Defence Force coach Lloyd Andrews hopes his Army battalion can find last season’s title-winning form early as the 2023/2024 T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) season resumes on Wednesday. He attributed Defence Force's up-and-down start to the season to their involvement in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup and their lengthy run in the TTPFL knockout tournament, which saw them defeating Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in an enthralling finale.
"We have won two games, we drew two games and we have lost one. But, the competition is still open," Andrews told Newsday. "Once we can pick up maximum points along the way. I think we will be good."
With last season's TTPFL MVP Justin "Shiggy" Garcia at the heart of the defence, the Army were resolute at the back and surgical in attack as they surged to TTPFL double crown. So far this season, Andrews said their defensive prowess has diminished.
"Our defensive organisation, for some reason or the other, was not what we had before – even though we did not change it. We have to pay some attention to that and we have to pay some attention to goal-scoring. We have to pay some attention to denying the opposition space and time between our defensive line."
Andrews said supreme fitness and mastering of the basics will be the key for TTPFL's title aspirants.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 6 pm, the fourth-placed Defence Force (eight points) will meet the sixth-placed Caledonia (six points). The Army have already dropped seven points in the young season, after draws with Police FC and Point Fortin Civic, to go along with a defeat against a Real Gill-inspired Club Sando team on December 15 but Andrews wants the defending champions to start hitting their stride against Caledonia.
"We want to win this game against Caledonia at all costs. We want to kinda go up the standings. One of the things we must do is take our opportunities, and let the other team come from behind."
Last season’s TTPFL runner-up AC PoS will go after a fifth straight win on Wednesday when they tackle Eagles FC (formerly Cunupia FC) at the Arima Velodrome from 6 pm in the first game of a double-header.
AC PoS head the 11-team table with a perfect 12 points from four matches, and have already scored an impressive 16 goals – drubbing the cellar-placed Central FC by an 8-1 margin on December 20 to end 2023 in fine style.
AC PoS, who were narrowly pipped to the inaugural TTPFL title by Defence Force last season, will aim to continue their momentum against the eighth-placed Eagles.
In the second game of the Velodrome double-header from 8.10 pm, a rejuvenated Prisons FC (nine points) will tackle Tiger Tanks Club Sando (seven points) in an intriguing encounter. Prisons are third on the standings, with Sando closely on their heels in fifth spot.
At the Phase 2 La Horquetta recreation ground, the enterprising Rangers (six points) will look to address their indifferent start to the season when they entertain the struggling Central team from 6 pm.
Central have lost all five of their matches so far this season – conceding a whopping 20 goals in the process.
At the St James Police Barracks from 6 pm, the second-placed Police FC (11 points) will vie to keep their impressive unbeaten run intact when they host the ninth-placed Civic (four points).
Police have registered three wins and two draws in their five matches, and have looked a different team thus far this season, with players such as Keron Cummings, Alvin Jones, Joevin Jones and Willis Plaza all featuring prominently.
Civic will journey from the South and try to evade Police’s capture and end the lawmen’s run.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday
16 