The last game of the season saw a fiesta of football!!

Last Friday was our last game of the season before the summer break. We reconvene in September. It was a fiesta of football with a staggering 10 versus 9. I was making up the ten and we won 5-2. I can't remember our goals since I was playing so deep and the scoring was so up the pitch that I could not see. But I did think that Gooner Simon was unlucky a couple of times for them in goal. He let one through his legs.

Big Goughie picked the sides and so on a rare occasion Spizz was selected to play with Gashead Simon.
The Bristol Rovers supporter, it can be said, is not a fan of Spizz's direct style of play, which can see little in the way of tracking back or in passing. We had key players in Tone, Stevie A, Big Sam and Alan Morg. Their defence was marshalled by Big Dave and Mick K., who both coincidentally got on the score sheet. The latter with a stroked shot from a tapped free kick. The former scored with a penalty when I did a misplaced pass across the goal to Stevie A., who trapped the ball in the penalty area.

The only negative was quite a few players on both sides did not do their stint in goal. This is a recurring problem that Gashead Simon seems unable to sort out so perhaps it is something we can resolve next season. I quite like a stint in goal since I often need a breather.

I got caught in possession and we lost!!

Unfortunately, I got caught in possession by Joe and we went down to a golden goal losing
3-2. We wanted an early finish so as to watch more of the England v Algeria game but decided the game should have a winning side rather than finishing at a lame 2-2.

We had started strongly with Will scoring from my pass off the back wall. Then, somehow the ball went straight to Ross from their defence, who planted the ball in the net. We were cruising at 2-0 and then we got pegged back to 2-2 with one scored by Alan Morg. The equaliser saw a cruel bounce get past Baggies Ian in goal. I think they deserved the win since they hit the post as well.

Our defence was marshalled by Mick K. and theirs was led by Big Dave. It was eight-a-side so not too much time on the ball. I was suffering a bit with a bad knee and perhaps I should have done an extra stint in goal. Spizz played quite well for them. Our best players were Mick K. and Will, who was a handful on the right wing. The opposition was quite fluid in attack with Stevie A., Alan Morg and Spizz interchanging quite well and we were not so good at tracking back.

The England v Algeria game was a bit of a disaster but we still had to beat Slovenia to qualify. They look a tidy, neat team and we need to get our midfield working a bit better.
The newspapers today are reporting on a one-man mutiny by JT but it is obvious that Joe Cole is going to have to play. His Old Trafford flick sealed the League for Chelsea. It is no use the fans complaining about the players' wages especially when they should be having their summer break after a tough season. If New Zealand can hold Italy to a draw, then there are no
easy games. France has imploded and the Germans don't look invincible. Spain has a must-win game tonight. At least, the Argies and Brazilians look like they can play football.

Last Friday saw a homage to the black arts of defending!!

I am afraid to say that last Friday saw some blatant time wasting by Tone and Spizz in goal!! We were 3-1 up and playing into the sun. There was no excuse for the dark arts of defending. Maybe we should start giving penalties against the goalie? For them, Alan Morg. hit the post twice with consecutive shots while Dave A. blasted against the post with one of his howitzers. We were on the ropes but that does not condone time wasting.

During the first half we raced to a 3-0 lead with some crisp passing and goals from Spizz, Tone and Baggies Ian. Despite some strong play by Alan Morg. Dave A. Geoff and Big Sam the opposition were unable to score during the first half. Spizz could have wrapped up the game at 4-0 but somehow chipped onto the bar. With our switch into the sun somehow our goal threat fizzled out. Tone spent more time in goal due to a slight injury problem. After I lost the ball Big Goughie slotted the ball for them from a pretty central position. Then, came the shameful time wasting.

The teams were six-a-side with me, Gashead Simon, Baggies Ian, Danny, Tone and Spizz. We could have easily lost to Big Dave, Big Sam, Alan Morg. Gooner Simon, Geoff and Goughie, who just kept hitting the post. Unfortunately, Blades Andy and Mick K. could not make it at the last moment.

This Friday the plan is to start at 6.45 so we can get in a bit of the England v Algeria game. It was a pretty terrible start against the USA with all the obvious problems rearing their ugly head. On the plus side I thought Stevie G, Lennon and Johnson did really well. It was a shame that Heskey did not take his gold-plated chance but that is the reason he does not make the Aston Villa first team. The mistake by Green was just one of those things. At least we did not lose. I remember Ray Clemence doing something similar at Spurs against one of the big Spanish teams (Barca or Real Madrid) and there was no coming back.

Sorry about the hiatus in the blogs!!

Sorry about the hiatus in the blogs but I have had to take a bit of a break due to health reasons. However, I might be back this Friday although my fitness levels are pretty low.

Here is a recent report from Stevie A.
"The sides were picked by Blades Andy and he selected well with Gough, Will, Geoff,
Alex and me on his side. We kept it tight and Alex was a handful. He scored the first and I addes the second. Joe responded with a lovely placed goal but this was short-lived when Simon scored an own goal. We held on despite a second from Joe to
make it 3-2."

Sorry, that the great man Spizz did not make it into the report. However, I think he has had a good season overall. Soon, we will be coming to our summer break.