Good stuff

Makes us wonder...

Games Draw

Hello Blues, below is the draw for this season:

16 Nov
6:50 Paddy's vs Man & Woman City

23 Nov
9:00 Boca Seniors vs Man & Woman City

30 Nov
9:05 Booma vs Man & Woman City

07 Dec
8:20 Raven vs Man & Woman City

14 Dec
8:20 Strickers vs Man & Woman City

25 Jan
6:00 Shoot to trill vs Man & Woman City

01 Feb
6:50 Paddy's vs Man & Woman City

08 Feb
9:00 WOW fc vs Man & Woman City

15 Feb
7:35 Semi Pro vs Man & Woman City

22 Feb
9:00 Joma vs Man & Woman City

01 Mar
7:35 Dukes vs Man & Woman City

08 Mar
Quater Finals - TBA

15 Mar
Semi Finals - TBA

22 Mar
The big mama Finals - TBA

Defensive Frailties

Today's preview begins with a modest statistical analysis of a worrying trend that threatens to plague the Sky Blues.

Spectacular capitulations have been the theme of their most recent matches. After almost losing from a seemingly unassailable position two weeks ago they went all the way in their disastrous defeat last week.

For a team scoring an average of 11.5 goals per match (an admittedly inflated statistic due to their large win in the opening competitive round) an even 2-2 win loss record leads to the inevitable conclusion: their defense is too porous.

The loss of the experienced Weaver after barely a minute had elapsed last Tuesday certainly did not help their quest for defensive surety and his manager's assertions that the key stopper may be weeks away from match fitness can hardly improve the outlook of disgruntled City supporters.

At today's media briefing Kevpello admitted that the Blues "have not settled as a defensive unit" and also conceded that their "use of the ball could have been better" in recent times.

"It's my responsibility to turn this around" the manager asserted. "There is really no excuse for conceding more than five goals in a match, and we've done it three times in four matches!"

He was however quick to point out the contrast at the other end of the field adding "Demarchi and the Jacksons have been in goal scoring form; Robin and Punton have been getting into scoring positions and producing plenty of shots. More goals will come. Hirt's goal the other day was well taken too and he's looking dangerous, with a range of passing and good finishing. We just need to organise ourselves a little better and tighten up in defense."

He dismissed the chances of signing of ex-Farsenal star Andrew Lorimer as "dead", who set tongues wagging with a fully uniformed appearance prior to the match last week. It is thought that contract negotiations hit a last minute impasse as the player took exception to the league's signing on fee.

lessons to learn

We had more shoots, more control of the game, more free kicks, more dribbles, more magic, more admiration from the crowd and the referee, we were frendlier, we were much better looking (so my wife always says), we smelt better, but one things we had less... goals. And that was all that mattered.

Well…we started with more goals but then…disaster! Like an old Batman movies, the onomatopoeias keep coming. It was a sequence of “Bams!” “Kapows!” and “Whacks!” that even Robin “the boy wonder” could not save us. I'm still not sure about why it happened but as far as my eyes could see it was a pandemonium…people running everywhere, pregnant ladies running for shelter, women in their prams protecting their babies, grown up man crying, a group of punks running to save their lives… it was horrible to watch.

After refleting a bit I came to one conclusion: The blues lost because someone spilled mud in our way" .In 3 minutes we went from Godzilla’s to a group of scared ants that were following a queue. Once mud hit our path we wondered around the court in search for that signal that would bring us back to our positions. Unfortunately, when we got the signal and found the line again, the pic nic was already over.

In all honesty, we didn’t play well as a team tonight. We lacked that: “Where are we going today?” before the game chat and the “How can we get to the picnic now that there is that huge pile of mud on the way” during half time. We maybe need to arrive a little earlier so we can make a plan and organise the queue. During half time maybe we should congregate together and chat about the path to reach the pic nic safely. This way maybe there will be a huge chocolate mud cake at the end of the rug for all of us and less “Kapows!”

Press Conference

The media frenzy that took Man & woman city by storm this week, came to an end this morning during the blues press conference. During the week the angry club supporters were questioning the Manager Kevin Jackson Capello selection choice in playing Demarchi and Weaver after the allegations that those boys are unfit party boy who have no commitment to training and respect for their colleagues.

