Entering its 3^rd Season and playing its 70^th game in a losing result of 1-4, irregular players’ attendance especially in the goalkeeping department, might seem to pose a problem to Team Minnows. However, there is an underlying problem that needs a closer examination.

On 8 November 2009, 9 players arrived for match warm-up at Bukit Timah field. One outfield player and the goalkeeper had to pull out due to last minute work commitment, and one player came in only at the 20^th minute to make Minnows’ total strength to ten. Nicholas was unexpectedly called up to take command in between the goal posts, but he was up to the task and put in a fine performance.

Effectively, Minnows was playing only with nine players, with one defender playing with a limping leg. Insufficient players, zero substitution, injured player, low form, hot weather – all these constituted a severe blow to Minnows’ confidence. Low morale did not contribute positively to Minnows’ game. Although there were some moments of rally and chances, lack of belief was the main downfall of Minnows’ performance.

Perhaps, ideally it should come up to a point that the score line should not matter anymore. What matters more is how football is being played, and ultimately, the enjoyment of teamwork demonstrated on the field. The possible reasons of conceding one goal, two goals, and trailing behind could be caused by mistakes, stand-in goalkeeper and soft goals etc. However, as long as good football is being played; trying one’s best to put up a good performance; when encouragement is in abundance – there is no reason why Minnows cannot enjoy their game regardless of the result.

In Minnows’ 69^th game, with a 2-3 defeat, it was an enjoyable game that one can remember. Good passes, teamwork, goals scored and conceded, the game was played with a winning belief. Of course, that game was not inflicted with so many issues as compared to the 70^th game. However, the point being, Team Minnows should not be affected so much by side issues. While on the pitch, there must be belief, fighting spirit and importantly, faith. It takes eleven motivated players to make a ‘team’. Coming back to reality, this is Team Minnows for you today.

Kenny Wenger has recently featured in a match for Team Minnows. To confuse matters, he appeared in an all-black referee attire insisting to play as the goalkeeper, without gloves… Please see picture, circles in pink.

Minnows GK in Hot Action

Looking at the top left corner, yes, you are right, it is a long ball from the opponent while Wenger was posing for the lady fans… 1-0 to the opponent. The half ended 2-1 to the opponent, with Wenger screaming and throwing firstaid icepacks at the players in the dressing room. Bizarre…

What did Wenger try to prove? A tactical move from the genius? Or plain …?

Brought to you by Minnowsnewsasia.com

Rafael Kenny “De Pigeone” is currently sidelined with a fake 2 months MC for various excuses such as conjunctivitis, lousai, dengue fever, yellow fever, scarlet fever, scarlet johannsson fever etc etc. Reports show that he really is doing something else on the sidelines, spies uncovering his intent on getting a “How to overthrow Fergie” phd.

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Little does he know, he had embarked on the wrong course. Hard work will soon go down to drain when he realize which Fergie this phd was for …

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Meanwhile, I would like to give shout out that Liverpool sucks. Benetiz scold Ferguson and now look who the fool is HAHA! Pool ain’t going to win shit this season. Shouldn’t have sold Crouch .. should have bought Heskey … Pool just don’t have the depth and talent to make it. Man U is now back to where it is suppose to be. Kicking ass .. period .. and we all know this is the truth.

Minnows marched on with a hard fought 2-0 victory  last Sat. On loan Striker Yi Cong opportunistic strike and Melvin’s ala Owen in WC 98 dribbling passed the whole defense and leaving all the defenders for dead before using his alien skin nike boots to power home from 15 yards made the headlines in this bruising encounter.

Even without the influential Kenny Wenger who failed a late fitness test for this match, -paparazzi took  photos of him in Beijing supporting the Spore table tennis team on Sunday fueled doubts that his dream is to play table tennis- Minnows somehow managed to dig deep in the first half and played like they had 12 men instead of 10 men. Hongliang was virtuoso in defense. It culminated with the defense splitting pass in the 2nd half that earmarked Melvin’s mazy run and the finish did not disappoint.

With 2 wins out of 2, Minnows’ new found belief looks like the push for next season’s CL is impossibly possible!

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With the new season just started hours ago, Minnows had an injury scare! Own goal top scorer Kenny looked down and out when he was tackled heavily by a jealous opponent because Kenny was better looking (Cited from very reliable source). He looked down gingerly after the cumbersome tackle. As he smelt the grass, he was wondering “why so SUAY!” “Why so SUAY!” Even the joker was more serious.

Likewise, another classy display by number 13 Kelvin was nearly forgotten when he was sent crushing down by a needless tackle from the opponent. He was substituted with next Sat’s early kick off day in mind.

With a good start to the new season (5-2 win), more exciting photos and goals are installed.

The Red Devil are an intoxicating mix of speed, movement and purpose (goals!). They are the skilled master surgeons who performs heart bypasses through keyholes the size of fingernails.

They make their moves with the goal in mind doing so with grace and composure while avoiding unnecessary flourishes along the way.

They are beauty, muscle, and philosophy embodied. Compare this with the floozy, long winded artisans from Arsenal or the crude, bludgeoning-wielding caveman from Chelsea. Liverpool is okay and look half descent when Torres and Gerrard are in tandem.

Sure Berbatov, would give us an extra dimension in attack. But a team can only field 11 players at any given time, and having a silky target man up front may sacrifice Rooney and Tevez. If that’s not travesty I dont know what is.  So buy if he is available but we don’t NEED him

Source: TNP, Singapore, Eugene Lin.

Too many cooks spoil the soup.

Source: optimus

Anderson

Diego

Coach Dunga

Pato

Ronaldinho

Source: Optimus and Rashkae

Post Process by mmaarrccuuss

Last weekend, Team Minnows attended the Grand Ceremony of MVP (Most Vain Player) Award (only one award…). The Award was handed to the winner, Mel John Gerrard, by our all-time fav manager, Kenny Wenger.

Here’s what happened:
Kenny Wenger took out rough paper, did not read it and announced Mel as the Winner of MVP. Emotional Mel gave his “thank you” speech while crushing the hand of Kenny Wenger. As a professional manager, Wenger continued to smile with full force and looked deep into Mel’s eyes (pls see photo… ok, to clarify, Wenger has poor vision…).

Mel: “I’m very very happy to be the winner of this Most Valuable Player award” (projector screen was showing “Most Vain Player”).

“I would like to thank my cat, my ‘friends’ who have given me loans to buy card games, and those who I’ve killed in boardgames.”

“Thank you all, I will do my best for all future games I participate in, regardless of card or board, I love my club, I love you.”

Mel then left the stage, leaving Wenger motionless and was hospitalised later for a bone scan, fracturing all 27 bones of the right hand, that includes 8 carpals in the wrist, 5 metacarpals in the palm, and 2-3-3-3-3 phalanges in the fingers.