- anwar might be back <!-- s:handgestures-thumbdown: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/handgestures/thumbdown.gif" alt=":handgestures-thumbdown:" title="Thumb Down" /><!-- s:handgestures-thumbdown: --> .. india will be giving up 2-3 goals for sure..
-sahni used to play as a midfielder at JCT
"I will be changing the team tomorrow, you can expect to see new faces starting the match," Medeira told HT after a practice session on Tuesday. "Baljit (Sahni) and Rocus (Lamare) will probably start in midfield. Anwar (Ali) might come in at the back," he said, adding that he will stick to a 4-4-2.
Asked if he plans to bring in a holding midfielder to reign in talismanic Malaysian medio Safiq Rahim who caused problems in the first outing, Medeira said, "It's not about marking just one player. It comes to closing down space and compactness in shape, not just in midfield but defensively and even in front."
"The opponents are fresh as their league ended last month. That is not the case for us but there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, their AFF Suzuki Cup win is quite a morale-booster but we managed to hold them in the first leg," said the former Salgaocar coach.
And to think I used to think that the IFA is better than the AIFF. I was so idiotically wrong! The IFA, actually no the WHOLE WEST BENGAL SYSTEM needs a change. They should follow in the footsteps of the Nagaland Football Association. Form a new state league with a proper format. No more stupid round 1 qualifiers then the knock-out qualifiers then the group stage then final stage. It should just be a single table league. Then they should try working on the Salt Lake Stadium. LOOK AT IT! 120,000 seats is the only good quality it has. Try adding bucket seats. Make it a stadium worthy of the city of indian football. Also when the AIFF wants a game in Kolkata the IFA should really work on helping both teams. Maybe use the Mohun Bagan Ground and East Bengal Ground for practices. Sorry about that. I read up there that the IFA again messed up so I had to get that off my chest.
Anyway back to the game (and on topic) I really hope Anwar learned something from his time in Coventry City FC in England over the summer and his little stint with an amateur German team. If he has another Asian Cup performance we are doomed. I like that Lamare gets to start. He is good and has potential.
Looks like the bad days for Indian footballers have returned. The players who used to stay in 5 or even 7 star hotels have made to stay in a 3 star hotel which doesnt even have a swimming pool and has a poor gymming facility. the players had to travel to some sports center for swimming session
It hurts more when the national gilli-danda team is also present in the same city at the same time and in a 5 star hotel. If the federation does not have minimum respect for their war horses, do they expect others to have?
BTW the immediate signs in the media suggest there is minimal interest in the city about the match. I’m expecting a near empty stadium – 12,000/ 15,000 at the max.:( No ads or promotionals in the media by IFA/ AIFF as well. Nobody is discussing the event. <!-- s:violence-smack: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/violence/smack.gif" alt=":violence-smack:" title="Smack" /><!-- s:violence-smack: -->
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-sahni used to play as a midfielder at JCT
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"I will be changing the team tomorrow, you can expect to see new faces starting the match," Medeira told HT after a practice session on Tuesday. "Baljit (Sahni) and Rocus (Lamare) will probably start in midfield. Anwar (Ali) might come in at the back," he said, adding that he will stick to a 4-4-2.
Asked if he plans to bring in a holding midfielder to reign in talismanic Malaysian medio Safiq Rahim who caused problems in the first outing, Medeira said, "It's not about marking just one player. It comes to closing down space and compactness in shape, not just in midfield but defensively and even in front."
"The opponents are fresh as their league ended last month. That is not the case for us but there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, their AFF Suzuki Cup win is quite a morale-booster but we managed to hold them in the first leg," said the former Salgaocar coach.
*facepalm*
Anyway back to the game (and on topic) I really hope Anwar learned something from his time in Coventry City FC in England over the summer and his little stint with an amateur German team. If he has another Asian Cup performance we are doomed. I like that Lamare gets to start. He is good and has potential.
Karanjit Singh
Syed Nabi, Anwar Ali, Gawli, Samir Naik
Lalrindika Ralte, Baljit Sahni, Rocus Lamare, Francis Fernandes
Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua
Prediction: India 2-1 Malaysia (India: Lalpekhlua, Sahni)