Bangkok Christian College 1 Nonthaburi FC 0

Photos to follow, I hope.

Despite another defeat and another failure to find the net against a team that hadn’t yet won a game this season, there were actually some positives in this contest.

For one thing, the score could have been much higher. The Nontaburi side of just one month ago would have panicked and sliced at the many crosses shot into their area or clattered the advancing forward. This time around, the back line looked calm and collected under pressure. Likewise, the midfield are actually starting to spray some good passes both on and above surface level.  

For all the changes that have taken place at Eka this season, most of them not good, the underlying problem remains the same: the lack of a poacher with some pace who can smash the ball at goal.

But the supporters remain passionate and it’s now becoming clear that the squad are working hard to gel together and better themselves. Nobody can ask more.

Eka’s last game before the mid-season break is home to Chamchuree United (the re-incarnation of the original Chula United) next Sunday.

Eka have shown real improvement in their last two games. A 1-0 win oven Thonburi was followed by a 1-2 home defeat by Rayong last week but in both games, Nonthaburi have shown a more settled squad, better movement and greater confidence. We still won't be moving any mountains this season, but at least we can dream of picking up a few more points. Eka are away to Bangkok Christian College tomorrow.

The only good news is that we can't get any lower.
credit: thai-fussball.com

Rangsit 1 Eka 1 - highlights

This from our game last Friday. Judging by the clip - which is never a safe thing to do - we look improved.

Eka 1 Globex 3 - highlights

The super-soft penalty can be viewed at a good angle from 07:35 in the clip.
News today - if I understand it correctly - states that Janewit will be coach or assistant coach (I'm not sure which). I welcome this news as he clearly knows what he is doing, unlike the current and previous head coach.

Nonthaburi FC 1 Globex 3 - report

It's going to be a long, long season for Eka this year. That much was easy to deduce from the way we were soundly beaten at home by a distinctly mediocre team with little support.

Globex's first goal was a simple square ball across the box, the type even I was taught to prevent when playing at middle school. The second was a scramble and the third was a penalty that the referee gave despite the very poor attempt at diving by the player who won it. The one cheering point for home fans was our first goal of the season, following a nice through ball by the substitute midfielder and a determined scrap to finish it by no.19

Although the head coach was changed in pre-season, the new man enforces some of the same methods as the old man and I find them totally perplexing: almost the entire side was changed from the previous home game, meaning our one player with top level experience (Janewit) and our one attacking player with pace and promise (no.29) were absent. I find this "total change" system bizarre as I though that a coach was expected to choose a first team squad in pre-season, let them work and gel together and then allow other players to work their way in on merit.

I also thought that a head coach was expected to tactically assess a game and make necessary adjustments but in all four games this season, the changes appear to be totally random.

Like I said, it will be a real battle this season. Our hope lies in Prasop who I understand is still with us but injured, the one foreign player who is waiting for his paperwork to clear, Janewit -if the coach realises the whole team rotation system is not cool or clever, the pacey no.29 and the young squad who, with guidance, could become a determined and improved bunch.

Nonthaburi FC 0 Samut Sakhon 1 - report

It's going to be a long, tough season for Nonthaburi this year. At the end of last season I said we should keep Manop, Janewit, Prasop, Korawut, Grant, Reece, and Sathit. Due to budget cuts only one of those players (Janewit) is still with us and it showed yesterday.

In all honesty it's a challenge to be positive about this game but let me try: the pitch looks far better than I expected after the floods of 2011. Janewit is still class, the goalie had a good game and our new number 19, "Bunsawut" I think his name is, looks quality. There was a brief flurry by Eka towards the end of the game that woke the crowd up and that in turn lifted the players, I hope they remember that feeling and give the crowd some attacking football to cheer for next time.

In reality the new squad need a whole lot of training and teaching. Still at least we have a team to support and support them we will, whatever happens.