Round 4 - Victory away

[Forum Phoenix]

Signing players who want to win is one thing, but they must have the ability and skills to go with it.

I could sign 11 players from Bay 16 with more desire to win than anyone else in the whole league, however it would not create a winning team.

Prove it.

Make a hell of a mighty ducks style film.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Prove it.

Make a hell of a mighty ducks style film.

I suspect with the number of yellow and red cards they would amass, there would be no one left on the park by half time.

 

[Antlion]

Alright. That was hard, but,
I actually thought there was a lot to like within the game (beginning of 1st half and patches of the 2nd half that is).
We had some good moments, one touch passing sort of stuff. I actually enjoyed watching us for sections and had hope.

Areas of concern: everywhere.
* Not clinical in front of goal.
* No cohesion in midfield or any real demonstration of transitional play from back to front. Teams know how to marks us out by focusing on the quality players and ignoring the Mellings of this team. Result is we're double marked where we need effectiveness. Also only attacking down one side adds to this.
* Defence - amateur individual errors absolutely killed us.
* Tactics - not sure there was a decent game plan to manage MVs threats or exploit their potential weaknesses. Certainly not much adjustment for it. Not sure if it is the coach or the cattle at this point.

It really is like it's the beginning of pre-season and we all knew this was on the cards due to new players, injuries, late additions etc etc.

I'd like to say we're getting all the best teams up first - with Perth and Syd next SHEESH! - but that doesn't leave many *poor* teams to play. The league is a step up on previous years and we have a loooot of catching up to do.

If we aren't gelling/defending/scoring by a third/half of the way through the season it's another write off.

I've been rusted on since the beginning. I didn't renew this year - first time. I'm struggling to even get excited for games but I can't stop watching. However, I am now at a point where if I have something on I accept missing the game - whereas I used to go out of my way to rearrange life to fit the games. Lately the choice between a deflating defeat and actual life is getting easier to make.

 

[marinermick]

Was hard being at the game. There was decent roll up of away support.

Disappointed that only a few players came over after the game, mostly the junior players. Kudos to Pain, Hoole, Rowles, Kennedy, Pearce, O’Neill and Shabow. Where were the others, especially the senior players?

Pain was especially gutted. He said he is sick of playing for pride and just wants to play to win.

 

[Timmah]

Lots of good/great individuals on the pitch, but not really a team at this point in time. As a result we're all at sea against any team worth its salt (or $213123213123 million like Victory's lineup).

The first 15-20 was decent enough, we seem to have improved go-forward... but we're getting (as usual) absolutely destroyed on the counter, which you can't afford with Honda & Troisi running the show.

Dumb basic footballing errors and poor keeping are the story of the last part of the first half. Nothing more nothing less.

Second half was impressive, particularly once the first two subs were made. Pain seemed to find a gear once those changes were made and Shabow is a workhorse, loved his work down the right. We were able to frustrate Victory and smother them for most of the rest of the game, withstanding repeated attacks - thanks in large part to Cisse IMO. That second half resolve only broke down at the very last ditch moment in a game that was already well and truly over.

It's hard to see us challenging for the finals based on yesterday but I'd also like to think it, and the week before, are the worst of what we can muster and that we can improve on our showing in Perth two weeks from now.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I find it hard to cope with fans saying they are supporters and then saying they are not renewing their memberships when the club is going bad.

I do not understand. I tend to be outspoken on this subject which leads to trouble. I am slowly learning to watch my ps and qs, and thus express bewilderment rather than ire.

Being a football club supporter is something like marriage, through thick and thin, illness and health, etc. Except that it is more serious than marriage.

It is easy to support a team that is winning but it is important to support through the crap times.

As I see it if you support a team only when they are performing, in my eyes, you are a bandwaggoner, simple.

