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2nd XI v ES LE QUARTIER
5th NOVEMBER 2011
And so in the UK it's Bonfire Night and we are guaranteed fireworks this evening as Pionsat's 2nd XI take on hated local rivals Le Quartier. The last time that these two clubs met was back in Pionsat's promotion season of 2008-09 when Pionsat won at something of a canter . There's not much that remains of that impressive team these days, but even so, I notice that there's François in goal, three substitutes, and a couple of players out there who I haven't seen for quite some time and who would be a welcome addition to any side that Pionsat could put out.
It all makes me rather optimistic.
With Christophe Larue playing up front today we can be sure of a lively attack today and it is true to form. He's just won the ball about 20 or 25 yards out, broken clear of the three defenders that are shackling him, and his shot is only just over the bar as you can see. And I don't think that the keeper knew all that much about it either
I hope that this is a promise of things to come.
For the first 15 minutes or so it's been all one-way traffic towards the Le Quartier goal and eventually Pionsat score the goal that they have been threatening, and I think that it was Bertrand who scored it as well.
It stemmed from a really long kick out from François which eluded a couple of their defenders and fell kindly for two of the Pionsat forwards. They did well to get the ball forward despite several stiff challenges and the ball broke out of a melee quite kindly for Bertrand who just pushed a couple of defenders out of the way and poked it in past the keeper.
A few minutes later Pionsat win a penalty. Valentin is playing on the left wing today and he's always impressed me whenever I've seen him. He's only a little guy but he really got stuck into this defence and their only response to this is to hack him down - and inside the area too.
His penalty isn't hit hard enough though and it's too close to the keeper, and he doesn't have too much trouble in stopping this one.
Pionsat are really playing quite well just now and stringing together some really good moves. There's some good one-twos down this right wing with Jerome who is someone else having an excellent game today.
The ball ends up in the centre of the penalty area with Bertrand again and he goes for goal but he can't get enough power or direction onto his shot to trouble the keeper.
And after all of the fine work by Pionsat going forward, Le Quartier equalise against the run of play.
It stems from Pionsat pushing too many men forward and being caught short-handed at the back. There aren't sufficient players there to block a quick break and when the ball is loose for just a fraction of a second the defenders can't get the ball away out of danger. Le Quartier's attackers regain possession and a shot beats François into the far corner.
In the second half Pionsat are piling on the pressure right from the kick-off although maybe without the same conviction that they had in the first half. Up in the Le Quartier half one of the Pionsat players - it might have been Bertrand - was brought down breaking through into the goal area and the referee quite rightly awards the penalty.
This time it's Christophe Larue who takes the kick and he makes no mistake. Pionsat are now back out in front,but nowhere near as far as they ought to be.
And once more against the run of play, Le Quartier equalise. Pionsat lose possession in the centre circle and Le Quartier play toe ball out to the right wing. This should have been interceoted by the Pionsat defence but they can't clear it and the ball is eventually crossed into the centre where a Le Quartier attacker is in a good position to shoot.
This is just typical of how all of the Pionsat teams can be at times. They just lose that concentration momentarily, and it's always at a vital moment.
One of Malik's super-long throw-ins causes some panic in the Le Quartier defence. Their defence can't clear the ball away and it falls quite nicely to Jerome who is just about 12 yards out, but he can't get his shot on target and it goes wide.
You can see from where Jerome is that he was totally unmarked and the keeper was well-beaten. It's a shame that Pionsat can't convert this superiority into vital goals.
And as I was saying that, would you believe that they go into the lead? Well, of course you would because you know the ecript well-enough right now.
Pionsat concede a penalty in the centre of the goalmouth and the guy who takes the kick dispatches it quite comfortably into the net despite the best efforts that François can do
And Pionsat have gone right off the boil in this match and the defence is looking like it's going to pieces. We're having a big argument and debate right now about all kinds of things out there.
Pionsat get back on terms late in the match, which is the least of what they deserve for all their possession and fine play in this match.
François punts an enormous kick forward out of goal and Valentin who is continuing to impress me whenever he has the ball - he wins the ball and for all his lack of size he muscles his way through the defence, riding four or five tackles into some open space. As the keeper comes out to narrow the angle, Valentin just drives it in past him.
And no …… it must be the final whistle as the ref has been checking his watch for the last minute or so, and Le Quartier take the lead.
Pionsat are pushing forward, caught again short-handed in defence and one of the Le Quartier players finds himself in a one-on-one with François who doesn't really stand much of a chance against the shot.
And as I expected, there's barely time for the game to restart, and that is that.
We all stream out of the ground shaking our heads. This is a totally astonishing result and we still can't believe that Pionsat lost this match this evening. This is probably the strongest side that the 2nd XI has had out for ages and they played the opposition off the park, and they still managed to lose the game.
But I (and a couple of others with whom I was talking after the match) pinpointed two factors in this match -
Firstly … a couple of players were not match-fit and drifted out of the game for spells as fatigue took over. Fitness is pretty important and the players need to work on it. In the first 20 minutes when everyone was fresh, Pionsat were unstoppable.
Secondly … the team selection was bizarre. We had a centre-forward playing at centre-half and a guy playing in midfield who had had a couple of outstanding matches as a centre-half for the first team over the past couple of weeks, and a full-back playing down the wing. That was strange enough, but when Christophe Larue went off injured this formation was persisted with, with just a lone striker up front. What should have happened ought to have been that the centre-half should have gone forward, Alex Nouveau should have dropped into the centre of defence, and Malik should have played just in front of the back four where he had such a good game the other week. I don't understand this line-up at all.
And if the 2nd XI can't polish off nondescript sides like this, then I fear the worst.
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