Dog Days

Singapore came and went in our homestand.

0-0.

That’s how the score read.

Not bad, really. But not that great.

Not that I was expecting for a 3-0 shellacking of the Singaporeans, but the Azkals could’ve done a waaaaaay better job than they did. We should all thank the back four because if not for them, we might be the ones staring at a 0-3 deficit heading into the away leg of the semi-finals.

I’ve had this issue with our back four since way before Azkals-mania hit town. The past installments have been underwhelming, and to say the least, that’s an understatement. They were horrendous at best and terrifyingly ugly to watch at worst. Back four you say? They were non-existent!

Fine, Aly Borromeo held the fort once. But he’s a midfielder at heart, not a real Center Back. How can I say that? Dude likes to loiter and do a rush to the goal and leave a very wide hole down the middle. He wants to score goals. And I’m not about to deny him that. But you’re a defender. And you’re not in the class of a Daniel Alves, one of the best probably who can switch from a Right Back to an attacking Right Back and back on defense in a snap of a finger. So it’s kind of not right in the brain function to pretend you are the striker of the team when in fact you protect the goalkeeper’s ass.

I know we are leagues away from a firebrand goalkeeper like Spain’s Iker Casillas. Heck we won’t even have to have someone of his caliber, I think. But EdSa, Etheridge and Muller should be berating the back four anytime he is forced to make a save. Why? They are not doing their jobs that’s why.

But hello there AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 back line. Despite that two-goal let-up against Thailand, all of you have been playing very great defense, oftentimes carrying the team and making every match a mud-bath derby. What can I say? Rob Gier has been holding that fort down alongside Juani Guirado, Angel’s bro. and Dennis Cagara and  Carly De Murga also making good reads all the time. A through ball may slip time and again as it is bound to happen, they’re not exhausting EdSa that much. Kaya trapik sa EdSa, may mga nakaharang sa daan. It really gives Sacapano that much confidence in his back four that they will never let him down.

Really. Rob Gier is the Man of the Match last night. Thanks to him, we’ve got a great chance of advancing to the finals!

And you know what’s more impressive? Angel “El Toro” Guirado himself. His size is deceptive of his quickness. He starts on a slow trundle but given space, he ramps it up and starts charging down mercilessly. And the footwork? My God. It’s as if he was schooled in Catalunya. Deft little touches that give the ball enough pressure to be handled easily. He doesn’t make a dispossession that easy. He had three people on him and he can still bull his way through, flip a sweet-looking chip pass right to Phil Younghusband’s boot giving him a great scoring chance.

Michael Weiss putting him in the Center Field with the Younghusbands flanking him is a stroke of genius…for now. I mean, let Angel attract that attention then create off of him. He’s a good passer and can handle defenses well enough to march down the goal keeper on his own.

And by the way.

Enough of the long balls please? Let’s play a possession game instead where we hold the ball, create chances, lots of them, and blast away Azulgrana style.

But that’s just me.

Still, onwards to victory!

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