Ripe and Ruin

Going to be a tough one this week. Not sure where to start here. It's a strange one as for the first time ever I've got two games to cover and a lot of conflicted feelings in between. I think I'll lead on from last time when my emphasis was very much on the top of the table clash. Sadly the boys couldn't pull off the win. From everything I've been told this wasn't due to a lack of dominating play but not being there I can't put too fine a point on it sadly. The facts are there now which are that we're six points adrift of the top two places. Six points off is the nice way of putting it, us having half the points of our rivals is the harsher language. Both lines tell the same truth; we're not where we want to be. I can empathise.

From rags to riches last week, while we fell to a second league defeat of the year, I was about five miles away winning 14-0 and scoring a hat-trick. Happy days? I have to be happy from a performance point of view with 3 goals in a season I've not put too many away in so far, one of my goals was a lovely chip finish that I've been trying to score for about 5 years now but mucking up every time (which is another way of saying it was a bit flukey). When you win 14-0 you have to put a bit of that on your opponents doorstep for sure, they were awful and that cannot be denied. They are a team that is just gritting its teeth and trying to get through the games and I have a great respect for that. This said, I think a good bit of credit has to be set aside for the attacking intent of the 2's. They're making the right moves at the right times and playing the right passes to score goals. I think that much better sides would have failed to contain them. Perhaps the greatest praise I have was that despite coming in at 5-0 up on the half, rather than stepping back and acting like the game was over they went for the neck and bagged 9 goals in 35 minutes. That's desire there, and it's that will that wins you games and more importantly wins you leagues; which I've every faith the 2's can do IF they want it enough. It'll be a lot tougher than that 14-0.

Overall I wasn't happy though, and the more I though about it the more unhappy I became. Yes I'd won and done my job, but MY team had lost and not one of my goals made the blindest bit of difference. I might sound a bit miserable but there's a sense of ownership within me over my team I can't apply readily to another team. It's been ground in over time and is deep down. It comes from the 10-1 losses and the long trips to places like Cockermouth and Carlise many years ago. It comes from the going down divisions and the sitting around wondering if we can get enough people to get a team together. It comes from the last minute wins and the last minute losses. It's all the goals and the clean sheets over the last three years and most of all it's the winning.

My team; we're winners now. This league is fighting like a rabid dog to rip that winning mentality which we have toiled over weeks, months, and years to gain in leisure centres and schools in all the nooks and crannies of Cheshire and North Wales you can imagine. Two losses is a rip, two losses isn't a tear. A game away from my team is a rip, not a tear. The league hasn't taken it away from us yet, and I'm not going to let it. Why? Because that is what winners do. They come back stronger, they fight harder. They don't let what is ripe go to ruin, they use it to grow.

The next few weeks will test our resolve.

Song of the Week 

The time has come to bounce back and come back stronger now. I've abandoned The Beatles and even temporarily abandoned the puns. I wanted to go for something purely energetic and cerebral. A song that would convey the kind of fire we're going to need to put teams to the sword. I went with one I hope you all know. The Prodigy- Spitfire

 

The Teas League

Not all gloomy and emotive this week. the much trumpeted Teas league is back for its second outing!

 Disclaimer: This is only a bit of fun. I am an appalling cook myself and in no way a food expert. All criticism will be tongue-in-cheek and if any people/clubs choose to take offence please know that all reviews are intended to make no negative reflection on the friendly welcome and hospitality that all teams always provide us, for which we are very grateful and thankful for.

 Sadly I didn't get the chance to chow down on the grub myself so Ive had to pass over to a special guest contributor for this weeks addition. It's none other than plucky Centre Half and reigning Sale 1st team player of the season Mark Holmes!

Lets see how his palette found the culinary delights of last weeks game:

20/10/12 Timperley Away

3-2 loss against top of the table, bad times. But a short walk for the field of battle is the clubhouse where you'll find...

Spaghetti Bolognese with Rosemary & Salt Focaccia

Substance: 5/10- Although the plate seems rather full on the picture, the portions were somewhat stingy. After being starved of victory, our hunger still went unsatisfied.

Taste: 2/10- Where to begin... the bread was far too salty to quench our appetite for more bland bolognese. Safe to say it's not how mother used to make it, far from it.

Presentation: 6/10- Top marks to presentation, the spaghetti on the bottom and the bolognese on the top. Little Timperley.

Choice words the Mr. Holmes there. A tough customer it seems. Perhaps I'd recommend any team aspiring to win the coveted teas league title doesn't beat us in the game itself! Let's see where that puts them on the chart...

