Sunday, February 11, 2007 . LIONS win ASEAN football chamionship....but...

Heck, i dont know why im blogging on this about a week after they lifted that trophy, but i will rant on it anyway.

Like everyone knows, its SOUTHEAST ASIA they are playing against. Pull out the big guns of Asia and they are dead.

No offence to LIONS fans, im one myself too, but the play by BOTH THailand and S'pore in the second leg final was crap. Look at the EPL;

Striker comes into the penalty area of opponent. Opposing defenders stay apart, crowding the area but not SO close. The striker shoots. a defender clears the ball. maybe someone else gets the rebound.

You see, in top leagues, they dont go "11 people for one ball/man". But that was exactly happened on Sunday. Singapore came in with the attacking threat, not enough support around the Singapore strikers and the Thais had only one way of bringing down the hungry but vulnerable S'pore strikeforce: Crowding. When our poor player wants to pass/cross, there is no one he can get the ball too. And s'pore had a habit of playing it safe: Even if the ball was close to the goal they'd rather pass/cross instead of shooting. I rmb clearly, Precious got the ball just outside the penalty area on the left, but when i he would shoot on goal, he crossed-crossing into a area where the Thais and Singapore were "rioting" for the ball. And this kind of scenario happened to many times. There score shouldnt have been 1-1. It should have been like 3-2 or 4-2 in our favour. Pardon me, but the Thais were better than us. The difference was we had a hell lot of chances, but didnt capitalise on 95% of them. We did not look as threatening as the Thais when we attacked. The Thais always looked menacing when their speed outwitted our defenders and it was their complaceny, the crossbar/post or Lionel Lewis that saved the day.

Also, our Lions were playing angel. The Thais were rough. We were soft. But that still paid off, we are the champions no matter what.

Singapore must prove that they can be strong in Asia too, its necessary for a football rise here.

Congrats Lions anyway.

- this theoretic realization... 5:31 PM
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