Singapore vs Lebanon

The way Singapore wasted chances in front of goal really pains me dearly. As a Lions' fan, topping the group stage as No.1 has been the utmost importance for the team. However, the woeful strike-goal conversion is a great concern.

Besides that, the defence is leaky and lack of confidence. One player to point out is, Precious. Though big and tall, he's practically a spectator in the game. Here are his weak points after seeing him in the National colours for several occasions.

1. Lack of pace & Zero anticipation
- with no pace, he should make up for it in his reading of the game. For most of the time, he's spaced out (blur) and letting attackers run him through. That would cost us the whole game (esp crucial ones) and give oppositions a boost of confidence if they score the equaliser.

2. Tall but Useless
- despite towering most of the squad, he does not utilise it to his advantage, and often losing easy headers in routine corner kicks.

3. No Confidence
- playing in so many international matches, he still lack confidence. Without an experienced defender like Aide, at his side, he's really lost. Often enough, out of position and letting his marker off unnecessarily. He shouldn't make it in the squad because of name, but on merit. On that, he doesn’t deserve his place. I can clearly say that, without Mustafic in the holding mid-field role, Precious would be exposed and unable to cope with the Lebanese players.
When he was awarded the Citizenship, it really puzzles me but I like to give him the chance to prove himself in more games before making my judgement. However, he failed me too many times and proved that he's not up to our standards.

Technically wise, only a handful is worth mentioning, i,e, Shi Jia Yi, Mustafic and Khairul Amri. Especially when Khairul is brought on. He’s a breath of fresh air! His pace, skills and reading of his marker are fantastic. He knows what to expect and how to counter them. That’s why he’s the hero in our previous international tournament!! These players are confident of what they are doing and have a vision. They know what to do before even asking for the ball. That's what makes a good football team. A team that can reach for international glory.

Among the back four, the shortest player on the pitch, Noh Rahman played a better game than his colleagues. He's all over the place; in mid-field, tracking back in defence effectively. His tenacity is what Singapore is lacking across the board. Players like him are hardworking and "never say die" attitude. Our boys should be mentally trained as well and cope with the rigours and pressure of international matches readily.

On the match itself, even if we are up 2-0, the way we played in front of goal is something that needs lots of work. Polishing the finishing touch is important if you want to set the tone of the game. Watching the boys wasting 3 chances, at least, it's a call for more training on this. Being Asian, we are smaller in built, therefore we should concentrate on technique and pace. With that improved, I'm sure we can challenge for Asian Games medals and hopefully, better our chances in the next World Cup (sooner than later).

Raddy is doing a great job and I hope he continues doing so, and the boys, show more confidence and take your chances every time.