Div 2 [VMSL DIV 2] Predictions, Results and Banter 2015/2016

[Canucks4Ever]

"Heavy favourites" Punjab Hurricanes take on "underdogs" Campo tonight. Richmond's draw at the weekend lowered the automatic relegation bar to 19 points and, being on 21 points, Hurricanes are already assured of at worst a relegation playoff, playoff. With one more game against an Astro squad with nothing to play for I don't see them cranking up the desperation tonight; so expecting a comfortable Campo win to take them atop the table (most likely for good).

As for the rest of the relegation fight, Twin Arrows are alone on the bottom currently and will have their last chance to avoid relegation this weekend vs. Snipers. Snipers have been phoning it in since they fell out of the cup and are clearly in summer mode. Given Twin Arrows have reportedly been playing good football lately, despite not always getting the result, I fancy them to get something out of this game. A draw would be enough to give them a life line, a win would see them avoid automatic relegation.

The final team in the equation is Tanoa. Their final match is a week from now against GN. GN must win to put any sort of pressure on Campo and threaten their promotion. The irony is that a GN win would eliminate NorVan from promotion contention, just when they need them to beat Campo to give GN a chance. It's a real Catch 22 (and why EPL, FIFA etc. have all final fixtures played simultainiously-obviously not practical for VMSL but still) but gotta think GN will win the game and then see what happens. That would leave Tanoa and Richmond on 19 pts and they would need a plaoff to determine who goes down and who playsoff against America from 2B. If Twin Arrows end up on 19 it adds anothere layer. So be a fun finish.

 

[18to18]

Although Campo plays good soccer and deserve where they are right now, I can't stand the thought of Soccer Coach gloating after promotion.

It's all up to you NVFC, play hard and you lads might just pull off the upset.

 

[Regs]

Campo 3-0 according to the Excellent site.

 

[Soccer Coach]

Although Campo plays good soccer and deserve where they are right now, I can't stand the thought of Soccer Coach gloating after promotion.

It's all up to you NVFC, play hard and you lads might just pull off the upset.

It is gracious of you to acknowledge that Campo deserves to be in first place and that the way Campo plays has some merit. I would tend to agree with you on this one, but I also think the following. GN, and Snipers are also very good teams and should have the opportunity of playing in Division 1.

Why would you assume that I would be gloating? Why you could not stand it? Other people seem to gloat here and you do not seem to be upset. At the end, it is just one person trying to make you aware that the game can be conceptualized and played and trained in a different manner.

Division 2 A – Standings

Pos Team GP W T L Goals Pts
1 ↑ Campo Atletico 21 15 5 1 53 - 7 50
2 ↓ GN Sporting Club 21 14 6 1 42 - 15 48
3 • NVFC Viking Storm 21 15 2 4 48 - 22 47
4 • Snipers FC A 21 12 1 8 42 - 31 37
5 • Meraloma FC A 22 10 2 10 51 - 42 32
6 • Greencaps 22 9 2 11 32 - 35 29
7 • Astro FC 21 8 2 11 44 - 46 26

To be honest, I do not know if Campo will be promoted. On the paper, you can see that Campo has the least goals allowed during the season in both divisions. It also has the most goals scored.

These numbers are very good and actually a little bit understated. For instance, many teams abandoned our games early or some completely avoided the game and preferred to default. The same goes with goals allowed. Three goals came when we had a field player player on net and a couple were unfortunate own goals. Very few times other teams were really able to crack down the defensive shape in open play.

I do not think that we can dispute that there has been a dramatic change in Campo. I could see it since the beginning since I was right in the middle of the process and had the fait that it would lead to this outcome. I can understand that all of you were dubious or sceptic of the change.

So the question that begs itself is what happened? The team last year merely escaped promotion. Obviously, the player shad worked very hard in training and a the games. Their legs do the running, passing, dribbling, tackling and finishing. We could argue that this was the case for most of them last year. However, their minds have changed. A great deal of what we do in practices has simple to do with street soccer (i.e. what you call small sided games), and discussions about the history of the game and the way that our parents and grandparents played the game. And discussion about what is failure, success, and why we play the game. If we get promotion or not at this point, it is not really of any concern to me. We managed to create a nice setting for our players to express themselves on the field, and wit luck this translated into many goals, few goals against, and achieving the top three in the table.

