to better the team per say. Constructive criticism! Post as you please…

From looking at the game last night, I would say that we are still not confident as a team. The players are still playing timid. (Confused) They lack confidence which is why we were backed into a corner in the second half like a bunch of amateurs. We must stop the “ voom kicking” Why would our defense continue to kick the ball down the field back to the opposing team continually, to come back to pressure us on defense? This is a result improper coaching.

This team also needs more time playing together, more so than just a couple days before the games. It was visible that, some of the players on defense were a lil confused on marking assignments, when, where and what times to pressure tackle…this mistake resulted in two goals. The defensive players needs better coaching.

Our midfield was a major part of why our defense continued to be pressured in the second half. Why can’t our links hold on to the ball and create? Keon Daniel should be moved into the central midfield position. There is not enough creativity going on in the midfield, which is a result of our stagnation to move forward also being pressured on defense.  We are a work in progress…

[D.H.W]

start with the head of the snake and chop it off, bye Mats.

[Socapro]

Congrats to CTnTWorld.com on their reliable coverage sponsored by B-Mobile & KFC!

If only tickets can sell out before match day for our next game at home on Sat.28th March vs Honduras and we can also get live internet coverage via CTnTWorld.com then thousands of Trinis living on the outside will ideally be able to follow our Soca Warriors live with local style English coverage rather than having to rely on Spanish speaking alternatives broadcasting via Honduras.
Also we might just be able to arrange a Soca Warriors fans viewing lime (& party if we win the match) here in London and other parts of the world if the coverage by CTnTWorld is confirmed from early enough for the Honduras game.

On another note why do our commentators to our nation’s international embarrassment always like to count our chickens before they hatch!
I saw Jack's son Daryl Warren or Dracula Junior bragging on C-TV about how we've won the game and folks should stop condemning our great coach Maturana who has stuck with us despite all the critics when he could easily have gone back to Columbia by now and taken up another coaching job!
So we definitely know who is officially to blame if we don’t make it to South Africa because they stubbornly stuck with a coach who obviously to the rest of the football world is way past his sell-by-date!

The Darly Warner interview showed me two things:
1.   Like his father Dracula Junior knows very little technically about football and what is expected tactically from a world class coach.
2.   Like his father they both suffer from foot-in mouth disease!

If I was Daryl Warner I would refrain from giving any more interviews about how well he expects our team to do with Maturana in charge until he either gets the sack for ruining any chance we have of qualifying or his cobo brand works and somehow we get the necessary wins to be in one of the top 3 spots by October despite our many deficiencies at present!

The male B-Mobile host who was doing the half-time interviews was also talking like we already won by asking folks what they think of the result! His tone was like if the game was already won and it encouraged folks he was interviewing to draw the same flawed "counting chickens before they hatch" conclusion. Maybe its this same attitude in our dressing room that that led to our coach and players converting a 2 – 0 half-time lead into an embarrassing draw when we should have easily been flying back home with 3 points in the bag rather than just 1 point!
I will tell you'll this for nothing, El Salvador will be coming to T&T full of confidence and with all guns blazing to try to secure nothing less than a win after that confidence-booster we gave them in the 2nd half by allowing their 2 – 0 comeback to secure a draw in injury/stoppage time!

Did anyone else see Warner’s son make those foot-in-mouth bragging comments about us having won the game before it was over and about how great our coach is?
This man is as embarrassing and goofy as his Dad!! DO NOT COUNT CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH, when will our people learn this?!!!

[acb]

I think one of the things we need to address immediately is whether or not we have the quality at certain positions.
I still maintain that for 75 mins, the defence held its shape and did a great job. They were calm, collected and effective. Players were covering for each other, communicating well and picking up their markers. Then all of a sudden, the lack of fitness became evident and concentration went down.

The two goals came on set plays that were poor. Yes they scored, but the freekicks were not unstoppable or special. All the kicker did was put them on target. The mass confusion and poor organisation again could probably be blamed on fitness and the inability to concentrate.

