Saturday, May 09, 2015
Where The League Leaders Have The Worst Defence
There is a wonderfully insane look to the SLeague this season. Foreign teams make up two of the top three, the league leaders have the worst defence in the league and the sides competing in the AFC Cup have played more league games than their domestic rivals. Maybe it is all part of the Football Association of Singapore's cunning strategic plan?
Warriors, last years champions, are top again but they have conceded 18 goals...more than any other side in the league. They have also scored more than any other team but there can't be many leagues around the world where the leaders have a zero goal difference.
Like Warriors, Balestier Khalsa are playing in the AFC Cup this season. Their reward for representing Singapore football is have have played nine games in the SLeague...only Warriors (10) and Albirex Niigata (10) have played more. Is that how the SLeague recognises success? By punishing its best teams?
1 - Warriors 10 7 0 3 18-18 21
2 - Albirex Niigata 10 6 2 2 13-3 20
Warriors, last years champions, are top again but they have conceded 18 goals...more than any other side in the league. They have also scored more than any other team but there can't be many leagues around the world where the leaders have a zero goal difference.
Like Warriors, Balestier Khalsa are playing in the AFC Cup this season. Their reward for representing Singapore football is have have played nine games in the SLeague...only Warriors (10) and Albirex Niigata (10) have played more. Is that how the SLeague recognises success? By punishing its best teams?
1 - Warriors 10 7 0 3 18-18 21
2 - Albirex Niigata 10 6 2 2 13-3 20
3 - DPMM 7 5 1 1 14-8 16
4 - Balestier Khalsa 9 4 1 4 13-11 13
We are used to seeing the top scorers in the SLeague have non Singaporean passports and that is also the case this season. 15 players have scored three or more goals so far this season...only one can represent the national side; Fazrul Nawaz (6 goals for Warriors).
Little wonder so many are rushing to pen obituaries but I have complete faith in the FAS and their renowned marketing department. I remain convinced this is all part of a cunning plan and oh how we shall mock the doubters when everything comes to fruition and a Singapore Select score a goal against Arsenal in a friendly...for surely that is the aim?
And as for the Young Lions? In this season, when they will no doubt be at the heart of Singapore's bid for regional supremacy in the SEA Games, they are botttom of the SLeague with one win and four goals so far this season. But they do have a better defence than the Warriors!
Mind you, so did Nigel Clegg. Did you see what I did there? I injected a little bit of Lib/Dem gallows humour into a piece about the SLeague...I'll get my coat!
One last thing...good to see the super club formed from the merger of Woodlands Wellington and Hougang United, cunningly rebranded at Hougang United, are winless after nine games. That plan worked well, didn't it?!
One last thing...good to see the super club formed from the merger of Woodlands Wellington and Hougang United, cunningly rebranded at Hougang United, are winless after nine games. That plan worked well, didn't it?!
# posted by Me @ 1:01 AM 
