Chocolate Teapot.... Verdy 2-3 Yokohama

More tea Vicar??

Well The Boys couldn`t take advantage of JEF`s slip up and now the gap is seven points. Another fightback to 3-2 from 3-0 down and some definate plus points in that respect, BUT make no bones about it Verdy had enough clear cut chances to win this game three times over. Once again the lack of an (anywhere near) decent centre forward put paid to our chances of collecting anything.
Taira Inoue did indeed (surely for the last time) take the field as starting striker and predictably gave a masterclass in scuffing, shinrolling, 50p heading and general ineptitude. He passed up FOUR golden opportunities to score. No amount of analysing, soulsearching or mediating circumstances can disguise the fact that TAIRA INOUE IS A SHIT FORWARD! He knew himself he was having a `mare cursing and slamming the turf in frustration at his feet not being able to do what his head was telling them. However he wasn`t the only one guilty of horrendous finishing, Abe skyed an effort from the 6 yard box that should be landing back down just about now, Shibasaki was shooting from anywhere. Truly awful.
Now let`s turn to Yokohama, it took them four attempts to score three goals. The first a corner swung in after 10 minutes and the forward was unmarked to glance his header home, the second a huge goalkick upfield, one bounce, Tomisawa left it thinking it`d run through to Doi, Yokohama forward nipped in and chipped in, the third saw Tsuchiya unusually unsure of himself and again the forward was able to slot home far too easily.  So 3-0 down after having the ball for the majority of the game and dominating play.
The Fightback....was orchestrated by the Takagi brothers and what a pair of goals they produced!! Wow!! is all I can say. After seeing an earlier effort crash back off the cross bar,the first  goal was a free kick won by Yoshiaki Takagi maybe five yards outside the box. He waved away all the oncomers took the kick himself, up and over the wall into the top corner and left the goalie rooted to the spot... 17 years old ladies and gentlemen!! Before the game there was a presentation for the previous weeks Goal Of The Week for J2 given to a Yokohama player for what was a cracking goal. The second Takagi goal (this time the older Toshiyuki) will be a tough one to beat for this weeks best. He recieved the ball on the far corner of the Yokohama box and started to work his way across the top of the box looking for a shooting opportunity, he dummied one defender putting him on his backside and instantaneously SLAMMED the ball into the top corner past the diving keeper!! Absolute Roy of The Rovers goal the kind you dream about when you`re a kid. Verdy`s first point of business if at all possible should be to hang on to these two for as long as they can.

Bend it like Takagi!!

Er..shout about it like the other Takagi!!

Promotion wise we are up against it though assuming Inoue has walked the plank into shark infested waters we should be in better shape when the absentees return. Only if the entire staff of Tokyo Verdy have doctor confirmed death certificates should Taira Inoue start another game. This includes the youth team, the Under 7`s, tea ladies, bus driver, cheerleaders and the bloke who wears the vulture mascot  suit. All teams need a fall guy to blame it all on, we had The Donk for the last couple of seasons and now we have Bonnie Taira.......so at least Inoue is useful for something!!