Saturday, May 27, 2017

Top Eleven Season 10 Review

Season 10 would be marked as a season of heartbreaking low (Champions' League Final defeat on penalties) and thrilling high (winning the league on the last day) as we completed the season staying true to our attacking philosophy and continuing to groom youngsters when we could. Changes to the fitness regime should give us an edge in terms of competing on multiple fronts next season and more chances of success and silverwares.

Starting Players:

We finally got ourselves a world class goalkeeper in Ricardo Miranda who had performed with remarkable focus and consistency throughout the season while young fullbacks Leipold and Ridhuan continued to develop alongside the experienced central duo of Sutalo and Osman in defence. Coulibaly should be considered as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world after the great season he had (an untimely suspension in the Final might be the difference between winning and losing) while Gerrard and Edeso formed an excellent midfield partnership of defensive grit and attacking penetration. On the wings were the creative maverick Ma on the right as well as the evergreen Ibanez on the left who remained the premier goalscorer for the club as Solskjaer continued to improve and hopefully fulfill his potential as a world class striker.

Squad Players:

Arabatzis proved a competent deputy all season as he provided cover on the left flank and up front while Rybin did the same on the right and center of defence. Olaiz continued to demostrate his class and professionalism as he stepped into a more withdrawn role with minimal fuss and provided depth and leadership whenever needed alongside the capable Safiesa.

Young players:

Topal looked dangerous whenever he stepped on the pitch, usually on the right flank to cover for Ma while newcomers Colin Hendry and Sergio Martin were promising prospects bought into the team with the expectation of challenging for starting berths in the near future.

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Review

Overall, it was a season when our consistency in the league was instrumental for us ending a 3 season long drought of silverware as we won the league title. Our Cup campaigns were made up of exhilarating highs and astonishing lows as we came back against the odds when facing tougher opponents but collapsed against teams which we should put up better fights.

Team building is an ongoing and never-ending process as we bid farewell to loyal servants of the club and welcomed new players who would hopefully fit well into our style  and philosophy as we look forward to their contributions i the coming seasons. We saw the likes of Leipold and Coulibaly firmly establishing themselves as first team regulars while Ridhuan was the next exciting young prospect from the academy as he would look to replace Rybin at right back. Topaloglu gradually replaced Sapasadee as an equally good but younger goalkeeper while the big change in midfield would be Haciyev lining up alongside the excellent Edeso at the expense of Olaiz who would probaly see more time on the bench with the reliable Safiesa. Up front breed a look of familiarity as the trio of Ma, Ibanez and Schweizer continued to bang in goals for fun with the likes of Reece, Arabatzis, Tajeddine and Topal more than capable to step up when needed.

As a team and a club, we were in great shape as we look forward to the upcoming season with confidence as we expands our stadium and improve our facilities and continue to improve with the aim to be one of the best clubs in the world.

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 26, 27 & 28

The last 3 days of the season saw us completing the league campaign with 3 straight wins and with that, the league championship,

We beat Arafat FC 2-0 at home in a low key affair where getting 3 points was the key priority. Our Turkish keeper Harun Topaloglu had a decent game and kept a clean sheet while Ma Ying Jeou had a perfect, match winning display with his 2 goals.

We then beat Dinamo L'Aquila 3-2 away in a pulsating encounter which sealed our league title win. We found ourselves 0-2 down after 14 minutes but stormed back in the 2nd half with goals from Osman, Ibanez and Ma to claim 3 points, Rybin was the best player on the pitch as he stormed down the right flank and assisted the 1st goal while shutting down the opponents.

In the final league game of the season, we gave our fans a well deserved 6-0 win at home against Guy FC to cap off a great season. Ibanez (2), Haciyev, Topal, Ridhuan and Edeso scored for us while Coulibaly once again dominated midfield with his strength and poise as we celebrated the title together with our supporters.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 24, 25

The past 2 days saw us continuing our winning form, beating AC Clumsy 7-0 at home and Atenas FC 4-0 away and keeping Edgar FC at arm's length as we advanced towards the league title.

Against AC Clumsy, Ma had a perfect match,scoring a hat trick with 1 assist while Ibanez scored twice and Adeso, Topal completed the rout. Our attack was rampant and overwhelmed the visitors on route to a convincing victory.

At Atenas FC, it was Coulibaly who impressed, scoring the opener while dominating the midfield alongside Haciyev who scored twice before Ma sealed a solid away win.

On the transfer front, we welcome Selvarajan Bogdan who was a solid defensive midfielder who will look to improve as he trains with the main roster.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 23

We got a huge result in the potential league decider away to Edgar FC, fighting tooth and nail to a 1-0 win to give us a 4 point cushion in the table. In a tightly fought contest, our high energy and discipline as a team shone through while an opportunistic strike from Schweizer and a Man Of the Match performance by Sapasadee were enough to see us through the difficult challenge. WIth 5 rounds remaining, we need to face each match with focus and intensity and try our best for every 3 points in the match.

