I think the game changed when Apuia, Suresh and Raynier to some extent got a control of the midfield. The goal came when we started playing wide and putting balls into the box. Solid 90 minutes from Manvir and Stimac did well to keep the CB pairing for the full game.Akash was decent on his debut and later Ashique covered for him. Yasir was decent too in terms of passing but his dribbling is suspect. I only want to see Liston and his impact now. Ashutosh was faulty several times but plays with great energy and provides a big physique.
My takeaways - 1) Our passing still ducks and we don't play possession gane in face of intense pressure and pressing from opposite team. 2) If you guys noticed, we had our best chances and that goal when Indians pressed hard and higher up the field. As long as Omani players had the time they were looking comfortable but as long as Indians pressed them abd denied space & time, Omani players easily gave away possession. Moral of the story: a less technical team can still be competitive against stronger teams if their fitness is good and they employ a high line and urgent pressing intensity to deprive the other team of time and space to play their game.
3) Suresh Singh is a great gem for Indian midfield. He, Amarjit, Reynier and Borges can boss any opposition midfield. But i didn't see Anirudh Thapa playing today. Was he injured? 4) Defense still remains India's saving grace. We really dug it out in the last quarter!
@munna219777: I do concede your point but we should develop this mentality that it was TEAM INDIA that was playing, and not which particular individual, however important he might be, had taken the field. Chhetri will not be there to bail us out on every occasion and there will always be matches when we shall miss one or two of our regular players.
If one remembers the recent test series wins of the Indian cricket team against Australia and England, there were quite a few times when we missed key players like Bumrah, Sami, Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Kohli but the team still managed to come on top against the opposition because of good selection policy (the players mostly were proven performers in domestic cricket/IPL) and the unyielding spirit shown by our youngsters. The football NT should also develop a similar model--give chance to players who have proven themselves irrespective of age, past records and stick with them and always play as a TEAM--without caring which player is missing out or who is making his debut. Results are bound to come with time.
I remember when Shane Warne was banned because of doping on the eve of the 2003 WC, the then Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, facing the media, had said, "Yes, Warnie will not be playing, but Australia shall play." (something to that effect)
A hell of a statement, and that is the spirit which we should be following, guys!
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"Rowlin and Rayner ain't cut for international games"
ಠ_ಠ
1) Our passing still ducks and we don't play possession gane in face of intense pressure and pressing from opposite team.
2) If you guys noticed, we had our best chances and that goal when Indians pressed hard and higher up the field. As long as Omani players had the time they were looking comfortable but as long as Indians pressed them abd denied space & time, Omani players easily gave away possession. Moral of the story: a less technical team can still be competitive against stronger teams if their fitness is good and they employ a high line and urgent pressing intensity to deprive the other team of time and space to play their game.
4) Defense still remains India's saving grace. We really dug it out in the last quarter!
If one remembers the recent test series wins of the Indian cricket team against Australia and England, there were quite a few times when we missed key players like Bumrah, Sami, Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Kohli but the team still managed to come on top against the opposition because of good selection policy (the players mostly were proven performers in domestic cricket/IPL) and the unyielding spirit shown by our youngsters. The football NT should also develop a similar model--give chance to players who have proven themselves irrespective of age, past records and stick with them and always play as a TEAM--without caring which player is missing out or who is making his debut. Results are bound to come with time.
I remember when Shane Warne was banned because of doping on the eve of the 2003 WC, the then Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, facing the media, had said, "Yes, Warnie will not be playing, but Australia shall play." (something to that effect)
A hell of a statement, and that is the spirit which we should be following, guys!