It is always a little tougher writing a preview when 1) you haven’t seen the opponent in action for a long time, 2) there are new players from foreign leagues and you have no idea how they play. But let’s try anyway. Everyone thinks this is gonna be an easy win for us, or at least Singapore Pools seems to think so, but I am not sure I agree.
Dangerman – Davis Ikaunieks
From what I’ve seen of this guy off Youtube, he looks a real handful. He just joined DPMM so of course we have no idea how he has adapted so far to life in Brunei, but if Youtube compilations are anything to go by, then this guy can do it all. Left foot, right foot, headers – he just seems to be a penalty box predator.
And yes, I know that Youtube shows the best side of players, but I still think there is some utility to watching highlights. You get a sense of what kind of player he is. When you watch videos and you have to think about whether the player is left or right-footed, then you know you have a player who is adept at using both feet. He is right-footed, but the type of goals he is banging in on his left are not just tap-ins or hit-and-hopes. Some of them are shots that require a high level of technique.
Whereas you watch someone like Stjepan Plazonja, who has taken the SPL by storm, and his Youtube compilation also kinda tells you what to expect. This is what I wrote before the season started, and it’s exactly what we got.
Ikaunieks sniffs out chances, and is able to find the target more often than not. Does his arrival make DPMM more dangerous? I don’t know because in my opinion, the man he replaced, Julio Cruz was already very good at scoring and creating chances. So at most it’s one-in, one-out? In 14 games, Julio Cruz notched up 6 goals and 7 assists, for a total of 13 goal contributions. Considering DPMM only got 30 goals, that is a pretty high involvement rate. (Yes I know sofascore only credits Cruz with 4 assists, but Chin Heng and I manually track games and goals, so trust me, it’s 7 assists).
Ikaunieks does boast experience in some really tough environments – and I am not just talking about the quality of football.
What in the snowy hell is that? We in Singapore have been complaining about the cold the last few days, but I think to Ikaunieks, the current weather in Brunei and Singapore is a sauna to him. Here’s hoping that he is still frozen in tonight’s game and will need some time to warm up (literally) to the Singapore Premier League.
Unavailability of Song and Lionel
I have written already in the last article about Maxime clutching his back after he scored. If there is any risk of aggravating an injury, my hope is that we do not play him. Although this is not an easy game, we have to think long term. We’re three points off the top of the league, but with three games in hand. Even if we do lose this tricky away game, it is not the end of the world. We can get those points back.
If however, we risk Maxime and he aggravates an injury, then that leaves us a little short moving forward I am sure. (I am an Arsenal fan scarred by Saka’s absence and its subsequent impact on the team, so please bear with me while I describe doomsday scenarios).
The tricky thing though, is that both Song and Lionel are unavailable due to suspension from picking up 4 yellow cards. I didn’t know this until the club website’s official preview article mentioned it. Sidenote to SPL, kindly put up a proper stats page so that we can keep track of these things.
This raises a few questions. Will Coach Ranko stick with 5 at the back? Will we be able to replicate Song’s recent output? Song is our top-scorer in ACL2 with 5 goals, and our 5th-top scorer in the SPL with 4 goals. Can Shawal start another game in quick succession given his injury troubles? Refer to this article from the Straits Times a couple of months ago. Here’s an excerpt.
I have spoken to some fans who think that for continuity’s sake, we will stick with 3 at the back (with Bill coming in for Lionel), with Hami continuing to operate at RWB in defence. Hami’s another one who has seen alot of action for club and country recently, so I wonder if he too can play yet another game in quick succession.
There’s also of course the looming spectre of the upcoming Albirex game this Friday, where we will have to recover after a flight back from Brunei tomorrow, while they have the luxury of tons of time to prepare for the game.
Miguel Oliveira
Last but not least, Miguel Oliveira. In my opinion, one of the best players in the SPL right now. He is just so much fun to watch, and he has 8 goals and 3 assists to prove he is not all just for show – he has end-product as well.
He combines very well with Hakeme Yazid, but unfortunately, if rumours are true, Hakeme Yazid has been stripped (heh) of his place in the side because he went to a certain nightclub in Russia while on international duty. His antics were laid bare for all to see for those who keep abreast of Bruneian football news. Looks like his season may be going tits up. If Hakeme Yazid is not in the lineup, we have one less player to worry about. I think he is one of the most gifted players I’ve seen in my lifetime from Brunei, and he has caused us some damage in the past.
They also visited a cider bar (as seen in the picture for this article), and while it’s not known if they drank anything there, given how strict it is in Brunei re: alcohol, it is unlikely that Hakeme faces no consequences for what he did.
Whatever it is, we’ll still have to deal with Miguel Oliveira, and whoever starts on the left side of defence has a task on his hands.
Conclusion
First league match in a couple of months, and it’s a tricky away tie. Honestly, I think a draw there isn’t the end of the world, and while I hope that we emerge with all 3 points, I know this is a place which will prove to be a banana peel for most teams in the league.
Given the suspensions, and perhaps the need to rotate, I will be going for a draw. I hope the team proves me wrong.
COME ON YOU BOYS IN BLUE!
My predicted line-up
Izwan Mahbud
Hami Syahin, Bill Mamadou, Bailey Wright, Toni Datkovic, Chris van Huizen
Hariss Harun, Rui Pires
Abdul Rasaq, Lennart Thy, Bart Ramselaar
Score Prediction
Joseph and I predict the scores and track our success in a table. Stay tuned to find out who is the prediction king!
3 points for exact scoreline predicted correctly, 2 points for predicting the winner and margin of victory correctly (but not the exact scoreline), and 1 point for predicting the outcome correctly (win, lose or draw).
Eddy’s prediction: DPMM 2 Sailors 2
Joseph’s prediction: DPMM 0 Sailors 2
Written by Eddy Hirono
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