Training

Training on Wednesday 30/11 is cancelled due to availability of coaches. 

Longlevens away

We have another game this Sunday, away to Longlevens. This is an opportunity to start to get some confidence and form. Longlevens sit bottom of the league with 0 points from 4 matches played. 

The game will be played at Longford Lane, Gloucester, GL2-9EU. Kick off is at 2pm so lets meet at 1:30pm.

We have a full squad for this match, bar Freddie who is still out injured. If you cannot make the game please confirm ASAP. 

Bring your A-game and bring your work ethic. 

Poor decisions cost Cougars

LRFC (1) v (5) Charlton Rovers

Hard work wins when talent doesn't work.

We are the same team as last season and yet we are different. 

When things aren't going your way simplify it. Do not try the magic pass every time, keep the ball and play it short. Use movement to pull the opposition around and create the space. Short passing, triangles, movement all football basics. 

Decision making is key, short pass or long pass? Shoot or another touch? Lay off or dribble. When you're tired you're more likely to make wrong decisions. 

Anticipate rather than react. Sometimes we have one player on the ball and 10 spectators who move when the ball is played or lost. Move with the play. When the striker squeezes the opposition squeeze as a team otherwise it's just wasted effort. 

It's no coincidence that Alf's all action motm performance has followed improved fitness. Training and playing twice a week clearly agreeing with him. 

You cannot get fit playing football you need to be fit to play football. 

Teams that outrun the opposition normally get the result.

We have talent, we need to improve our anticipation and trust the short game. Moving the ball quickly and better movement will  see a return to form. 

All of this is in your control?

Are you fit enough to play the game to the required level. Can you make the right decision late in the game? If the answer is no then do something about it. 

Don't put it off until tomorrow do it now. Then maybe next Sunday will see an improvement across the whole team. 

It feels like the season starts here..

After a long break we are back in league action again this weekend. Yes that's right a league match. 

We play Charlton Rovers Reds at Naunton Park with a 2pm kick off. They sit 2nd in the league having played 7 games winning 4 and losing 3. This is a side we know well and having beaten us last season they will be keen to exert themselves again. Play as we have started to in our last games and the Tuffley friendly and we will put ourselves in a great position to get the result. 

Meet at Naunton Park for 1:15 ahead of the 2pm KO.

Squad for game will be...

1. Will (Captain)
   
2. George
   
3. Ben
   
4. Adam
   
5. Fin
   
6. Sam
   
7. Ryan
   
8. Jacob
   
9. Alf
   
10. Olly
    
11. Luca
    
12. Jorge
    
13. Hayden
    

Unavailable for this match are Freddie and Dan with Tom to confirm. 

Training

Training on Wednesday (16/11) will be at Cheltenham College from 1755-1855. Please confirm via the Facebook page or text if you cannot make this and with as much notice as possible - we make arrangements to finish work on time and get back for it and if there is only going to be a handful of the lads there it is a waste of our time.

At last Wednesday's training there were 3 attendees!! There are injuries, illnesses and school trips to contend with but 3 is still very poor. This season attendance at training has been tracked with 7 players attending less than 50% of sessions and a couple of players having only attended 21% of sessions.

Please do what you can to attend and to reiterate please confirm if you cannot as soon as possible in the early part of the week.

We have a match this approaching Sunday at home to Charlton Rovers Reds who are riding high up the table. What the friendly against Tuffley showed was that we have the technique, approach play and skill levels to match anyone but still fitness in some quarters was an issue. The message is simple and one that has been repeated dozens of times. You need to make sure of your fitness. Can you run 100km? Can you last a full match at the required intensity? Can you get up and down the pitch as much as your position demands? If the answer to any of those is no then do something about it.

No excuses, switch off the TV, put down the phone and just do it.

Improving and room for improvement

With a period of what seems like months between games this LRFC team needed a work out. A friendly fixture against Tuffley just the ticket. With both sides having already played each other in the league there was no upper hand to be gained in this match. The league match ended 2-2 and today LRFC were on the wrong end of a 2-1 score line. The score line really was irrelevant as this was about fitness and playing a match. Nothing more. 

With injuries and illness affecting availability LRFC had a bare 11 players and a late substitute in the shape of Sam arriving after work. The team lined up familiarly in. 4-3-2-1 formation. Will in goal, Adam and Fin at full back, Ben and George at centre back. In front of them Jacob and Tom holding. Alf in the hole, Luca left wing, Olly on the right and Jorge up front. 

As the game progressed the formation was causing LRFC problems with the gap between defence and attack too great. The attackers were not dropping back and forcing the defence to try and push into midfield or hit the ball long. Reverting to 4-4-2 did plug the gap and also saw LRFC create a number of chances as the game reached its conclusion. 

Tuffley took the lead seizing onto a loose ball in the box following a corner to finish well low into the corner beyond Will's dive. LRFC equalised before the half was over with Jorge ringing himself in acres of space following a Tuffley mix up. He kept his cool to wrong foot the keeper and send a shot into the net. 

The winning goal, as it would turn out, came later in the same half. The Tuffley midfielder striking the ball sweetly from outside the box into the top corner leaving the keeper with no chance. 

The game was played in great spirit and while both sides refereed half a game each it could have easily continued without one. Tuffley were strong through the middle and LRFC always a threat from wide positions. Both sides created chances and but for better finishing and composure front of goal there could have been a higher score. 

That it remained 2-1 was in no small part down to the LRFC keeper who made a quite stunning save when he had no right too. A shot from close range saw him throw an arm at it and somehow lift the ball over the bar. Reactions, reflexes and strength all in evidence. A finer save you will not have seen on that given Sunday. 

LRFC played some great football and while there was an improvement from recent weeks there were similar issues, finishing and in particular composure in front of goal and in some areas fitness. 

While football is a game of skill and technique it is also dominated by work rate. All of this requires high fitness levels. Generally a team that outruns the opposition gets the result. Today LRFC showed improving work rate but there is room for improvement. With another fortnight before the next game the players should take heart from this performance as it was an improving one and also be motivated to get out and take responsibility for their fitness.

A good performance  against a good opposition and room to improve. 

Sunday 06/11 - Friendly match V Tuffley

Sunday we have a friendly match away to Tuffley Rovers. We will kick off at 10:30am so make sure you have a dry and early night on Saturday! 

We will meet at 10am ahead of the game. 

Squad will be...

1. Will (Captain)
2. Ben
3. George
4. Jacob
5. Ryan
6. Fin
7. Tom
8. Olly
9. Luca
10. Jorge
11. Alf
12. Adam
13. Sam*
14. James**

*arriving after work (hopefully!)

**James plays for the Reserves and is also eligible to play for us. He is coming along on Sunday to play and see about joining us. 

Unavailable for this match are Freddie, Hayden and Dan

The game will be played at a different venue to our opening league match, we will be on pitches at The Lannet on King Edwards Avenue. According to Google Maps its around 10 miles and a 20 minute drive.