Team FATA

Hi all

Finally a win after few consecutive defeats, we ended our 2008 season with a 3-2 win over SmackDat FC. Just when I thought the turn-out would be one of the highest, it appeared that we were again struggling with 1 sub. Nevertheless, we did manage to hang on our lead despite playing through injuries. Good job! Great spirit!

Firstly, lets welcome 3 new players to our small squad. The addition of our young keeper Jack, defender Simon and the midfielder Royden will definitely add some steel to our team. As known to all, the criteria to join our team is pretty simple. No need fancy skills and technique, just love to kick football, have passion for it and most important is the commitment to play every Sunday. Feel free to voice your opinions, comments etc as this is team employs a democracy system.

Secondly, this is with regards to our "no match day" on Sunday. As previously proposed, whenever there is no match on Sunday, we would gather at Bishan Park 1 for a small kick-about among ourselves. The inaugural kick-about would begin next Sunday 3pm at the field. Trust me, playing against each other and playing against other team are hell of a difference. Other than the fun, we are able to understand how each other plays which will definitely yield good results to our team play in matches.

Last but not least, all of you guys are invited to our Team FATA chalet cum BBQ on the 2nd of Jan 09 at Sentosa Costa Sand. It will be a 2D1N thingy, all are welcome to stay over. As specially requested by Wee Hian, everyone of us are to bring a date on that day. Ok just joking. No obligation but all are allowed to bring your other half, your partner, your gf, your spouse, your wife, or even the one you fancy one along to the chalet. We will do a headcount few weeks before the chalet to consolidated the heads for the dinner.

Thank you.

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Best Regards
Collin Yeo
http://collinyeo.blogspot.com

1st up, we finally break the streak! Ended the season on a high! Good job! Weather was humid and it looks like it’s going to rain any minute. Our opponents look intimidating (as usual).

A couple of changes to the side as Jack’s friend fill in the right mid role while Simon slots in at left back pushing JH up to left mid. Roy partner CJ in the middle of the park. We started off on the stronger foot with JH straight away charging down a back pass to keeper, with an empty net at his mercy Collin’s shot was blocked by some last ditch defending. After a few probing through balls finally one make it onside for Joel to put in the 1st goal of the game. We pinned them back for the most of the 1st half with our 2 battling center mids and score the 2nd eventually from Joel, assisted by Collin; his 1st ever assist. Unfortunately, they took their chance on a lucky break get one back before half-time.

Second Half (4-4-2)
Collin Joel
Cedric Cong Jin Jin Hao Marcus
Simon Wee Hian Sean Augustus
Jack

They decided to attack us in the 2nd half and put more attacking players in. But we managed to get the crucial 3rd goal with some nice work by Joel down the right, leaving his marker to cramp while he squares the ball to Collin for an easy tap in. Then things start going downhill with Roy’s knee sprained. JH was the one and only sub at that time so he had no choice but to play through the pain in his aggravated injured hip in the 1st half. They were throwing everything inside the box by then and got a 2nd goal but we held on and secured the victory to end the losing streak.

We found out that Sean and Wee Hian have a great understanding in their center defensive partnership. Roy is good at center mid which provides another option. Jack’s friend at right mid looks comfortable enough. Simon has yet to find his best position.

Joke of the day – Wee Hian kicking the ball into the construction yard.

Winter break till Jan, see you guys at bishan park!

- Contributed by Jin Hao

Enjoy your public holiday tomorrow. Sometimes, it ain't bad to be living in a multi-racial country huh. Anyway today marked the end of Team FATA's last game for season 2008 due to exams period and holiday period in Dec. However, we cannot stop kicking ball can we? We will start our Sunday afternoon kick-about at Bishan Park 1 starting next week onwards.

The importance of the 2 players guarding the posts which were missing and led to Terry's goal.

Watch the goal here.

Introduced by Beckham and Posh, WAG is known as "Wives & Girlfriends". While England manager Fabio Capello had ditched the WAG policy for England's future games, Team FATA is hereby encouraging its players to bring their WAGs to matches to foster a great relationship among one another.

They will have the honor of being in our team lineup (see above). As an incentive to the player who brings his WAG to the game, he will get a free kiss from his WAG when the whistle blow. (keke)

Match against Team Elites was canceled due to rain, unfortunately. However, 7 of the siao ginna whose legs itched like siao agreed to play some leisure soccer under the heavy rain at Bishan Park. Though we never made it for the match, we still enjoyed the small kick-about at Bishan Park when it was down-pouring. All of us agreed that its been a long time since we last did something so insane, THIS IS MADNESS!

If you are interested who were the siao ginna, they were Matthew, Zhen Hui, Wee Hian, Augustus, Amos, Cong Jin and Collin.

This week marks another low turn out yet again for our team due to injuries. With our 2 1st team fullbacks injured and only 3 subs, we were stretched to the max in the 2nd half.

We begin the match confidently. Stroking the ball around and to the flanks. There’s one throw in which went short to Kenneth and he sends it in to Jinhao but due to a confusion of someone shouting ‘stop play’, he just stood there looking like a lost lamb. We had a lot of corners which were wasted due to poor delivery. Its time to find a set piece taker whom can put dangerous balls in everytime. In the 30th minute Galvin got hold of a loose ball and seeing space, he burst forward and squares it to Collin for an easy tap in. Seriously he averages a goal every match. After a random chase down of the opponent Galvin seems to have aggravated his old injury. And that’s when the opponent hit back with a goal just before half time.

2nd half was a mess. They got the early goal and our team seems to be demoralized by it. After one of their lucky through ball break through, they just flooded our defense with players and scores on the counter. The 3rd goal happens because of the miscommunication between Jinhao and Jack. Jack didn’t shout for the ball or Jinhao didn’t hear it, so Jinhao tried to put it out but instead the ball hit Jack and they get the loose ball to put it into the empty net. By now we were just pumping long balls up to chase hoping for a miracle but its not going to happen today. With so many walking wounded and a few debutants, our opponent surely got the upper hand with their unlimited subs.

The only threats are coming from Joel and Collin. Most of the match we were chasing down their through balls and closing down their players. Our left side is a major problem with no one seeming to fill in the roles. Right midfield was also not causing enough problems for our opponent. This is the lowest point, so next week will only get better. Time to end the streak!

- Contributed by Jin Hao