TPL
Bangkok Glass 3-0 Chonburi
Leo Stadium
Attendance: 4,372
Wednesday 17th May, 2017
Match Report
By Tim Spear
It was clearly going to be one of those days, what with the rain and power cuts at work. Luckily the roads were clear and we arrived in good time to sample a range of food and beers from a well organised and professional set up.
This is always one of my favourite grounds due to the view from the stands and the great atmosphere. None of these characteristics were missing this evening.
Sometimes games hinge on one or two key decisions and perhaps this was the case here today. As for Bangkok Glass, they are a strong and well organised team, who have a clear system, utilising the wings and bringing the midfield player in from the deep. They pressed as a unit and kept their shape very well, with players dropping when required. This resulted in all three of their goals. They were well taken and at times deserved.
Chonburi, are the arch-typical Jekyll and Hyde team at the moment, lots of nice crisp passing between defence and midfield. We play balls along the ground and move fairly quickly. The difficulty arises when one of two things occur. Firstly the lack of any penetrative movement up front, and secondly if one of the protagonists is having an off day (as there appears to be a dearth of back up). This evening all of this occurred - and also Cellino effect (this is one of numbers) occurred this evening. It was #4. Thus 4 (Kroerkrit), 14 (Renan) and 24 (Worachit) all were having off days, or perhaps should have been pulled. Our esteemed keeper, well what can be said? He was poor on one goal, got caught dallying outside the area and got sent off, ultimately resulting in the third.
Finally the main piece of the jigsaw that conspired against us was the man in black (well I saw RED on a number of occasions). This was one of the most blatant homers I have seen in a long long time. Bookings given to us, that were not even called fouls by Bangkok Glass; throw ins - some so unbelievable, and was our keeper the last man? Yet, when we were awarded a penalty no card - nothing at all.
This game was begging for someone with pace to turn the home defence, and thus onto the last bad news of the evening. This was hearing that Prince will be leaving (and as such will not be risked for injury) for Buriram Utd. I sincerely hope that he makes further progress since his arrival from Bang Bueng. He is one for the future.
Ultimately disappointed, but still another great atmosphere in a lovely stadium, that is testament to a team that I think I would support if I lived in Bangkok!
Match Report
By Peter Reeves
Normal service has been resumed.
Not knowing too much about the whys and wherefores of Thai football the first thing that leapt out last night was the stadium. Where did that come from? Very impressive, if virtually empty.
Always rather irrelevant to talk about team formations here in most cases but Glass seemed to be lining up with 3-4-3. A good formation and attack minded. It does require a quality centre back to keep it all under control but gives you 4 in midfield and 3 up top.
Chonburi ‘seemed’ to be 4-3-3 which means they were already ‘outgunned’ in midfield but the opportunity they have is to get players down the flanks to stretch that back 3 and pull them out of position. The best way then to counter a 3-4-3 line up is to attack it especially from wide areas. Combination play in triangles down the flanks and angled balls from central into the spaces where full backs would normally be allowing wingers to run into the space. This can create space in the centre as defenders are pulled out of position. They had Nurul, could they make it work?
If the foundations in your house are weak the house falls down. If you have no defence get ready for collapse. I make no apologies for talking defence every week. Like it or not it is half of the game and can win you matches. It is an element of football here that is seemingly ignored by most.
As early as the first minute the Sharks were in chaos at the back and a terrible mix up almost presented Glass with a chance. In the third minute, a ball played through the back line and a Glass defender through on goal. Out comes Chanin like a whirling dervish, misses the ball but plants a ‘studs up’ kick on the attacker just outside the box. It was called offside but no one knew that as it happened. The hapless keeper was the last man, there was no attempt to play the ball. Red card, even if the player was offside. No card at all.
On 6 minutes once again he is flying out of his goal to clear a ball his defenders could have dealt with. He really hasn’t a clue and the foundations were as usual wobbling in the light breeze. As the match progressed it was getting no better. A break down the left where a defender is supposed to be and the attacker gets round the back and plays the ball into the centre of the box, where a Glass attacker put the kettle on and then stroked the ball in. Unmarked in the centre of the box. No challenge. No awareness at all by three Sharks players within 4 metres. They all just stood and watched. This is not acceptable.
I often sit and wonder what someone like the great Bill Shankly would have made of all this. Three defenders not attempting a challenge in the box? He’d have probably marched on the pitch and bashed their bloody heads together.
Glass relaxed and by the half way stage of the first 45 Chonburi were seeing a bit more of the ball, but it was ineffective and offered no threat. At the other end it was panic stations. Bangkok Glass did not look that good to me. A lot of misplaced passes in the build ups and for a team with alleged potential, rather disappointing. They were however worth there lead and on 35 a good chance was headed over.
On 38 the first real chance for Chonburi as a decent ball found Marques but his shot on the run from the edge of the box went over. At the other end though it was still a problem as a Glass attacker found himself free in the box but very poor control and the chance had gone. Didn’t have to wait long for another as again poor defending allowed a cross into the box and the header went past a flapping Chanin. 2-0.
Half time and I couldn’t see if Marques decided he would look sweet in green. After an early battering Chonburi had come into the game a little more but just lacked any threat at all. Only Nurul looked likely to do anything and he wasn’t seeing enough of the ball.
Sharks started the second half well and as early as 47 a header from a free kick went wide and on 52 a good shot tipped over by the Glass keeper. On 54 Chonburi hit the post when perhaps he should have scored. Sharks were pushing forward and putting pressure on and Glass looked far from comfortable at times and the Blues were gaining a bit of momentum but then down comes the red mist as Chanin charges out of his goal for another assault on a Glass attacker and this time off he goes. He didn’t need to be out there. Two defenders were around but oh no he decides to finish any possible chance of getting back into the match by reducing his team to 10 men.
So what will the replacement keeper be like? Well he wasn’t 2 foot 6 for a start and on 72 minutes made a good save at full stretch. It was only a temporary respite though as in the next attack he made another decent save but could only parry the ball out. The Sharks defenders did not react at all but the Glass attacker did. 3-0. On comes Mr Shankly again! On 75 another good chance for Glass but once again poor control by the attacker and the chance went.
On 76 a chance to reduce the deficit as Chonburi get a penalty. Marques weak shot was saved easily by the keeper and in extra time Nurul failed to convert from close in.
Bangkok Glass did not impress me really, considering their league position, so why are they where they are in the table? Well three reasons I think. Firstly they have a decent keeper who hardly put a foot wrong. Did nothing flashy but performed his tasks without histrionics and actually stayed somewhere near his goal. Second they have in Matt Smith, a good English defender who can pass the ball out but who organizes his back line, encourages, shouts and makes sure there is discipline. They also have a guy Campos, who looked dangerous up front. The rest quite ordinary but the foundations are in place. They don’t look like a team that will challenge for the top places but they won’t lose too many.
Chonburi? Well same old story isn’t it. Only Nurul looks like he’s a decent player and a threat and the man most seemed to think would make an impact this year, Prince, consistently on the bench. And Chanin? I’m afraid he just shouldn’t be there and is becoming a liability with his antics. I personally felt the team looked more secure when his replacement came on. You can’t paper over the cracks though.
In the 18 months I have been watching them, Therdsak has done nothing about the defence at all, in fact with the loss of Dos Santos it has deteriorated to an alarming degree. There are too many ‘ball watchers’ who just can’t be bothered to stay in the game and do not look like they are committed to ‘the team’. You can accept players not being particularly good if they are giving their all, but you cannot accept a lack of attitude and commitment.
I’m sorry to say it had not been good. After two matches I thoroughly enjoyed normal service has been resumed.
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