Poker Forum v Soccer forum Sunday 18th Jan.

Iago · 18-01-2009 2:02pm

RoundTower wrote: »

we've been through this before and they're really not.

I disagree, the Astro Leagues have never allowed sliding tackles in either their 6 or 11 a side formats. They've always been banned on the basis of safety reasons, granted that's mostly because you're likely to rip the leg off yourself when you slide but there's also the element of landing awkwardly when tackled on a surface that has no give whatsoever.

I'm not bothered that much either way, but I do think for the sake of a friendly game we should avoid slide tackles. If not then that's fine as well.

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 2:05pm

Lads I think the best way to sort slide tackles are to have a show of hands for who wants them and who doesn't before the game.

Astro League have them banned for good reason, your more likely to hurt yourself and the person your tackling with a slide tackle than a normal tackle.

Trippie · 18-01-2009 2:11pm

I think we should be able to for the simple reason as how will keith make up for his poor positioning and lack of pace without last ditch carragher-esque tackles

The_Chopper · 18-01-2009 2:16pm

RE: sliding tackles I am as against them as anyone. However if the last 2 games we've played there have been 1 maybe 2 sliding tackles only........

Both games were played in good spirit and people don't really want to slide in a friendly game ripping their knees etc

RoundTower · 18-01-2009 2:26pm

Iago wrote: »

I disagree, the Astro Leagues have never allowed sliding tackles in either their 6 or 11 a side formats. They've always been banned on the basis of safety reasons, granted that's mostly because you're likely to rip the leg off yourself when you slide but there's also the element of landing awkwardly when tackled on a surface that has no give whatsoever.

I'm not bothered that much either way, but I do think for the sake of a friendly game we should avoid slide tackles. If not then that's fine as well.

This isn't a hockey pitch which is what most Astro leagues are played on. It's a rubber surface with way more give on it than a grass pitch on a cold day. UEFA allow games to be played on a pitch similar to this and they certainly don't ban slide tackles.

This came up before and was debated endlessly in one of the other threads, then we decided to allow them and there were no problems whatsoever during the games.

Iago · 18-01-2009 2:29pm

RoundTower wrote: »

This isn't a hockey pitch which is what most Astro leagues are played on. It's a rubber surface with way more give on it than a grass pitch on a cold day. UEFA allow games to be played on a pitch similar to this and they certainly don't ban slide tackles.

This came up before and was debated endlessly in one of the other threads, then we decided to allow them and there were no problems whatsoever during the games.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. A lot of Astro pitches in Dublin now use the synthetic grass on a rubber base, and I've played on it numerous times over the last 10 years. They still ban slide tackles, but as I said it's all the same to me.

I can see why you guys would want it though, lack of positional awareness and desperation is a powerful combination

Hectorjelly · 18-01-2009 2:31pm

RoundTower wrote: »

This came up before and was debated endlessly in one of the other threads, then we decided to allow them and there were no problems whatsoever during the games.

That's pretty misleading. There ended up being about 2 sliding tackles in both games. Obviously if no-one is going to slide tackle then it makes no difference if they are allowed or not

The_Chopper · 18-01-2009 3:15pm

I'll be driving from the grand canal dock/ballsbridge area. If anyone needs a lift and can make it to one of those dart stations or lives around there let me know

Theresalwaysone · 18-01-2009 3:16pm

Weather Report from Leicster Celtic area: Im in Windy Arbour, right beside it.

Breezy, with intermittent showers, no heavy rain so far and some very sunny spells.

