Round 24 v Sydney FC @ Grahame Park

[adz]

Hard to tell if Kennedy was hampered from getting flattened by Matty a few minutes earlier, or if it's just his usual cumbersome movement

Was thinking the same - he was limping quite a bit after Matt Simon took him out, but then on the replay didn't look to be moving too badly...

 

[priorpeter]

Like many on here, I expected an absolute pasting. But for all the gushing and talk about how “brave” and “full of fight” we were - Sydney never got out of second gear. SFC in full flight would have given us a proper touch up last night.

 

[Ozhammer]

As much as the goal ultimately came down to McGing and BK, Hoole should have acted earlier to close Retre down. No cross, no goal. Simplistic I know but he had ample time to do that basic task yet didn’t do the 1 percenter that is often the difference between getting something from a game and not. The fact that he got there too late, only meant that he deflected the cross into a more difficult to defend area.

There was more tactical versatility in that one game than we have seen from Okon in the last two seasons and the players seemed to enjoy not being overcoached for a change.

For those that were unable to work out our formation, it was a 5-3-2 but with a high number of rotations and flexibility within it, which I thought the boys tried very hard to execute. It certainly stifled Sydney’s play and had Arnie very concerned for long periods of the game. The boys would change shape when we had the ball and when we didn’t and despite my reservations about it possibly making us too defensive (read parking the bus) at least we left the handbrake off.

As I said to Sully after the game, I was disappointed at the result but proud of the team. It was hard to pick our best player as so many contributed to the performance, which tells me how much we played as a team and not 11 individuals as has sometimes seemed to have been the case this season.

 

[Big Al]

Was wondering what the white shirts were

 

[Big Al]

Like many on here, I expected an absolute pasting. But for all the gushing and talk about how “brave” and “full of fight” we were - Sydney never got out of second gear. SFC in full flight would have given us a proper touch up last night.

SFC are not playing well at the moment but it takes effort to keep them in second gear and the last 10 they slipped into 3rd.

Took Arnie and the players about 30mins to work out our setup. To Arnie credit he was directing them where to move and wanted Bobo making runs. Was good coaching.

Look we weren’t amazing but with the termoil we did well. Can we avoid the spoon? I think with the point if Simon didn’t score we would of. However we can’t play half a game without a striker and hope to win

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

would have, you mean.
That 1 point was important. I have absolutely no idea what to expect for the rest of the season. Under Okon I would have said SFC was our only chance to pick up points. Now, no idea how the new coach is going to affect us.

 

[Ozhammer]

As far as the remainder of the season is concerned, I would simply settle for some fight from the team like last night and the Nix getting the spoon.

 

[pjennings]

Did anyone have thoughts on the three or four penalty shouts? I haven't seen replays but live I thought the Pain one and the one just before McGing's goal were good shouts.

The Pain one the defender got studs on the ball - the one before the goal was still going through VAR when we scored but looked like a handball. Got the goal anyway whereas we may have missed the penalty so happy with that.

 

[Wombat]

As much as the goal ultimately came down to McGing and BK, Hoole should have acted earlier to close Retre down. No cross, no goal. Simplistic I know but he had ample time to do that basic task yet didn’t do the 1 percenter that is often the difference between getting something from a game and not. The fact that he got there too late, only meant that he deflected the cross into a more difficult to defend area.

There was more tactical versatility in that one game than we have seen from Okon in the last two seasons and the players seemed to enjoy not being overcoached for a change.

For those that were unable to work out our formation, it was a 5-3-2 but with a high number of rotations and flexibility within it, which I thought the boys tried very hard to execute. It certainly stifled Sydney’s play and had Arnie very concerned for long periods of the game. The boys would change shape when we had the ball and when we didn’t and despite my reservations about it possibly making us too defensive (read parking the bus) at least we left the handbrake off.

As I said to Sully after the game, I was disappointed at the result but proud of the team. It was hard to pick our best player as so many contributed to the performance, which tells me how much we played as a team and not 11 individuals as has sometimes seemed to have been the case this season.

I agree with alot of that we quite often had 5 at the back.
Weird as hell set up and designed to stop us getting pasted which it did.
Desperate measures that I hope we dont see again this season.

 

[finally retired]

The Pain one the defender got studs on the ball - the one before the goal was still going through VAR when we scored but looked like a handball. Got the goal anyway whereas we may have missed the penalty so happy with that.

what about the one in the first half with DDS.....it looked like handball on the replays at the ground, but hard to tell

 

[Big Al]

For me none of the penalty shouts seemed genuine except the Pain one which was the defender getting foot on ball

But in the 1st half we had a free kick about 5m from the top of the box and Retre came early and was 2m in front of the wall and got hit by the shot. Should of been another free kick.

And the Brosque tackle from behind on Baro is definitely a yellow.

Melling somehow got away with his rugby tackle without a yellow

 

[Big Al]

I agree with alot of that we quite often had 5 at the back.
Weird as hell set up and designed to stop us getting pasted which it did.
Desperate measures that I hope we dont see again this season.

Without Golec and the relative success i can see the 5 at the back staying. I think it’s a little to Bus like considering loosing has little consequence. Maybe it was lets have a solid go and build on that next week.

 

[Big Al]

The interesting selections also included no Posco in the team at all when playing a back 5. At least Roux wasn’t on the left.

I’d like to see some variation like the 2nd half where Trent leads the line in place of DDS and his hammy.

 

[BrisRecky]

After considerable delibration and 2 large coffes with 4 panadeine forte, my man of the match is .....

 

[Big Al]

After considerable delibration and 2 large coffes with 4 panadeine forte, my man of the match is .....

Has alot of work to do but has promise and has a beautiful pass on that left foot. If only we had the same on the right

 

[bradley]

It makes me sick seeing the highlights of Sydney's second goal, watching Simon celebrate kissing the badge and watching Wilko, Fabio, Arnie, Clarkey and John Crawley celebrating and carrying on...

Back on the game, it was good to see the boys attacking and showing some desire to get forward, even if Sydney didn't get out of second gear until we equalised, some positives for sure.

 

[ballantyne]

Simon's been scoring a goal every two years, so you can understand his celebrations without reference to any perceived attitude to his roots.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

For me none of the penalty shouts seemed genuine except the Pain one which was the defender getting foot on ball

But in the 1st half we had a free kick about 5m from the top of the box and Retre came early and was 2m in front of the wall and got hit by the shot. Should of been another free kick.

And the Brosque tackle from behind on Baro is definitely a yellow.

Melling somehow got away with his rugby tackle without a yellow

Agreed.

Also, somebody posted some still from SFC's first goal - the 'other' attacker, wasn't offside when it was kicked

I put it up on a referee's forum because I was curious what others thought of the interfering with an opponent. (let me know if the image doesn't work)

 

[pjennings]

Agreed.

Also, somebody posted some still from SFC's first goal - the 'other' attacker, wasn't offside when it was kicked

I put it up on a referee's forum because I was curious what others thought of the interfering with an opponent. (let me know if the image doesn't work)

It was me that had Bobo offside by freezing the Foxtel. BTW cannot see the image.

 

[MrCelery]

As far as the remainder of the season is concerned, I would simply settle for some fight from the team like last night and the Nix getting the spoon.

I agree. But after watching the Wellington v Brisbane highlights I'm left with thought that Wellington has more of that desperation and fight required and we don't.
A bit of a simplistic comparison, I know. But it has me thinking we are destined for the wooden stirring implement.