The Game: 29/10/06

I have watched this team play for a year now, this is my second season with the team. They have a couple of new players, but I am quiet famliar with the rest of the team. I don't know if my knowledge of the team can compensate for my lack of knowledge of the game though. I know a couple of the positions the players will have; goal keeper, striker, defenders. However, I have yet to completely understand what the other players do, what boundaries each player has and all the terms the coach and spectators seem to shout, "challenge", "time"...

Although I missed the first five minutes of the game (contrary to what the coach believes), I did not think that it was a particularly bad game. It was played against a team Anime AFC were confident could beat. However, we lost 3-2. the game was played on astroturf which makes it an articifical ground. I find the ball does not play well on that kind of surface as it tends to slip away easily from the players. Those players who usually have impressive footwork (I've named Ryu and Ashitaka) seem to lose the ball much more easily on this surface, than if they were to play on grass. However, the smooth and slippery surface on the ball does not allow the boys the freedom to control the ball as it picks up more speed on this surface.

However, the game got exciting as our team tried to score our third goal. As the 2 strikers tried repeatedly to get the ball past the keeper, I found myself getting into the game and shouted out "Come on!" to the players. It's been a while since I got into a game with similar spirit. When we were playing in Regents Park a couple of weeks ago, Ashitaka tried to score against the other team. I found myself loudly cheering my player on much to the surprise of the supporters of the opposing team. I sometimes wonder if my cheering merely serves as an equivilant to nails on a chalk board to the team as they play. Do they appreciate a lone female voice shouting and cheering while they are on the pitch? Are my exasperated "ref"'s justified? Are they appreciated? Or merely seen as "cute" coming from their fan?

Another question, after knowing the players for roughtly a year, do they really expect me to contribute to the analysis of the game? To give feedback on how well they played? Where they went wrong and so on? Would it be accepted? How seriously do they take me when I say I don't like the ref? How often can I use that comment before sounding like I don't know enough? However, would they actually accept it if I really had something to say about the way they played?