For the longest while, Dwight Yorke was the epitome of fitness in every squad he was a part of, club and country. At Sunderland, he never plays 90 mins anymore - why should we expect the same of him in a TT shirt? Age may have caught up, but class is class and Yorke is quality. His value to the squad is priceless.

What is even more bothering is that the younger players in the squad seemed to be the ones who were tired first. These guys should be running like well oiled machines for 90 mins - nonstop.

We need a deeper squad where positions are not guaranteed and we need to cut out the bias in squad selection.

Defence is our #1 priority at the moment, and hopefully with Latapy in the coaching ranks, he can ring in the changes, otherwise it will be more heartbreak to come.

[Fantastic]

Supporters? Ah not too sure bout that. Nothing dem players or coaches do could please some of de cacaholes out dey. It seems to me when put in bad situations like Sweden 06 or Guatemala 08, down to 10 men or down 2-1 like home against Guatemala 05, these same men that we say have no belly stand up and achieve under pressure, Why? We boo-bird mentality causing we players to freeze up and not play up to their abilities unless is a nothing to lose, no expectation situation. We up 2-0 and man could only talk bout who to take off, who playing shit, who should never play national again. I understand de analysis after de game, or de lil emotion and screaming during de game......but ah never see any other country supporters rag down and belittle dey own team so during a game when men trying for dey country. When we winning 2-0? When last we lead somebody 2-0 in a hex? Unbelievable! I not saying doh talk bout de timing of de subs or if dey shoulda even be made, de individual and team defending weaknesses, de missed chances.....is just de callous way we does deal with we own people coming back to haunt we. How supposedly fun loving people could badtalk and demean dey own representatives to de point wey man hiding on de field cause de fraid to fail ah will never understand........Was almost like de players realize in de last 15 mins that dey was tired and dey own supporters more anxious to badtalk if something bad happen than to celebrate if something good happens and play like that was on dey mind. I for one, real disappointed with de play at times, de substitution pattern, de result, mih fellow supporters and mihself, de referees and all.....but ah going to force mihself to celebrate de 1 pt and move on to more positive thoughts in de future

[Weh-it-is]

Did anyone else see Warner’s son make those foot-in-mouth bragging comments about us having won the game before it was over and about how great our coach is?
The man is as embarrassing and goofy as his Dad!!

We scored two goals but anyone who said that we played great last night or the “coach is great” obviously has no idea.

[palos]

We need a deeper squad where positions are not guaranteed and we need to cut out the bias in squad selection.

Yuh tink dat is POSSIBLY de reason why Maturana was usin so many players in de lead up to de Hex?

Jes curious.

[palos]

but ah never see any other country supporters rag down and belittle dey own team so during a game when men trying for dey country.

All I have to say to dat is obviously you never visit a Brazilian board or a English board or any a dem other country supporters sites.

Unless of course you doh consider dem as "countries".

[Rastaman]

Like you didn't see all them bottles being thrown onto the field during the game lat night.... You feel it was trinis throwing them or what ?

Yes it is unfortunate but we are nowhere as bad as other countries.

[Fantastic]

Ah glad that is all yuh have to say Mr. Palos. Brazil and England are countries just like Trinidad & Tobago de same way Kaka is a player just like Keon Daniel. Yuh entitled to your opinion too. Carnival is de same in Trini and Jamaica too by de way....ent

[acb]

We need a deeper squad where positions are not guaranteed and we need to cut out the bias in squad selection.

Yuh tink dat is POSSIBLY de reason why Maturana was usin so many players in de lead up to de Hex?

Jes curious.

Honestly, it seemed like that was what he was doing. I even said it when I thought we had an experimental squad in the Caribbean Cup qualifying competition. He took a huge squad with him to Argentina and bled lots of young talent over the experienced pros that we had depended on through the qualifying stages.

But then he picks a final squad for the first WCQ in the Hex and only picks 4 defenders. That is not depth.

[Fantastic]

Who de bottle was being thrown at?

[Dinner Mints]

but ah never see any other country supporters rag down and belittle dey own team so during a game when men trying for dey country.

