Open 1 vs West Hampstead 2

As I rocked up it was a little a bit awkward. I rechecked teamo and yep, club and first team stalwart Tom Bunbury had not been selected, yet there he was on the pitch fully kitted up and taking part in the warm up. Maybe Danny is working up the courage to tell Bunburs that he’s starting Durbs and Reesy this season?

We have a completely new formation and system this year. Last year we played 433: 2 centre backs, a right and left back, a centre mid, left/right mids (inners), a centre forward, a left forward and a right forward.

This year we’re deploying 2 centre backs, a right and left back, a centre mid, left/right mids (halves), a drop forward (who plays in the centre), a left forward and a right forward. This formation is absolutely nothing like last season, even though to the untrained eye it may appear to be 433.

Tactics before the game = pass it to Rob Walker. He is the sun at the centre of our heliocentric system.

A bit of squad change over the summer, we booted Mark out well before he declared himself a tangerine. With exciting young talent in JT and Ed available today plus Ally back from Uni. Nick Kimberley turned up to support and is on his way to recovery we hope.

First half and the new formation was working pretty well. Their press was fairly low so as a back four we could comfortably swing round the back, until we were shouted at to pass it to Rob Walker.

There were some high and lowlights in the first half:

• they scored at a short corner. I was at the near post ready to stop it with my reverse pick (never fails), Andy King decides to bat my stick away with his big goalie glove. Apparently I’m not supposed to stop them scoring.
• Bunburs got ran into and Tom Daley’d it to the floor. It’s a friendly though, no card for the oppo.
• My 9yr old tells me the short corner mask makes me look silly.
• I chucked an aerial that led to a near scoring opportunity.
• Skills did his usual floor scrambling.

At half time it was reiterated that Rob Walker is the main man, also maybe coach’s son Charlie can be passed the ball too. However this is not a binary stellar system, and aerials are frowned upon, look for Rob first.

Singer had a solid game. I think he’s solid at all sports, his golf game was decent over the summer and we’ve challenged Russ and Dom to padel (imitation tennis) at some point so I hope he’s solid at that too.

Danny, Durbs and JT were rock solid in the second half. JT took a shot to the chest as well as Happy Gilmore gets hit by baseballs in the first film, he was simply like “I’m fine”. Clearly a tough lad.

George and Henry were on the pitch.

We didn’t score, 1-0 to them.