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 22

we got a straightforward 4-0 victory at home against Rennes FC with Haciyev, Arabatzis, Topal and Ibanez doing the scoring. Fredrik Topal and Abdelkrim Tajeddine impressed on the flanks while Erwan Ali stood strong in central defence and Ismail Haciyev bossed the midfield. The win gave us a 4 point cushion having played a game more than 2nd placed Edgar FC and tomorrow's meetup will have huge implications in the title race.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 21

With a week remaining, our hope for silverware lies in the league as we were slaughtered at home in the Champions League in our most depressing performance of this season.

In the league, we sneaked past AS United with a 1-0 away win, Ibanez scoring the matchwinner. Our confidence was low and that showed in our display as we were unable to create much despite dominating possession and had to depend on a great game from keeper Harun Topaloglu to give us 3 huge points.

It was a different affair in the Champions League as we turned in our poorest performance at the worst possible time, losing 1-5 at home to Falcon FC. It was all downhill after a start which saw us conceding 3 goals in the opening 11 minutes and we never had a chance after that despite a consolation goal from Tajeddine. Now we only have the league to focus on and we must get ourselves back on track for the final sprint to the finish line.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 19, 20

The last 2 days saw us taking a stumble in the league, surviving in the Champions League and being knocked out in a crushing home defeat.

In the league, we won 5-3 away to Jorge FC but lost at home 2-3 to Taufik Hasibu FC. In the 1st  match, we simply overwhelmed the home team with our firepower as Ma (2), Adeso, Osman and Schweizer scored to bring us the victory though the 3 conceded goals were a sign to be concerned for future matches as we lost the next league game at home despite 2 goals from Tajeddine who came on as a substitute.

In the Champions League, we gave a resolute defensive display as we won 1-0 away at Falcon FC in the quarter final 1st leg with Ma scoring the only goal. Sapasadee was excellent in goal as we were put under pressure for most of the match and was a key player who helped us to the win.

In the Cup, we failed to hold on to the 2-1 advantage as we crushed out of the Cup at the semi final stage, losing 2-4 at home to PS GelEs FC. Our opponents were stronger than us on paper and that difference was reflected on the pitch where despite early goals from Ibanez and Haciyev, we were subjected to waves after waves of attack which eventually knocked us out with 4 conceded goals. The recent leaky defence was definitely cause for concern and we will need to tighten things up at the back as we look to hang onto 1st place in the league and advance in the Champions League.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 18

Today saw us continuing our winning form in league and cup.

In the league, we beat Grand Rapds FC 3-0 at home to keep ourselves at the top of the league. It was a close affair in the 1st half but goals from Coulibaly, Olaiz and Topal secured our victory. The Man of the Match went to Haciyev who pulled the strings in midfield and was simply brilliant as he continued to look comfortable in the team.

In the Cup, we won away by 2-1 in the 1st leg of the Semi Finals against PS GelEs FC with goals from Ma and Schweizer. Schweizer in particular had a really good game leading the line up front and causing the opposition defense all sorts of trouble. To concede near the end was a pity but still, we got the win and would bring that lead back home for the 2nd leg, where we will give our very best with the Final in sight.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 17

Today saw us defeating 2 challenging foes in league and Champions League as we continued to make progress on both fronts.

In the league, we won IngR 1-0 at home in a tense encounter with Ibanez's early goal proving to be the winner. It was a close affair as we could not find that second goal despite our domination and Adeso was the Man of the Match as he bossed the midfield, breaking up opposing attacks while launching dangerous ones himself, either passing to well positioned teammates or getting into shooting positions. With Edgar FC close behind, we need to keep winning to remain top of the league and we fully intend to do just that.

The Champions League Last 16 2nd leg at home against Naftan FC proved to be a pulsating match as we scored the opener through Ma before falling behind by 1-3 at half time before a ferocious fightback in the 2nd half through goals from Rybin, Ma, Olaiz and Tajeddine secured a 5-3 victory on the night and 7-6 on aggregate. We made things difficult for ourselves with some lackluster defending in the 1st half but Ma led the comeback with another fantastic display capped by 2 well taken goals while the decision to bring on Tajeddine proved to be a masterstroke as he assisted once and also scored the final goal. Once again our unwavering self belief was instrumental in achieving this result and our home fans were inspiring as our 12th player. As long as we tighten up defensively and be more clinical with our chances, we can win against anyone.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 16

Today saw us winning our only game of the day as we beat Arsenal Academy 5-0 away from home to consolidate top spot in the league. In a rotated lineup, we saw good performances from the likes of Ridhuan, Rashidi, Topaloglu, Arabatzis and Reece. Ma was the best player on the field and contributed 2 assists while Schweizer and Arabatzis scored twice before Topal got the final goal courtesy of Reece's assist. The win kept us on top and stretching the lead to 5 points before Edgar FC plays their game. We need to keep winning, keep playing our way and focus on the next game against a strong OngR team which beat us last time we met.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 14, 15

It had been a hectic 2 days which saw us fought tooth and nail to keep our dreams alive and we just about managed to do that.

