Harimau Malaya : We need flair and creativity

This is my review regarding Malaysian football team since the friendly against Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Singapore.

Arsenal, Liverpool & Chelsea
To sum up Harimau Malaya performance against a trio of Barclays ex-champions, there are things that we can be proud of such as the performance of Kunalan, Safiq and Salee.  I remember Mr Wenger highlighted that Malaysian football lack the physical side in football but we must compensate that we skill, technique and pace.  We got a good strikeforce in Safee and Nur Idlan but unfortunately the latter only played the qualifying game against Taiwan.  Even during that game you can see that he wasn't really fit.  Kunalan in the other hand created a lot of problems for Arsenal and Liverpool, his darting run along the left wing was acknowledge by Steve Clarke of Liverpool.  Safee emergence during the Liverpool game showed that we've got a talented striker that can deliver goals.


Harimau Muda vs Harimau Tua
Harimau Muda A match was a bit different, which Kim Swee chose to use veteran players than the current under 23 players.  Newspaper hail Norhafiz and the veteran lads but for me I saw the performance of the young tigers was much more energetic than the old harimau's.  We can see the team improved during the second half when Kim Swee started to send in young tigers to replace to 1st half team.  I think Malaysia is suited to play the passing game, overlapping runs from both wings.  The only thing now is to learn to hold the ball much longer and find a playmaker who can direct the killer pass to the strikers.

For Kim Swee and Datuk Rajagobal my advise to them on Harimau Tua, please move on, their time have passed, we should look into the young Harimau players and see their development in football.

Flair & Creativity
With Singapore we should see things positively, Safee was on target again, Khairul Fahmi was on form and we got tremendous support from Malaysians. Full stop.

Now we must look into the central midfield, i think last night there was lack of mobility and movement between them and they sat too deep in the Malaysian half.  The strikers and wingers lack support and passes dried up during first half.  Actually i think they played a lot of long balls during the 1st half and it didn't work.  They should stick their normal passing game and counter attacking so they create a lot of chances.  Balls coming in the final third were drying up, Rajagobal should have let the strikers go wide so that the Singapore defence would be dragged with them and opened up the central area.  Then he should have pushed Kunalan and Amirulhadi inside and make use their pace during the counter attacks and even the fullbacks can overlap to lend in support.

The other thing that they need to improve is player movement..they need to move as a team.  Centre backs, midfield must sync together so that they can control the ball better and passes can be delivered.

Pressing is an important part of the game, I think Rajagobal needs to improve the team's pressing strategy.  You should press the opponents from their half, not only in our half.  Close them down early and you can disturb their play.  Then combine it with your counter attacking strategy and you will have a deadly combination.

But anyways, we all know if we got through the next round it will the top asian teams to qualify and Singapore wouldn't be one of them.  Congrats anyway to Harimau Malaya for their fighting spirits and Malaysian supporters.