However, the most important and relevant success is that we managed to start the journey to play in the way we envisioned and that our players find a space to expressed themselves with freedom and joy. We do love and enjoy the game and are not apologetic about it.

That is all.

 

[Soccer Coach]

ps. dude. As much I deeply love Canada... you can guess where in the stadium I will be tonight. It is not about nationalism. It is simply that one team plays nice, interesting, and intelligent, and the other team (our team) simply is the process of finding the light.


Ps. I am not sure if you know, but Mexico is bringing many new players and giving some time to Rafael Markez as one draw is good for them. It should be a good game.

My dream is that Canadians one day come to realize that they are not in Europe and that if they wan to go to the world Cup they should start to change the way they we see the game; the way we play it and the way we train adults and children. We need to create our own and not based on European models. This is not the Netherlands or Germany or Italy, or Yugoslavia, and it will never be. Otherwise, we will never be again in the World Cup. It is not good to play in a way that is not approptiate for tropical lands (i.e. we will never beat countries in the Caribbean and Mexico and Central America with the way we play or teach our children play, but people really do not realize this).

 

[Soccer Coach]

ehem... I forgot to mention the most important nation that has hampered the growth of Canadian soccer (
(England). This is not England. Once we are able to cut the colonial mentality and abandon that way of seeing the game; then we will have some hope of advancement.

 

[Stringer]

@Soccer Coach let's meet up for a beer at halftime?? I would love to hear your analysis of the first half while I'm piss drunk

 

[Areyoureadyforsomesoccer]

ps. dude. As much I deeply love Canada... you can guess where in the stadium I will be tonight. It is not about nationalism. It is simply that one team plays nice, interesting, and intelligent, and the other team (our team) simply is the process of finding the light.


Ps. I am not sure if you know, but Mexico is bringing many new players and giving some time to Rafael Markez as one draw is good for them. It should be a good game.

My dream is that Canadians one day come to realize that they are not in Europe and that if they wan to go to the world Cup they should start to change the way they we see the game; the way we play it and the way we train adults and children. We need to create our own and not based on European models. This is not the Netherlands or Germany or Italy, or Yugoslavia, and it will never be. Otherwise, we will never be again in the World Cup. It is not good to play in a way that is not approptiate for tropical lands (i.e. we will never beat countries in the Caribbean and Mexico and Central America with the way we play or teach our children play, but people really do not realize this).

Really don't mind your posts but you should support Canada if you live/work here

 

[Soccer Coach]

Really don't mind your posts but you should support Canada if you live/work here

Believe me, I love the country more than anything else. This is why I am so critical of the current situation, and it actually gives me great sadness to be surrounded by a soccer community that fails to see how dysfunctional things are in the soccer and adult youth system.

I am trying to do something both with adults and kids. I do no need to support blindly a collective view that has lead to miserable failures.
Things will not change if we keep blindly supporting a system and a view of the game that leads to international embarrassment and FAILURES.
If you love the country, then do not keep quiet. Let people know that they need to change things and wake up to the reality.

 

[Stuffey]

Soccer Coach (great name by the way) I agree that theres much to be improved in the Canadian soccer set up but I find your words towards English soccer very disrespectful. They brought the game to Mexico I believe and the much loved 442 formation, whereas before I think Mexico was much more familiar playing with pyramid formations. Please be respectful of history of football and great English tacticians like Sir Alf Ramsey, Kenny Dalglish and Sam Allardyce.

 

[Soccer Coach]

Dear Stuffey,
Thank you for the reply. I do not mind to be disrespectful towards English football or the history of the game. I do enjoy watching their games, and appreciate the contributions that it has done over the years.

In summary, since we are an English colony, we tend to overestimate the importance and strength of English soccer.
I include a video. I unfortunately could not find an English translation. But I tend to agree with the content. As the game went to other parts in the world, it evolution and surpassed the style and tactics of the inventors of the game, but the motherland and their colonies tend to refuse to acknowledge this or simply hide it.

However, the results speak for themselves in terms of World Cups and all time top world players.

Brazil (5), Germany and Italy (4), Argentina and Uruguay (2), Spain and France (1).
England has only won once in home soil and with dubious circumstances. It has never been a runner up in the World Cup. It has never won the European Championships, and it has never won an Olympic Medal (Gold, Silver, Bronze) since 1912.
In terms of nations, there are at least 30 nations that have done better over England in international competitions (these include Nigeria, South Korea, Mexico, Paraguay).
Would not the above results led you to believe that the status of England in the modern history of football is overstated?
They are a good team and it is always fun to see their games. They are simply not as good as people in its former colonies tend to believe.

