Managers Mastermind Convincing 1-0 Victory

Yarsene Wenger, Rafarell Benitez and Derek O'Leary combined forces to lead X-S to a brilliant win over the Purple Hippos Football Hooligans Football Club (PHFHFC). X-S dominated throughout and was barely troubled despite all the pre-match hype. The tie was settled by skipper Fabreyas' howitzer from 20 yards out just minutes before the break, leaving PHFHFC's goalkeeper in no-man's land. The win coincided with the launch of the new all-yellow X-S FC strip and presence of Asst Manager, Nani.

In a match with many positives, Japanese import Takeshi put in a brilliant performance alongside the skipper in central midfield, bossing the opposition around with his calming influence. He's putting in a strong claim for a midfield berth in the absence of Javier MaShaunrano and Wayne Booney. Ilhan Manqif also performed well in the left-wing role at the start of the match, and RonAlidinho was as usual, found wanting in the fitness department on the opposite flank. We believe that this is due to staying at home too much and not enjoying the nightlife as much as compatriot Ronaldinho. We still caught glimpses of his brilliance, and if not for the crossbar, he would've made it 2-0 with a curling effort. When asked about his lack of fitness or perceived laziness, RonAlidinho flashed his toothy grin and winked, "Make the ball work, not your team-mates." Go figure.

The 5-man defence prominently featured Rio FerdinEng as a calm sweeper who gave stand-in goalkeeper SissyNeo nothing to do except for 2 simple saves, one with his face. Outside-standing goalkeeping. The opposing team was seen breathing a sigh of relief that their ball wasn't punctured by the man's "Big Tooth". Jamie Farrellgher and Yongberto Carlos played in front of Eng and kept possession for the team well. They were flanked by Alvaro WeiJialoa and Habib Bhai-ye who helped keep the defence water-tight. Habib Bhai-ye revealed in a post-match interview that he doesn't like to head the ball, which was obvious throughout the course of the match. How he managed to play for MJC 'A' Div Champions still perplexes me.

The 2 Huda brothers took turns to lead the attack, and performed exceptionally well. The awareness and off-the-ball running created plenty of shooting opportunities for their team-mates. Hafizo Quagliarella still needs more match practice as his touches continually failed him. His heading prowess however, were as sharp as ever, evident when he was temporarily covering the RWB position.

Fan-Watch: Presence of injured players David Woo Wee-Becks and Daniel Alves in the stands provided a boost for the team. NaNizar also came with Adibayor later on after his commitments to his other team.

X-S FC in a League competition?: Managers Yarsene and Rafarrell kept mum when asked about the team aspirations. It could be a possibility, pending further discussions with Jose Booninho and Derek O'Leary. Asst Manager Nani could not be reached for comments.

Sponsorship on the cards?: Yarsene Wenger's uncle is possibly keen to sponsor the club, pending certain obligations n commitments. It is now all up to the players and Board of Directors to impress.

Goalkeeping Dilemma?: X-S FC is on the lookout for another goalkeeper, due to the current shortage that they are facing, if a league challenge is on the cards. To keep SissyNeo as goalkeeper is as good as suicide on a raffia string.

Another 2 week absence of skipper Cesc Fabreyas begins tonight as his flight leaves for an island 4 hours away, together with manager Yarsene Wenger. They are away on a training stint and scouting for Oriental beauties to join the boardroom staff. The crux of the matter is whether the team will crumble again in his absence, which he really doubts. Vice-captain Farrellgher has been entrusted to keep our players' tempers in check and ensure the team keeps their winning ways. Derek O'Leary will be encouraged to try his funny tactics n formation in Wenger's absence, so as to find the best possible attacking formation for the team.

*photos will be uploaded once David Woo WeeBecks' photographers send them over.*