Really? Take a look through this thread for example, especially nearer the end: http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=388885

[Quags]

First of Dwight is indispensable to us ,both he and latas ......but ,he have to get it out of his head that the local based are completely useless ! .Some local have skill sets that even the English based doh have .That alone would help bridge the team together .
We need Whitley back healthy ,if the mid to porous ,that should not be,  we have enough depth of capable men ,to give Dwight a rest ,bring back Roberts ,hes ah little work horse also for the mid.
Defense smarten up and pick the best available players ,did we really have to use Silvio outta position ,daiz ah partnar thing too ?
Drink red bull at half time or five hour energy shots .

[acb]

Who de bottle was being thrown at?

dem ES was throwing bottles at their own players. It had armoured policia protecting ES players when they were throwing in the ball. I see one policia get a bottle in he helmet and then raise up he shield a lil higher. Mussbe was heavy and he was tired who holding it up WHOLE game to block bottle.

You will never see that type of bottle pelting non-sense in Trinidad.

But if that game last night was played in Trinidad with the same result, men woulda line up to start pelting cuss loud and clear.

[Fantastic]

Look who u want to compare we to Gillie......  ah thought we was a fun loving island? No war, no genocide, no tribal war..well not really.....  Ah understand yuh point, but doh take de point I making so literally nah.  Togo? Who does vacation dey?  

[sammy]

1st of, we need a right back  - spann purge since USA game.

2nd Keon Daniel needed to get into the game more.

3rd We were caught ball watching too much and we were not picking the up the man making the run. To me this is our biggest downfall. Look at how many through balls got through, not to mention that those little fellas seemt o be holding off we big horses and turning on them. If El Salvador had better finishers, we could have collected 4 or more. Look at the free headers, or the poor first touches that let the El Salvadorian strikers down.

I telling allyuh, USA gone dent we good and proper if we dont learn to mark better esp on give and goes and the through balls to the player making the run behind the defense.

Stern surprise me and played energetic - like a man playing for his place. Jones first touch was bad on the few occasions that he got the ball and had to make some last minute flicks to get himself out of trouble. He link up good a few times with Stern, but we didn't get enough of that.

I happy that Carlos looking like he old self more and more.

Ince made some brilliant saves, but when he fumbled, notice that the El Salvadorians strikers were looking for scraps and our defenders was no where around helping out.

[Weh-it-is]

Fantistic, you sound just like ah man last night after de game at a bar in DC.  To understand the “boo-birds” you might need to do research on our culture, we mean no harm but that is a way to kind of show our passion for the love of the game by being critical. Some countries will fight, throw bottle etc, we will talk about you and how shitty yuh play. The players and coaches should be able to handle such criticism or should not be in such positions. Who de hat fit let them wear it!   

[Fantastic]

Dat violence thing, spitting, pelting piss is not we. Doh take mih point so far nah. We not like dem in that way. I did say that we are a fun loving people. I just can't understand why we cyah enjoy a 2-0 lead even if we playing shit, but instead we wasting down de players who at that point were doing something that we really not accustomed to. Like enough is really never enough

[Rastaman]

Who de bottle was being thrown at?

To be honest they was throwing the bottle at anybody they could see..Trini or ES !!

You feel they was cussing less than we are now when they was down 2- nill ??

[Weh-it-is]

Dat violence thing, spitting, pelting piss is not we. Doh take mih point so far nah. We not like dem in that way. I did say that we are a fun loving people. I just can't understand why we cyah enjoy a 2-0 lead even if we playing shit, but instead we wasting down de players who at that point were doing something that we really not accustomed to. Like enough is really never enough

2-0 and playing too too is not going to work. We know the game, well some of us. How can we cheer on big men who are not playing up to standard? If yuh playing ball we will cheer you, if you playing doo doo, we will boo you!  

