GAME 5: COACH's CORNER

AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW NOT TO PLAY THE GAME

The Baron Says:
"Defeating yourself is the best way to lose a match"

The Good:
There were some great individual efforts.
When we played as a team (i.e. passing, being open, thinking) we were getting the ball up for chances.

The Bad:
No communication. Whereas last game (which we won) there was lots of talk and tactical conversation, this game we fell flat. No one knew how to proceed, and we looked like a bunch of wankers on the field.

The Ugly:
The Mid Field needs to get used to their multi-use.
They need to protect the net, as well as bring the ball up for the attack and join the attack.
It's not an easy task. But if they don't, it's all up to three defenders. And that just won't work.

Summary:
No one really is to blame for this fiasco. We took it on the chin as a team.
They weren't better than us.Sure, we let in two bad goals initially, but a team of our caliber should recover.
Instead, we lost cohesion and lost the team spirit that made us great in Game Three.

Defence wise we were incredibly sloppy.
More than a few times we had only one defender.
We need to remember that mid-fielders and defenders need to rush back when opponents are on the attack.
The forwards should remain as threats to their defense, in the event the ball makes it back up.

I realize that the day was very muggy (the first of the season) and a number of us were drained.
That excuses us from quickness on foot.
But as I've said before, don't give them the satisfaction of planning a shot.
Even if you can't overtake them, go after them. Let them know you're around. Make them nervous!
It's about the hustle. Don't give up...never surrender.

Boys, there's lots of work for us in the next game.
These next few games are crucial, as we're playing teams we'll meet in the playoffs.
Let's learn and improve!

STATS:
Tyler (G)

MAN OF THE MATCH
Adrian

DARLINGTON FOOTBALL NEWS

MR. AJAX IS POSSIBLY THE BEST NON-PLAYING MEMBER OF THE SPARTANS

Kris and Adrian Celebrate a Goal!

Fresh from his jet ride to the sunny south of Las Vegas, top Golden Orange player Kris was dropping names and quips in a recent interview.

"I realize that I have a gift for scoring," revealed the rookie Spartan,"but with great gifts come great responsibilities. For instance, I have to watch out for Scott falling over so many times.But I think that the team will get back on track after Mr. Ajax gets on the pitch. He F**ked up his foot, you know"

How does Kris deal with his success within the Spartan Club?

"Mainly by taking it one goal at a time. It could be Mike or Anders who might score. But they know that it's imperative to give me the ball so I can one time it into the twine. The best part of being a productive player is knowing when you need to give me the ball, or when to flop it off and waste the  play."

How does Kris deal with the idea of becoming a sex symbol so close to PRIDE?

"Well, it's simply an honour to be chosen as sexiest Spartan of the week.I look at it this way. If someone gives me that look down, man, woman, other, I see that as a click. When I tally these babies up, it's an average of 50 - 60 a day. And that's impressive. The only person who might have a chance of exceeding me is again, Mr. Ajax."

You Speak highly of Noah (aka Mr. Ajax). How long have you two been friends?

"Well, we don't really know each other that well. You see he's been nursing injuries most of his career.I think that once he does actually play a game, we'll see that's he's a young Goetze [from Bayern Munchen].

See our article next week where Scott takes us to his favourite top 10 falls on field and off.

COACH's CORNER: GAME 3

SPARTANS TAKE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON

The Baron Says:
"Winning is always great. Savour the moment and use what worked today to make the basis of victory tomorrow"

The Good:
There was a lot of communication on the field. Guys were telling each other where to go, what to cover and working collectively.

The Bad:
A few times our defense was caught off balance. Too far forward, not capable of re-organizing in the attack that came.

The Ugly:
The Destroyers fell apart to internal dissension. While we maintained our discipline and camaraderie, they lost their edge and never recovered.

Next Game:
We won't change much.

I'll concentrate on putting people where they feel most comfortable.

We can't let ourselves get too overconfident. We need to play with discipline, team play and a joy for the game.

STATS:

Kris (G)
Scott (A)
Kris (G)
Anders (A)
Kris (G)
Scott (A)
Kris (GW)
Mike A (AW)
Scott (G)
Anders (A)

Winning Goalie:
John (1-2-0)

Man of the Match
Kris

COACH's CORNER: GAME 2

The Baron Says:
"Identifying weakness is the beginning of the journey to victory"

The Good:
We found some positives in moving people around. As Game Three progresses, we'll start to get a feel of where we play the best. This will be an ongoing process, which will evolve as the season continues.

The Bad:
We're having a lot of issues keeping the ball flowing from Defense, to Mid-field to Forwards. For the first 10 minutes we had a good go at it, taking shots and getting close. After that, the defense was getting tired due to the continual turnovers in the mid-field.

What we need to do is control the ball more. Make smart passes.

Panic kicks up the field should only be used in desperate circumstances.

The Ugly:
Eight goals against. Three of them own goals.

Let's try not to have a repeat. Enough said.

STATS:
Scott (G)
Kris (A)
Scott (G)
Anders (A)