 

[Soccer Coach]

Punjab Hurricanes 0 - Campo Atletico 3

Torrential rain and strong winds fell without mercy upon the determined Punjab and Campo players on a cold Wednesday night. Mother nature made herself felt upon the game. Every time that the ball would go on the air it would take capricious trajectories, and every time that it would be kicked a splash of water would come out of it.

This was the setting in which the game was played. We took the Punjab Hurricanes very seriously. We knew that they had a handful of very good players. Their ties with GN and their victories over Norvan, Greencaps, Astro, and other strong teams were not the result of luck. However, we knew that with patience they would eventually fall apart.

Perhaps the tactical and strategical error that they committed as the game developed was that their team started to separate and create gaps. Their line of confrontation pressed very high, but their midfield line and back line stayed back. This gave huge time and space to our midfielders. They had no rush in picking the best attack (i.e. penetrating pass, change of side, long ball, dribble into the attacking zone, etc). Within the first 30 minutes, we created at least six goal scoring opportunities. However, their goalkeeper saved most of them. He was a fantastic goalkeeper.

About five minutes to the end of the first half, a long ball was controlled by the forward. The midfielders joined the attack and created a 4 V 7 situation in the penalty box. Scramble of shots and passes led to one ball in the bottom right corner. Both sided did not seem surprised, the goal seemed long overdue.

The second half started. We made our substitutions. The tired Punjabs could not survive the wave of attacks. In five minutes, two goals. One penalty and a superb long range shot left the Punjabs shocked. Another long shot on the ground was going towards the net. The goalie dove with everything and his fingertips touched the ball, and then the ball hit the post. On the rebound our player was about to score and the goalie threw his body and blocked the shot. He got injured and was forced to be replaced. The team was really upset and emotionally lost it as we kept possession for as much as 30 passes in a row, and so they started to use force to contain the attacks and disrupt our possession. One player even came to spit into our bench. Their coach is a wise man, and requested that the game to be ended early.

No need to get injuries, cards, or have a fight.

It was a difficult task for our players, but they managed to prevail. Good luck to the Hurricanes in surviving relegation. I hope that they do as they have some very fine players.

 

[Stuffey]

Dear Stuffey,
Thank you for the reply. I do not mind to be disrespectful towards English football or the history of the game. I do enjoy watching their games, and appreciate the contributions that it has done over the years.

In summary, since we are an English colony, we tend to overestimate the importance and strength of English soccer.
I include a video. I unfortunately could not find an English translation. But I tend to agree with the content. As the game went to other parts in the world, it evolution and surpassed the style and tactics of the inventors of the game, but the motherland and their colonies tend to refuse to acknowledge this or simply hide it.

However, the results speak for themselves in terms of World Cups and all time top world players.

Brazil (5), Germany and Italy (4), Argentina and Uruguay (2), Spain and France (1).
England has only won once in home soil and with dubious circumstances. It has never been a runner up in the World Cup. It has never won the European Championships, and it has never won an Olympic Medal (Gold, Silver, Bronze) since 1912.
In terms of nations, there are at least 30 nations that have done better over England in international competitions (these include Nigeria, South Korea, Mexico, Paraguay).
Would not the above results led you to believe that the status of England in the modern history of football is overstated?
They are a good team and it is always fun to see their games. They are simply not as good as people in its former colonies tend to believe.

You make some good points soccer coach. But it is not always true that the best team is so much as in a way that can't always be necessary to what needs to be done.

In terms of total world cups won, I believe it is South America 9, mainland Europe 10 and England 1, so you are right that they have some way to go. Can they ever catch South America? Doubftul , but then also I doubt they will ever be as big as them again once more or even again.

As a Canadian I think it is most important to take a world wide view of the game and see what is right. Just because Johann Cruyff died doesn't mean he knows everything, for example he said messi is best but also remember in the world cup in 2002 Pele said Nicky butt was England's best player. It's a funny old game.

 

[Stuffey]

Also is it because ronaldo is european and perhaps English biased

 

[trece verde]

What does Ronaldo have to do with VMSL Div 2 soccer? He also has nothing to do with England's chances of winning anything in international competition.

