The Game: 5/11/06

I don't think there is anything more worthy watching than seeing your team score a goal. It's just exciting and the only time you can act gracelessly by screaming out loud (or yelling in my case) and cheering those men on for scoring for your team. My team scored twice and managed to win the game with a score of 2-0. A lovely finale I must say.

It was definitely an interesting match. There were 3 substitutions during the game, but only in the second half, and late in the second half. I could understand why a couple of them were taken off (for instance Ota and Shinji - Shinji just made a return due to an injury he had). However, Batou was taken off, and I wasn't completely sure as to why. He played well and kept his position a lot.

The game was held in a park in south London, so it was on grass, and I have to say it really did help the team a lot. Whether they realise this or not I'm not sure. The first half of the game though, it took the team a while to get their act together. However, whenever I've seen their matches, generally the team usually do a lot better in the second half of a game. Is this a ploy on their part? Do they do this as their own kind of observation, to see how the opposing team play? Do they do this to get to know the other players and see if they've changed their tactics or gotten new ones? The first half was good, but in my opinion, if no goals are scored then it's not the best half.

Ryu, I have to say, is one who I enjoy watching. He does some very impressive moves with the ball. Last season I enjoyed watching how he'd dance around the field/pitch when he had control over the ball. For a man of his build, he is very good on his feet and definitely knows how to control a ball. He does something, which I've learnt in my research is called "showboating", but he's VERY good at it. The thing is, he's actually good at this on both grass and astro turf, now to see him score a bit more! Ashitaka is also one I enjoy watching, he is, as I affectionately called him, a male ballerina. His moves are graceful and he was fast. Not only that, but he can score. Unfortunately, I missed an earlier game where he scored a hat trick (3 goals in a row). However, I am determined to see him score and therefore am promising myself to continue to come to the games on time or not to miss too much from the first half. Guile is one that I have yet to make my mind on. While the man seems to be quite a machine, I have yet to see whether I like the way he moves. He doesn't seem to tackle as much as the others, yet he defends the goal well and shows to have a bit more speed and stamina than some. He rivals that of Deejay, who is without a doubt fast like a cheetah with the grace of a leopard. The man can move on a pitch, and he can hold his own when it comes to defending that goal. However, he's also managed to score a goal (or two?) during this season which I'm extremely proud of.

I was very impressed by Shinji's comeback as well. Shinji has always been entertaining to watch as I find him to be gifted with speed and a lightening quick temper (or at least back talk to the ref - which is always entertaining). However, although I haven't seen him play for a while because of his knee (?), he made a great comeback that day. Although he still isn't as fast as he used to be (completely understandable), he's still brilliant when he sprints after that ball.

Our team managed to get 3 yellow cards during the game. At this point in time, I still wonder whether it is really foolish to be proud of those three yellow cards, even now as I type in this entry there is a small beam of pride that shines through me as I remember them getting those yellow cards. Maybe it wasn't the act of them actually getting those yellow cards, but the grace and calmness with which they received them. The fact that they didn't get angry or argue with the referee (who in my opinion needed a kick up the back side or the head, which ever end he thinks with) as he made his judgment. Maybe it was that kind of pride watching them accept their mistake and not kicking up a fuss about it. However when a man on the opposing team received one (and deservedly so) I don't think a toddler could have done worse with the fuss and the tantrum the player held once receiving said card. Just goes to show that being able to accept your mistake and being penalised for it is all part of sportsmanship.