These past three days have really put the hurtin' on me, to the point that it's uncomfortable to even sit in a chair and write this. My left slide is torn up from slide tackling on the artificial pitch at Waverly and both knees are swollen and sore from collisions.
This is after three days of "healing".I suppose I'll write about the trifling issues first, such as Saturday's game with STD and today's practice with the Hurricanes.
But first, we'll start with Friday's game with the Hurricanes which against the number one team on a wet artificial pitch. I started the game as center back, and within one minute my first touch which was meant to take down a ball that went over my head resulted in me slipping and letting a striker go score a goal. It was absolutely terrible, so I switched with a midfielder who has played center-back and went on the wing. From there, I scored a diving header from a cross, almost headed in another that was bobbling in front of the net, had some excellent set-up play, and generally covered back extremely well. It was after that game that I had realized that I had found my position.
I had played so well that the opposing outside midfielder told me that his team was underestimating me, most likely because he wasn't marking me at all because he was tired, and they wanted me marked because I was terrorizing them. He was a nice guy. The guy he replaced in the first half marked me even less, and I frequently was able to run at the fullback and threaten with crosses and penetrating balls. Overall, I had a very successful game in that position. Probably one of my best outdoor games yet, ever.
We lost 6-3, but regardless, it's at the point with that team that I aim for personal improvement, because, unfortunately, everybody else has lost faith in the team, displayed in the practice we had last night - Three people were there on time (me, the coach, and his loyal pal), and two more came twenty minutes late. This is of a roster of 17 or so. It's a real shame, for two seasons we've had a nearly completely different roster, and nothing is being done about what is actually going wrong with the team*.
The STD game was typical of us, we played better than we actually are, and won 7-2. I drained a penalty in the right side netting against a keeper I only had to hit it meekly anywhere against, I had a small guy throw himself at me and just about knock my teeth out, and I just about went top left corner on the ensuing free kick from a bad angle. The team we played was convinced they were better than us (and they were), and some of the cockiness deserved a few hard slide tackles. Typical anger at getting beat by an overall more organized and better-conditioned side, I suppose.
Monday night I played a competitive indoor game with the Cooligans. I assisted at least two goals, one with a trademark square pass to a defender who took a touch and leathered it, the other as I rushed the keeper, got a ball I wasn't expecting from a defender behind me, and just when the keeper closed me down, I tapped it square off to my striker, but barely, and he converted. We ended up winning 6-1.
And now, the tryouts. There were two this last weekend, and more are planned, but I felt I did well and stand a chance at making the team, lest I fly underneath the radar due to my name not being big enough in Manitoba soccer. Saturday's tryout consisted of conditioning circuits with the ladder, slalom poles, and hurdles, and a lot of sprinting, and then keep away drills which my group required coaching for, due to everybody not defending or making space properly. In the eventual scrimmage, I got bounced around because nobody really knew where they were playing; I started at right back, moved to winger where my Hurricanes compatriot Mentor was also playing, then I moved to center mid and found a lot of space to work with that wasn't taken advantage of because of the lack of passing. After that day, even though I felt I had personally done well, my efforts would have gone unnoticed because of the groups/teams I was with.
Sunday's tryout went much better, we began with a drill where ten players are numbered in a box and passed in increasing number, running outside the box when we've made our pass, then back in to receive another pass. Doing this, I received a "good work!" from the coach when I made a nice long pass. After that, I was a neutral player in a scrimmage with goals at the corner, and I scored a goal and assisted a couple more.
Following that was a scrimmage where I had played in a side playing a 4-4-2 with a diamond. I played as right shuttler, or wide mid with inside duties. I felt really at home in the position, and I made an assist, played a huge part in the buildup of our second goal (with a simple touch and pass wide to my fullback, who assisted the striker who scored), and defended really well considering my defensive midfielder was nowhere to be found. After a slide tackle which I was congratulated for by the guy I tackled (a short winger who I assumed would be quicker than me, I chased him down the wing for ten yards and then went in for it), I had to go out because I had taken a hit on my good knee.
Strangely, I think both knees now have the same problem. I should ice them.