Theresalwaysone · 18-01-2009 3:16pm

Also, just got this press report via MSN from Shoutman:

..::~LT~::.. says:
afraid not, in work at three until 8, sucks bad as I would of loved a run about cause my match got called off five minutes in yesterday
Steve says:
ha, I know I know, but im gonna tell everyone you puled out cos of the rain anyway
Steve says:
pussy
..::~LT~::.. says:
ha ha fag
Steve says:
lol
Steve says:
ul man
..::~LT~::.. says:
you can also say that I pulled a wobbler cause i wasnt starting and that I want a transfer to the soccer team for the next match, somewhere where i'll be appreciated for my rampaging runs and obvious football talent
Steve says:
yes ok cool
..::~LT~::.. says:
****in disgrace that ricky is playing instead of me, its only cause he is picking the team....

The_Chopper · 18-01-2009 7:44pm

Final Score

Poker Forum 10 (me * 3, HJ * 3, Tonc * 1, Fran * 1, Theresalways * 1, JBravado * 1)
Soccer Forum 2

Thanks Frisbee for organising this and thanks to all the lads that came down. Anytime you want another game let me know.

I'd be very confident of this team giving DIT's team a good game - everyone was immense....

I'll stick up a match report later, just getting some dinner now

5starpool · 18-01-2009 7:50pm

Wow, what an ass kicking

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 7:54pm

Congrats lads, you well and truly battered us

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 8:16pm

By the by lads anyone notice if there was a bag left behind? :rolleyes:

hf4z6sqo7vjngi · 18-01-2009 8:32pm

They got some paddling, outplayed in every position

Iago · 18-01-2009 8:35pm

It was touch and go for the first 5 minutes or so

In all fairness if you didn't have the ref in your pocket it would have been a much closer game

. Fitness told in the last 15 minutes or so, but the organisation and familarity that you guys have having played a few games together really showed out there.

I think if we played a few games together as a team and got ourselves properly organised it would be a much closer game. Fair play though, can't argue with the result or the margin.

Mellor · 18-01-2009 9:08pm

Trippie wrote: »

Ye, I havent drank in i dont know how long but somehow ended up on the beer in coppers last night and havent slept but ye been focussing on the game since at least 10 this morning so will be fully prepared by the time keith takes us for the warm up

Why didn't you sleep Gordon?

The_Chopper · 18-01-2009 10:52pm

Frisbee wrote: »

Ok.

They deserved to win. No doubt about that, but the margin was flattering in the end.
Their first three goals were well worked.
The penalty I gave away wasn't a penalty. I would compare it to the challenge Ashley Young made two weeks ago in the FA Cup. I went for the ball and got the faintest of touches on it and the man went down over my legs.
Now I'm not complaining Des gave it, because I'm sure it looked like a penalty from where he was, but it was not a penalty.

We got back into it the the second third and scored two goals, this was definitely our best period. However things really went to **** in the third and final period.
While dfx- played well and wasn't at fault for the first four goals, and can't say the same about all the rest.

Their 5th, 6th, 8th. and 10th. goals were all banged in at the near post from a very acute angle. I don't know how that happened but that's just poor positioning from dfx-.

Their 7th was a 25 yard scuffed shot that trickled in at the near post, once again no idea how this made it into the net.

Their 9th. goal was a sublime finish and there was nothing dfx- could do about it.

I'm not having a go at you here man, just saying it as I saw it so we can hopefully improve. You played well aside from these little mistakes and blocked some good shots.

So that's 5 out of ten goals that never should have made it into the net and the peno, which I apologise for.

We also has the ball cleared off the line from a corner when the game was at 4-2 which would have changed things around really.

It obviously stood them in good stead that they'd played together before.

Colly10 had a great game at RB and was definitely our best player, with Gary up front coming a close second.

I think our best formation from what I saw today would be:
dfx
colly10
BastardPrince
Dub13
Geoff
SuprSi
KaG
janets
Voltwad
Frisbee
Iago

Just my 0.02

We lined out what I thought was our best team. Daragh decided to get out of bed and join us and Gordon gave up his spot, so we started like this

breifne

Roundtower

kayroo

Careca

kweeveen
jackyback

semi

theresalways

JBrav

Chopper

HJ

The game plan was to get the ball out wide or hit the forwards quickly and let the midfield support from there.

