Udon Thani FC - The 2013-season

Post by **Brian Davis** » August 18, 2013, 6:30 am

Udon must view that as Happy Saturday!

Appreciating it's a team effort and keeping a clean sheet is as important as scoring, but do you know the goalscorers Svein? Wish that SMMTV was in English.

"They use head-to-head to decide places if teams ends the season on same number of points. UDFC "lost" 0-2 when Ubon visited them early in the season when the floodlights failed." - I really, really hope it doesn't come to that and what a tragedy it would be if that frustrating failure decided it, rather than actual football.

Of course, unless there's a major turnabout in the remaining games, Udon is well ahead on goal difference if that criteria has to be used to decide.

Post by **Svein66** » August 18, 2013, 8:08 am

Brian Davis wrote:Udon must view that as Happy Saturday!

Appreciating it's a team effort and keeping a clean sheet is as important as scoring, but do you know the goalscorers Svein? Wish that SMMTV was in English.

"They use head-to-head to decide places if teams ends the season on same number of points. UDFC "lost" 0-2 when Ubon visited them early in the season when the floodlights failed." - I really, really hope it doesn't come to that and what a tragedy it would be if that frustrating failure decided it, rather than actual football.

Of course, unless there's a major turnabout in the remaining games, Udon is well ahead on goal difference if that criteria has to be used to decide.

Niyom, Puaya and Yemi scored the goals.

The criteria they use to decide places are head-to-head > number of wins > goaldifference > goals scored...

There are small chances that goaldifference will have a say between UDFC and Ubon, as UDFC have to beat Ubon 2-0, and then lose 2 of the other 3 remaining games, while Ubon win all their other 3 games, and finish the season with the same number of wins.
UDFC has 2 more wins than Ubon now and however I look at it that will be the decider if we win 2-0 at Ubon as both teams then can`t finish the season on both same points and same number of wins.

But next weekend it might look even better than today, as we really should beat bottom team Mukdahan easy while Ubon has a very hard game (on paper) at Loei, who hasn`t lost at home all season (9 wins 3 draws).

Also, we are at least 1 point ahead of the 3rd placed team in the North region, and it`s important to stay in front of them as the best of the two 3rd placed teams will play no 2 in South for the last play-off place. That`s a single game in Ayutthaya on September 22nd, I think.

Post by **Svein66** » August 18, 2013, 3:52 pm

The next game, at home vs Mukdahan, is moved to Sunday August 25th.

Post by **udonfox** » August 19, 2013, 10:03 am

Hi Svein,what is the kickoff time please.Udon should get a few goals in that game.Cheers!!!!

Post by **Svein66** » August 19, 2013, 10:09 am

udonfox wrote:Hi Svein,what is the kickoff time please.Udon should get a few goals in that game.Cheers!!!!

It`s 6pm unless they change it. Mukdahan beat Loei 1-0 yesterday and got off the bottom place, so that should send a message to UDFC to not underestimate them. But normally it shold be an easy win for UDFC.

Post by **udonfox** » August 19, 2013, 10:35 am

Thank you Sir!! It should be an entertaining game.Looking forward to it!

Post by **Svein66** » August 21, 2013, 8:39 pm

Next game...

Post by **Brian Davis** » August 22, 2013, 11:01 am

Any explanation for the change of date? I see the Honda Sports Days and believe the redshirts are gathering again, but these events are BOTH Saturday and Sunday.
My suspicious mind wonders whether Udon might appreciate knowing Ubon's Saturday result before the now Sunday fixture.

Mind you, if it's been raining in Udon as it has been in Phen last night and today, it may again be more like watersports than football. I do hope Udon have some foresight here if there's the possibility of surface water, as a repeat of ball boys using tables in the attempt to clear water is rather pathetic.
I plan to put a fork in the car. Grounds in the Uk are miles better than in the past, but a fork used to be a useful tool in 'easing away' surface water.

Post by **Svein66** » August 22, 2013, 10:36 pm

Brian Davis wrote:Any explanation for the change of date?

The pitch are unavailable on Saturday, according to Thai League Football on twitter, but don`t know more than that. Let`s hope there won`t be anything on the pitch that will make it worse on Sunday...

Post by **Brian Davis** » August 23, 2013, 8:35 am

The Rajabhat female student games would be welcome

- then I could spend my whole weekend at the place.

