Defence or preparations – where did it all go wrong

May 21, 2014 - 07:40:54 | Mohamed Niyaz
Fazeel trying to beat Myanmar's defender tonight. Maldives lost the match by 3-2. (MS Photo: Shimaaz Ali)

That was one heck of a deflating experience. Having pumped up all the adrenaline and high expectations for this tournament, all it took was 90 minutes for it to come crushing down. As if that was not enough, a red card to a Myanmar player on 21st minute only added to our misery as our players could not take advantage of it.

But that is football. Call it overconfidence or players took it lightly. Mind you, they were playing against a superior side, spurred even more by the red card. What were on display though from our players were symptoms of under-preparation for this level and even with good preparation it would have required mighty hard work and tactical intelligence.

That is not to say Maldives did not get good chances. On another day Ali Ashfaq would have taken the open chance he got in the first half or his goal flagged off for offside would have stood. Football throws such surprises all the time.

The problem is this time we were at receiving end of it. We could not take 10-man Myanmar to the task in front of our own supporters. We could not avoid avoidable mistakes that led to the goals. But the whole blame does not lie with the players.

Yes, defence was horrible. The whole game plan was destroyed by lackluster defending. It was not compact, it was weak. They keep throwing at the ball when they run out of choices; it exposed their lack of alertness and fitness. Their slow reaction to the lurking danger. Their failure to make vital clearances.

They did not have the confidence on ball to build up from back and pass forward. They kick a long ball to forward, hoping a teammate will get it, which we all know is as good as giving possession to opposition. Our strikers were crowded out by Myanmar defenders.

The point is, Maldives came to this tournament not in the best conditions. It was not only lack of good preparation; the postponement of domestic league was a huge setback for their mental and physical fitness. Form and focus will not come without week in, week out football. Our players did not have the luxury of it.

A huge win in Laos friendly so close to the tournament, rather than help the players, papered over the cracks in the brittle defence. Coach also did not help the cause when he said “If we performed poorly we couldn’t score 7 goals against Laos and Laos is not a weak team”. Against Myanmar, in the second half they were running empty.

To say something in his defence, he did not get enough time to learn all the players and he was still learning his best-11 even as he brought on Bakaa. Fourty days are not enough for coach to make significant contributions to a team.

Also, the standard of this tournament was high; they were not playing against regional neighbours. These teams are technically better. They have quick feet, good ball control. Passing is better. Our players were showing the other of side of it, unforced errors, hastily clearances, and very often their first touch let them down.

Yet they still tried to make up for the mistakes, to find a way through the dogged defence of Myanmar but to no avail.

But this is a good lesson, players will have learned something, coach will need to do some more tactical tinkering for the next games. If only he got this kind of matches during the preparation. Question is, will our players have the legs and endurance after this morale-shattering defeat, to pick up the pieces and go for next battle with more conviction to stay in the competition.

It is going to be an uphill task though. Now they have no room for error. The job has been made all the more difficult. But it is also what you show under adversity that makes you a true champion. Some thrive under pressure, for that little fighting chance. Liverpool came from 3-0 down to win Champions League in Istanbul. If you are made of sterner stuff this is the time to show.

As a football loving nation with passionate supporters who follow the fortune of national team with unwavering support it is sensible that we, despite our sky-high expectations and hope for the ultimate price, see the strength of other teams for what they are and look at our campaign through the lens of reality – what they had missed out ahead of this competition for various reasons.

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sss on May 21
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Who's responsible for late and insufficient preparations? Who's responsible for not being able to hire a coach until the last moment? Who's responsible for postponing tournaments and arranging matches with under aged kids and weak teams? These r the problems that v faced repeatedly in the past 10 years. It's like we never learn from mistakes n we keep on repeating them. We had time to prepare, but we didn't as always unlike the stronger teams in this competition. FAM's management should be sacked n it's time for new, capable people to step in.
footballmad on May 22
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Although there's some realism in the report, I it is a bit too premature. We have played only one game and on reading this, it sounds like we have played the last match. Hope the positivie vibes in the country is rewarded with the cup we are all vying for.

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