1.Brooklands (Sandwiches & Chips)- S:5 T:6 P:8 Tot: 19/30
2.Timperley (Spag Bol with Rosemary & Salt Focaccia)- S:5 T: 2 P:6 Tot: 13/30
3.
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Still early doors of course. So that means that even with a low 13/30 puts Timperley in at #2. You could also call that is last place too, been all about duplicity this week haven't we?

Tied Hands

So another week rolls by and those familiar chills of winter are beginning to be visible on the horizon. Being a right hard nut my underskin is still firmly in the wardrobe (unlike other members of the team). The meat of the season is starting to be served now and our Bem Brazil token is firmly on green for now. Two wins in a row should hopefully firm up our momentum and strip away from us any remaining fear of the division that we unjustifiably had. We won 4-1 at the weekend, it could've been more, it should've been more, and while two wins is nice it hasn't helped our cause much yet. We're still languishing in 6th position and have been all season. Perhaps that will change with a third win on the bounce??

No easy task, we have to overcome our local rivals and top of the league, who beat us in the first friendly game of the season (see this seasons first post) with a pretty comfortable (for them) 3-0 win. I think we were a shadow of what we are now on that day, but three wins out of three for our rivals speaks for itself as to the challenge we're up against. So a big early season crunch battle is in store for us in our second away game of the season. Again, this 'away' game is still about as far away from our club as our own home ground but that's beside the point; it's in the lions den, and we're going to have to fight hard in this early season grudge match.

I may as well come clean with it, I won't be present at this battle having been assigned to the Twos this week. As said last week I maintain that I can't be happy about it, but that it does come as a challenge. It's a particular shame to me as I personally felt I had a much stronger game last week than some other weeks, but we are oversubscribed in the forward department so it is always going to be difficult. I certainly have a case to present on that matter but that won't be put forward here and now.

The thing I'm discovering right now is that I have had to change my mind on a matter. Previously I have always stated that the most uncomfortable position to be in any game is on the sideline, watching and being unable to change the course of proceedings or take an opportunity that you spot. I know now this is not true. The most uncomfortable place to be is not there at the game, when you know you can be there. Watching, you can eventually make an impact and change a game. This weekend my hands are tied. Having played for my team for three years pretty much unbroken, it hurts to not be playing against a team who will likely be rivalling us at the top of the table. I know that anything short of a commanding three points from the guys will leave me furious. That's just honest.

All said though I'm looking forward to the 2's game. 2nd teams are crucial to the strength of any club, and as we want to build ourselves into a big successful club again only by winning with the 1's and 2's (and indeed 3's and 4's) are we going to achieve that. In the 1st teams division we play 2nd teams, 3rd teams, and even 4th teams more than we do 1st teams, so strength down the teams is clearly the mark of a good club. I will still be playing with 100% intensity, as I would expect from everyone. The fact we're playing bottom of the league should hopefully be a bit of a Brucey bonus for attackers like me too!

Song of the week

Sorry to go all Liam Gallagher here and get obsessed with the Beatles but I've had to plump with another classic tune of theirs. This song is meant purely and simply as a challenge to the lads this weekend. Against top of the league I expect nothing but the best and so this weeks song of the week could only be: The Beatles- Don't let me down.

No Teas league this week folks as we were at home last week though it will hopefully be making a welcome return next week, providing my cover man for it doesn't bottle the big task and provides fair analysis. Catch you all at some time next week folks...

Turbulence

Once again apologies for lateness, I'm just not very punctual these days really am I? There was a very valid reason for this weeks delay but I'll be covering that in more detail later on. The first and great thing to bring to your attention is our glorious derby victory against arch-rivals Brooklands. Ok ok, maybe arch-rivals is too strong, after all we played their 4th team and their 1st team are a national league outfit (albeit one that takes a regular beating). Maybe in the 1970s it was the case but it was a different time back then; goalkeepers played in cricket pads, all the sticks were whittled down from railway sleepers, the balls hewn from granite, the pitches churned into mud and.... you get the idea. Never the less, we'll take the points and the victory, our first points in Division 3 for many years and also our first victory actually IN Sale for maybe even longer.

I can't say it was comfortable. We're still feeling our way in a little bit, like the new kid in school. We're not back to our best standard and we're not dominating teams the way we know we can. I think that there are signs there that we can get back but as always with Sale the biggest battle is in the head. We need to believe in it first to make it happen. We need to be less the nerdy kid wanting to make new friends and be a bit more like Ray Winstone in the classic film SCUM. This is the time of the season where your reputation is going to be gained. Last year we trounced the first few teams and we ended up with teams turning up to play us fearing the worst. Time to step on a few more throats I hope!

