I had the pleasure of meeting one of the Flex premier players and I was seated next to our own web moderator "Tallman". It was an interesting evening but at the end of the day T&T performance was forgettable but here are the things worth mentioning.
Digicel gave out some nice red and black mesh cell phone courier bags, with whistle, shack-shack, rags, key chains and other little trinkets inside. Also they gave out some jerseys.
People rush them like if they were wrong changed. But they were rationing the stocks and gave away plenty of the goods to the players of the opposing teams. Friday, they will be handing out some more. Its worth going to the game just to get one of them bags and a jersey.
The crowd I would estimate was about 1500. Bertille St Clair was on the bench, Peter O Connor in the stands, Anil Roberts and the rest of the T&T team who were injured or couldn't make squad.
Now I came 5 minutes late but at that time it was 0-0.
T&T had some keeper......he didn't have anything to do or save as Puerto Rico had only one meaningful attack on the night.
It looked like a 5 in the back at times, but other times it looked like a 4-4-2. The men in the back were King, Thomas, Pierre, Phillips and Gray.
The middle was Jemmott, Fitzpatrick and Theobold.
Up front were Glen and Pierre.
Now 1st off ......Puerto Rico wasn't good. In fact, a PFL side like Jabloteh or W Connection could have pounded goals on this side.
T&T while scoring 5 didn't actually dominate the game or stamp their authority.
Now the first goal was a beauty. Cyd Gray tear up 2 men on the right and swung in a cross that Glen volleyed/scissors in the air inside the box and into the corner of the goal (Real TV ting) and it looked good. 1-0.
The second goal, Glen get a thru ball and a scramble he blow past the last defender and hit the goalie a kinda first/belt and slot it into a open goal.
The third goal I didn't see as I was purchasing Beers/pies and soup. But from what was conveyed was that Nigel Pierre chest trap a ball to Glen who flick it up and shoot home.
4th goal was a penalty that DEREK KING scored, yes ! he hit it well.
5th goal, Conrad Smith, now the man running slow, he getting counter attack and running to the flag and up the field instead of attacking the goal.
But he get a ball and trot up the field, the whole Puerto Rican defence came back and recovered but he nipped past a man and fan the second player and hit a side footer into the corner of the net. A real good goal.
Now gentlemen from the formation we was still having problems in the middle. There is a gap and whats happening is that we are playing around the ball in the back with the 3-5 men, reaching up to the half, and then trying to feed Glen or Pierre down the flank. When they get the ball they have no body to link up with, layoff, or make one two passes.
It is too much work for the 2-3 midfielders to cover the ground, and we getting caught out. Pressure on we tail and its the defence working too hard.
Now I wasn't expecting much from this game but it brought out these positives.
Leslie Fitzpatrick was the man of the night....he is our new Edgar Davids, he have a energy and positive attitude that none of the other players possessed. Maybe, hes playing for pick but that is how all players should run when they on the national team. He was the orchestrator of the team. Making the thru balls, knocking the one-twos, and most importantly, he was tackling and winning all balls. If the ball pass him, man ent passing. He was unfortunate not to score on a thru ball but he over push and the keeper smothered it.
This player should replace Rahim or Eve one time in the middle and was the little ray of light or discovery. Also, he was the workhorse on the team, running back and bringing the ball out the back, if he lost it he would always track back and win back the ball.
Cruickshank is a indian/chinee fella. Who came on in the second half. He plays good simple ball, didn't make any mistakes and dribbled when necessary. I need to see more of him before I could make a fair assessment, but he needs another chance.
Jemmott...put on some size, but nothing new from him, playing at walking pace, some small beat but nothing to suggest he will make an impact on our future games.
Theobold is a good nippy player. Some skill and decent work rate. He and Fitzpatrick we need to keep things running in the middle.
Phillips...the man look little heavy and runs kinda awkwardly, but he didn't make any mistakes. Played simple and did what was necessary as a wingback, he didn't go forward too much but kept it safe. Guilty of escorting players on occasion instead of pelting blade. Can be replaced, but give him some more time to find his own.
The back line didn't have much to do, as they clean up the Puerto Rican team, however Anton Pierre, slow, but he have a deadly bullet which he unleash and it hit the bar from about 30 yards out. Thomas I ent know why he has not been playing more often, hes had a good sound performance and Derek King........allyuh doe hate on the man, he didn't have a bad game, he was good, but you need to see them against better opposition.
Nigel Pierre is nothing new....slow, will kill any hope of a counter attack, but strong and lays up balls quite nicely.
Glen, even though he scored a hat trick coulda play better, his finishing needs work in some areas and he makes some funny decisions, but he is the man for us when Stern John is not present.
Odelle Armstrong didn't get much time to do much, he did put down a fan and beat session by the corner flag for about 30 seconds.
Finally this T&T team need urgency, they playing at walking pace, very methodical, no chance what so ever at a counter attack and men does cut the ball back and wait. Negating and advantage we have. Also, this TT team does not shoot to goal. The Puerto Rican goalie, fat and shaky and nobody really whet the man, in the slippery conditions.
T&T team want to walk in the goal in the area and this doe work. We have to start shooting.
Well that's it for now. I real want to see the Grenada game but Im not sure if time will permit.
Grenada was leading 2-1 when I left, a man score a bicycle and a lob. Suriname got a gift of an own goal.
Grenada look like they can handle us. The players running, they have a good, knock/hustle, they shooting at will and they are skillful. All these teams now looking like T&T in its heyday, making off the ball runs, taking on players and finding space.
Dont be surprised if Grenada beat us, they have some quality. T&T will have to step up, but if we even play at 50% we could more than put 2-3 on them.
Team ratings, a average 5.
The game was forgettable....bright spot and discovery, Leslie Fitzpatrick.