|
|
| |
Tuesday, November 3
The Gaffer's Report
Malone's Shanghai Shooters AFC vs. Azzurri FC.
A top of the table clash between the Shanghai Shooters and the Italians kicked off on a bright sunny morning at Tianma with an 1100 start. The Shooters brought a big squad and due to an earlier cry-off from Junior decided to line up with a 4-5-1 formation playing into the wind. The opening period proved a difficult and decisive one for the Shooters because after a very poor 20 minutes we were 2-0 down. We gave the ball away a lot and conceded many free kicks in our own half. With this formation we should have been able to gain the majority of possession but this wasn't the case. That could possibly be put down to us playing in a formation we were not use to or could not adapt to quickly enough. From that perspective the manager should take the rap - lesson learned. In fact the formation got changed back to a 3-5-2 after 15 minutes and shortly after this reshuffle we went one down. The Italians had a good midfield and an accomplished forward line who could finish. A poor cross-field pass from us was intercepted and the Azzurri swept forward. Their centre forward hit a low shot which cannoned off the post but the ball rebounded back into the penalty area and their other forward curled the ball past Banners (who could do nothing about it) into the far right hand side of the goal. Within a minute the Italians then had a headed goal disallowed for offside. This was given by the referee after the linesman made no attempt to flag during the move. We were probably a little fortunate with the decision although to be fair the ref was close to the play. Little matter for them because just 5 minutes later they were two up. What seemed like a fairly innocuous ball into a crowded penalty box somehow was missed by the Shooters defenders and the goal was tucked away with a minimum of fuss.
After going two goals down the Shooters settled down somewhat and actually got back into the game. In terms of possession we dominated not only the rest of the half but the entire second half. However, despite the amount of time we had with the ball we didn't create anywhere near enough chances over the duration of the game. Only 3 (maybe 4) times did we get around the back of their defense and deliver 'difficult to defend' crosses and on two of these occasions we actually turned them into goals. The first of these came in the 35th minute when, after some decent interplay, Jon Banks did well to ride a few challenges, got the by-line and pulled the back for Mikel to steal in and finish with a strong shot a into the roof of the net. In fact this was one of the topics at half time from Zippy. Keep the ball, get some width and stop crossing the ball from 20 yards or more out from goal. We took to the field in the second half 2-1 down but still very much in the game. However, despite Zippy's advice we continued in the same vain as the first half. Too many balls in were delivered from the wrong angle - this made it easy for their defenders to handle and we failed to get into the wider and deeper areas that are far more penetrating and difficult to defend. Our defense rarely looked troubled since the opening 20 minutes. Marcus was had a fantastic game after his introduction and deserves a special mention for his all round performance. As mentioned, we had a lot of possession and forced more than 10 corners in the second half. Despite this we never really threatened the Italians goal other than a direct effort from Liese that hit the bar and must go down as a deliberate effort as he scored doing the same thing last week. Despite looking comfortable at the back we were made to pay after the ball was given away upon 70 minutes which allowed the Azzurri to break fast in a 3 on 2 situation albeit against the run of play. They delivered what seemed a knock out blow by making the score 3-1 and mass celebration for the Italians ensued. Paddy Linehan took the field with 15 minutes to go and provided some energy into the proceedings. With five minutes remaining he picked up the ball on the right wing around the half way line and went on a determined run which saw him beat 3 or 4 players on the way up the pitch. He did what we speak about all the time which is hit the goal line and he pulled over a fabulous cross to the back post. After a small melee the outstretched boot of Jon Banks steered the ball home. Still 3-2 down but a life line extended. With the Italians wasting time for most of the second half the referee played around 5 minutes extra time and during this period there was one notable incident that left a someone sour taste. Jon Banks was put through on goal with the ball bouncing out in front of him. It turned into a race between him and keeper. Banksy got there, nudged the ball past him and was then clattered to the ground by the on rushing keeper. A nailed on penalty (which even the Italians agreed to) but the ref inexplicable didn't. To rub salt into the wound he actually gave a free kick against us!! So what could have been 'the great escape' ended in a 3-2 loss. On the day, despite our greater possession we did not create enough chances and the Italians certainly finished theirs off very well. All in all we cannot argue too much about the result because overall our performance was not up to our usual high standards. We now need to regroup, show some character and bounce back with a win next time out against the French. There is clearly still a lot of play for and I have confidence we will remain united because that is one of the strengths of the Shooters.
Team Mates
So what do we think of our team mates? Well I have collected all your answers to the below questions, and we have come up with the following:-
Most Intelligent - Jon Best
Least Intelligent - Jing Shen/Sam Woollard
Best Trainer - Brian Wallace
Quickest Player - Jon Grant
Most Skilful - Claus Borregaard
Hard Man - Andre Arndt
Biggest Joker - David Barr/Jimmy Allen
Biggest Moaner - Jon Grant
Worst Dress Sense - Justin Malley/Nick Rose
Longest in the Shower - Bertrand Etoundi!!
Shooters sponsor horse race!!!