[sammy]

Dat violence thing, spitting, pelting piss is not we. Doh take mih point so far nah. We not like dem in that way. I did say that we are a fun loving people. I just can't understand why we cyah enjoy a 2-0 lead even if we playing shit, but instead we wasting down de players who at that point were doing something that we really not accustomed to. Like enough is really never enough

because if we playing shit, then we could lose the 2-0 lead or u missed that?

[Weh-it-is]

KJ needs to become a lil more selfish, why does he think that he needs to pass off the ball in the red zone? Mih boi say KJ is not ah dribbler and cah take on defenders and beat people like Spann geh he back break by ah Spanish last night. Everybody in de bar went… Ohhhhh gosh! 

[kicker]

Supporters? Ah not too sure bout that. Nothing dem players or coaches do could please some of de cacaholes out dey. It seems to me when put in bad situations like Sweden 06 or Guatemala 08, down to 10 men or down 2-1 like home against Guatemala 05, these same men that we say have no belly stand up and achieve under pressure, Why? We boo-bird mentality causing we players to freeze up and not play up to their abilities unless is a nothing to lose, no expectation situation. We up 2-0 and man could only talk bout who to take off, who playing shit, who should never play national again. I understand de analysis after de game, or de lil emotion and screaming during de game......but ah never see any other country supporters rag down and belittle dey own team so during a game when men trying for dey country. When we winning 2-0? When last we lead somebody 2-0 in a hex? Unbelievable! I not saying doh talk bout de timing of de subs or if dey shoulda even be made, de individual and team defending weaknesses, de missed chances.....is just de callous way we does deal with we own people coming back to haunt we. How supposedly fun loving people could badtalk and demean dey own representatives to de point wey man hiding on de field cause de fraid to fail ah will never understand........Was almost like de players realize in de last 15 mins that dey was tired and dey own supporters more anxious to badtalk if something bad happen than to celebrate if something good happens and play like that was on dey mind. I for one, real disappointed with de play at times, de substitution pattern, de result, mih fellow supporters and mihself, de referees and all.....but ah going to force mihself to celebrate de 1 pt and move on to more positive thoughts in de future

I hear what you say but I'm not sure if I agree.  Home crowds in Brazil, Italy, England and I'm sure in many other countries have been known to boo their players off the field after disappointing performances- even when the result is in their favor.  I've never witnessed a T&T team being booed off the field at home after a winning performance- no matter how bad the display was.  Ashley Cole made a mistake that led to a conceded goal in a WC qualifier recently and was booed every time he touched the ball after the mistake...  I've never seen any of our players get booed every time he touched the ball in a home game (yes ah know Stern had his moments from select areas around the stadium, but it wasn't a overwhelming chorus of boos from the majority of the home crowd)...Stern and dem fellas could play sh*t in a game, loss, and then roll up in Zen normal and be treated like Point is I think footballers at the highest level in other cultures actually come under alot more pressure than ours- not only from the fans but from the press as well.  

I would say that from a country of which not much is expected we do have very high expectations from our boys and it's arguable that our expectations are unrealistic.  But I seriously doubt that "badtalk" of players (especially in disappointing scenarios)  is unique to T&T.  

[Socapro]

I just can't understand why we cyah enjoy a 2-0 lead even if we playing shit, but instead we wasting down de players who at that point were doing something that we really not accustomed to. Like enough is really never enough

You remind me here of them folks who were being interviewed during half-time on C-TV that were already celebrating victory before the game was over!! You do not celebrate or enjoy a 2 - 0 lead if it does not lead to a victory!!
When you give up a a 2 - 0 lead due to naive tactics and end the game by dropping 2 crucial points that encouarge confidence in your opponents for the return leg then that is nothing to celebrate!

Saying that we still have a point on the board and if we put things tactically right now we still have a decent chance of making it to SA in 2010! Its not going to be any easier than our last campaign to qualify, in fact this time it will even be harder!

