National Cup round 9

[fantastic flying froggies]

AKA the Alf Cup Watch

And I bring good news. After 41 minutes played, Alf is leading 1-0 !

[fantastic flying froggies]

And as I was typing the previous post, this happens :

Trickers put their lead ahead another goal as Vincent Marcelle (http://www6.hattrick.org/Common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=16181256) struck home the 2 - 0 goal, after an attack from the left setting him up unmarked with the keeper.

[fantastic flying froggies]

For those interested, pre-game info :

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 42000 to Melmac Pit. Trickers tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Lemoine - Laukkunen, Hogerwerf, Starý, Lenaour - Nisstål, Hoffmann, Bounyavong, Janytis - Severs, Marcelle.

bounces tactics involved an interesting 3-4-3 combination. Lineup: Oglesby - Buendia Almansa, Martinsson, James - Nesswald, Wedmar, Landtorp, Seling - Tiller, Randoux, Ville.

Trickers immediately set off pressing their opponents. bounces seemed to prefer attacking in the middle.

That's a sellout crowd by the way.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Halftime report :

Halftime score was 2 - 0. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by bounces, with an impressive 56 percent possession of the ball.

The good news is that bounces, despite dominating, has had only 1 scoring chance. Methinks that press is working...

[Alf]

As last week, I was in a meeting up until now...

God damn it ! I am leading 2-0. And only 56% possession for him means he might be PICing (I am playing normal).
He plays AIM (predictable) and I have 3 Central Defenders ;)

He has usually 1 week side defense and I played a WB & a Winger offensive on one side (hopefully the good one).

[fantastic flying froggies]

30 minutes to go, still 2-0 Alf. Looking good...

[fantastic flying froggies]

In the first action of the second half (71 minutes gone),bounces´s César Ville (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=26373958) easily reduced to 2 - 1 after a misunderstanding in the home sides central defense line.

[Alf]

3-2 as I took the lead in the 85th minute (drawing back troops) then bounces scored immediately reducing the score..

[fantastic flying froggies]

An exciting finish to the game :

Peter Nisstål (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=5729600) unexpectedly struck an inside out ball from no angle at all, and Vincent Marcelle (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=16181256) forwarded it into goal for 3 - 1 At that, Vincent Marcelle (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=16181256) was noted down for a hat trick. The structure of the game started to change as Trickers decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone. The visitors replied in the games 85:th minute, scoring the 3 - 2 goal, as Marius Randoux (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=15057911) broke through from the left, easily lobbing the ball over the home teams keeper.

Come on, 5 more minutes !

[fantastic flying froggies]

NOOO ! 3-3 ... :(

[Alf]

argh, he scored the equaliser in the 87th minute...

[Alf]

As none of the teams had managed to win, extra time was called.

[DataKing]

C'mon Alf...you got this.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Stefan Nesswald (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=1718608) came close to putting the visiting team one up in the 106:th minute, following a solo raid down the middle, but Cédric Lemoine (http://www6.hattrick.org/common/PlayerDetails.asp?playerID=13943669) managed to tip the ball to a corner.

I'm gonna have a heart attack with this game...

[DataKing]

Imagine how Alf must feel. :)

[fantastic flying froggies]

Shit, it's over. We lost...

[DataKing]

Tough break for the Trickers. :(

Still, a lot to be proud of. A heck of a deep run there. Good job, Alf.

[Vikas]

Crap, sorry to hear that, i know how you feel alf, after my cup last week :(

[fantastic flying froggies]

Game reminded me of the 1982 world cup semifinal between France and Germany... We lost on penalties after leading 3-1 in overtime (didn't have sudden death back then)...

[vex]

Sorry, Alf. Congrats on the VERY deep run though.

[Alf]

Yep. At 3-1, I acutally believed in my chances. However after the equaliser at 3-3 and going into overtime, I knew the game was lost for me.

That's still a high 81 NSI while playing normal for me (and playing an unusual 4-4-2)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=229 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 bgColor=#267f30 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=rub3 vAlign=top align=left>HIGHLIGHTS</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/filler.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=229 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=229><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD dir=ltr>1 - 0</TD><TD>Vincent Marcelle (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=16181256) (21)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>2 - 0</TD><TD>Vincent Marcelle (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=16181256) (42)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>2 - 1</TD><TD>César Ville (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=26373958) (70)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>3 - 1</TD><TD>Vincent Marcelle (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=16181256) (85)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>3 - 2</TD><TD>Marius Randoux (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=15057911) (85)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>3 - 3</TD><TD>Håkan 'Laffen' Seling (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=4562930) (87)</TD></TR><TR><TD dir=ltr>3 - 4</TD><TD>Stefan Nesswald (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=1718608) (109)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/warned_1.gif</TD><TD>David Lenaour (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=11929615) (7)</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/warned_1.gif</TD><TD>Håkan 'Laffen' Seling (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=4562930) (80)</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/warned_1.gif</TD><TD>Horst Hoffmann (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=10824331) (88)</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/warned_1.gif</TD><TD>Tor Buendia Almansa (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/playerDetails.asp?actionType=view&playerID=8386086) (107)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 bgColor=#267f30 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/filler.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rub3 vAlign=top align=left>RATING</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/images/filler.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=229 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=229><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Alf Trickers (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/teamDetails.asp?teamID=47201)
Player rating and Team formation (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/matchLineup.asp?matchID=18001054&teamID=47201)
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Team Attitude:</TD><TD vAlign=top>Normal</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Tactic:</TD><TD vAlign=top>Pressing</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Tactic skill:</TD><TD vAlign=top>inadequate</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Midfield:</TD><TD vAlign=top>outstanding</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Right Side Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>excellent</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Central Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>brilliant</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Left Side Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>solid</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Right Side Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>inadequate</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Central Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>formidable</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Left Side Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>brilliant</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>bounces (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/teamDetails.asp?teamID=46922)
Player rating and Team formation (http://www9.hattrick.org/Common/matchLineup.asp?matchID=18001054&teamID=46922)
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Team Attitude:</TD><TD vAlign=top>(Hidden)</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Tactic:</TD><TD vAlign=top>Attack in the middle</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Tactic skill:</TD><TD vAlign=top>excellent</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Midfield:</TD><TD vAlign=top>world class</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Right Side Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>solid</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Central Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>excellent</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Left Side Defence:</TD><TD vAlign=top>excellent</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Right Side Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>excellent</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Central Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>titanic</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Left Side Attack:</TD><TD vAlign=top>outstanding</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Raven Hawk]

:(

Sorry for the bad news. Congrats no the Awesome, cup run though!

[Poli]

Good on you Alf. Way to be.

[Alf]

The late comeback by my opponent is surely due to me Pressing (thus decreasing stamina late in the game). Maybe, I could have know had I not pressed.

Thanks for the kind words.

I am now invited in a French Regional Cup (FGSO Cup : Federation du Grand Sud Ouest) where we have a GM, & 2 former National coach playing :)

[Vince]

Congrats man...that's an impressive cup run!