Dear Forumites,
The journey to Brazil has started and it was fitting that the first goal of the campaign was scored by none other than #14 Stern John.
I arrived late to the game and was unable to see any of the pre game antics, pitch inspection or team warm ups.
The crowd was not bad...I estimated about 2-2500 in attendance and the ticket booth was efficient, the scalpers were there in numbers, the gates easily accessible and there were a number of vendors selling everything from pelau and bake and shark to popcorn. I got a free pack of Dixie biscuit on entry and I was looking for the tstt girls, the rag, the noisemaker etc but.....SALT.
Didn't see a pieman, but the usual nuts men.."buy nuts from meh nah"..the usual pigtail bucket drinks men, the sliver cup and flags vendor and the chinggum/mints/hemp man with the see tru plastic bag was in attendance.
The sun was blistering hot and for 5:pm it was bright and sunny, uncomfortable and the glare and sun was difficult for the keeper on the movietown side (India).
The anthems were played, the Indian rendition on a kinda electronic organ akin to the Mastana Bahar intro and the TT anthem was a steelpan number. It was also pleasing that the TT flag was not dwarfed by its Indian counterpart.
Maybe I missed it but there was no entertainment, no cultural show, no dj's hyping up the crowd, no riddim section. Not a horn, whistle, thunderstick, slow hand clap or chant.
The vibes was dead...graveyard like...and there was no talking, cussin, steupsing, nuttin.
The usual crowd, you know your stadium family...the strangers that you see in the same section game after game, were not there. No big squad of males, no youths, no smallies, not even the tanties, like everybody get fed up and the crowd was made up of families with children and men on date with they new pips.
Both teams lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with India switching to a 3-5-2 midway through each half for about 15 minutes.
The TT squad
Marvin Phillip
Anthony Wolfe Carlyle Mitchell Seon Power, Akeem Adams
Hayden Tinto Hughtun Hector Densill Theobald (capt) Andrei Pacheco
Stern John Darryl Roberts
From the kick off our captain and back four needed some time to settle and they gave away the ball under no pressure, made some hospital passes, lost the ball occasionally and forced the play a bit. But after about 5 minutes...everybody settled, got the nerves out and began to knock the ball around with authority.
I was impressed, Otto's style is evident and you could see improvement with the team. The fears I had were allayed somewhat and I think we will be comfortable against our first three opponents.
I was pleased with the shape of the team, the intensity of play, the speed and pace has improved, the possession of the ball, the off the ball runs and support were evident and we were good in attack.
Going down the wings at times, playing the long ball sometimes and if it was not on...trying to maintain possession playing thru the middle and using Roberts and Stern to hold the ball up, bring the midfield into the game or have them knock a 1-2 amongst themselves.
I was very impressed with Stern...form is temporary but class is permanent and his touch, willingness to shoot, to take on players, his screening and his vision were spot on today. He linked up well with Roberts and I like this front two pairing...one with speed to run at them, the other to trap and screen. Good understanding and chemistry.
Folks Stern was tackling...yes and going in hard too. I was pleased .He scored the first goal via the penalty spot after Tinto or Roberts took on three men and was brought down in the area. It was a bullet, straight down the center and he put his finger on his lips to silence the detractors in his goal celebration.
The goal came early too and after this India came to life a little. Now folks there is a reason why India is ranked where they are ranked. To be honest, they tried were ok in shape, structure and possession. The knocked the ball around and their players did the basics well, but none were really standout or impressive. Only the winger..who tun up our wing backs a few times. Wolfe eat a belt on one occasion and get a dread cutback by the corner on another.
The TT back four were never really tested or challenged and were caught on a few occasions ball watching. I found that they allowed the Indian fwds too much space and they were hesitant to tackle..still jockeying and pointing and allowing the Indians to run at them too much instead of stepping up and resting a good blade.
Power has improved and was good in the air winning a few headers and cutting out some crosses...he was the best of the lot. But I was never comfortable with the other three and if a better teams holds on to us them fellas go be in real trouble.
But personnel aside, Pfister had the men knocking a brand...we were looking better defensively and I must say the TT side ent look so in a long time. It is a step in the right direction.
The best chance India had in the first half was when Power clumsily took out an Indian fwd 15 yards from the top off the box. I felt that Phillip didn't set his wall correctly, also I found the personnel in the wall to be a bit short...so said so done and India's free kick taker curled a beauty into the "V". Phillips however was up to the task and got across to make the save.