I just hope it's not buffalo racing!

Post by **Svein66** » August 24, 2013, 5:57 pm

RESULT today: Loei City 2-0 Ubon UMT

Post by **phen** » August 25, 2013, 8:28 am

That's very good for Udon.
A win today and they can go with a 6 point lead to Ubon next week.

Post by **Svein66** » August 25, 2013, 9:40 pm

Udon Thani 2-0 Mukdahan

This means that if UDFC win in Ubon next week, they are sure of a play-off place.
If a draw in Ubon, UDFC need 1 point from last 2 games if Ubon win their last 2.
If Ubon win next week, UDFC will need 4 points from last 2 if Ubon win their last 2.

UDFC has won their last 9 games now, and has 7 clean sheets in a row.

Roi Et was the first team to qualify for the play-off when Ubon lost yesterday. Roi Et also won today and are 6 points ahead of UDFC with 3 games left. And UDFC and Roi Et meet in the last game.

Post by **phen** » August 26, 2013, 1:37 pm

Great result and I hope next week they win again.
Which players make the goals yesterday?

Post by **Svein66** » August 26, 2013, 2:29 pm

phen wrote:Great result and I hope next week they win again.
Which players make the goals yesterday?

No 14 & 20 made the goals. No 20 has 9 goals in 7 games for Udon now and he has been a great signing for them.

I hope they beat Ubon on Sunday, but it would also be great to have something to play for in the last 2 games, and for that to happen they can`t beat Ubon.
It was 2875 tickets sold yesterday, a record for a league game (I think), and it would be even more against Loei and Roi Et if it`s not decided yet. I also think the club needs the money from those games.
But it could also go very wrong at the end, so let`s make sure we go to the play-off this week...

Post by **phen** » August 26, 2013, 3:23 pm

Thanks for the update.

I agree with you Svein take the play off tickets first.
Than the players can relax 2 games and make the money with the 5 extra play off games at home.

Go for it UDFC and beat Ubon next week.

Post by **Svein66** » August 27, 2013, 5:07 am

Next game: Ubon UMT vs UDFC on Sunday at 6pm.
It will be shown live on SMMTV.

Post by **Svein66** » September 1, 2013, 8:41 pm

Result Sunday: Ubon UMT 0-0 UDFC

This means that UDFC need 1 more point to be sure of a place in the play-off, or Regional Champions League as it`s called.

The last 2 games are both at home, vs Loei and Roi Et.

Post by **Svein66** » September 2, 2013, 7:01 am

There was some very good news coming from the UDFC-camp late last night. Awarded wins like the one Ubon got in Udon earlier this season, when the floodlights failed, do not count as head-to-head.
So after the draw yesterday, the number of wins (UDFC 17 Ubon 14) or goaldifference (UDFC has 15 goals better) will decide 2nd place if we lose our last 2 and Ubon wins.
If number of wins, we are already in RL Champions League, if goaldifference, we need to lose big while Ubon wins big if they are to be 2nd. I think we can say for sure that our season are now extended until Christmas...

=D>

Post by **Brian Davis** » September 2, 2013, 7:16 am

Members will know I'm all for 'being there', but there's no guarantee on the game you'll see, or how your team will play. For those who did travel the considerable distance, well done, I hope you had a good time, but having watched on tv, I'm rather glad I stayed at home.

It wasn't much of a game IMO, the first half in particular spoiled by continuous fouls, so there wasn't much flowing football. Even the TW noticed that! Not a game for the faint-hearted player, as there was plenty of contact. I thought Udon had a case in complaining to the ref, when two Udon players got yellow cards,yet Ubon's seemingly 'big' team was very willing to get 'stuck in'. But yellow cards seemed to equalise later in the game. The second half improved, albeit with Ubon pushing for the win they needed, but Udon's defence held fast, protecting the 'keeper well. Indeed, it was Udon which came closest to scoring in the game overall with two efforts coming off the post.

If the fixture list holds good, (I thought there was a rule that the last two games had to be played on the same day?)I see Ubon are due to play next Saturday, Udon on Sunday. So Udon should be aware how significant the game v Loei is.

I've just picked up Svein's further post, so short of a catastrophe, it seems Udon are already there. It has been a great run since I thought they'd 'blown it' around the time of the Nong Khai away defeat.

Svein - do you know how the teams in the two groups of the 'Regional Champions League' is decided?