TPL
Chonburi 1-1 Nakhon Ratchasima
Chonburi Stadium
Attendance: 4,507
Wednesday 20th July, 2016
Match report
by Peter Reeves
I was quite looking forward to watching tonight’s match. As always waiting to see which Chonburi would turn up but also to see the ‘new’, allegedly, Swatcat. Living so close to the stadium I had seen them many times until the club’s self-centred attempt at reducing the population of Korat by allowing 34,000 into a stadium that holds 24,000 against Buriram last season. Only been back twice since then, once to meet up with the webmaster, his wife and Russ and then sit with the Chonburi fans earlier this season and again to meet up with Sven against Chiang Rai, a 1-4 defeat when I left at half time . Would we get a good open game tonight?
Ratchasima started tough. Pressing all over the pitch, some rather crude challenges, something ‘new’ if you like for them. They were quite clearly here to get something out of it. Nothing wrong with that. I wondered how long it would be before we saw the first ‘Dying Swan’ act. Didn’t take long. 5 minutes on the clock and Leandro clashed for a 50/50 and down he went clutching his right leg with more animation than Demba Ba in China this week, who had his left leg broken in half. Four replays showed no contact with his right leg at all. Cheat. Play acting. Disgusting. Needless to say despite his Oscar winning performance he was up running around again less than a minute later.
The effort level from both teams was high if the quality not so good. An example came in the 8th minute as Prince was played in down the right and humped the ball behind the goal rather than into the box. Poor technique.
A few minutes later a break down the left and this time a decent cross into an empty penalty area. Swatcat keeper dived out to his penalty spot to take the low ball. Where was Rodrigo? Isn’t his job to be in there on the end of that? It’s called formation if they don’t know, and clearly they don’t. Ratchasima were really being very physical. Nothing wrong with that.
20 minutes gone. Chonburi just on top, but looking so vulnerable behind. Dos Santos missing from defence and Kroekrit (wherever he plays-difficult to know sometimes) suspended. Dos Santos was certainly missed in there, but as you don’t see much of the other one in a team situation it made no difference he wasn’t around. But it is so obvious to me as it must be to others, that there is still no organization to this team and no one seems to know what they are supposed to be doing and what their job is. Defenders are supposed to defend. Midfield are supposed to be the link between attack and defence and be the creative engine room. They are supposed to try and cut off threats by the opposition as they come forward. Given that why did Rodrigo run 30 yards back towards his own goal to catch a player on the halfway line, when a midfield player should be dealing with him? When he arrived he just pushed him in the back and gave away a free kick. Well done.
It is clear there are too many players playing for themselves. It’s the same most weeks. An example, Leandro broke down the left, cut inside, but instead of having a quick look for options, and noticing he had two players free to the right, attempted an effort that almost rolled along the floor for the keeper to pick up. Bit lacking in the old ‘team ethos’ department I suspect. Mind you he was still in pole position for the evening’s ‘Oscar’.
On 23 a penalty shout for the Sharks. Would have been a little harsh, but with the referees here you never know. Then a let-off for the home team as a Swatcat player whose name began with ‘T’ (couldn’t read the rest?), on this performance another one recruited from giving kids rides on Blackpool beach, hit the post.
On 39, Chonlatit should have gone. A two-footed, off the ground, lunge, certainly a booking, but then when the foul was given rushed over and chest bumped the ref and put his face in to give some abuse to the official. Off you go, son, and grow up. Childish antics and a weak referee. No change there then.
Just before half time a flurry of activity, as a good shot struck the post from Chonburi and a clear chance showed us why Adiyah was probably recruited from the same beach as his ‘strike’ partner. At half time I tried to think what the match reminded me of and then I remembered. It looked like one of those original football computer games where players were just rushing in all directions and you had no control over them. Swatcat had changed as a team. They had lost their first big asset from last season in that the strike force had lost its potential with Lindemann playing out of his best position and Lee Tuck replaced by I don’t know what, and their second, any creative composure they had last year in midfield, who could actually calm things down a bit and play some football, was sitting on the bench. But then he doesn’t run around at 100 mph aimlessly so maybe that doesn’t fit the ‘new’ style Swatcat! The defence did look a little better but as they didn’t have one last year that wasn’t hard. Two teams of headless chickens charging around. The one bit of quality, Adul. But he was limited in that he didn’t have much to play with.
Chonburi had shaded the first half and were certainly the better of the two teams in the second, as Swatcat began to run out of steam. The old Swatcat defence turned up for the second half as a harmless cross from the left into the box was not taken by the keeper, nor headed clear by a defence that just stood and watched as the ball landed on Prince’s head two yards out. Couldn’t really miss. Great defending. A justified lead for Chonburi and now they should go on and finish it. But no. They returned the favour a few minutes later as a harmless ball over the top found a Swatcat player bearing down on goal with three, yes three, defenders around him and close, and a keeper in front of him, yet still he managed to poke it in.
At that moment I stood up, knocked over my half time cuppa and screamed at the TV. I can’t repeat here the comments I made to the defenders. I will have to apologise to the neighbours this morning. This is not even schoolboy defending. Not even a challenge from any of them. Not even an attempt at a challenge. Just let him through and said ‘after you’. Useless. Worse than useless! Professional footballers my backside. Dos Santos would have taken him out and deposited him and the ball somewhere near the corner flag. Legally of course. Gutless defending by gutless players. You’ve gathered I was slightly angry. Still am when I think about it.
On we went, Chonburi still having the most of the possession but as usual doing little with it. Rodrigo had a headed chance on the right but instead of heading it down as you are taught to do he lobbed into the keeper’s hands, a couple more crosses into the box, more weak headers. The keeper spilled one and as the ball came out to the edge of the box, humped over the bar. Rodrigo cut in from the right wing, God knows why he’s out there, and his shot rolled towards the keeper. They didn’t look like they would get another. So it ends 1-1. Chonburi should have won on possession and chances but if you have a bunch of ballerinas in defence, potentially one of your best players who is a cheat, ill-disciplined players who push referees around, a lack of formation and shape and no real creativity and an incompetent strike force then you won’t. What will Therdsak do? Nothing. No change there either. Leandro though won the Oscar.
At the end we had seen a mid-table team going nowhere and a team still in relegation trouble- no matter what they might think. Lots of running around but no formation, no shape, no plan and apart from Adul, who was good tonight, no quality. But isn’t that the same most weeks? There are many reasons why attendances are poor. For both teams. This is just one of them.
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