Submitted by: Confaderal | 28th February 2025
**Note: This match is at 6PM, not 8.30PM!
Imagine getting a season-ending injury four games into your debut season in the Singapore Premier League. Because I was late(through no fault of my own) to the last encounter between Young Lions & Hougang, I was not able to hear it, but most people in the hougang stands heard a "crack" sound just before Jovan Mugosa collapsed into a heap(It happened on the Hougang fan's end).
The Young Lions then went on to score a goal that came directly as a result of Mugosa collapsing, literally, adding insult to the injury. In my previous article, I did mention that everyone has a right to play-on. Knowing then what I knew now, I think it's fair to say that if I heard a fellow professional footballer/colleague snap a bone, I'd stop being a competitor and, heck, even stop the game myself.
A "crack" sound from a broken bone is loud. I've heard one myself all those years back. It ain't pretty. I wonder if Fairuz and the referee did hear it. If they heard it and didn't stop play, then quite frankly, I'm speechless. Nothing else in the field of play will sound like a crunch of a tree branch.
That said, let's hope Jovan Mugosa has a speedy recovery process! Yet another victim has been claimed by injury in the Hougang camp. We should make it a mandate to beat Young Lions in the next match — For Mugi and for our cup hopes to be alive. Let's dive into the ways we can break down this Young Lions side: Young Lions vs Hougang United SG Cup 24/25! Let's go!
Treat this like a continental game
I remembered how on the most recent continental stage, we were beaten by height. One was against Gabriel Peres(1.97m) from Sabah, another was Yuran Fernandes(1.98m) from PSM Makassar. Both these gigantic players simply had to shield the ball from our players and there was no way to get the ball away from them. They also happened to score against us.
What happens to be a bad day in the office can become a learning lesson we can apply for us in this upcoming match.
Should YL use the same lineup again, we could see a height advantage we can use against them, especially in set pieces.
We could even revert back to Route-One football because we have the size and height advantage. Just to clarify, Route-one is when a direct attacking play is executed when the opponents are not in a state of transition. Counter-attack is when a direct attacking play is executed as a result of a transition.
That being said, if we keep the ball in the air, and use all of Plazonja, Racic, Salihovic, and Daniel Alemao for our attacks, then we're one step closer in finding a solution to beat the Young Lions. Just like the saying in Singapore goes: "If land is scarce, the solution is to build HIGHER!".
Defence is everything — Young Lions will attack!
First thing first, Young Lions are not used to a team who sits back against them. Their team is moulded from a desire to exploit the spaces left over. They are not equipped to break down defences in a low block. This was similar to Hougang a long time ago when we were starting out in the league. We were, back then, a good, tenacious, counter-attacking team.
But once we got good at it and teams started to see our threat, they sat deep and things started to change. We didn't have the players to break down a cautious defence. Thus, we have evolved since then to include the buildup and a playmaker in our gameplay alongside what we're known for.
So in this sense, the Young Lions are stuck in that progression.
Second thing, Young Lions lost in their first SG Cup match against DPMM. They need a win here to keep their hopes alive. The onus is on them to score. We need all 11 players to treat this game like a continental game and be cautious and defensive. If we press well and keep it tight, we will prevent Young Lions having space to hurt us. Be defensive. Don't let them score first then the game will be ours to control.
If we fail to do so and they score first, then the Young Lions will have space everytime we go up to attack. Don't forget, we've never beaten Young Lions this season yet! And all the times we drew, Young Lions scored first!
The dangermen
In line with scoring first, I'm pretty sure the Young Lions will want to do just that. In them, they will want their forward fulcrums to start the attacking phase. And truthfully, their fulcrums are very very mobile. More mobile than ours at least.
Fathullah or Andrew Aw have been deployed in this position where they are the extra man in attack to provide the option for a wall-pass. Sometimes you also get the wunderkind Ethan Pinto in this position too from the wide areas coming inside. The finishers will be waiting to pounce, namely, Kan Kobayashi and Amir Syafiz.
Don't sleep on Amir Syafiz. And I've mentioned this to the other fans from other fan clubs as well. So sometimes when I have time on the weekends, I'll indulge in what's called "event-tagging" to grow my database of SPL insights. I did so for Young Lions as recently as a year ago and this kid popped up repeatedly in good positions and have many chances generated. He was underrated then, and to some extent, even till now.
Against a static and straight backline, we'll surely allow them a clear route towards goal. We must becareful.
In Conclusion
"Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of victory in the attack." -Sun Tzu
In conclusion, just like what old master Sun Tzu says: Be defensively solid first and you'll never be defeated then you can supplement it with the attack to gain a victory.
A good attack wins games. A good defence wins titles. Go get the win, cheetahs! Semangat! #1H1H
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Young Lions vs Hougang Quick Report:
- The return of Anders
- Dangermen: Kan Kobayashi, Ethan Pinto, Andrew, Fathullah
- Use our height advantage!
- Jovan Mugosa injured
- The attacking onus will be on Young Lions and they'll likely try to score first!
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Which of our superstar subs would you see starting?
0%Gabriel Quak
0%Hazzuwan Halim
0%Anders Aplin
0%Nazrul Nazari
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