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Mariners Squad - HAL 13 - 2017- 2018
- Thread starter pjennings
- Start date
Rowdy
Well-Known Member
Connor Pain says the Mariners have no excuses after being dumped out of the FFA Cup by Blacktown City.
Central Coast were knocked out of the competition in the round of 32 by the NSW NPL club.
Blacktown City upset the A-League side 3-2 thanks to goals from Joey Gibbs and Roberto Speranza.
Pain played the full 90 minutes in left midfield against City. The 23-year old described the defeat as "disappointing".
"We went there with a job to try and win and get through to the next round, as everybody does," he told FourFourTwo.
"Without making too many excuses, we had a few boys missing and we’re in pre-season.
"But we went there to win and we went there prepared to win and for whatever reason we didn’t execute our game plan perfectly well and despite having the ball for the vast majority of the game we still managed to cop three goals.
"From our perspective it wasn’t good enough. The good thing is it’s so early in pre-season and we get plenty of weeks to rectify this before round one with our full squad complete."
Blacktown City were the second NPL outfit this year to knock out an A-League club in the Cup. Pain played in the NPL in 2013 with Bentleigh Greens.
The winger believes the gulf between A-League sides and NPL clubs is getting smaller.
"I think the gap is closing," he said.
"I think it’s always been reasonable [the level], however it’s hard to say that it's improving in a way. The A-League teams don’t get to play at home do they when they play state league teams.
"It would be interesting to see these sort of games played on better surfaces in front of bigger crowds.
"But I’m not trying to make excuses, I think the NPL is getting a lot better. I’m a product of the NPL so I can’t speak more highly of what they’re doing.
"I know my local club Bentleigh Greens are doing really well down in Victoria and producing some great players. I think the NPL teams are definitely getting stronger."
(Haha, check these couple comments under the 442 article
)
Last edited:
pjennings
Well-Known Member
I've seen him running thru their warm-ups. He seems to be very careful to work not only the main muscles - but also the ones that hold the joints in place.
Ivan was #1 last year but was ahead of Izzo early.
Bad signs
Pain can have no excuses this season, if he doesn't find another level, he will need to find another club IMHO.If 'oldmate' Connor, who's in the final year of his 2yr deal, doesnt pull his finger out and improve on last seasons form, Okon most likely will cut him loose & he'll be heading back to that very NPL, that he speaks so highly about.
Forum Phoenix
Well-Known Member
Agree his final ball and finishing was missing but he did still offer a lot of positive link play, defended decently and pushed their fullbacks pretty hard for about 70% of the season I thought.
Started on fire, then the opposition worked him out and had nothing.
After that cracking goal off the right foot after cutting in I thought he'd kick on but that just turned into a fluke.
Lack of goals and assists were a real problem.
Lets see how he goes with De Silva feeding him. Was he just missing quality service or is he just average?
After that cracking goal off the right foot after cutting in I thought he'd kick on but that just turned into a fluke.
Lack of goals and assists were a real problem.
Lets see how he goes with De Silva feeding him. Was he just missing quality service or is he just average?
Gratis
Well-Known Member
Monty aside I can't think of anyone who had a consistently good season last season. In a team that functioned so poorly over the last few years it's hard for any player to excel every game.
Thus, I'm a little bemused at the amount of criticism Pain has received.
Don't get me wrong - Pain does need to add some better finishing to his product this season. But, as I've said before, I genuinely believe that after his standout start in yellow and navy other teams worked out that you shut down Pain and mark out Royo and the Mariners are (were) toothless. He was effectively hamstrung playing against those kind of tactics and with no real options to pass to up front or in the middle.
This season that won't be good enough for opposition teams. Pain gets to do his thing in tandem with Hiariej, Brama, Hoole, DDS and Asdrubal - properly skilled, tactically aware, ball-players. Opposition teams will not be utilising their resources to simply shutting down Pain anywhere near as much - with that kind of freedom I'm sure we'll see what he can do in full flight again. Especially with the availability of players to receive from and pass to, and much more space that his teammates make for him to play through as they pull defenders out of position
There is a lot of potential in this team, even more so when you consider that the load will be more evenly shared with less pressure on individual players to achieve everything alone
Thus, I'm a little bemused at the amount of criticism Pain has received.
Don't get me wrong - Pain does need to add some better finishing to his product this season. But, as I've said before, I genuinely believe that after his standout start in yellow and navy other teams worked out that you shut down Pain and mark out Royo and the Mariners are (were) toothless. He was effectively hamstrung playing against those kind of tactics and with no real options to pass to up front or in the middle.
This season that won't be good enough for opposition teams. Pain gets to do his thing in tandem with Hiariej, Brama, Hoole, DDS and Asdrubal - properly skilled, tactically aware, ball-players. Opposition teams will not be utilising their resources to simply shutting down Pain anywhere near as much - with that kind of freedom I'm sure we'll see what he can do in full flight again. Especially with the availability of players to receive from and pass to, and much more space that his teammates make for him to play through as they pull defenders out of position
There is a lot of potential in this team, even more so when you consider that the load will be more evenly shared with less pressure on individual players to achieve everything alone
Ben Payne
New Member
ZedSpecials
Well-Known Member
was just posting the same link Ben! bit numb about this
but it explains his complete lack of enthusiasm when he revealed his kit number on the instagrams he said
"new season new kit"
.... TUMBLEWEED ....CRICKETS .... MUFFLED COUGH
Guys tell me how to feel on this one please !!??
but it explains his complete lack of enthusiasm when he revealed his kit number on the instagrams he said
"new season new kit"
.... TUMBLEWEED ....CRICKETS .... MUFFLED COUGH
Guys tell me how to feel on this one please !!??
nebakke
Well-Known Member
I was wondering a bit to be honest. We seem to tend towards a dearth of RWs and no LWs. I know they tend to swap but is not quite the same. He saw himself on the outer towards the end of last season. The way things were looking he probably wouldn't even have made the bench if we hadn't needed Fab at #10 so with Kwabsy seemingly ahead of him and Hoole not only able to play in that role but also able to function as a #10 if needed is understandable of he feels that he could be facing a season of barely even making the bench.
I hope he gets game time and proves that his finish lat season was a fluke though. Would REALLY suck to see the relationship sour with our first real homegrown product in years.
I hope he gets game time and proves that his finish lat season was a fluke though. Would REALLY suck to see the relationship sour with our first real homegrown product in years.
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