Result of Shanghai Shooters Handicap Hurdle:-
4.00 SHANGHAI SHOOTERS FC HANDICAP HURDLE
1st 2/1 Fav (4) Ladalko (FR) £2.80 £2.00
2nd 4/1 (5) Basilea Star (IRE) £3.30
3rd 10/3 (2) Paddy The Piper (IRE)
4th 16/1 (6) Overstrand (IRE)
Off 4:05 7 Ran
Distances - 1L , 2 ½L , shd , 12L , 9L
Trainer - P Nicholls
Jockey - R Walsh
Owner - Mr Paul K Barber & Mrs M Findlay
CSF - £10.34
Taken from Scottish Newspaper.
AN exiled Ayrshireman living in China has secured the first ever race sponsorship offered on eBay by a British racecourse.
Ayr United fan John Jofre paid £2,550 to sponsor the handicap hurdle race immediately after the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
There were 29 bids in a lively auction but John, originally from Dreghorn, finally won the day.
And he has named the race after the football team he formed in Shanghai more than six years ago.
It will be called the Shanghai Shooters FC Handicap Hurdle.
John is the son of former SNP MSP Kay Ullrich and has lived in Shanghai for 12 years and is Asia Managing Director of packaging company Portola.
He said: "I'm just delighted to have won the auction. I started up the Shooters in 1998 as a fun social team but with more and more expats arriving in Shanghai over the years, the quality of the team increased greatly.
In 2004 we won everything in our own domestic league and also won four international tournaments out of four in Manila, Phuket, Bangkok and China.
Due to this we have been invited to take part in the Hong Kong 7s in May when we will be up against Man Utd, Arsenal, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers and Celtic and pro teams from Japan and Hong Kong.
I decided to try and get our little team some profile before this huge tournament and when I seen this opportunity to sponsor a horse race I thought what a cool idea".
Is There a Shooter in Hiding in South America??
Is this John Jofre, Steven Brierley or Daniel Craig???
José Manuel Moreno
Charro means cowboy in Uruguay, though José Manuel Moreno was Argentine. Never mind. The facts show that he was indeed a phenomenal goal-scorer but the most interesting, and most incontestable, legacy he left concerns the eternal question: whether sex on the night before a big match is a good or a bad idea. Cowboy Moreno actually took the question a little further. With him the question was begged whether whoring, dancing, drinking heavily and going to bed at 5am on the night before a game was conducive to peak performance on the park next day.
The answer was a resounding yes, in his case. So much so that once, for a lark, he experimented with no sex, no dancing and not getting completely ratted on the night before a match. He even forsook his customary pre-match bottle of red wine at lunchtime. The experiment was a predictable disaster. He played the worst game of his life.
Ah, but yes, the traditionalists out there might say, bet he didn't last too long in the game, though. Wrong, he did. He played 20 years of first division football, in Colombia and all over South America. He even came out of retirement once when he was 45. As Eduardo Galeano recalls in his delightful book, Football in Sun and Shadow , he was coaching Medellín in a Libertadores Cup game (South America's European Cup) against Boca Juniors. Medellín were 1-0 down at half time. So he changed into his football kit, came on for the second half, scored two goals and his team won.
PhysioRoom.Com
PhysioRoom.com > Injury News > Premiership Injury League Table  | | |
Thursday, January 30
Question of the Week!!
 |  |
This picture really show's why we moved to Malone's this season. But the question of the week is...how many of these girls have actually knocked back Steve Brierley?? Answers on a postcard please....
Tuesday, April 29
Daft Lad From Doncaster
by: Hands Of Stone
There was a doughnut from the north,
A place that smells and everyone looks like Morph.
He had this fuzz on his face,
he thought it was cool and all the girls would give chase.
But instead he was caught by a girl named Roger,
who was from Thailand and had a large todger.
Distracted by the love that grew,
our Flemish friend finally knew.
For hanging with the homos may be a dream come true,
Football is something for which he had no clue.
Dwelling at the bottom of the pit is where you have been,
One good week does not warrant a loud scene.
So away with your threats and claims to things you own.
Dont dream of success, because first you have to deal with the Hands Of Stone.
Monday, May 6
Shooter in "Gay" Jibe
On a recent trip to Phuket, a prominent Shooter player had his sexuality questioned by a Lady of the Night!! Jimmy Vesteronie(His real name has been changed for legal reasons) offered to pay US$3 to watch the girl have a shower. The girl, thinking this was just a kinky foreplay, agreed, assuming he would pay her more to go the full hog. So she went to his room, undressed and had a shower. To her amazement, when she had finished, Jimmy, paid her the US$3, and told her to leave. Not very happy at only earning US$3, she went down to tell everyone at the hotel bar, that Jimmy is gay!! Well, it has been a long running rumour in the Shooter changing room, that Vesteronie, was of the limp wrist variety. After this story, then maybe the suspicions have been justified!!!
Monday, May 26
Quality!!!
Sounds like one of Peter Grant's toys for Amy!!!
|
|
|
|
|