This morning Capello rectified his selection by declaring to the angry media mob: “ Demarchi might look like a whale, but if he is a whale he is a killer whale. Not one of those we see at sea world…despite that Tilikum of course. No Sir…Demarchi is more like the killer whales we see on the National Geographic channel. The ones who play with the prey before eating them.” He also declared about Weaver “ Weavers beavers…every week is the same thing. You ask about Weaver’s fitness and if he is not drunk. Weaver might’ve looked like catching a chook when the ball went under his leg in the second Goal, but I tell you one thing: Weaver is not a chook catcher!...that’s why the ball went in.”

Answering questions about Demarchi’s physical and mental capabilities Capello backed up his player once more: “Look, Demarchi is scientifically, biologically and ergonomically fit!”

But the questions didn’t end there. When Demarchi and Weaver were asked about their party behaviour and late nights they replied “Listen, We are here to play futsal and talk about futsal. If you want ask questions about party and drinking let’s go to Paddy’s. We are a professionals that know how to separate leisure from pleasure.”

During the press conference pictures along with graphs were shown of Demarchi’s performance in court highlighting his best belly moves.




The storm has passed and the big question will only be answer next week at 9:05….again

Roller Coaster Victory

After failing to score the first goal of the game for the first time this season, Man & Woman City build a match winning lead from two goals down, only to see their blushes saved with a goal line clearance with less than two minutes to play.

The absence of a Punton on the team sheet was the only change as the blues arrived

confident from their 22 goal demolition job of the whites last week, although a quick glance at tonight's opposition revealed more muscular and male rivals. Any concerns were well founded as after surviving some early pressure the team in yellow managed to stab home the game's opening goal. The blues' problems doubled shortly afterwards with a mix up between Demarchi and injured goalkeeper Weaver gifting the yellows a two goal cushion.

Incidentally, the term yellow is applied loosely, as even the most liberal interpretations of the spectrum could not have construed the black and green adornments of some of City's foes as remotely in tune with their peers. What was in tune however was a blue comeback, as City refused to panic, building their play with deliberate passing. Their patience was rewarded as Hirt and Robin's attacking influence grew and Demarchi kept up his fine run of scoring, delivering four unanswered goals to reverse the two goal margin to their favour at half time.

Demarchi scores the Blues' fifth

Their competitors scored an early goal in the second half, igniting furious celebrations. So fired up were they that following a quick City reply they scored a goal from the kick off. A bucket of cold water came in the form of a goal kick awarded by the referee who explained that as no one else had touched the ball, the goal did not count!

The blues were struggling to maintain their passing supremacy and were often confused by their opponent's runs.

The structure which had seen them excel in the previous two weeks was deserting them, but that didn't stop their USA international robbing her mark, dribbling from inside her own half and finishing with aplomb. A quick brace from her husband had seemingly killed off the game at 8-3, but in a bizarre end to the match the blues almost threw away a certain victory.

Laura Jackson celebrates her brilliant solo goal, City's sixth

One yellow goal rekindled comeback belief and quickly two became three and then, in a calamitous display of defending Kevin Jackson failed left his mark unchecked to side foot past Weaver from two yards. At 8-7, the Yellows then had two minutes in which to salvage a draw or even snatch an unlikely victory. The blues, now looking desperately tired defended doggedly, blocking chances and forcing free kicks.

It appeared that their moment had arrived to equalize, but with the defense unlocked and goalkeeper beaten, Kevin Jackson tracked back to turn a goal bound drive off the line for a corner. They were to come no closer, as Weaver then threw forward and Demarchi, Robin and Laura Jackson ensured the ball stayed in attacking territory.

"It feels like a loss" lamented Jackson post game. "To have such a commanding lead and concede so many goals at the end... still, a win's a win." Weaver was kind to his defense, who in contrast had not done him many favours. "It's pretty hard to stop them from four metres out" he observed charitably.

Asked how he felt after the match, City's leading goal scorer admitted to being "exhausted". Rumours that Demarchi was following in the footsteps of his countryman Robinho were dismissed by his agent as "rubbish". The Brazilian's exhaustion comes from working late nights, setting an off-field example that Robinho would do well to emulate.

Hirt was typically modest at the games' end, humbly accepting praise for his stellar performance. Robin was still unsatisfied with her finishing, rueing a couple of missed chances. Laura Jackson put her magnificent solo effort down to anger. "They would take it off me and make me look like an idiot, so I got mad." Given that her madness resulted in one of the highlights of the match, City supporters could be forgiven for hoping that future teams invoke her ire. In all, a well earned victory for the blues that lacked polish.