Apart from that TT had a few good chances on goal...some good shots by Stern, a good drive by Tinto, Roberts going at them...the goals looked like they would come and only poor crossing by Tinto or a bad corner or a desperate lunge by the Indian defence kept TT at bay.
In terms of pulling stones two candidates were head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of killing the play, making a mistake or just playing a dunce ball and losing possession number 15 Pacheco and his wing back Adams.
Adams was nervous, unfit or just jittery as it was only bad pass, mistake or lorse ball..."to who syndrome" when kicking it long and guilty of not marking properly. The worse, worse play of the evening...a real made for tv bloopers highlight, was when he went to try and swing a cross in with all his might. he jump and leap off the ground...fuss it had venom in the cross and swipe "FRESH BREEZE" he fell down with a thud too right after.
Pacheco's touch was just off...he was moving a bit lazy or slower than the rest of the team and looked scared or bun.
At the half with the score at 1-0 TT was in control, but not comfortable. India threatened in spurts and TT started to lose a little pace and reverted to a slower deliberate knock around style.
The second half started brightly and TT scored nearly from the kick off with Tinto bursting down the line and crossing into space. Roberts then slid in and put the ball goalward. The goalie scrambled the ball and it seemed like a goalline clearance but the linesman immediately indicated that it was a goal.
That knocked the wind out of India and they tried to pass the ball around but they rarely threatened.
One attack nearly bore fruit as a mix up between Power and Mitchell allowed a ball to fall to an Indian fwd and he corked a bullet far post...but Phillips got down well to make a point blank save.
The third TT goal really pleased me as it is something we hardly ever do...be aware on fouls and take the resulting free kick quickly. A player was pulled down en route to goal and from the resulting spot kick, while India was still looking to organize, the ball was touched quickly forward and Roberts sprinted on to it catching the entire Indian team by surprise and he buried the ball past the goalie clinically.
Before that Stern was the recipient of a good through ball and looked certain to score but the angle was tight and the goalie saved well.
TT gradually got more into the game and looked even more threatening, but the side dropped down a gear and was at walking pace from the 70th min onward.
I would have thought that Pfister would make subs...adjusting the problem players and giving others such as Stern a rest to bring on fresh men and give players a run.
But after the 75th min and no sign of a sub, it was clear Pfister knew what time it was...these were the men he going to use next game and they have to get fit. This was no audition, no trying out of players , no giving man a look...this was a get fit and wuk session.
With 8-10 min to go Toussaint came on and was an immediate live wire creating a scoring chance, drawing fouls and just being a menace to the Indian defence. I would have liked him to come on about 10 minutes sooner, but Pfister looks like he knows his team.
In the 89th min I think he brought on about 2 more players...Juma clarence who nearly scored on his first touch and somebody for theobold.
There was about 4 min injury time and tinto and toussaint combined well to terrorise the Indian defence.
I liked that TT started and finished each half strong. We kept a clean sheet, we looking like we know what we doing and we playing with more intensity and pace.
What I did not like is the central pair of Theobold and Hector...they played within their limitations, were adequate and while they both made mistakes they did not do anything special. They did not take command of the game, they did not run the show and did not stamp their authority and break down the Indians in the middle.
Most of the time it was the defence that had to do the clean up work or the fwds would be lively, press and force the Indians to make a mistake.
Also the lack of a creative midfielder is glaring. All the good through passes came either from Stern or Roberts dropping back to the midfield and playing it wide to pacheco or tinto...or the wingbacks playing the ball long across field.
Hector and Theobold don't have the specialness to make it happen, but credit to them they did well and played to their limitations.
All in all I give Pfister the thumbs up. He could have brought on Toussaint earlier, but I am sure he wanted to give Stern and Roberts the workout they needed. With the Foreign based coming back for the WCQ I understand why he ent business bout subs.
I don't know why he left on Pacheo and Adams so long
when they were clearly not up to scratch also he didnt have the subs warming up atall. He didnt move up and down the touchline and he sat quietly on the bench in his white polo for most of the proceedings.
India ent no big side...in fact a Pro League team could deal with them, but it was a useful exercise, a confidence booster and TT looked a much better unit in comparison to the last 2 coaches.
With different personnel, this team will do well. I don't think we should panic or be afraid for the next round of matches. I am only sad that Pfister didnt get another warm up game against better opposition.
A middle of Birchall and Hyland, the inclusion of a Jake Thompson, Primus, JJloyd and Carlos, throw in Kenwyne up top or add in a Daniel in the middle. We go be alright.
Folks come out for the Bermuda game...you will be pleasantly surprised.
Till next game
