Internet Millers vs Farnborough Preview

Date: 16^th October 2004
Location: Herringthorpe playing fields
Kick Off: 10:30
Kit: Away kit, Black shirts, White shorts, black socks.
AFTER GAME: Back to Belvedere pub for some food and a few beers with the Farnborough lads.

Team Selectors
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Steve and Denti

SQUAD
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1. Denti

2. Steve
3. Shark

4. Mark
5. Adis

6. Duds

7. Bash
8. Symon

9. Steve R
10. Copey

11. Dan
12. Jammer

13. Andy P

Comments on Opposition

Farnborough are a new team to the IFA league and are starting their first full season. It is therefore the first time the Internet Millers will line up against Farnborough in the league or in a tournament. Farnborough have been busy building an excellent reputation going 15 games unbeaten. Although the majority of these games were not against IFA teams they asserted their title credentials with a superb 1-0 victory over QPR last weekend. This is particularly impressive given QPR won the league three years ago and boasts a very strong side.

Farnborough will be travelling with a good sized squad and with players on the side the usual edge gained over an away team by having fresh legs on the side will be lost. They will be setting off at 6:30am so tiredness may be an issue after a long journey but the effort they are making has to be commended.

Against QPR they played a solid 4-5-1 formation and frustrated the opposition and hit them on the break. Discussions have been on-going on the Farnborough board about the possibility of keeping a winning formation or going to a 4-4-2. These discussions were curtailed when they realised there were spies on the board.

This is as strong a test as the game the previous week against Millwall. The Millers will be looking to make up for last weeks defeat. Millwall were the first team to win in Rotherham since Stockport twelve months ago and will not want to make losing at home a habit.

Squad Comments

The Internet Millers go into this game with a good sized squad. The noticeable absentees are Jebu and Gaz. Jeb selfishly booked a holiday six months ago so will be missing, amusingly he did enquire about a return flight so he could make the game and return to his holiday. I’m unsure if the cost or the threat of his balls in a vice from girlfriend Kim changed his mind. Gaz has returned to University so work commitments mean he will be missing. This is a big loss for the Internet Millers because Gaz is currently the player in IM who is playing football at the highest level.

In the net Mark the Shark retains his place and will be looking to start the game in a calmer fashion than the previous week when the occasion got to a few of our players. Some of the saves to keep us in it in the second half were superb and he will be looking to add to his growing reputation.

The defence has plenty of options; the four available players; Duds, Mark, Chris Cope and the solid Denti can rotate in a back three or form a solid back four. In Mark and Duds we have two strong defenders over six foot who win most in the air and with Denti’s pace and Chris’s positional sense it will be a tall order to put many past our defence. It is without doubt one of the strongest back lines I have seen line up for the IM.

The midfield in contrast has lots of attacking options, Adis, Jammer, Dan, Steve R, Andy P and Bash are all capable going forward and will suit a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2. If Jammer and Adis can get behind the Farnborough midfield then they have the quality to play quality balls into the danger area. Steve R and Andy P are both experienced players who can add steel in front of the back four. Dan has masses of energy and if utilised effectively is a useful player. Bash will get his best run out yet and is sure of a good seventy minutes on the field so has a real chance to prove himself.

Up front Jeb will be missed but another player who has bags of pace is Symon. Symon has displayed quality in patches. He scored two superb goals against Gillingham in WorldNet and got a quick fire hat trick against Barnsley. He is among the hot shots in the IFA thanks to the hat trick away at Huddersfield in the 11-1 mauling.

Steve Burns will be hoping to return to the top of the IFA goal scoring charts. He scored the only goal against Millwall but has been off form recently and his usual free scoring has been hampered by a suspected broken foot after a clash with a goalkeeper, which has been very slow to heal. This week his Sunday side faces a tough top of the table clash so will be looking to see how he copes with forty five minutes. Jammer will get a rare run up front in the second half. He was the player of the tournament in WorldNet 2002. He is capable of scoring from distance the only question mark being his lack of games.

Pre Match Comments

Another big game for the Millers after the Millwall game. They will be looking not to lose the game but will be disappointed if they don’t take all three points. The core of the squad is very strong and many of these turning out there can be no excuses for a bad result.

Denti and Steve have been making tactical decisions throughout the week and have decided on a solid starting eleven. Players will get at least seventy minutes each with several getting ninety minutes. This is a good mix of old heads and players playing for places while others are away.

Farnborough fulfil all the ideals of the IFA and it is important we are good hosts. Any unsporting behaviour will be punished severely. We will have a competitive game in the morning and then have some good banter with the Farnborough lads over some food and a beer in the pub afterwards.

Lets hope to get back on track with the IFA cup being drawn soon it is important to get back to form.