colombolions.com

[Donaldinho]

Saturday 11 February 2006 : Colombo Lions 0 – 6 OSC

There are three ways of looking at this result:

The Pessimist: We were beaten badly by a bunch of kids.

The Realist: We were outplayed by a better, younger and more skilled team.

The Optimist: Wayne Rooney made his professional debut at the age of 16 years and 297 days for Everton.

It is on record that the largest age gap between one of the OSC players and one of the Lions was a full 30 years. Even allowing for Teddy Sheringham in the Premiership this would still mean that Arsenal would have to field a nine-year old to compete, and not Theo, the latest 16 year old signing.

We played the OSC last month on their three-quarter size pitch and drew 4-4. At that time we knew that they had a skilful outfit. On the big pitch of the National Training Centre we were hopeful of putting them in their place. Oh no.

No one will claim that we were starting our best 11. The OSC certainly must have been. But even so…one –nil down after at a conservative estimate a full 90 seconds is still embarrassing. Those of us who can still bend down that far without help were still tying our shoe laces.

From that bad start we kept OSC honest for a good 20 minutes before it started to go horribly wrong. The second was an extremely rare error from our usually flawless ‘keeper when a corner went through his hands for the simplest of 2-yard head-ins. At that point we were still unlucky. Just prior to the kick-off to restart Mucky managed to say the only sensible comment of his game – “We need to score the next one”. How true that was. But how unfortunate that it did not happen. And before we forget - Mucky did not say another word that was either true or morally defensible for the rest of the game. No picking fights with pre-pubescent boys whilst wearing a Lions jersey please. Save that for your leisure time.

By the time the third went in past us we were blowing like steam trains. Players could not be subbed fast enough. With only 12 at the starting whistle and a maximum of 14 at the half we were always likely to struggle on one of the hottest days so far, but really, we were exposed cruelly. When you find out after the game that the centre forward is also the school sprint champion you really want to pack it all in. No wonder everyone had aching lungs - and not just the smokers.

At the half we were nominally still in the game at 3-0 down – Istanbul and all that – however Liverpool did it with 11 fit men. We didn’t.

The half time talk was of how do we staunch the blood. Every OSC attack was coming down the middle. Due to their regular pitch and game-plan the OSC do not know where the corners are so did not use flying wingers hitting them in from the baseline. Thank heavens. However they did not need to. They danced down the centre of the park and straight passed us.

Having at least recognised where they were attacking from we dispensed with the fullbacks and moved to a 3-5-2, with wing-backs, or a least wingers, on to fill out the midfield. Ignoring the area between the edge of the box and the touchline worked for us, as did the three centre-backs, as we kept a little more control over the game.

It did not matter much as not even lady-luck could be bothered with putting in a five minute appearance. Mucky had some storming runs in to the channels, mostly from Lister knocking them over the top, but not a single one could get past their ‘keeper. He might have been a young one, but he knew when to come off his line sharpish and he had no problem with putting his body in the way.

As the half wound down the OSC strikers got to see a lot of the ball, and pressure on our goal was constant. They were winning the midfield battles as well. Worse still we were plain sloppy. Throw-ins to players who were walking away from the ball and not towards. Missed passes and poor control. It must be said that we were lucky to keep it down to only 6 goals against. Asanga had some cracking saves, including one off his legs that spooned up over the bar. Donaldinho had at least one moment to saviour with a sliding tackle inside the box that took the ball cleanly. Neither Neville brother could have done that for England without giving away a penalty in the last few minutes to lose us the game.

The loss of K2 to a possible long-term injury was not good. Chicksy pulled himself out of the game with 20 to go claiming his back had gone. Perhaps it was just good sense that overtook him. Most players would have liked to walk off in the last 15 as we completely lost it. Even the very last line of defence in an efficient and effective offside trap finally failed us when they hit a triangle past us and the striker upfield rightly walked back with arms up to show he was out of the game. The Lions defence stopped and the OSC literally walked the ball around Asanga for the final one.

James was new in to our side. Hopefully he hasn’t been put off too much. We can only remember one other 6-0 in the history of the club and that was in the Cup against the eventual finalists. The OSC were every bit as good as that side.

Raj got a good work out on one of his rare 11-a-side appearances. The Toe was in midfield for most of the match; Lister finished the game on the right-side of our three centre backs. There was nothing regular about this one. Hopefully the next game will be against an old, unskilful, and preferably female team. We might scrape a draw.

Chicksy’s final comment? “The OSC played another game this morning against parents and teachers and won 8-3”. Thanks.

The team: Asanga; Karsten; Donaldinho; K2; Andy; Lister; Julian (2nd half); Anil (2nd half); Toe; Raj; James; Marlon; Mucky; Chicksy

Notional* Man-of-the Match: Donaldinho for keeping it down to only three in the second half.

(* Notional because no one was good enough to be proper MotM. Had we all played exactly 50% better then Donaldinho would have picked for the full honour).