May 2009 Monthly Chat

Some players are asking for the games to start earlier at 5.30pm. Currently most assume that there will not be enough players by then and prefer to come much later and as a result games usually commence after 6pm. If we tried to start by 5.30pm, how many of you guys would be able to come?

Sunday Social games: Should it continue? How to make it the preferred event of the week?

It is an open secret that the Sunday social game does to a certain extent compete with Saturday or Sunday friendlies. It is seen by many as inferior because it is perceived to be "uncompetitive" because there are no referees involved as well as the non-application of the offside rule. There are also no fixed team mates as players are basically divided according to coloured or white jerseys with those with perhaps with a better torso (body) in their own skin colour making up the balancing group. Meanwhile, players do not have to make a commitment to come as the event is of a social nature thus resulting in differing numbers (between 17 to 32 this year) and identities of people every week. As facilitator, I often have two questions that seeks answers: "Should the games be continued?" and "What can be done to make it the preferred event of the week?"

Current positives are:
1) An opportunity to play in one of Penang's best playing field
2) Complete freedom to decide on whether to come or not to come
3) Opportunity to network with a well diversified group
4) Chance to play or experiment in any soccer position
5) A good retirement alternative for those who prefer not to play friendlies any more

Current negatives are:
1) Lack of an ability to prevent rough or dangerous play
2) Some feel that certain players are too critical and vocal on the pitch
3) Games are starting a little bit late so as to limit play time
4) Hardly as challenging and exciting as friendlies

So what say you?

April 2009 Monthly Chat

I realised that I have been doing most of the talking and have not provided for others to chat as well. Hence, starting from this month (April 2009) and for every subsequent month thereafter, I will create a monthly chat column with no restriction on topics to be discussed. However, please avoid offending others or the use of abusive language. I will put up additional posts if there is a request through this monthly chat column.

Analysis of football match played on 7 March 2009

Orange Ramblers 2-1 Social Frees

Orange Ramblers is the strongest team currently playing at the PFS home ground and its strength is increasing rapidly through exposure to state level competitions. A day earlier, they held team Medical (3rd in last year's Div. 1) to a scoreless draw. It is my believe that the commitment to the match with Medical resulted in Orange Ramblers fielding an understrength team against Social Frees thus allowing the Social Frees (perhaps the weakest team playing in PFS) to get away with a very flattering 2-1 defeat.

Social Frees tried (but failed) to achieve a 5-3-2 formation with players being advised to play wide and to utilise both wings to secure as many corner kicks as possible given that we had taller players to dominate the goal area. The Orange Ramblers tend to play a narrower game with the ball seldom remaining at the wings for long as it is played to centrally located players who were pretty good with short passes. Alas, Social Frees players continued to play a more central game and throughout the match, obtained only one corner which was badly taken eventually. I can only say that there is a natural bias that players possessing better footballing skills are assumed to be better at football strategy as well. Hence, it can be frustrating for a manager not skilled in football techniques to advise those with better skills. Was Sir Alex Ferguson (one of the best managers of all time) an excellent football player?

Results of fiesta social match on 28 January 2009

Final Score Colour 7 - 1 White
First Goal Scorer - Leow Khang Heng (Colour)
Second Goal Scorer - Leow Khang Heng (Colour)
Third Goal Scorer - Andrew Lim (Colour)
Fourth Goal Scorer - Leow Khang Heng (Colour)
Fifth Goal Scorer - Vincent Yeap (Colour)
Sixth Goal Scorer - Kenny Lim (White)
Seventh Goal Scorer - Leow Khang Heng (Colour)
Eighth Goal Scorer - Vincent Yeap (Colour)
Last Goal Scorer (after Azan) - None
Winning team - Colour
Clean sheets - None

Schedule of Red Packets (Ang Pows) for match on 28 Jan'09

To add an air of festivity to the social game schedule on 28 Jan'09, we will give out 'ang pows' for the following achievements:

1) Team with clean sheets: 1 ang pow (RM2) to each team player
2) First player to score a goal (except own goal): 1 ang pow (RM10)
3) Second player to score a goal (except own goal): 1 ang pow (RM5)
4) Player to score after announcement of "last goal": 1 ang pow (RM5)
5) Shoot for "gold". After any goal is scored, the player scoring the goal gets to place an orange on the penalty spot in a penalty shootout. If he scores, he gets an ang pow (RM2) otherwise the goalkeeper gets the ang pow (RM2) for the save.
6) We will dangle 5 ang pows (RM2) on each goal. Players scoring a direct hit on any of those ang pows gets them (own goal also allowed).
7) Winning team: Each player gets one shoot for "gold" attempt
8) Losing team: Each player gets to be a goalkeeper once in the Winning team's shoot for "gold" attempt.

Analysis of football match played on 17 January 2009

Citibank 3 - 0 Social Frees

This is the first away game played by Social Frees and it was played at the Technics Institute football field as this was the home ground of the Citibank team who has played there for several years.

We tried a conventional 4-4-2 formation to try to break down the Citibank team who is well known for their rather accurate passing and high rate of ball possession. However, the Social Frees lacked strike-minded players for this match and there were hardly any effective shots taken against the opponent's goal since most had a midfielder mentality and were content to maintain ball possession and passing it around without actually planning to take any shots towards goal. I have always maintained that a pure striker is one who must be selfish, who goes for glory himself by taking on defenders and making sure he gets a shot at goal. Our "strikers" that day were reluctant to take on the defenders and regularly back passed the ball whenever defenders challenged them. Secondly, the idea behind the playing of the ball appears ineffective. My personal view is that the effective way in which a ball should be played is that defenders should make early and accurate passes to midfielders who should maintain brief but effective possession of the ball before passing it to a more forward midfielder. However, I do not think midfielders should pass the ball directly to a striker, rather they should place the ball in a position which threatens the opponent's goal and allow the strikers to seek out the ball and drive it towards goal. Citibank played well and scored one goal late in the first half and another in the second-half while they were gifted with an own goal towards the end of the 2nd half.