TPL
Army 1-0 Chonburi
Royal Thai Army Stadium
Attendance: 1,625
Sunday 18th July, 2010
Match Report
There is a widely held belief in theatrical circles that a bad dress rehearsal means a good performance. Well, if that's tue, and yesterday's match was a dress rehearsal for next Sunday's top of the table clash, Muang Thong Thong United must be quaking in their boots. We were rotten. I'm tempted to say abysmal but I don't even think we were that good. The team played like eleven strangers and lost to opponents who I would rank as one of the worst sides I've ever seen in the TPL.
The only two incidents of note in an instantly forgetable game were the Army's goal - a class finish - and Chonburi's penalty. The latter awarded harshly, a decision which even had the visiting fans squirming with embarrassment. Fortunately, Arthit did the decent thing and smashed his kick against the bar, to spare the referee's blushes.
In all honesty, this kind of result has been on the cards for a few weeks, as we've really struggled to come anywhere near the blistering form of early season. Injuries and suspensions to key players haven't helped but if we are serious title contenders, we should be brushing aside teams like the Army (every offence intended) without getting out of second gear, regardless of who is wearing the blue shirt.
As bad as events on the field were, there was still fun to be had. The Army FC staff were very welcoming, their fans friendly and the greatest food stall at any Thai league ground was still as good as I remembered it. I also caught up with two friends whom I hadn't seen in a while and we enjoyed a few beers and some fine conversation as the horror unfolded in front of our very eyes.
The Chonburi fans, who made up the bulk of the 1,625 crowd, were fantastic too. We weren't fooled, we knew it was bad, but we kept singing and I don't think that anyone left before the final whistle, when we gave the players a rousing cheer. And not once did I hear a single word of criticism directed at the team or the management. The mood on the bus home was surprisingly upbeat and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
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