[Tenorsaw]

I don't think that Stern and Kenwyn are the optimal combination up front, because both are sort of target strikers.  When you have a target man, you often want a second nimble forward who can exploit the space that a target man creates, and who can feed off the combination and hold up play that target guys contribute.  Jason Scotland would be the perfect foil to Kenwyn.  I really think we missed him last night.  He would have finished off some of the chances we had last night.  Also, we need to really provide better service to Kenwyn from the flanks.  Last night was atrocious. Carlos looked good with the ball at his feet, but his delivery to the box was wayward, and did not capitalize on Kenwyn's aerial prowess.  I would have expected better, seeing that they play on the same club team.  Defensively, we looked in shambles towards the end.  We literally dropped back into our 18-yard box, and allowet El Salvador to come at us.  We are not that good defensively to drop back so deep and defend with low pressure.  We are not disciplined enough as a team to do that.  Birchall should have stayed on to apply defensive pressure higher up the pitch and shield the back four a bit more.

[Socapro]

Has anyone considered that our team's stumble at this first hurdle in dropping 2 vital points might have been due to lack of recent competive games together as a unit as well as individual players not being match fit?

Tiredness and lack of cohesion near the end of the match was a major factor in ES making a coming back from 2 - 0 down in the last 15 minutes to secure a draw! Luckily for us time ran out or we might have been looking at defeat against the one team in the HEX we were most expected to be able to get maximum points off of both home & away!

Warning!! Do not underestimate El Salvador as they will be boosted by their come-back and will be coming to T&T with all guns blazing in the hope to secure nothing less than victory!!

[palos]

Dat violence thing, spitting, pelting piss is not we. Doh take mih point so far nah. We not like dem in that way. I did say that we are a fun loving people. I just can't understand why we cyah enjoy a 2-0 lead even if we playing shit, but instead we wasting down de players who at that point were doing something that we really not accustomed to. Like enough is really never enough

Yuh mus ask yuhself why sometimes yuh does bawl HYMC! when yuh greet a padnah.  Or why yuh does cuss when Stern trow away yet another goal.  Or why yuh does leggo MC and carry on when WI snatch defeat from victory.  Is not because yuh go never support dem again.  Is not because dem is not your team.  Is because you CARE!

BTW..is de same peeps u beratin is de one's who after dey get dey heart broken in de most cruel of manners, in front of a ram cram stadium, needin only 1 point to qualify fuh dey first World Cup at any level & lorse, is de one's who gave dey team a standin ovation and tell dem WE LOVE YOU!

Now DAT yuh doh see anywhere else in de world!

[frico]

After a match of such importance there is always a post-mortem,what makes matters worse is that we were leading 2-0 away from home,with 15 minutes to go we made a substitution bringing on a striker.We had aprecious 2-0 lead and that should have been protected by introducing a defensive player,with 15 mins to go you dont go looking for goals you protect that lead.We should have reverted to 4-5-1,we allowed them to run at us because we gave them too much space and you could not recognise the mid-field from defense,this gave them the chance to man mark us and runat us at the same time.We were literally defending in the box and that is a basic error,we were also lucky that ES wasn't awarded a penalty for hand ball in the box.
Our defense looked a bit suspect at times but the fact that ES did not score from open play says something good about the defensive back 4 what more can we ask playing away from home.I am not a big Stern fan but on the night he was better than Jones who appeared not to want to put himself about,a la Dwight Yorke during his Villa and Man U days,I would go as far as saying he was our worst player.This ES come back must hurt every Trini but lets take some consolation from the fact that Mexico and Honduras lost,that scenario would have killed us,our next match is at home and even if we get a draw then Honduras would be in some trouble,there is a long way to go and some shocks to witness,surely we can spring a shock or 2,who knows maybe adraw against CR and Hon on the road is possible even a win or 2.
This was our first match and it was not what we should have come away with ,we lost 2 points,we did not do too badly though,we not dead yet we live to fight another day.The war not done yet although the fuss battle had a little setback,its nothing that we cyah fix in the next battle at home.I would like to say though that the 2 substitutions of Birchall and Cornell for John was a big mistake and the men in charge were responsible for the loss of 2 points.

[palos]

Hmmm....no fight down yet of Akile Edwards?

I must be on de wrong forum.