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?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
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
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
Saturday, January 24, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Statistics for 2008
Number of matches played (big field only): 48 matches (44 Sundays and 4 Weekdays)
Results: 23 Colour wins, 7 Draws & 18 White wins [Colour wins 25 years & White win 1 year]
Total goals scored: 169 goals by Colour & 129 goals by White
Best Colour win: Colour 8-0 White on 24 Aug'08
Best White win: Colour 1-7 White on 24 Feb'08
Highest scoring match: 14 goals on result of Colour 6-8 White on 29 Dec'08
Lowest scoring match: 1 goal on result of Colour 0-1 White on 26 Oct'08 & Colour 1-0 White on 9 Nov'08
Most goals scored by Colour in a match: 9 goals on result of Colour 9-4 White on 13 Jan'08
Most goals scored by White in a match: 8 goals on result of Colour 6-8 White on 29 Dec'08
Cleans sheets: Colour (7 matches) & White (2 matches)
Average goals per match: 6.2 goals
Competitive results: Social Frees 1-0 Barca (15 Nov'08), Social Frees 4-2 Sparrow (20 Dec'08)
Results: 23 Colour wins, 7 Draws & 18 White wins [Colour wins 25 years & White win 1 year]
Total goals scored: 169 goals by Colour & 129 goals by White
Best Colour win: Colour 8-0 White on 24 Aug'08
Best White win: Colour 1-7 White on 24 Feb'08
Highest scoring match: 14 goals on result of Colour 6-8 White on 29 Dec'08
Lowest scoring match: 1 goal on result of Colour 0-1 White on 26 Oct'08 & Colour 1-0 White on 9 Nov'08
Most goals scored by Colour in a match: 9 goals on result of Colour 9-4 White on 13 Jan'08
Most goals scored by White in a match: 8 goals on result of Colour 6-8 White on 29 Dec'08
Cleans sheets: Colour (7 matches) & White (2 matches)
Average goals per match: 6.2 goals
Competitive results: Social Frees 1-0 Barca (15 Nov'08), Social Frees 4-2 Sparrow (20 Dec'08)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Analysis of football matches played in 2008
Following the 15 November 2008 merger between Social Frees and Madrid, 2 matches were planned and played in 2008.
As a new team in terms of competitive involvement, the Social Frees is well aware that it does not know the capabilities of its players well enough to position them correctly. However, it is the policy of team management to understand and know the strength, weaknesses and tactics of its opponents prior to match day.
As a purely social team, the Social Frees does not impose a "must win" criteria on its players and emphasis is on fair play, gentlemanly behaviour and enjoying the game. However, the Social Frees is a contemporary football team willing to learn, try and experiment on new ideas and tactics, some of which never before tried by any team and we are not worried about losing if the experiment goes bad. We hope to contribute in whatever small way we can to the ideas behind winning at football. We cannot match professional football players in footballing skills and stamina but many of us have strong analytical capabilities and if you believe in the power of the mind, some football games can actually be won through psychological warfare and mind games.
15 November 2008 (1st game - Social Frees-Competitive Div.)
Social Frees 1 - 0 Team Barca
Team Barca is one of the strongest teams playing at PFS and undefeated in nearly 2 years. However, it was understrength during the match with Social Frees due to the absence of certain players. Nevertheless, it was still a formidable opponent with a very strong back line.
Tried out an experimental 6-4-0 formation. Playing with 6 defenders allowed us to play an ultra defensive system with a lower offside line thereby reducing the breakthrough options of the opponent. With no designated strikers, midfielders were 'authorised' to mount individual raids directly at the opponent's goal. The principal idea in this tactic is that whenever, a midfielder rapidly advances with the ball towards the opponent's goal, he forces the opponents four defenders to fall back and follow him. Hence, each midfielder will take turns to work the group of defenders with the hope that the high work rate will make them tired. The tactic worked towards the later part of the second half when the already exhausted defenders were forced into an untimely tackle at one of the marauding midfielders thereby conceding a penalty which decided the whole match.
20 December 2008
Social Frees 4 - 2 Sparrow
Team Sparrow (named after Captain Jack Sparrow the pirate) was a young exciting social team formed less than a year with mixed results.
Played an experimental asymmetric 4-5-1 formation in the first half. Curiously, the footballing world always speaks about its formations in terms of "defenders-midfielders-strikers" rather than "right-centre-left" because all formations are believed to be symmetrical. We played 2 players on the right, 4 in the centre and 4 in the left. Our striker Nara was always positioned in the left and all attacks involved crossing the ball into our left wing. Pre-match analysis showed that we had stronger attacking players playing on the left wing while the opponent was stronger in the other wing. The tactics worked and the first half ended a keenly contested 4-2 in favour of the Social Frees.
In the second half, we played a 5-4-1 more symmetrical and defensive formation though the striker continued to remain more to the left. Having, had the lead in the first half, it was then time to experiment on our defensive prowess and the 2nd half ended with no further goals on both sides.
As a new team in terms of competitive involvement, the Social Frees is well aware that it does not know the capabilities of its players well enough to position them correctly. However, it is the policy of team management to understand and know the strength, weaknesses and tactics of its opponents prior to match day.
As a purely social team, the Social Frees does not impose a "must win" criteria on its players and emphasis is on fair play, gentlemanly behaviour and enjoying the game. However, the Social Frees is a contemporary football team willing to learn, try and experiment on new ideas and tactics, some of which never before tried by any team and we are not worried about losing if the experiment goes bad. We hope to contribute in whatever small way we can to the ideas behind winning at football. We cannot match professional football players in footballing skills and stamina but many of us have strong analytical capabilities and if you believe in the power of the mind, some football games can actually be won through psychological warfare and mind games.
15 November 2008 (1st game - Social Frees-Competitive Div.)
Social Frees 1 - 0 Team Barca
Team Barca is one of the strongest teams playing at PFS and undefeated in nearly 2 years. However, it was understrength during the match with Social Frees due to the absence of certain players. Nevertheless, it was still a formidable opponent with a very strong back line.
Tried out an experimental 6-4-0 formation. Playing with 6 defenders allowed us to play an ultra defensive system with a lower offside line thereby reducing the breakthrough options of the opponent. With no designated strikers, midfielders were 'authorised' to mount individual raids directly at the opponent's goal. The principal idea in this tactic is that whenever, a midfielder rapidly advances with the ball towards the opponent's goal, he forces the opponents four defenders to fall back and follow him. Hence, each midfielder will take turns to work the group of defenders with the hope that the high work rate will make them tired. The tactic worked towards the later part of the second half when the already exhausted defenders were forced into an untimely tackle at one of the marauding midfielders thereby conceding a penalty which decided the whole match.
20 December 2008
Social Frees 4 - 2 Sparrow
Team Sparrow (named after Captain Jack Sparrow the pirate) was a young exciting social team formed less than a year with mixed results.
Played an experimental asymmetric 4-5-1 formation in the first half. Curiously, the footballing world always speaks about its formations in terms of "defenders-midfielders-strikers" rather than "right-centre-left" because all formations are believed to be symmetrical. We played 2 players on the right, 4 in the centre and 4 in the left. Our striker Nara was always positioned in the left and all attacks involved crossing the ball into our left wing. Pre-match analysis showed that we had stronger attacking players playing on the left wing while the opponent was stronger in the other wing. The tactics worked and the first half ended a keenly contested 4-2 in favour of the Social Frees.
In the second half, we played a 5-4-1 more symmetrical and defensive formation though the striker continued to remain more to the left. Having, had the lead in the first half, it was then time to experiment on our defensive prowess and the 2nd half ended with no further goals on both sides.
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