Somebody, anybody, please tell me what is wrong with the Trinidad and Tobago football team?

Somebody, anybody, please tell me what is wrong with the Trinidad and Tobago football team? Date: Saturday 6th September 2008

Location: The National Stadium

Game: qualifiers vs. Guatemala

Upon arriving at the venue, I could feel the excitement brewing. This was our second group game, and we were coming off of a hard fought victory in Cuba. The crowd, though small in numbers were having a time. Beers, women and good weatehr for football. So I paid my $200TT and went and found a nice spot just left of the scoreboard. I was enjoying the atmosphere, rubbing shoulders with 'true Trini supporters', no bandwagonists in sight.

On to the game. The only time that Trinidad looked like a football team was when we were singing the National Anthem. Our midfield was non existent, apart from Dwight Yorke and the young Keon Daniel. Carlos Edwards and Densil Theobald were not even in the shop, their car shut down. Simple passes these two players could not make. Carlos running like a headless chicken kicking away the friggin ball, and Theobald (it is still beyond me as to why this man is on the National Team) showing his lack of technical skill.

In the second half, the introduction of Andre Toussaint and that Wolfe dude injected some talent and life into the squad. Toussaint, to me and i'm sure I could find more than a andful of supporters that day, played himself into any starting eleven, and one felt that a goal for their efforts would soon come. And come it did. Yorke squaring the ball across the top of the box to Daniel, who with his first touch took it away from the oncoming defender and sent a left footed drive into the right 'jepp nest' of the Guatemalan goal. Well for the next 5 minutes I dont remember anything about the game, because I was too busy dodging beer cans that had been thrown into the air by some overly excited fans.

92nd minute, Guatemala has a free kick on the top of the T&T box. All 11 red shirts are in the box, with the majority of the opposing team speckled here and there amongst them. Free kick taken, and it was a poor one by any standard. But as the ball trickled along the ground, a white shirt dummies the ball, and then another dummies the ball and it finds itself in the far corner of the T&T net. F***in' Hell. Marvin how you could let that score.

T&T now has 4 points as opposed to the potential 6, and midweek are going to face America in America. Pressure!!!

Date: Wednesday 10th September 2008

Location: Somewhere in the USA

Game: qualifiers vs. the US

So I rushed home from work this time to watch this game. Still in work clothes, I put on the tele just in time for the National Anthems. NOticeably missing from the lineup was Dwight Yorke (apparently he got a text message summoning him back to Sunderland, steeeuuupppsss!!!), Dennis Lawrence ( who apart from the goal where everyone was at fault, has a generally solid game against Guatemala) and Toussaint (who as I said earlier was one of the standout performers in T&T's last game). Carlos Edwards and Theobald though were most prominant in that starting eleven (WHY???). Now reader, I have no grudge against these players, I just think that if a player is not in form when you need the points and you have a full roster, use it.

So T&T starts off playing a very defensive 4-5-1 against the US' 4-4-2. In the first 8 minutes T&T had no posession, and in the 9th minute the US struck. Some very shaky defending on a corner allowed, Bradley to stand and basically let the ball strike him and fall into an open net. Upon watching the replays we saw that the T&T defence stood back and watched this take place. Not even a shirt tug, nothing. We just gave them a goal.

Okay, small thing. Your boy still optimistic. Shirt now off, cheering loudly. Possession stats, US 99.9%, TT 0.1%. Carlos and Theobald continued their astonishing form from the previous game. Then the second goal came. Now people, even though Trinidad was playing a heap of garbage, I am a firm believer in referees being impartial. Oneyewu clearly handled the ball on the pass the Dempsey, yet the officials turned a blind eye allowed the play to go on and Dempsey finished off the move with a cool finish under Marvin Phillip. Well allyuh know now I sit down and start to flip the channel to watch the Brazil game, but I really wanted to see if our tactically impotent coach would finally decide to make some changes, so onto the second half.

T&T started the brighter of the two teams, we had a good 10 minutes of possession marshalled by Keon Daniel(that Tobagonian real impressing me) and then the collapse again. C. Edwards giving the ball away AGAIN, and the hit us on the counter. Well that was the last of that game that I watched.

I am utterly fedup of our team being made up of people that have a name, rather than people that are either in form or clearly better. I thought that coming off of 1 won and 1 unlucky draw that we would be brimming with confidence. But instead, we went out there and got start struck, coach and all (it's time for him to go. They should ask Mr. Hoyte to coach that side). So I am asking, somebody please just tell me what the problem is? I just want to know so that I would stop foolishly spending my money on this friggin side. I think i need to just stick to Tottenham and Barca. At least in their heartaches they put up a fight.

congratulations to valdanito for his win in last season's champions league fantasy football. He pushed me all the way to the end and finally overtook me with three matchdays to go. looking forward to next season's fantasy league where i hope to see a good showing by all!!

Brilliant Arsenal End Milan Era & Make History

AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal (0-2 on aggregate)

Two late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor gave Arsenal an historic and thoroughly deserved victory at the San Siro, where they became the first English team ever to beat the Rossoneri on their own patch in European competition. It was a master-class from the young Gunners, who ran their experienced opponents, the reigning European champions, ragged.

