TWFC

We thank VIIGeorgeVII for picking the teams. This is the episode when you look at the team sheet and you see your bro has set one team up with the club captain, the club coach, two semi pro type strikers, one of the fabled Three Musketeers and that player who will continue breaking down the opposition from kick off to the final whistle. You side eye look at your bro and think 'Wow we are on his side against that team! He must trust us.' In that moment of realisation you grow an inch taller and you know that this is the Tottenham Wednesday way. The hour of reckoning has come.

A lone spectator watched the early stages of the match. The previous week he had introduced himself as Marcus and expressed an interest in joining TWFC. This week he took on the roll of impromptu coach of the Blue Bibs. From the sidelines he called out sensible advice about players communicating and giving each other options. He would later disclose that he has quite an impressive playing history under his belt. This seemed clear as he never wasted a word and every word made a player think of the best thing to do on the ball or in order to receive the ball. It was a little bit like the second coming of Barkball (a player who lit up TWFC between 2016 - 2018).

The Blue Bibs, with their off field coach, went ahead first.

It is noted that our own Coach Hagenius reads the game in ways that only a strategist can. This insight gives him the ability to drift into spaces that opposition players are not watching. This allowed him the freedom to be on the end of balls that he converted into goals for the Mufti. This should never have happened, as prior to kick off MSGomes kindly gave the Blue Bibs' keeper a lesson in the psychology of goalkeepers talking to players and getting them into the right positions to head off threats. Having filled Niyi's head with sound academic theory MSGomes would later go on to score by nutmegging him and run off saying 'and always keep your legs closed'. A keeper's learning is never done.

There was a point when Leonalexis chased down a ball that was speeding towards the Blue Bibs' penalty area. He was not going to get it, but no one told him that. Then in the blink of an eye he was suddenly on the ball and diverting it into the net past a bewildered keeper. Long time readers of match reports will know that seemingly impossible things have always happened at the Garden End. There were no cameras tonight so it cannot be checked but we are duty bound to say that 'no player is allowed to use or benefit from apparition during matches'.

Lessons and possible magic aside, the Blue Bibs did keep on scoring and stayed ahead. Amongst these goals Jumhal demonstrated that, as well as all of his other many attributes, he can also shoot with power like BILZ96, Fabiocc17, MarkA, MGure and VIIGeorgeVII to name a few. This prowess bagged Jumhal a couple of goals and ensured the Blue Bibs stayed just far enough in front to keep the Mufti on edge. And, yes, 'on edge' was the correct phrase as suddenly, after conceding a goal, the Mufti had a serious discussion with each other that left the Blue Bibs looking on and listening. The Blue Bibs knew not to inflame the situation or try to calm it down. The best medicine was to use it to their own advantage. To be fair when a team is already rattled it can be quite disconcerting if the next thing they have coming at them is Jimmy9 dancing with the ball like Soul Brother Number One and Mash10 standing off him waiting for the switch pass. Now if that is bad enough when the opposition's triumvirate contains Ellislewis123, then it might feel like a very hard day at the office.

In amongst all of the above, Marcus quietly took his leave after watching the Blue Bibs get into a good place.

A welcome feature of the match this evening was the Blue Bibs' keeper being able to put the ball into space for the Blue Bibs' midfield and attack to run on to. In days gone by players like JonF would destroy oppositions by exploiting the ball in space. This ancient art of goalkeeper distribution has died a death in recent years with the introduction of the practice of 'play out from the back'. But, used sparingly, it seemed to prove a good way of countering the Mufti's attempts at high pressing.

The Mufti were continuously forced back and eventually Fabiocc17 was adjudged to have played a ball that was not fully out of the Mufti's penalty area. The resulting penalty calls were hotly disputed, but to his credit Fabiocc17 took himself out of the situation and allowed the eventual decision to be made by the adjudicators. This is what we prefer from top level players.

Decision - Penalty to the Blue Bibs.

Outcome - Penalty converted by Mash10.

The Blue Bibs were putting everything into the game to keep the Mufti at bay. Jumhal was tackling like a Spartan who had declared no one shall pass and perceiving moves on the pitch like he had Andyhibbert in his head. This defensive and offensive performance by Jumhal confirmed him straight into the listing of Complete Players who can play in any position on the pitch for TWFC from goalie, through defence, to play maker and striker. VIIGeorgeVII, who is already in that list, was tackling like a man who was seeing the opposition moving in slow motion.

Reduced to snap shots, the Mufti sailed the ball over the Garden End fence once. They did not go and get it. When they put the replacement ball over the fence as well, they were told that was enough and the repeat offender was instructed to go and get both balls. Interestingly neither side complained. Everyone probably needed a breather.

Things did not let up when the game restarted. Indeed it was only Hagenius keeping goal like the best of André Onana that kept the Blue Bibs from pulling ahead out of sight.

There was some controversy during the game about a request to stop play for a player to do up his shoe laces. We do need to consider whether we are taking genteel conduct too far and if it is reasonable to expect every person to adjust their laces in their own time once the match has started.

By the time the next team arrived, the Blue Bibs led by two goals. The next team raised the concern that we had exceeded our allotted hour. However, we could not end our hour of reckoning until the gate opened. That is our equivalent of the final whistle. The next team opened the gate and the match ended.

Final Score

Blue Bibs 9 - 7 Mufti

Match awarded to the Blue Bibs.

Let's do it all again next match at Tottenham Wednesday FC