I also have difficulty coming to terms with the sense of entitlement that some here show. ie I come to the games, the team owes me more or the owner owes me. I am just thankful to have a team. As one of my golf mates used to say when someone was complaining "Remember, you have a short backswing in a coffin".

Maybe I am living in the past and still view football as a sport, while others view it as entertainment and demand quick and easy satisfaction.

I do think that if ever I did not renew my membership, I would not come on a fan forum and talk about it. I find the very idea quite shameful.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

 

[turbo]

As I see it if you support a team only when they are performing, in my eyes, you are a bandwaggoner, simple

That's a very black and white way of looking at it. Everyone has a point where they say enough is enough, they've sat through bad seasons and we aren't talking about the kind of disappointment wanderers or roar fans might have had over recent years either. We're talking years of under spending, wooden spoons and being solidly in contention for the ones we didn't get. Unlike a marriage you've got no input on how the club does things, you can't work on it, the only thing that they will notice is if the fans close their wallets and stop attending. It's the only power any of us have to really be heard. Sticking with the club is admirable but there's no need to crap on people that want to be heard.

 

[Tevor]

That's a very black and white way of looking at it. Everyone has a point where they say enough is enough, they've sat through bad seasons and we aren't talking about the kind of disappointment wanderers or roar fans might have had over recent years either. We're talking years of under spending, wooden spoons and being solidly in contention for the ones we didn't get. Unlike a marriage you've got no input on how the club does things, you can't work on it, the only thing that they will notice is if the fans close their wallets and stop attending. It's the only power any of us have to really be heard. Sticking with the club is admirable but there's no need to crap on people that want to be heard.

If we all stop attending there will not be a team.

 

[priorpeter]

I find it hard to cope with fans saying they are supporters and then saying they are not renewing their memberships when the club is going bad.

I do not understand. I tend to be outspoken on this subject which leads to trouble. I am slowly learning to watch my ps and qs, and thus express bewilderment rather than ire.

Being a football club supporter is something like marriage, through thick and thin, illness and health, etc. Except that it is more serious than marriage.

It is easy to support a team that is winning but it is important to support through the crap times.

As I see it if you support a team only when they are performing, in my eyes, you are a bandwaggoner, simple.

I also have difficulty coming to terms with the sense of entitlement that some here show. ie I come to the games, the team owes me more or the owner owes me. I am just thankful to have a team. As one of my golf mates used to say when someone was complaining "Remember, you have a short backswing in a coffin".

Maybe I am living in the past and still view football as a sport, while others view it as entertainment and demand quick and easy satisfaction.

I do not think that if ever I did not renew my membership, I would not come on a fan forum and talk about it. I find the very idea quite shameful.

Are you a carpenter? Because you’ve just smacked the nail dead square on the head.

People who grandstand about not renewing, but then in the same breath complain about the club not spending money... uuuuggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[Offsider]

Seemed pretty clear to me that we were still missing half our starting 11 and that affected the timing of playing of quality pre season games

And as Ancient said. With that kind of rebuild, unfortunately it comes with the territory.

We really look like we need another 6-8 weeks before we’d hope to be in form and have everyone fully fit,

And that should be the new target for the season. Get the preferred team on the paddock and all on the same page with a game plan they are able to execute ............. and try to win a few games.
Can’t see making the six .........l but avoiding the spoon is going to be hard enough.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

This is from The Guardian's football analyst:

 

[Ancient Mariner]

The marriage comment was tongue in cheek.

I am happy for people to be heard, and express any opinion. I can understand people walking away. I can also understand people not renewing their memberships.

I cannot understand people professing to still support the club and withdrawing membership because of shit performances and then talking about it on a fan forum. To me the two appear to be mutually exclusive.

Not looking for a fight or to judge just trying to understand how you can withdraw support and claim to be a supporter.

Nor am I looking for any credibility for loyalty, madness or masochism. Those three traits are what goes into being a supporter.

 

[Big Al]

I find it hard to cope with fans saying they are supporters and then saying they are not renewing their memberships when the club is going bad.