* - Among those things, my favorite is the sideline coaching; constant shouts of "come on guys" and "NO!" but no suggestions given as to what actually needs to happen. Also to be noted is the sometimes bleak outlook (eg: "oh no, we're screwed") on games if some of our key players are missing.
But first, we'll start with Friday's game with the Hurricanes which against the number one team on a wet artificial pitch. I started the game as center back, and within one minute my first touch which was meant to take down a ball that went over my head resulted in me slipping and letting a striker go score a goal. It was absolutely terrible, so I switched with a midfielder who has played center-back and went on the wing. From there, I scored a diving header from a cross, almost headed in another that was bobbling in front of the net, had some excellent set-up play, and generally covered back extremely well. It was after that game that I had realized that I had found my position.
I had played so well that the opposing outside midfielder told me that his team was underestimating me, most likely because he wasn't marking me at all because he was tired, and they wanted me marked because I was terrorizing them. He was a nice guy. The guy he replaced in the first half marked me even less, and I frequently was able to run at the fullback and threaten with crosses and penetrating balls. Overall, I had a very successful game in that position. Probably one of my best outdoor games yet, ever.
We lost 6-3, but regardless, it's at the point with that team that I aim for personal improvement, because, unfortunately, everybody else has lost faith in the team, displayed in the practice we had last night - Three people were there on time (me, the coach, and his loyal pal), and two more came twenty minutes late. This is of a roster of 17 or so. It's a real shame, for two seasons we've had a nearly completely different roster, and nothing is being done about what is actually going wrong with the team*.
The STD game was typical of us, we played better than we actually are, and won 7-2. I drained a penalty in the right side netting against a keeper I only had to hit it meekly anywhere against, I had a small guy throw himself at me and just about knock my teeth out, and I just about went top left corner on the ensuing free kick from a bad angle. The team we played was convinced they were better than us (and they were), and some of the cockiness deserved a few hard slide tackles. Typical anger at getting beat by an overall more organized and better-conditioned side, I suppose.
Monday night I played a competitive indoor game with the Cooligans. I assisted at least two goals, one with a trademark square pass to a defender who took a touch and leathered it, the other as I rushed the keeper, got a ball I wasn't expecting from a defender behind me, and just when the keeper closed me down, I tapped it square off to my striker, but barely, and he converted. We ended up winning 6-1.
And now, the tryouts. There were two this last weekend, and more are planned, but I felt I did well and stand a chance at making the team, lest I fly underneath the radar due to my name not being big enough in Manitoba soccer. Saturday's tryout consisted of conditioning circuits with the ladder, slalom poles, and hurdles, and a lot of sprinting, and then keep away drills which my group required coaching for, due to everybody not defending or making space properly. In the eventual scrimmage, I got bounced around because nobody really knew where they were playing; I started at right back, moved to winger where my Hurricanes compatriot Mentor was also playing, then I moved to center mid and found a lot of space to work with that wasn't taken advantage of because of the lack of passing. After that day, even though I felt I had personally done well, my efforts would have gone unnoticed because of the groups/teams I was with.
Sunday's tryout went much better, we began with a drill where ten players are numbered in a box and passed in increasing number, running outside the box when we've made our pass, then back in to receive another pass. Doing this, I received a "good work!" from the coach when I made a nice long pass. After that, I was a neutral player in a scrimmage with goals at the corner, and I scored a goal and assisted a couple more.
Following that was a scrimmage where I had played in a side playing a 4-4-2 with a diamond. I played as right shuttler, or wide mid with inside duties. I felt really at home in the position, and I made an assist, played a huge part in the buildup of our second goal (with a simple touch and pass wide to my fullback, who assisted the striker who scored), and defended really well considering my defensive midfielder was nowhere to be found. After a slide tackle which I was congratulated for by the guy I tackled (a short winger who I assumed would be quicker than me, I chased him down the wing for ten yards and then went in for it), I had to go out because I had taken a hit on my good knee.
Strangely, I think both knees now have the same problem. I should ice them.
* - Among those things, my favorite is the sideline coaching; constant shouts of "come on guys" and "NO!" but no suggestions given as to what actually needs to happen. Also to be noted is the sometimes bleak outlook (eg: "oh no, we're screwed") on games if some of our key players are missing.