In the league, we beat Dinamo L' Aquila 3-1 at home to claim top spot followed by a professional 2-0 win away at Guy FC. Ma had took the club on his shoulders, scoring a hat trick in the 1st while getting the crucial 2nd goal in the 2nd game. Haciyev, after a bad start, had settled down nicely in midfield and impressed with his vision and passing while new keeper Topaloglu was also getting much needed game time.

In the Cup, we overcome the 0-2 1st leg deficit as we beat Fussball FC at our home ground by 3-0 after extra time, sealing our passage to the semi finals in the process. Fussball managed to keep us at bay for large periods of the match and it took Coulibaly to break the deadlock in the 78th minute to give us a glimmer of hope. Hope turned to reality as Ma scored the crucial 2nd goal in the 84th minute courtesy of a great pass by Haciyev which tied the aggregate and brought the match to extra time when Ibanez sealed the deal by being assisted by substitute Arabatzis. It was a great result which reflected our resilience and bode well for our chances in tougher matches ahead.

In the Champions League Last 16 1st leg, we lost 2-3 away to Naftan FC though the 2 away goals kept us in the tie. Ibanez and Sutalo scored to give us the lead but sadly we could not hold on till the final whistle. Nevertheless, the tie was still alive as we look to overcome the odds at home in the 2nd leg.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 13

Today saw us winning with ease in the league but beaten in the last Champions League group match.

In the league, we beat Arafat FC 9-0 courtesy of goals from Tajeddine (3), Olaiz (2), Topal (2), Reece and Schweizer in a much changed lineup. Haciyev had a real unfortunate debut after getting injured in the 3rd minute and had to be substituted while Topal had a real breakthrough game, scoring goals and creating chances for the team.

In the Champions League, we lost 0-3 to familiar foe Idhzaar FC albeit in an inconsequential match as the group positions were already decided. With nothing to play for, key players such as Ibanez, Ma, Coulibaly and Adeso all got to rest while Haciyev had a really snake bitten start to his career in Taeyeon FC as he was sent off in his 2nd appearance. Now we look ahead to our matchup in the knockout stage and aim to go as far as possible.

It was a busy day on the transfer front as we welcome Academy players striker Basil Singh and defender Firdaus Mohd Hussain as well as goalkeeper Harun Topaloglu who came with huge promise with a starting berth in the near future as he challenges current 1st choice Sapasadee.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 12

Today saw us beaten convincingly in the Cup while making up ground in the league.

In the Cup, we lost 0-2 away at Fussball FC which was also a teammate in our association in the Cup Quarter Final 1st leg. Our defence was put under immense pressure by the home side which eventually told with the 2 conceded goals while Ibanez had a rare off day which implicated our offence given his importance to the team. The only consolation was that it was essentially half time and a 2 goal deficit was not impossible to overturn but we need to be at our best to have a chance to pull this off.

In the league, we won at home 4-0 against Atenas FC with Ma, Schweizer, Olaiz and Ibanez scoring the goals. The clean sheet was welcomed while Ibanez recovered from his poor showing in the Cup with a more familiar, dominating performance. The win was crucial given the tight contest at the top with just 4 points separating 1st to 4th and dropping any point may be fatal in our league title bid.

On the transfer front, we welcome Azerbaijani midfielder Ismayil Haciyez who was a bright prospect and looked more than ready to contribute right away as he makes his debut in the next league game.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 11

Today saw us continuing our form in the league and sealing our progress into the knockout stage of the Champions League.

We beat AC Clumsy in the league away by 7-1. Ma and Olaiz scored twice while Ibanez, Coulibaly and Reece got on the scoresheet as well. Coulibaly especially has been a revelation on both ends of the field as he begin to add goals and offensive threat into his reportire. The victory, coupled with Dinamo L'Aquila's draw with Guy FC, saw us trailing by just a point though Edgar FC was level on points with us as well but with an inferior goal difference.

In the Chanpions League, we drew 3-3 with Lenobia FC which coupled with Roccia's 0-2 defeat to Idhzaar FC, meant that we sealed 2nd spot in the group and progress into the knockout stage. The match itself was a haphazard affair with chances aplenty on both ends. eventually, 2 goals from Adeso and a last minute equaliser by Safiesa gave us a share of the spoils though we will need to tighten up defensively for tougher challenges ahead.