HJ and I combined for the first goal with a great ball from kweeveen to make it 1-0. Both HJ and I were getting behind the defence very easily and we both had decent chances to score more with their keeper making some good saves. HJ got pulled down in the box, I took a missed a penalty. Before the end of the third HJ scored a well worked goal from a corner to make it 2-0. TBH I think we were very unlukcy to go in only 2-0 up at half. Our back 4 were complete dominating and the full backs were bombing forward at every opportunity, Donal and Steve backed up the play brilliantly, spraying the ball well. Fran had their LB peeing himself. Sam and their RB had a great battle and I have to agree that their RB was their best player.

During the break we made 3 substitutions and I thought this might effect us. However very quickly into the 2nd 3rd we were 4-0 and cruising, Sam scored a goal from the edge of the box, and we were awarded our 2nd peno of the game (I didn't miss this time). At this point I decided to give Sam, Steve, Fran and myself a break and made some more changes, both positional and personal. It was at this point that the soccer forum got back into it. They over ran us a little in the middle and I felt their defenders had a little more time to play it out from the back - it probably didn't help that Troy was playing in his socks, LOL. TBH we were lucky to only concede 2 goals during this period, with some outstanding play in particular by the centre backs, Donal and our keeper. It was a tactical error on my part to make so many changes and we were lucky it didn't cost us more.

For the start of the final 3rd I started the same team as we had started the match with, with the exception that tonc76 playing instead of roundtower at RB. This wasn't a reflection on roundtower as he had played the whole 1st 3rd and the majority of the 2nd 3rd.
We really took the game back to them. We started pushing the ball forward quicker again and HJ scored probably our best goal of the game from a superb ball from Steve with a great finish in off the post. Shortly after both HJ and I completed our hattricks. Tonc76 scored an very individual goal. He got it in space on the right side on the halfway line, beat 2 players with ease and belted it in the near post. Steve had a shot from outside the box that had a little fortune as the keeper pushed it on to the post and it went in. Fran completed the scoring for 10-2. In truth if finishing had been sharper in the first third or final third it could have been a cricket score.

Summary:
It was a great individual and team performance from everyone. I was delighted that everyone stuck to the game plan.

breifne

excellent handling and made some good saves
kweeveen

Supported well and excellent distribution,
Roundtower

great engine and never gives up on those "lost" causes
Careca

brilliant in the air, and didn't see him lose the ball once
kayroo

our best talker and organiser, near nothing got past him
Tripee

took up good positions and very unlucky not to get it
jackyback

gave their LB a horrible time, created a lot
Semibluff (capt)

the heartbeat of the team
Theresalwaysone

The destroyed of our team and backed up the play brilliantly
JBravado

A constant threat and created a lot of room for HJ and I
Chopper

the only poker forum manager to lead a team to victory

HJ

made brilliant runs, scored 3, setup a couple
Bohsman

never stopped running and didn't give up
Tonc76

Excellent positionally and did a very good job attacking and defending

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 11:10pm

Who was the lad playing in Centre Mid for you's?
Wearing a rugby jersey I think? Tall, brown hair, Beard?

Anyway, I think he was your best player. Everything ran through him. My MotM

The_Chopper · 18-01-2009 11:14pm

Frisbee wrote: »

Who was the lad playing in Centre Mid for you's?
Wearing a rugby jersey I think? Tall, brown hair, Beard?

Anyway, I think he was your best player. Everything ran through him. My MotM

Semibluff

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 11:15pm

The_Chopper wrote: »

Semibluff

semibluff then so

careca · 18-01-2009 11:23pm

Frisbee wrote: »

Who was the lad playing in Centre Mid for you's?
Wearing a rugby jersey I think? Tall, brown hair, Beard?