So back to the #FORTRESSSALE this weekend it is to take on a team we played last year. Well, what I mean is that we'll be playing the team above the team we played last year from the same club. In case anyone doubted our 'plucky minnows' status that team will be said clubs 3rd team. I don't think we care about that nonsense though, all games are still 11 vs 11 on the pitch, a goal is a goal and 3 points is three points. Speaking of goals I'll be hoping to contribute myself to the tally tomorrow after coming close last week with some efforts that never quite came off right.

As a matter of fact my overall play and lack of finishing has led me into the unenviable position of being dropped earlier in the week. Now despite the respect I have for all the lads down on the 2nd team I cannot honestly say I was pleased with this state of affairs. I should say that I'm not for one second trying to sound like I've a chip on my shoulder I simply believe that being unhappy or angry at being dropped shows the passion and desire needed to turn it around again, and that a far more worrying reaction would be nonchalance or dismissive arrogance at the 'powers that be'. Now this week I've had an 11th hour reprieve from execution and so like a man returned from the gallows I've been given a new lease of life. My own performances haven't been up to the standard that I'd want them to be, for a whole host of reasons that I'll not cover here for the sake of brevity, but if that is to continue beyond tomorrow it'll only be because I've run myself into utter physical and mental submission.

The only thing I'd like to add to the issue of dropping is that it is, and has to be, seen as a challenge of character as much as of ability. There is not a single player within the 1st squad that can't compete and win in Div 3, but can every player stay focused for the whole game? Make that crucial decision when the pressure is on? Make that full-pitch sprint that stops the counter attack in the last minute? Thinking and saying you can isn't good enough anymore, we're in the world of actions now and by actions will squad places live and die.

Anyway, that explains my delay this week, I was mustering myself to deliver a blog on my dropping and have instead had to 'drop' (groan) all that and re-think. I have to admit doing this on the eve of battle is quite a refreshing change so maybe I'll wait this long next week too. Or maybe I won't, that's the kind of wild unpredictability you'll have to get used to on this blog!

Song of the week

Not easy this week. It's been a bit of a turbulent ride for me personally but the team have won some points and want to be lively. This rules out Radiohead (apologies Radiohead's #1 fan Harrison Daly). Instead I've gone for a poignant classic banger from the most famous Scousers in music. I hope we can all forget the Charles Manson links and enjoy this weeks song of the week: The Beatles- Helter Skelter

Belting track! Now after all the commotion going on this week you could be for given for thinking I'd forgotten all about this weeks new feature. BUT NO! Allow me to introduce the inaugural bi-weekly feature that is.....

The Teas League

Ok. So in Hockey (and other sports) it is traditional for visiting teams to have food (Teas) laid on by the home team after the match. It's a lovely tradition and yet another reason I love dedicating all of my Saturdays to this sport. It has long been a subject of intense debate amongst the lads as to which club offers the very best and the very worst teas after the match. So with that in mind, I thought I'd introduce the Teas league where we rate and review the Teas of our opposing teams throughout the season and rank them in a league table.

Disclaimer: This is only a bit of fun. I am an appalling cook myself and in no way a food expert. All criticism will be tongue-in-cheek and if any people/clubs choose to take offence please know that all reviews are intended to make no negative reflection on the friendly welcome and hospitality that all teams always provide us, for which we are very grateful and thankful for.

After a bit of debate we drew up three categories for reviewing the teas these are:

1) Substance- what the teas are, and their various health benefits/ drawbacks.

2) Taste- Simple enough to grasp this concept I think.

3) Presentation- How the teas are served and packaged.

All marks in each category will be out of 10, making a total score out of 30 for each team.

.... still with me? Ok. let's get started:

6/10/12 Brooklands away:

3-2 derby win and in the bar afterwards we were treated to our own officially 'reserved' tables where the following teas were served:

Aaah the classic Sandwiches and Chips combo. Let's see how we do:

Substance: Sandwiches have long been considered to be the typical minimum standard for teas. Easy to make, cheap to buy, boring and always met with a dispassionate reception. However, with the addition of hot chips on the side the case has been aided. Further marks are gained for (as Nick pointed out) the two forms of Carbohydrate available, aiding athlete recovery. Mark here 5/10.

Taste: Always going to be held back by substance but the sandwiches were fresh and came in several varieties (egg mayo very decent). The chips were hot and ketchup was available too. A solid 6/10.

