Indian Hockey

[Gollum]

Late goal against Arg sinks us. Third straight narrow loss. Hope Fulton is just experimenting here, with eyes on the WC next year. 

[Gollum]

On 6/11/2025 at 1:34 PM, deathmonger said:

Yeah. He was a wall.

 

Let's see how the rest of the matches go.

Not good, 4th straight defeat this leg, again lost to Argentina. Jugraj missed a penalty stroke at the end, and horrible keeping display once again, these guys used to do much better under the shadow of Sreejesh, when the spotlight wasn't on them. 

 

Generally we dominate Arg. 

Edited June 13, 2025 by Gollum

[deathmonger]

2 hours ago, Gollum said:

Not good, 4th straight defeat this leg, again lost to Argentina. Jugraj missed a penalty stroke at the end, and horrible keeping display once again, these guys used to do much better under the shadow of Sreejesh, when the spotlight wasn't on them. 

 

Generally we dominate Arg. 

Yeah, Netherlands is okay. Argentina isn't. Shouldn't be losing to them.

[Gollum]

6 straight losses, all close ones where we even held lead for large portions of the games. Losing is a habit, just like winning. Now awaits the Belgian test. Don't understand why we go into a shell every time we take a lead. 

[Gollum]

7th straight defeat. Go down 3-6 to Belgium. Need big overhaul, 5-6 players deserve to be permanently axed. Though 37, Sreejesh may need to take back retirement for next year's WC.  

 

Our longest losing streak now, we had lost 6 straight games in 2012 London Olympics. All eyes on Fulton, he is being too stubborn with his 'defend to win' tactics and team selection. 

[Gollum]

No place to hide in FIH Pro League. 

 

8 consecutive games in a fortnight against Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Belgium is hell. Harmanpreet also with his injury woes. 

[Gollum]

 

[Gollum]

Lalit Kumar Upadhyay announces retirement. Good career, but he wouldn't have been picked for the WC. Thank you for your services. 

[deathmonger]

On 6/22/2025 at 9:53 PM, Gollum said:

 

Finally won

[deathmonger]

Realized one thing. We hold all of the Asian trophies now. @Gollum

 

Last it happened was 2017-2018.

 

Our hold should be perpetual.

[Gollum]

9 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

Realized one thing. We hold all of the Asian trophies now. @Gollum

 

Last it happened was 2017-2018.

 

Our hold should be perpetual.

Yes man. We should have held it before also but treated previous Asia Cup as a selection trial for rookies, we played so many debutantes against Pak and still held them to a draw....we could do that because being 23 WC hosts,we got automatic qualification.

 

If we take these events even a little bit seriously, no one is touching us. Just check the victory margins we have over these other Asian sides the last 6-7 years. 

[Gollum]

On 9/18/2025 at 10:29 PM, deathmonger said:

Realized one thing. We hold all of the Asian trophies now. @Gollum

 

Last it happened was 2017-2018.

 

Our hold should be perpetual.

FIH Pro League on. Rourkela last 2 days, Belgium beat us 3-1, Argentina beat us 8-0. 

[Gollum]

Arg were 7-0 after 1st 2 quarters, took it easy after that. One of the worst ever days in Indian hockey, defensive lapses were like that Brazil-Germany 2014 FIFA WC SF. 

[deathmonger]

23 minutes ago, Gollum said:

FIH Pro League on. Rourkela last 2 days, Belgium beat us 3-1, Argentina beat us 8-0. 

 

21 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Arg were 7-0 after 1st 2 quarters, took it easy after that. One of the worst ever days in Indian hockey, defensive lapses were like that Brazil-Germany 2014 FIFA WC SF. 

Yeah saw that.

 

How does India **** the bed in FIH pro league but kick ass in Olympics?

 

In Olympics it seems like only Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Australia can defeat us. But in Pro League we keep losing to the likes of England and Argentina?

[Gollum]

16 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

 

Yeah saw that.

 

How does India **** the bed in FIH pro league but kick ass in Olympics?

 

In Olympics it seems like only Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Australia can defeat us. But in Pro League we keep losing to the likes of England and Argentina?

Maybe we don't take it seriously. But still losing isn't the big problem here, when you get folded like this before your home fans, interest in the sport dies. We have 2 more games against these same 2 sides tomorrow and day after, there better be some redemption. 

[youngindia]

In Pro League matches, India often:

• Rotate goalkeepers

• Try new defensive pairings

• Test midfield structures

• Give fringe players minutes in pressure roles

England and Argentina?
They often:

• Play close to first-choice XIs

• Treat Pro League points as résumé builders

• Need wins to stay relevant internationally

So when India lose to England or Argentina, it’s often:

“India learning vs others auditioning”

[deathmonger]

@Gollum - India defeat Germany finally for first non shootout win. Tbh, Germany has been struggling this season and England/Argentina have been doing well. Maybe because it is due to non-experimentation as stated above.

 

Two matches vs the Pooks this month which India should win too.

[Gollum]

6 hours ago, deathmonger said:

@Gollum - India defeat Germany finally for first non shootout win. Tbh, Germany has been struggling this season and England/Argentina have been doing well. Maybe because it is due to non-experimentation as stated above.

 

Two matches vs the Pooks this month which India should win too.

WC mein sab pata chal jayega, who stands where? 

 

Even if we experiment, this Pak team is no match. Only thing that interests me there is the goal difference. Last time Pak beat us was in 2016 South Asian Games (twice), they had their first XI while our main squad was in Rio Olympics prep camp, Pooks missed Rio qualification. Anyway we always send our university athletes to South Asian Games. The last time they beat full strength India was in 2014 Champions Trophy in Bhubaneshwar, that controversial match where they showed obscene gestures to the crowd post winning. If you think the cricket rivalry has become one sided, the hockey one is even more so. 

Edited June 18 by Gollum

[Gollum]

@deathmonger apart from this league, we are in same group as Pak in WC (for the first time since 2014 IIRC). And the Asian Games where we could meet again. Pity no hockey in CWG. 

 

Will be fun to watch our boys break those bastards again. I still fondly remember the 10-2 massacre in previous Asian Games. 

[Gollum]

We were leading till 4 minutes before final whistle. Then Germans scored 2 goals, second PC with 2 seconds left. Choke job from the 2000s. 

 

Indian GKs are awful. 

 

Following Indian sports is mental torture, should have gone to sleep early.