I do not understand. I tend to be outspoken on this subject which leads to trouble. I am slowly learning to watch my ps and qs, and thus express bewilderment rather than ire.

Being a football club supporter is something like marriage, through thick and thin, illness and health, etc. Except that it is more serious than marriage.

It is easy to support a team that is winning but it is important to support through the crap times.

As I see it if you support a team only when they are performing, in my eyes, you are a bandwaggoner, simple.

I also have difficulty coming to terms with the sense of entitlement that some here show. ie I come to the games, the team owes me more or the owner owes me. I am just thankful to have a team. As one of my golf mates used to say when someone was complaining "Remember, you have a short backswing in a coffin".

Maybe I am living in the past and still view football as a sport, while others view it as entertainment and demand quick and easy satisfaction.

I do not think that if ever I did not renew my membership, I would not come on a fan forum and talk about it. I find the very idea quite shameful.

Loyalty needs loyalty back.

The performances are pathetic. Not enjoying the games at all. I’m happy to watch my team loose but not trying or making stupid mistakes is irritating.

I wanted to believe mulvey was going to reinstill that. He hasn’t he is being found out on things he had the chance to fix. This league has been improving strongly each year and we can’t catch up.

I would say it’s like the wife hitting the booze all the time or cheating. Eventually you get sick of the disrespect and can’t put in anymore energy when they won’t try.

There’s loyalty and then there is stupidity where you get taken advantage of. Every ones line is different. I genuinely sit and ask why am I bothering.

I turned the big screen off at half time and said to the wife you watch whatever you want. I still watched the second half on the little tv with no sound and asked myself why.

 

[Big Al]

The marriage comment was tongue in cheek.

I am happy for people to be heard, and express any opinion. I can understand people walking away. I can also understand people not renewing their memberships.

I cannot understand people professing to still support the club and withdrawing membership because of shit performances and then talking about it on a fan forum. To me the two appear to be mutually exclusive.

Not looking for a fight or to judge just trying to understand how you can withdraw support and claim to be a supporter.

Nor am I looking for any credibility for loyalty, madness or masochism. Those three traits are what goes into being a supporter.

For me my wife lost interest. So sharing the experience together disappeared. We could spend that time doing something else.
I like sport and want to watch it and do love my teams but it is becoming a horrible thing to watch. The mistakes are the same one over and over again.

Not arguing and understand your point and respect it. Just trying to answer for you and give you other opinions.

 

[turbo]

I cannot understand people professing to still support the club and withdrawing membership because of shit performances and then talking about it on a fan forum. To me the two appear to be mutually exclusive.

IMO people bitch about something when they care about it but its not meeting their expectations. If I was talking about a video game I might say this is rubbish don't waste your money, or I might say this was a really poor sequel and I hate the direction they went with X. I won't be buying the third game unless they can resolve it and stop the nickel and dime approach to micro-transactions. The first comment means the customer has been lost, possibly forever. The second comment shows someone who wants to care but is being pushed away, they're a customer who could return if they're given a decent product.

If people are walking away and not commenting at all that's the real worry. Those customers will be harder to get back because they've disconnected completely.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

We're coming last.. We're f**king coming last.

 

[Michael]

Pain was especially gutted. He said he is sick of playing for pride and just wants to play to win.

See, I’m stoked he feels that way. I hope there’s more in the squad that do. The first 2 games Pain had a few good moments but faded out of it badly. Yesterday, he could’ve been a little more clinical but he didn’t shirk his responsibility as a major attacking outlet for us and stayed constantly involved and a threat.
I hope he continues to make me eat my words about him.

Every single player has to step up like Pain did yesterday and then some.

Having more of a think about the match, we were in it for large parts. Embarrassing errors killed us along with lack of hunger in certain areas and we were very one dimensional. Victory didn’t exactly step up the gears at any point. They were just very clinical.