July 1, 2024

To add more variety to the SailorFanTalk website, there will be more and more articles written by guest writers. Please give a big online welcome to Calum, who writes his first piece for SailorFanTalk! (You may applaud by your PC or phone if you want) It was a humid Friday evening at a packed Jalan Besar Stadium, setting the stage for a clash between the two highest-scoring sides in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) this season (so far). Expectations were high for an exciting encounter, but the match unfolded in an unexpected manner. Let’s be frank: this was perhaps the most lacklustre display by our Sailors so far, resulting in their first dropped points of the season and ending a record-breaking run of nine straight SPL victories since July 2023. On the other hand, despite playing fantastic football, Geylang secured their fourth draw in just the first round of the 2024/25 season (hence the picture for this Post-Match Review… teehee). The competitiveness of the league certainly deserves credit, even if it leaves us scratching our heads a little. Despite Geylang’s recent form, many fans still expected the Sailors to claim all three points. Out of 47 predictions in the SailorFanTalk Telegram chat, 46 predicted a Sailors victory, with several expecting a substantial margin. Given past performances, who could blame us for anticipating a goalfest, especially considering Geylang’s defensive record? It didn’t take long for the Eagles’ game plan to become apparent from the stands. Now, let’s delve into my post-match thoughts. Eagles’ Tactical Masterclass I have to admit, Geylang outplayed us in the first half. Credit to Noor Ali for doing his homework. Out of possession, our midfield trio of Hariss, Hami, and Ramselaar were completely negated, with Geylang’s high press applying relentless pressure every time they tried to receive the ball. The Geylang front line sat deeper when we played out from the back, making it difficult for Bart to find space and offer a passing option. Noor Ali confirmed this strategy in his post-match interview. The lead-up to the goal we conceded actually looked promising for us. Obren Kljajic’s strength in winning possession from Tomoyuki Doi at the edge of our area almost initiated a promising counter-attack with some intelligent link-up play with Shawal. However, when the pass was played into the middle, Vincent Bezecourt read Hariss Harun like a book, intercepting deep in our half and finding plenty of space to fire a stinging shot into the bottom corner. It’s a “what if” moment – with so many Geylang players committed to the press, had we been able to play out from that position, we would likely be able to find free players elsewhere on the pitch for a numerical overload. If you thought conceding to Geylang early in the game like that looked familiar, I instantly got flashbacks to Sime Zuzul’s low drive that earned the Eagles a 1-0 victory against us a couple seasons back. Geylang were proving to be a very tough opponent in possession as well. On the ball, the composure and movement on display was exceptional and it certainly gave the Sailors a hard time. To be fair, we were able to string some nice passes around the pitch and had the ball in their box on some occasions, but overall in the first half, they were the more patient and organized team I felt. Adjusting the Sails Just as a sailor weathers a storm at sea, it was time for Coach Ranko to make his move against Geylang’s high press. After a series of promising buildups by the Sailors, it seemed we were keeping the pressure on, and the equalizer was getting closer. However, it also felt like one of those days when El Sicario sent a flicked header just wide. Coach Ranko made a double substitution, bringing on Anu and Adam Swandi for Hariss, who had a bad day at the office, and Hami, who picked up an early yellow card. Additionally, moving Ramselaar up to the left injected a different dynamic into the game. As noted in the commentary, these changes had an immediate impact. Kljajic found Ramselaar on the left wing, who cut it back for our Belgian magician, Maxime Lestienne, to take it first time and beat Hairul Syirhan with a tidy finish in the bottom corner. Game on! Game of 2 Halves The Sailors were looking increasingly threatening as the 2nd half went on. The Crew were treated to some wonderful bits of play up close, and Adam Swandi had a couple of decent chances to make something happen for us. The game was definitely opening up now. But of course, it wasn’t smooth sailing (no pun intended), as Ramselaar—who, as I’m writing this, has just celebrated his 28th birthday. Fijne verjaardag, Bart!—unfortunately appeared to pick up what seems to be a hamstring injury and indicated that he had to come off. We managed to have a brief chat with him after the game and are hopeful it’s nothing serious! Thankfully, we’ve got the squad depth of a clown car. Every time you think we’re done, another player pops out ready to perform. Christopher van Huizen came on against his former club to support the backline as Kljajic moved up to the wings. Obren, Obren. How on Earth have we scored ourselves such a versatile tank of a player? The story of the 2nd half was largely the same: good defending by our colossal central defenders, important saves by Zharfan, and the Sailors frontline always looking dangerous in the final third. But it really is the hope that kills. Hairul Syirhan delivered a point-winning save, denying Bailey Wright’s header from a delectable ball into the box by Hafiz Nor in stoppage time. Lennart Thy followed up with an effort on goal which deflected off the defender, and in heartbreaking fashion, the ball was just missed by Lestienne, who could not read its direction. That would have gotten us all three points. Geylang weren’t quite as