Last Day: 2016

TPL

Chonburi 4-2 Sisaket

Chonburi Stadium

Attendance: 5,830

Sunday 25th September, 2016

Match Report

by Peter Reeves

The Sisaket bandwagon rolled into town with its army of fans. Very impressive away support. Filled the whole of one end. Respect to them. The visitors themselves not clear of relegation yet, as are none of the teams below Suphanburi, but one win could ease the nerves a little. Fans had arrived to play their part. They must have left disappointed, unless of course that is what they see every week. Would the much lauded coach Wada bring a team to put in a performance? Not really. There were many similarities between the teams. Neither had a sound defensive formation. Both teams’ full backs had an identity crisis as to what they are and what their job is. 

If you can’t set up and coach a team to defend properly when needed then you are not a good coach. That applies to both of them. Going forward through midfield neither team has someone you look at and think ok, he’s going to make something happen. Up front not particularly threatening other than when the opposing defence just let you through. It looks as usual like 21 blokes kicking a ball about plus someone doing a Vaudeville audition in the Chonburi goal.

 

There was the odd flash of good movement and combinations as demonstrated by the first goal when a non-existent Sisaket defence were carved open down the left for a simple tap in. 1-0. Good awareness from Leandro moving in to the box to take a pass created another tap in from close range. 2-0. No defensive formation whatsoever for either goal. Obviously not a lot of time spent on the training ground working on defence, which is actually half the game, in case that point has eluded coaches.

 

There is usually some comedy to discuss in Thai matches and we were treated to the first offering as Sisaket pulled one back. Adul, maybe one of the smallest players on the pitch, decides to stand on the goal line to defend a free kick. Exactly why, I don’t know. If a ball did come in under the bar he’s not tall enough to reach it. A man in orange strikes a good one (for a change) and Charlie Chaplin in the goal and Adul get in each other’s way and it goes straight in. 

Very good free kick and also very amusing. 2-1. It was becoming an open, even quite entertaining game. Both teams lack of defensive organization was allowing chances to come at both ends. Chonburi having most of the ball, but as usual not with a lot of idea of what to do with it. Half time, score about right but it could have been different for both of them.

 

Second half and Sisaket, playing towards their fans, became a bit more adventurous. A ball played over the top early on to where the left back should have been but wasn’t, saw the second of the notable comedy performances. I think it was the last home game that ‘Charlie’ came screaming out of his goal to take on an attacker that could have been dealt with by someone else, completely missed the tackle and conceded the goal. Groundhog Day! Not learning is he! Out he comes, misses the tackle, empty net but this time the attacker didn’t convert it. Lucky boy. Are these people incapable of making rational decisions? Twice in two weeks! 

The men in Orange though were gaining confidence, if not formation and when the equalizer came, it was no surprise. A corner comes in, Charlie goes for it, changes his mind, goes back again and a completely free header with the keeper nowhere brought celebrations behind the goal.

 

At that point I thought Sisaket were going to go on and win it. I overlooked an important issue. Having got back 2 goals to level it up you need to be able to defend your position until your next opportunity arrives. And with the Sharks inept defence and Charlie in goal, that would certainly come. But now the Sisaket defence just stood and watched as Pokklaw took a couple of strides forward on the edge of the box with no challenge being made and placed one in the corner. Nice strike indeed but shouldn’t have been allowed to get anywhere near a shooting position. That was it. The fourth goal another example of no defensive capability whatsoever.

 

Sisaket fans trudge home empty handed and still looking over their shoulders at other results, courtesy of a team that cannot defend. Chonburi making the most of the room and the opportunities ‘given’ them on a plate, but not looking anything much and who also just cannot defend. Chonburi deserved to win on balance, but I wish that just once I could look at them and think now there is an organized, drilled and efficient team. Huffing and puffing only takes you so far.

 

So now a few weeks break to allow the national team to do their TV ads, and make sure their hair looks right, oh yes, nearly forgot, they’ve actually got a match to play. Someone better remind them. This stop/start, stop/start organization of the PL is farcical. It doesn’t help clubs, who are the life’s blood of the sport, and doesn’t do anything for anybody. But then they know what they are doing in their untouchable ivory tower, don’t they.

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