Anyway, I think he was your best player. Everything ran through him. My MotM

Think that was Donal. Very very good game. Any team with himself and Steve in the middle would have a right chance. I would slightly disagree with you though, cos I thought Steve ran the show. Played the role in front of the back four to perfection and his passing was top class. I might be a bit harsh on Donal, but I prob expected him to play that well having seen him before.

your left full was very good, Gary very good and that number 13 (young lad who came on in the middle second half) very good.

We had lots of chances in first half, but score flattered us in the end. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Not to mention, well done to Des, not easy reffing a game like that. did a great job, cos he was never on to a winner.

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 11:24pm

careca wrote: »

your left full was very good, Gary very good and that number 13 (young lad who came on in the middle second half) very good.

Mise

careca · 18-01-2009 11:26pm

Frisbee wrote: »

Mise

LOL. didn't actually know that. nice footballer.

Frisbee · 18-01-2009 11:28pm

careca wrote: »

LOL. didn't actually know that. nice footballer.

Merci Buckets

Iago · 18-01-2009 11:41pm

Having had some time to consider things I've come to the following conclusion.

You guys were organised from the start and were very clear as to what role each of you should be playing. You were also well disciplined and held your positions well, which made a huge difference.

Far too often we were caught on the back foot for passes and breaking balls, which gave you time to control and pick a pass. To be honest when you get the sort of space we allowed you then anyone can look like Brazil! That's not to take anything away from your performance, you played some fantastic, quick football and at times ghosted past our players as if we weren't there. The big difference was that space though, whenever one of our players got the ball he was closed down quickly and if he managed to get past one player there was another there to mop up.

We as a team weren't fit enough (as evidenced by the flurry of 5 goals in the last 10/15 minutes) it was the first time I'd played 90 minutes since a tournament in June 2006!! This meant two things, firstly when you had the ball and pushed forward quickly we struggled to get back in numbers and stop the ball moving forward, instead we were left a body or two down which meant our defenders where out of position and left your forwards with time and space once they received the final ball.

The second thing that a lack of fitness impacts on is speed of thought when on the ball. We were so preoccupied with getting our breath back having pushed ourselves to make the ball that it took us a second or two too long to pick the right pass which was invariably blocked off at that stage. Or as often happened, we just picked the first pass that we saw regardless of whether it was the right pass or not.

After the first half/third we had started to gel a little better as a team and that led to us creating better chances of which we took 1 but probably should have taken more. Of course we then started to make wholesale changes to ensure everyone got a fair run-out and we were back at square 1 again. In the final third of the game, we really tired and were completely over-run. We conceded a few soft goals, which gave you confidence to try more shots and audacious passing and in fairness a lot of it came off perfectly.

So in summation I think you played very well and deserved the result, I think the margin was a bit flattering but certainly a win by 3-4 goals wouldn't have been unfair. A couple more games as a team, when each player is aware of exactly what they need to do, and we have more organisation and slightly more match fitness would lead to a closer game I think.

Still I enjoyed the run-out, as much as you can when beaten so heavily anyway, and can't wait for the rematch.

Chardee MacDennis · 19-01-2009 12:03am

faur play lads, played us off the park at times! looking forawrd to next time - it'll be much closer

_blank_ · 19-01-2009 12:04am

BastardPrince wrote: »

faur play lads, played us off the park at times! looking forawrd to next time - it'll be much closer

which fella were you?

Frisbee · 19-01-2009 12:18am

Des wrote: »

which fella were you?

He went in at CB in the second period

jbravado · 19-01-2009 12:44am

Very enjoyable game (then again usually is when your scoring and winning).

Obviously Donal and Steven were key to us having a solid base to build on. Fran had an incredible game and was involved in the bulk of our goals. With Hj and Chopper up front and that little bit of extra quality we had today we could certainly give the lane a much more competitive game.Kev was a class act at lb and great to play in front off. Would really like another stab at Jeffs team........we have the makings of a semi ok team imo.

Poker Forum v Soccer forum Sunday 18th Jan.

Comments