Carry on...

 

[SmartCoach]

Also is it because ronaldo is european and perhaps English biased

I am So Confused
Was is because Ronaldo
Played for man Untd
I think Mr Wally soccer coach just posts diadtride of nonsense

 

[Canucks4Ever]

I think Mr Wally soccer coach just posts diadtride of nonsense

I mean.....

 

[Blue and White Army]

So if everyone is through giving fellatio to our Campo friend...

Division 2A table's arse:

• 8 Twin Arrows (GP 22, Pts 21)
• 9 Punjab Hurricanes (GP 21, Pts 21)
• 10 Burnaby Selects (GP 22, Pts 21)
• 11 Tanoa (GP 21, Pts 19)
• 12 Richmond Olympics (GP 22, Pts 19)

Two relegation-zone matches remain, both on Saturday, April 2:

• Tanoa FC vs. GN Sporting Club, Andy Livingstone Park, 2:00 pm
• Astro FC vs. Punjab Hurricanes, Trillium Park, 4:00 pm

Let me know if I'm wrong, but my understanding is:

• If Tanoa lose (19), they finish joint-bottom with Richmond Olympics (19), and would have to contest a playoff to see which side finishes bottom. The loser would finish bottom and be automatically relegated; the winner would move on to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B.
• If Tanoa draw (20), they finish second-bottom, condemning Richmond Olympics (19) to automatic relegation. Tanoa would then move on to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B.
• If Tanoa win (22), they would finish in 8th or 9th place, and would be safe from relegation.
  • If Tanoa win (22) and Punjab Hurricanes lose (21), three clubs (Twin Arrows, Punjab, and Burnaby) would be level at second-bottom, and would have to contest a three-way playoff series. The loser would finish second-bottom and proceed to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B. The other two would be safe from relegation.
  • If Tanoa win (22) and Punjab Hurricanes draw (22) or win (24), both would be safe. Twin Arrows (21) and Burnaby (21) would be level at second-bottom, and would have to contest a playoff. The loser would finish second-bottom and proceed to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B. The winner would be safe from relegation.

So the only way we won't have a pre-playoff playoff among Division 2A teams is if Tanoa draws.

 

[machel]

...And if Sporting wins against Tanoa, and the Storm beat Campo...then Sporting wins group A by a point! wow. All to play for at the top and bottom of this crazy division!

 

[Soccer Coach]

So if everyone is through giving fellatio to our Campo friend...

Division 2A table's arse:

• 8 Twin Arrows (GP 22, Pts 21)
• 9 Punjab Hurricanes (GP 21, Pts 21)
• 10 Burnaby Selects (GP 22, Pts 21)
• 11 Tanoa (GP 21, Pts 19)
• 12 Richmond Olympics (GP 22, Pts 19)

Two relegation-zone matches remain, both on Saturday, April 2:

• Tanoa FC vs. GN Sporting Club, Andy Livingstone Park, 2:00 pm
• Astro FC vs. Punjab Hurricanes, Trillium Park, 4:00 pm

Let me know if I'm wrong, but my understanding is:

• If Tanoa lose (19), they finish joint-bottom with Richmond Olympics (19), and would have to contest a playoff to see which side finishes bottom. The loser would finish bottom and be automatically relegated; the winner would move on to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B.
• If Tanoa draw (20), they finish second-bottom, condemning Richmond Olympics (19) to automatic relegation. Tanoa would then move on to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B.
• If Tanoa win (22), they would finish in 8th or 9th place, and would be safe from relegation.
  • If Tanoa win (22) and Punjab Hurricanes lose (21), three clubs (Twin Arrows, Punjab, and Burnaby) would be level at second-bottom, and would have to contest a three-way playoff series. The loser would finish second-bottom and proceed to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B. The other two would be safe from relegation.
  • If Tanoa win (22) and Punjab Hurricanes draw (22) or win (24), both would be safe. Twin Arrows (21) and Burnaby (21) would be level at second-bottom, and would have to contest a playoff. The loser would finish second-bottom and proceed to the formal Division 2 relegation playoff against America FC in Division 2B. The winner would be safe from relegation.

So the only way we won't have a pre-playoff playoff among Division 2A teams is if Tanoa draws.

Good analysis. Yes, you are correct. Where do you find the time to do this.
Ps. No need to be rude with the improper comments.