I arrived in front of my TV just as they kicked off and my first thought was 3 at the back for the Angels. Is this right? That’s what it looked like. Now 3-4-3 or what it looked more like a 3-5-2 formation is a good setup if you have the players to play it. Also providing that the wide players in midfield can cover the flanks when under pressure and almost revert to a 5-3-2 if needed. It does mean that with the extra man in midfield you can dominate that area and ‘pass your way through’ opposing defences. But you have to have the 3 defenders tight and disciplined and let the midfield cover the flanks where necessary. If one of the 3 has to go wide then you are down to 2 and that is a problem.
There was a problem. Chonburi were penetrating down both flanks but were repeatedly caught offside by a combination of a good defensive line and a lack of understanding of the offside rule. Chonburi looked positive. It was going to be one of their good days and with Adul covering and prompting in midfield and Jongpil putting it about a bit they looked up for it. Bangkok started tentatively and seemed unsure even edgy. First 10 minutes about even. Then a great ball from the right found Jaycee heading into the Chonburi area. He swung his left foot and I just looked waiting for the net to bulge. It didn’t and he came down awkwardly on his left leg. A chance missed but more importantly for the team it was effectively his last contribution and was substituted soon after. The principal strike force gone. Tactical change maybe?
It was clear though as early as this that Bangkok United were having problems with this formation, as the Sharks penetrated down both flanks time and again. On 12 minutes, clean through down the right and only a terrible touch from Rodrigo allowed the keeper to come and block, 13 minutes, exactly the same again, but another poor first touch, this time by Leandro, It appeared from my unknowing eye that the defensive 3 were being dragged all over the place and the midfield not covering the flanks when they hadn’t got the ball.
Half way through the half and Chonburi were on top. The Angels tactics seemed to revolve around catching the Chonburi defence with a ball over the top, but the delivery was not good enough and possession was being given away. Something had to happen for the Angels and with Mario and Boskovic in there, it was always possible.
On 30 minutes a contentious referee decision. A Bangkok United attacker came across the edge of the box, half in half out and was brought down. Now as I understand it, if you have contact with any part of the lines on the field of play you are deemed to be in that area. Like putting your foot on the line for a throw-in is deemed (not in Thailand) in the field of play. So to the replays. Lots of angles. Slowed down, wallop, contact, left foot of the attacker clearly inside the box. Penalty. Free kick given. Given the standard of refereeing here he was never going to see that one, but in the referee’s defence it was a close call. Bangkok United can feel hard done by.
The match carried on in the same pattern. the home side struggling to get control of the midfield and playing balls over the top. Chonburi attacking from wide where they had acres to play in. On 37 Leandro broke down United’s left but again a poor touch allowed the defenders to clear it up.
Half time came and still 0-0, though from Bangkok United’s point of view it could have been worse, if they had been facing more clinical attackers. On the other side they could have been one up with a penalty. Chonburi took the half on points. Bangkok not their usual self at all and below what I have come to expect from them. Playing at times very narrow and not using the quality they have to pass their way through the Sharks always suspect defence. If it had been me, I would have changed it and gone to a back 4. That’s probably why I’m sitting here rather than out on the training ground. A game plan had been worked out to use the players in the best way but it just didn’t seem to be working and with Jaycee John gone, maybe that took its toll.
The pressure was on therefore in the second half for them to get this winner that will keep them in contention. It nearly came on 50 as a snapshot from Teeratep which was going in was well saved. Bangkok United though were persisting with this ball over the top game, even though I didn’t think Chonburi were playing a high defensive line.
On 62 minutes, disaster struck of their own making for the Angels. Now let me give a purely personal opinion here. I am not a great fan of this ‘sweeper-keeper’ idea. I have watched Ajax and Holland flirt with it over the years but it’s always a risk. Yes it can give you an extra player in a build up through the consolidation zone and yes, It’s ok if you have a very intelligent keeper who reads the game well and has good technical control of the ball. If he hasn’t, ouch! This was a big ouch! I have seen him do this before, charging out of his area when he should be a little more thoughtful, but this one was not good and the ramifications of it may have a final impact this season.
A through ball came in with the defense a little static. Out he comes, way out of his area, with a defender who could have dealt with it close enough, got to the ball too late because he had a hesitation on the way and then headed it straight to an opponent. He is now 25 yards from goal and facing an opponent with the ball. Does he sprint back and leave a challenge to a team mate? No, he runs backwards looking at the ball. That is not going to help, he needed to get back as quick as he could and leave others to try and sort out the mess he had created. The ball was struck and sailed over his head only for it to hit the woodwork and bounce down straight to Prince, who knocked it in, just, as a defender on the line almost blocked it, Cue another one of his ridiculous and totally embarrassing goal celebrations. Does he know what he looks like? Have a word someone.
Now there really was a mountain to climb for the Angels. Interestingly 5 minutes later Chonburi broke from an Angels corner and where was the keeper? 10 yards out of his box again. He is not Edwin Van de Sar. Never will be.
It hadn’t been that much of a surprise. Chonburi playing well. Bangkok United below par. Most of the chances going the Sharks way and they were passing it around well. A good day at the office. About time, some might say.
I could see no way back for the hosts at this stage, but when you have quality, something can always happen. It did. Boskovic collected a ball on the left side of the box, pulled it back and bent one into the far corner. Super strike. All too late though and two dropped points. Chonburi will feel aggrieved they didn’t leave with a win. You could argue they deserved that from a good performance and to come to the ground of the best footballing team (usually) in the league and get a draw is a big achievement. Bangkok United will be disappointed, but it could have been so different for them. The ‘penalty’ given, no rush of blood by the keeper, they could have nicked it, if not deservedly so.
But, it was a good game. Very little play acting. Some robust challenges and commitment, and a great goal to admire. Good entertainment for the neutral and worth watching, which is not often the case.
It wouldn’t be one of my reports though without a moan would it. Where are the Bangkok United fans? Here you have a team maybe playing the best football in Thailand with some very good individual players, in a fabulous stadium, pushing for the league title and the crowd was 3000? And a third of them were in blue. Can you hear the United fans urging their team on? Would it help the team to have that behind them? I understand that ‘True’ the owners are taking on the marketing of the club. I hope they know what they are doing. It is going to be a mammoth task for someone that does know. Impossible if they think they are selling a media operation. We’ll know by the beginning of next season. If the crowds are still like this, they can’t do it.
Well done Chonburi, good performance, a good result and climbing up the table to heights I’m sure they thought were beyond them this season. Hard luck Bangkok United, you’ll have better days than this and keep believing. It’s not over yet!
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