I will also like to take the opportunity to bid farewell to club veteran Jonas Thelen who has served with distinction over the past few season as a dependable left back and occasional center back. He has been class personified and we as a club wishes him nothing but the very best and our beloved German will always be welcomed back as a club legend with open arms.

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 08-10

It had been a hectic few days for us as we got into our strides on 3 fronts.

In the league, we propelled ourselves to 2nd spot, 1 point behind Dinamo L'Aquila. The likes of Ibanez and Ma continued to lead the way with their consistently strong performances while strikers Schweizer and Reece are getting amongst the goals as we are currently on a 4 game winning streak, with the outstanding result being a 5-1 home win against fellow contender Edgar FC.

In the Champions' League, we got a decisive breakthrough as we won at home against Roccia FC by 2-1, giving us the advantage in the group to qualify for 2nd spot. Ibanez and Ma scored the goals which won us the match while Coulibaly was impressive in the anchor role.

The last 16 Cup tie was an exciting affair as we drew our home game against Eden Eruptions 3-3 which put us at a disadvantage. However, we managed to overcome the adversity with a convincing 3-0 away win which was arguably our best result so far this season. Ma gave a masterclass display as he combined goals (2) with creativity (1 assist to Coulibaly) and just creating uteer havoc o the rigth flank. Credit must go to our defense as well with the likes of Sapasadee, Leipold, Sutalo, Osman and Rybin all performing well. It was a complete performance which we need to bear in mind and replicate similar effort and focus as often as possible.

On the transfer front, we bid farewell to Ruben Reguero who has been a key anchor midfielder for the past few seasons and was a top professional throughout his time here. We also welcomed young Swedish right winger Fredrik Topal who would be understudy for Ma and provide cover on the right flank when needed.

Saturday, April 08, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 07

It was rare to get 2 draws on the same day but that was exactly what we got though both could be viewed as positive results.

In the league game away to Taufik Hasibu FC, we got off to the worst possible start as Adeso was sent off and we found ourselves 0-2 down after 33 minutes. Credits must go to the lads for their relentless determination as we fought back in the 2nd half and brought back a point through 2 goals by Ma who has now scored an astonishing 8 goals in the past 3 league games. Our never say die spirit deserved to be recognised and should serve us well down the road as we would inevitably face more adversities.

In the Champions League, we held the fort away to Roccia FC and got away with a 0-0 draw as our defence stood firm. Sapasadee stopped whatever the home side threw at him while Safiesa was impressive in midfield. The result left us tied on points with Roccia FC in the group and the race to qualify for the knockout stage will go down to the wire.

Friday, April 07, 2017

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 06

Today saw us progressing into the next round in the Cup and getting a morale boosting victory in the league.

In the Cup, we drew 1-1 with Gardu Merah and went through 4-1 on aggregate. Ibanez scored early on before the away side equalised but 2 red cards effectively ended the contest for them. Generally we played with composure and Coulibaly was impressive in his anchor role.

In the league, we went on a rampage as we scored 7 goals past Jorge FC at home without reply. Ma was irresistible as he scored 5 goals while Olaiz and Adeso scored as well. We were dominant throughout and needed this performance to make our presence felt in the league though we must be more consistent to keep ourselves at or near the top.

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 05

Today was a day of fixed fortunes as we lost at home to Idhzaar FC in the Champions League but got ourselves an important league win away to Grand Rapds FC.

In the Champions League, we paid the price for a poor start as we found ourselves 0-2 down inside 22 minutes and despite dominating from then on, we got only score once via Olaiz before losing 1-2. Sutalo had a rare off game while Ma and Schweizer were kept quiet by the opposition.

It was a different story in the league as we got ourselves a 2nd win in the league, beating Grand Rapds FC 2-1. Ma and Ibanez scored the goals and we were comfortable till the home side scored in the 80th minute and we had to overcome some uneasy minutes to see this win through. Nevertheless, it was a good bounce back win after losing in the league last time round and we must look to keep on winning to keep ourselves near the top.

Top Eleven Season 09 Day 04

Today saw us losing in the league for the first time though we made amends with a good showing in the Cup.

In the league, we lost away at IngR by 1-2 with Ibanez scoring the opener but the home side scored twice in the first half which ultimately doomed us to defeat. Our defence did not cover themselves in glory with Rybin having a rare off game.

It was important not to be affected by our first defeat this season and we showed our resilience with a convincing 3-0 win away at Gardu Merah with Edeso giving us the lead before Schweizer and Ibanez added 2 more goals in the final minutes to give us a healthy lead in the 1st leg. Rybin recovered with a good game in defence while Ma assisted with the 1st 2 goals though Ibanez was undoubtedly the star of the show as he dazzled on the left flank, creating plenty of havoc to the opposition. Now we look to seal our progress to the next round as we return home for the 2nd leg.