It was only fitting that the season ended the way it started—with a loss featuring five conceded goals.

In their last game of Season 73, the Blue Booters were outplayed, outclassed, and outhustled by the UST Growling Tigers.

The early morning kick-off saw a flurry of DLSU players rooting against their bitter rivals from the perimeters of Erenchun field; for La Salle, an Ateneo victory would be the only way they could make the UAAP Finals. For Ateneo, the match-up was a no-bearing game, with only pride at stake.

But as it has been all season, spectators brimming with hopes of a win, a moment of brilliance, or even a single goal, were disappointed by a porous defense, and a lack of focus and desire.

UAAP Season 73 has been a long and disheartening nightmare; the Loyola squad finished the season with a dismal winless record of seven defeats and three draws (0-7-3)—a showing even worse than last season.

Fit and right?

Experts and professionals say it all the time: the way you train determines game performances; you train in the same manner you want to play. In fact, Blue Eagles Head Coach Norman Black, says the practice prior to the game is a telling indicator of what to expect come tip-off.

The absence of a more rigorous conditioning has proven to be detrimental for the Blue Booters. Their lack of speed has left them vulnerable to counterattacks, while also lacking that extra gear offensively.

The sight of players gasping after a short sprint, repeatedly being out-hustled by the likes of FEU, DLSU and UST has sparked comments regarding how unfit the Blue Booters are.

A player who wanted to remain anonymous shared surprise over the relaxed training regiment of a team competing at the collegiate level.

According to three-year Blue Booter Anton Amistoso, there are no sprint drills or exercises specified to increase speed and explosiveness. “The most we run is our 20 minute warm-up in the beginning of practice,” he says. For the most part, the Blue Booters’ practice features scrimmages and drills to hone the team’s offensive and defensive movements.

Flaws of the system

Directed by Head Coach Arnulfo Merida, the past decade has seen the Blue Booters employ the 4-3-2-1 system—the defensive approach was the same formation that won them a three-peat in 2004 to 2006.

But Rick Olivares, Philippine National Football Team Media Representative, close follower of Ateneo football, and a former Blue Booter himself explains that a defensive system thrives on ball possession and control.

This system showcases many crosses from the wings, which require highly skilled finishers to convert such plays into goals—something the Blue Booters lack.

Olivares further points out that such a system puts pressure on the midfielders to convert the crosses into goals because of the absence of able strikers. The Blue Booters have had their fair of chances this season; but don’t have a natural finisher to capitalize on these opportunities.

In the draw against UE, Ateneo was at its most effective offensively, with as many as eight attempts in the first half alone; still, they were unable to convert.

If there is anything that highlights the tactical flaws, it is this:  after 10 games and 900 minutes of football, Ateneo conceded 22 goals, and had only scored two—one in the 5-1 season opener against DLSU, courtesy of Amistoso, and a lucky deflected goal in their 1-1 draw against FEU.

Rookie inexperience

Rookies Gabriel Manalo, Ajji Opus and Emman Paredes saw lots of playing time and have performed notably. Paredes showed great potential as a wingman and playmaker, making countless runs, beating defenders and crossing dangerous balls into striking zone. On several occasions it was Paredes that tried to create something out of nothing.

Rookie Jose Sison, a wingman, also showed promise in being able to run plays and facilitate crosses. Nevertheless, being rookies, they lacked experience.

Ateneo’s rookies were greatly outplayed by the shining performances of rookies from opposing schools. Jinggoy Valmayor leads UP in scoring. La Salle rookie Nathan Alquiros, a former high school teammate of Paredes in PAREF Southridge, was initially looking to be a Blue Booter but was not recruited, prompting him to go to DLSU. He now plays a big part of their offensive army.

A lack of focus

Their inconsistent performances have been attributed to a lack of focus. In their embarrassing 5-1 loss to DLSU, Coach Merida said “Never have I seen anything like this in all my years here.”

With all of the problems surrounding the Blue Booters, it is difficult to sustain the morale and fighting spirit. Problems with recruitment, the system, the coaching and the players themselves have caused the steeping slump that is Ateneo Football.

While everyone is relieved that the nightmare season has finally ended, it is nothing compared to what could happen if the problems of the Ateneo Football program are not addressed.

At the end of that 5-0 defeat to UST, fans and spectators could only feel sympathy for the players on the brink of tears as the Blue Babble Brass band hummed the Song for Mary.

But for the few that had watched the entire season unravel, there was no sympathy; it was a result that the Ateneo Football program deserved for having letting it rust.

“Something must be done,” a spectator said.

Photos by: Patricia Anne Mendoza