Presentation: The above picture is of my own arrangement so no marks can be awarded for that. All food came foil fresh (fresh to death) and real crockery was provided. Nothing to complain about here and as it's the first week and I have nothing to judge it against I'm going to go all generous and give an 8/10.

So, our first entry straight in a #1 in the Teas leagues is Brooklands- Sandwiches & Chips with 19/30.

League table

1.Brooklands (Sandwiches & Chips)- S:5 T:6 P:8 Tot: 19/30
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12.

Wow. Gone on quite a while this week. Hope you've enjoyed it guys and thanks for reading if you've made it this far down. See you next week.... at some point.

Fine Margins

Apologies for the delay to normal service this week, I know you've all been dying for your fix so without further explanation let me try and bring you up to speed. The short version of events is that we kicked off life in Division 3 (South) last weekend and started off looking like we were going to carry on where we left off only to find ourselves on the end of a 3-1 defeat. Damn. It was a little bewildering as we thought we played quite well for long periods of the game, bossed possession, bossed tackles, superior fitness etc. But there it was after 70 minutes, 3-1. Welcome to the big leagues I guess.

I should say at this point that rather than stumbling blindly into the challenge this league is offering like a drunken rambler into a ravine we are very aware of how we went wrong and what we can do to fix it. The frustrating aspect of it is that the formula for success is so simple. It is making sure those simple but crucial moments go our way more often than they don't. These fine margins are to be the furnace in which our season is going to be fired into fuel or burned to ash, it is where we are going to win or lose and where we are going to have to play our hardest and put our best effort in. The fine margins are no secret to anyone so I feel free to label them here. I'm talking about the crucial touches of a games. A tackle, a save, a finish, a key pass or a good call. Getting those key moments right and wrong was what was separated us from victory last week. The obvious one to pick out was our finishing. We had several good chances to score goals last week when at 1-0 up, 1-1 all and 1-2 down and fluffed them. Now as a forward I feel I can speak for the lot of us by saying that our frustration was palpable both during and after the game. With missing goals you want to be careful not to turn it into a complex and instead try rope it off as 'just one of those things'. In our league we're going to get better defenders and better keepers so we'll have to rise to that and place our shots better. On the same note it's 'just one of those things' that isn't going to happen again.

It's not just getting the right angle on your tap in that is crucial though. Those defensive tackles, blocks, and saves are all going to play their role as well. We could have lost 5-1 at the weekend if our opposition had not been guilty of some 'nailed on dick-of-the-day' antics. I still can't decide if I prefer the 'backsticking the ball over the line when it was going in anyway' effort or the 'beat two defenders and the keeper then hit a stand up reverse stick bat shot so bad it drifts off well wide of the open net' that had me and my marker laughing. My point is we were as lucky as we were unlucky last week. Now I'm not sure what the best way of homing in of these areas is or what tactics we need to change as I think that answer lies on an individual to get right but I do know that we play our best stuff when we're focused and pushing ourselves and each other to give everything in a game. So that would be my one-liner for a quick-fix remedy; 'give them everything you have' (house keys, PIN numbers and quality graffiti style print t-shirts being obvious exceptions to that rule).

So the wagon roles on and after 4 consecutive home games and 4 weeks of appalling icy-cold, dripping-like-a-rusty-tap, embarrassing-to-the-club 'showers' we finally get to get the Sale show on the road. I say on the road, our first away game sees us playing Brooklands (which, atlas fans, is a part of Sale!). Because we are Sale but play in Whalley Range our first away game of the season will ironically be played closer to our club house home than our own home pitch, all of which probably means this will be the only week that H does directions and the only week we won't need them. I'm going to bill this as a 'local derby' game to decide who has the bragging rights down the J.P Joule this Saturday (as if anyone in the J.P. Joule has ANYTHING to brag about). I missed training this week so can't offer much in the way of our collective attitude towards this encounter but if the lads are as fired up for it as I am it should be another entertaining contest.

Song of the Week

In keeping with the theme of working on the tight bits in games that separate a win from a loss I've gone for a song (like usual) based purely on name. I am happy this week however to admit to being a proper real genuine fan of this song and the band that perform it. Sadly, I think that being able to use songs I really like could become a rare occurrence over the season so I hope you'll join me in enjoying this song by the 'so hot right now' (Zane Lowe voice optional) band known as The Black Keys, the track is called Tighten Up:

Thanks again folks and maybe next time you won't have to wait until Thursday to get an update. Be sure to check back next week for more spiel, hopefully winning spiel! I'll also finally get to debut my brand new feature... The Tea's league! For hockey players this will be a fairly easy to work out feature, if you're not a player, well come and check it out next week, all shall be revealed...