Red Lions defense a cause for concern
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What a difference a season makes. In last season’s CPL, the Red Lions were shipping in goals, thanks to a lack of players, and two games in a day. But the last time the Red Lions goal was breached was 2 months ago, in the 3-4 defeat at the hands of the Scorpions.
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Bringing the man-handling Pole to the back – which he admittedly favours – has proven to be a master tactic by captain Rooney, stabilizing the defense whilst at the same time filling a gap that was left by “Quality” George who has left Taiwan for the poverty stricken, bankrupt state of California.
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Since that dreaded day, where they lost a 3-1 lead with just 5 minutes to play, the Red Lions have had three goalkeepers, none of whom have conceded a goal. The Mighty Shane have tried, and failed, twice against them, and even with the very shaky Rob “Howler” Fowler in the starting line-up, could not find a way to penetrate. Not an issue, we understand, that Clovis has.
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Last Sunday, against the Mighty Shane, Fowler was in impressive form for the Lions, making a handful of saves to frustrate the opponents. Equally impressive though was the fact that 5 consecutive clean sheets is a CPL record. Well, the Lions are claiming it as such – alas there are no records to verify this claim, at least, none that are reliable, given Tim “Knee” Brown and Carlos Blundinho’s poor record on statistics.
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Da An, Carnegies and TFC have also been on the receiving end of this impressive Red Lions streak which has seen Matt “Terrier” Clark and Ant “Hammy” Tan staking their claims for a place in the starting 11, with Clovis being relegated to warming up the bench. Logan in midfield has been more than impressive with his marking danger players out of the game, as he did against Carnegies, and as such the Lions have set up stall. It’s not all about attacking football – the defense has been re-arranged to stop the goals from being conceded, and that has brought the Lions 13 points from the last possible 15.
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Asked if Rob "Man-Handling Polack" Iwanicki would ever play up front again, Rooney replied “Not a chance.”
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And this weekend against the rejuvenated Celts, the Lions will try to stretch their record to 6. Despite the record priced transfer of Andy to the Celts during the transfer window (after all, they needed to fill the gap that Judas left when he returned to his spiritual home of the Red Lions), you wouldn’t yet bet your house on the Lions losing that streak.
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