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Arsenal started boldly, at a high tempo, and were superb throughout a first-half they dominated, yet couldn't find the vital breakthrough goal. Passing the ball smartly and at impressive speed, and winning the ball back with some crisp tackling when Milan gained possession, it was an impressive statement of unity, enthusiasm and skill from Arsene Wenger's side.

But although Cesc Fabregas hit the bar following another incisive Arsenal attack, Milan would have been relieved to go in at the break on level terms, having been left chasing shadows at times in the first-half.

Pre-match, Wenger opted for Emmanuel Adebayor to play as a lone striker, supported from midfield by Alexander Hleb. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie were on the bench, with Abou Diaby keeping his place on the left and Emmanuel Eboue, currently serving a domestic suspension, coming back on the right of midfield.

Milan had never lost to an English team at home, beat Manchester United 3-0 at the San Siro last season, and were defending the title of European champions they won last season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti had World Player of the Year Kaka in his starting XI after the Brazilian playmaker shrugged off a knee injury, while veteran skipper Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Filippo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato all started. But Dutch international Clarence Seedorf missed out with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal started with intent, Adebayor attacking Milan central-defensive unit at pace. But the Gunners had an early scare when, on eight minutes, Maldini's header came off Adebayor's knee and was heading for the net until Fabregas cleared it off the line.

Five minutes later, Fabregas won the ball with a superb tackle and immediately set Adebayor on his way. The Togo striker outstripped the Rossoneri defence for pace, then checked his run and played the ball into the path of Diaby, who curled his shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

Milan showed their threat when Inzaghi shot weakly straight at Almunia from just inside the Arsenal area, and Kaka sprinted through the Arsenal midfield menacingly before picking out Pato with a superb cross, but the younger Brazilian chose the wrong option and knocked the ball gently into the arms of Almunia. Then Kaka cut inside from the right and shot quickly towards the near post with his left foot. It hit the side netting from 20 yards though Almunia had it covered.

But in general Arsenal were bossing the play, William Gallas at last leading by example at the back, ably assisted by Gael Clichy, Mathieu Flamini working tirelessly in midfield, Fabregas pulling the creative strings and Adebayor posing a persistent threat to Milan's back-line.

Maldini gifted Arsenal possession in the final third and Adebayor nearly made him pay, but his shot was just touched over the bar by Kalac for a corner. The Gunners then created space for Fabregas, but his shot was deflected wide for another corner. Then Eboue hit an inviting cross right across the face of the goal but no Arsenal player could get on the end of it.

At hat stage it was all Arsenal, with players lining up to shoot. Ludicrously, Hleb was booked by the referee on 33 minutes for diving when he was clearly fouled by Nesta right on the edge of the area.

Arsenal responded by Fabregas hitting the bar from the edge of the box as the visitors continued to dominate all over the pitch. Adebayor received the ball just inside the Milan area after another flowing Arsenal attack, but he took a touch too many and the Rossoneri won the ball back.

Milan relieved the pressure with a counter-attack spear-headed by Kaka, but Flamini made a superb tackle to dispossess the Brazilian. Flamini then produced another excellent tackle on Kaka, before Hleb eventually played in Eboue, who was judged to be marginally offside.

Early in the second-half, Arsenal won a corner from Fabregas that eluded everyone until Senderos stormed in at the far post but sent the ball into the arms of the grateful Kalac.

Pirlo gave the ball away but Eboue shot wastefully wide, before Clichy dealt well with a long through-ball from Ambrosini despite the close attentions of Inzaghi.

Kaka showed his class again when he surged towards the Arsenal goal and let fly with a shot that flashed just wide of the post. Pato volleyed over from 20 yards when the ball sat up kindly for him.

Hleb found space in the Milan area box and tried to find Eboue, who went down, but although the referee said no penalty, Maldini looked to have grabbed him by the arm.

Gilardino replaced Inzaghi on 67 minutes, and a minute later Walcott came on for Eboue.

In the 74th minute, Arsenal created another excellent chance which fell to Walcott whose shot was saved by Kalac, the keeper then diving on the loose ball before Adebayor could reach it.

Although Arsenal were less dominant after the break, they still looked the likelier to break the deadlock. But Pato went close for Milan when he controlled a long ball on his chest, cut inside and unleashed a shot that flew just wide via Senderos.

Finally, on 83 minutes, Arsenal got the goal they so richly deserved. Fabregas almost out of nothing, turned Gattusso and hits a superb early shot from distance that took Kalac by surprise.

With the Arsenal fans in the stadium ecstatic, and many Milan fans streaming out of the ground, Arsenal got the second goal their dominance deserved. Adebayor got his first Champions League goal for the Gunners, thanks to Walcott who made it, leaving Kaladze for dead and playing a perfect ball across the six-yard box for the Togo striker to stick it in the night with unbounded delight.

Teams

AC Milan: Kalac, Maldini, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Ambrosini, Pirlo, Gattuso, Alexandre Pato, Kaka, Inzaghi. Subs: Fiori, Emerson, Gilardino, Simic, Favalli, Gourcuff, Bonera

Arsenal: Almunia, Clichy, Senderos, Gallas, Sagna, Diaby, Fabregas, Flamini, Eboue, Hleb, Adebayor. Subs: Lehmann, Van Persie, Denilson, Gilbert, Bendtner, Justin Hoyte, Walcott

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria).