The Young and Restless

Mclucky FC Versus Ivan's Team

Time: 3.30pm
Venue : Marina South Pitch 6
Weather: Cool and cloudy

Starting Line-up:
Kelvin (GK), Huzer (DR), Wai Fu (DL), Ee Yang (DC),
Wei De (DC), Chun Wei (MR), Sin Cheng (ML),
Ben (MC), Siu Chun (MC), Rayner (ST), Ee Bing (ST)

Substitute: Gerald

Formation: 4-4-2

Pre Match

Having been missing in action for almost three whole weeks, it was time to get back to writing for Mclucky FC after the fun and games of the tetiary orientation camps. Mclucky FC had been on a 5-game losing streak ever since the crushing 6-1 win over Jackson's Team (can you remember when that was?). This time they were up against (another team with no name) Jackson's Team, which we thought were going to be easy meat after looking at their line-up, which consists of multi-racial players over a wide range of ages. However, like the famous saying "Don't judge a book by its cover", Mclucky were about to find out how things were not what they seemed to be...

Match Highlights

First Half

Things do not look too well for Mclucky FC when they go behind within the first 5 minutes after kick-off. A bad back pass by Ee Yang results in No. 16 (in the orange shirt) of Ivan's Team (IT) getting to the ball and slotting it into the bottom right corner of Kelvin's goal. 1-0 to the opponents.

Mclucky score a worthy equaliser in the 10th minute when Eebing dribbles and dances past the opposing defenders before unleashing a daisy-cutter into the bottom right corner of the opponent's goal. 1-1 and Mclucky are back in the game.

Substitution for Mclucky FC in the 17th minute. Sin Cheng is replaced by Gerald, who will operate on the right flank while Chun Wei moves across the pitch to the left.

A heart-stopping moment for Mclucky in the 20th minute when IT have a clear shot on an open goal after Kevlin comes off his line to clear a loose ball, albeit unsuccessfully. Fortunately, the player fluffs his shot and the ball sails wide of the goal.

The action continues to be fast and furious when Rayner fends off defenders to shoot in the 22th minute, but the ball sails just over the bar. He then gets on the end of a low shot on goal by Ben, but the referee calls for offside just as he directs the ball into the back of the net.

The last chance on goal for the first half falls to Mclucky in the 30th minute, when Ee Bing powers in a shot on goal. However, the shot is straight at the keeper and he palms it over the bar. The first half ends all square with both teams going into the break with a goal each.

Second Half

The second half starts with Gerald still remaining on the right flank while Sin Cheng replaces Siu Chun in the centre of mid-field. Almost immediately, the Mclucky goal comes under siege in only the 3rd minute, when "16" of IT shoots at goal but Kelvin reacts quick enough to turn it away for a corner.

Mclucky's defence is broken in the 5th minute when "16" (him again!?) shoots from beyond the penalty area and scores from long range. 2-1 to Ivan's Team

Fired up, Mclucky begin their own assault on IT's goal, with Chun Wei and Ee Bing hitting the opponent's post consecutively around the 10th minute mark. Substitutions follow suit in the 13th minute, with Siu Chun replacing Rayner in the striking role. Rayner then comes back into the pitch for Wai Fu in the 18th minute as Mclucky switch to a 3-4-3 formation.

The change in tactic does not seem to work however, when an IT player (the Indian in the Holland jersey) shoots from long range and scores. 3-1 to the opponents and they seem to have an insurmountable lead.

However, Mclucky manage to narrow the scoreline within minutes when Rayner reacts fastest after the opponent's keeper spills a free-kick by Siu Chun. He scrambles the ball into the net after a goalmouth melee for the ball. 3-2 and Mclucky manage to close the gap with a typical "Mclucky" goal (LOL).

In the last minute of play, Siu Chun receives the ball just outside the opponent's penalty area and tries to get a long shot on goal, but it goes agonisingly wide. The final score reads: Mclucky 2 Ivan's Team 3

Post Match

No player ratings this time round, but there is plenty to discuss about. Though the match seemed like ours for the taking, our opponents played with disclipine and purpose, effectively disrupting our tactics. Playing with a sweeper and utilising the long ball tactic, they negated the presence of our midfield, allowing their strikers to take advantage of their pace (remember the Indian guy in the Holland Jersey and "16"?) to get on the end of these long balls. Ivan's team could often be seen having 7 or 8 men behind the ball while their strikers remained just in line with our defence, in preparation to break the offside trap.

Though the offside trap worked to a certain extent, it is a dangerous tactic to employ if the defence do not communicate with each other. Too many people were seen going for the same ball when the opponents pressed into our half, often resulting in goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition. One such instance was when Ee Yang and Wai Fu went for the same ball on the left side of midfield during a counter-attack by Ivan's Team. With 2 of our defenders being drawn to the same man, their midfielders were able to overlap into our penalty area which resulted in Wei De being outnumbered and overworked.

Passing between players should also be less casual, especially when they are being tightly marked. Players should also try to spread play to team-mates in open areas when they are under pressure from the opponents, instead of trying to pass into already built-up areas of the pitch. The defence must also handle long balls more confidently, deciding on the best route of play to get the ball out of our half safely.

On a brighter note, players are now more willing to track back to help out in defence once we lose possession of the ball, unlike previous occasions when only the defence would often be left to face the full impact of an opponent's counter-attack. Keep the morale up and let's make sure we break our losing streak in the next match!