Blog translated version of the blog from http://www.lacoladevaca.com/ @pablog_
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Bowling Night
Like every year, the team and the fans got together in a bowling night where every player is assigned a family of Swansea fans to play two games with. At the end of the two games, they give a trophy to the player with the maximum points, the minimum, and the family with the best score. Another year saw lots of people enter the competition and it is a great opportunity to build a stronger relationship between the club and the fans, allowing for the fans to see their favourites, getting photos and autographs. The scores, granted, weren't very impressive but it must be said there was a family with a good score who compete every year and I've had the luck to play with them almost every year! I didn't get more than 130 points but the maximum was 160, with the trophy going to one of our goalkeepers, Jose Moreira, the Portugese formerly of Benfica. The worst, with 82 points, went to the young player from France Darnel Situ, previously of Lens. I guess bowling isn't that popular in France. I think this type of event has helped over the years to reinforce a good relationship between the fans and players, year after year.
After the victory at home to Bolton (3-1) we visited Anfield. It was one of the stadiums I'd always wished to play in, and that day was last saturday. With the stadium full and with thousands of Swansea fans making more noise than the esteemed locals, it started with one clear chance for Liverpool, where Andy Carroll sent the ball onto the bar from around the penalty spot. After this (about the 15th minute) we started to impose the "Swansea Style" clearly dominating the ball, using both wings and creating chance after chance. I only heard whistling, as fans at Anfield are used to seeing their team have the ball and it didn't go like that. 0-0 at the break.
The second half brought more of the same; we'd dominate until Liverpool would create something through Adam and Suarez. The last 15 minutes saw us test Pepe Reina lots of times, Graham, Dyer and the most clear chance fell to Mark Gower with a shot over the bar from the penalty spot after a good team move. Even still our keeper Michel Vorm managed to make 3 great saves to save a point in a place where we weren't expected to get anything. A point that felt like a victory and we saw the famous fans of Liverpool, Liverpool itself, giving us a standing ovation at the end of our encounter. I've never experienced anything like this, where fans of one of the most famous clubs in Europe, playing at the highest level in European football, cheered you because of your display of football.
Notes
I played 90 minutes.,
The first clean sheet away from home, and 5th in total this season - the most for any team in the league. We're 10th in the league with 13 points.
What's more I want to add that I enjoyed the visit of my family (my dad Angel and my brother Xavi) together with two of my best friends (Mingo and Malio), who got to see live what it was like to be cheered at Anfield. It was incredible to see their open mouths after the game! Now we have the international break in two weekends time come back to the "Swansea Post" with two games at home against Manchester United and Aston Villa. I remind you that I enjoy reading your opinions and am open to any suggestions or ideas that benefit the "Swansea Post" and its readers.
Cheers!
Angel Rangel
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