[FrogMan]

October 6, 2007

Pkd	Inf	Name	Position	Morale	Form	Con	Apps	Gls	Av Rat
GK		Gérard Amoukou Gnanhouan	GK	Superb	7-8-7-8-7	98%	2	-	7.50
DR		Emmanuel Eboué	D/DM RL	Superb	7-7-7-8-7	97%	5	-	7.00
DL		Arthur Boka	D/DM L	Superb	8-7-6-8-7	92%	2	-	7.50
DC		Kolo Abib Touré	D RC	Good	7-7-8-7-7	90%	3	-	7.00
DC		Abdoulaye Meïté	D C	Superb	7-6-6-8-8	92%	2	-	6.50
DMC		Didier Deguy Zokora	D/DM C	Poor	6-7-7-7-8	83%	2	-	7.00
MR		Salomon Kalou	AM R	Superb	8-7-7-8-6	92%	2	-	7.50
ML		Cedric Konan	F RLC	Good	6-6-6-7-5	100%	-	-	-
AMC		Bonaventure Kalou	AM/F RC	Good	9-8-7-7-7	91%	2	1	7.00
FC	45	Didier Drogba	S C	Superb	8-7-7-8-7	93%	5	-	6.60
FC		Arouna Koné	S C	Superb	6-7-7-8-8	90%	2	1	8.00
S1		Daniel Yeboah	GK	Superb	6-6-6-6-5	100%	-	-	-
S3		Julien N'Da	D RC	Superb	7-8-8-7-7	100%	-	-	-
S4		Tchiressoua Guel	AM RC	Very Poor	8-5-6-5-6	90%	0 (2)	-	7.50
S5		Kanga Gauthier Akalé	AM L	Very Poor	7-8-7-8-8	100%	2	-	7.50
S6		Yaya	AM C	Very Poor	6-7-9-7-7	100%	0 (1)	-	7.00
S8		Zoro	D/DM R	Very Good	7-6-6-7-6	100%	0 (1)	-	6.00
S9		Aruna	F RC	Poor	7-7-5-7-8	91%	0 (2)	-	7.00
-		Baky	F RC	Superb	8-8-8-8-8	100%	-	-	-
-		Ibrahima Bakayoko	S C	Superb	8-6-7-7-9	100%	-	-	-
-		Eli Kroupi	S C	Superb	7-8-8-7-7	94%	0 (1)	-	7.00
-		Marc-Eric Gueï	F LC	Okay	7-8-8-7-7	91%	0 (2)	-	7.00
-		Sekou Cissé	S C	Very Good	8-8-8-7-7	90%	-	-	-

International Friendly: Ivory Coast play Norway at home. They are ranked 50th in the world while we are 38th.

As you can see from the pre-game lineup, Chelsea have put a 45 minute playing time limit for Didier Drogba. I will respect that limit and sub him out at halftime.

This will be the first time that Kolo Abib Touré is fit enough to play for me with the Ivory Coast squad.

This is our last friendly before the first leg of our World Cup qualifier against Madagascat on October 13. As I realize that this means that Bonaventure Kalou won't be available for our league match against Blackburn on that same day, well it hits me... WELL, ME NEITHER!!!! I got no clue what will happen with that, I guess we'll cross the bridge when we'll get to the river...

Norway show a 4-2-3-1 formation to start the game.

We take a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute as Didier Drogba made a diving kick off the post on a rebound from a shot by Arouna Koné.

That is the score at the half with us outshooting them 10(6) to 4(0). We're winning possession in all three sections of the pitch too which is nice.

I pull Drogba and I realize I made a tactical mistake. If you take a look at the pregame lineup, you'll see that I selected only 7 subs even though I was allowed to take up to 9. Now all of my 6 outfielder bench players will see action...

In the 67th minute, Yaya is tripped on the edge of the penalty area. It could have been a free kick just outside the area but no, the referee runs to the spot! PENALTY!!! Tchiressoua Guel scores easily. Up 2-0!

They take one backk in the 80th minute with a very long center to our far post, almost right on the post. Gérard Amoukou Gnanhouan jumps for it but can't reach it and it's tipped in. Still up, 2-1.

Final Score: Ivory Coast 2, Norway 1

We outshot them 16(8) to 11(5) with their keeper getting the Man of the Match selection with a rating of 9. Both of our wingers, Salomon Kalou and Cedric Konan, in addition to Didier Drogba and Yaya all rated at 8 for his game.

Say what you want, even though this is only a friendly, it felt good to finally get an international win. I'm still unbeaten with this Ivory Coast squad A good win on the eve of our world class qualifier...


FM