the scum away

[style_cafe]

As a proportion of total attacks we went down the right far more often than the left. I'm not by any means putting the result on him but there was a glaring issue to address. When Nisbet plays on that side it takes some pressure away offensively while Bouman didnt do that as much and we were generally narrow, even more than usual.


I dont think anyone is saying otherwise. The issue is mostly a limitation going forward and we don't have a Nabbout or Halloran kind of player to mask that deficiency. If he's in our plans for next year then finding a wide attacking player to relieve the burden is important.

Yes but, if our attack was mainly focused on the right then that means that the team as a whole,
tends to agree with Staj`s view, that Nigro is very competent at what he is doing.
Personally I`d like to see him go to the by-line more and really have a go,but In his first season with us (and his first full season in 3 years) i`m very impressed with him.
This is a player that had one full season at Victory in 18/19 and he`s basically risen from Victorian NPL to play as first choice for the team coming 2nd in the A-League.
Also playing as a RB when his preferred position is defensive midfield.
I honestly think he deserves more credit that what he gets...
I also think Victory erred in getting storm Roux to replace him buts that`s their mistake

 

[Big Al]

We also had lots of attack down the left side and through the centre, also with no impact.
We shouldn`t underestimate the impact of loosing DDS is having on the team.
The Jets scrambled well against us and had their chances also.

Nigro has saved our collective arses on numerous occasions & has been up against some quality opposition this season. He`s worked hard and has given us everything he has.
When he has been hooked he`s kept his head up, he`s a team player that`s for sure.
I just feel to many people are riding him at the moment, just like they did to Clisby last year and look what he`s done this season...

I think he’s had a great season. He has been part of a successful and stable back 4.

Going forward is not his strength but he is competent and I think the Clisby comparison is a good one.

I think alot of fluidity has been lost recently and because we rely so heavily on our fullbacks I think everyone blames him as Thats where it seems to break down.
Some of it is his inability and some is poor options and better defenders.

I think he has been a very stable presence and we have enjoyed that success but also someone needs to cop the criticism and I think pretty fairly he has been a bit poor going forward.

You are spot on he has been an excellent team mate and doesn’t sulk when taken off and deserves credit for that.

He has been dominated a couple of games but he has come up against some excellent attackers.

Clisby’s passing has also gone cold but not sure if that’s just coming back to the pack or the people in front of him.

Sometimes we forget that we have come so far from recent seasons but that’s the nature of fans we always want perfection (very unrealistic).

Overall i am very happy with his season

 

[Ads]

Like mentioned previously, due to DDS being in and out, Urena, Nizzy, Stens a couple of weeks, Olli out 1 week, Tonj out 1 week.

I don’t think we have had our strongest 11 for 2 games in a row since let’s say round 9/10.

Having Nizzy in front of Nigro makes so much difference, extra hassle mans protection so Nigro can pick up the scraps and then Nizzy actually presents himself so a pass is available.

If we can get Nizzy back in front of Nigro and DDS back in front of Clisby for at least 2 games before the finals we might re-gel perfectly in time for finals!

Let’s pray for DDS toe.
Otherwise we have to duck tape it.

 

[LFCMariners]

Was speaking to the dad of the young fella (Bailey) who came over to join. Apparently before school on Monday he put the replay on the tele, and marched around the lounge room singing “WE ARE THE COASTIES! THE YELLOW ARMY!”
Absolutely melted me

Made me think of that scene in the Maradona documentary where he gives the toy microphone to his infant daughter and gets her to sing 'F**k Juventus/ Inter- we will destroy you!'

 

[Ozhammer]

I will just chime in with a brief observation regarding the debate about the contribution of our full backs, as I think it needs to be said.

Our current formation of 4-2-2-2 is a very narrow one in an attacking sense and is one that relies heavily on the full backs providing the width in the front third. That would be all fine and dandy if we had a pair of potent FB’s but Clisby and Nigro are truly more competent at the defensive aspect of their role than the attacking part.

What that means is that with no natural attacking width, too much of our play gets condensed into the middle of the pitch, where we then struggle to break through or penetrate. The only real solution to this is to either have the FB’s fully committed to attacking the flanks (and thus risk potentially leaving space in behind if there is a turnover) or for our midfielders to provide that width by playing closer to the sidelines. When we occasionally do this, we look more dangerous but the mids have clearly been instructed to stay in the pockets, which consequently tends to isolate our FB’s when they try to get forward.

it will be interesting to see how the team sets up against $ity, as they play with a lot of width, which is likely to draw our midfield out to defend it but this could also bring a benefit when we attack if we elect to stay wide rather than tucking in.

 

[sydmariner]

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Yes but, if our attack was mainly focused on the right then that means that the team as a whole,
tends to agree with Staj`s view, that Nigro is very competent at what he is doing.
Personally I`d like to see him go to the by-line more and really have a go,but In his first season with us (and his first full season in 3 years) i`m very impressed with him.
This is a player that had one full season at Victory in 18/19 and he`s basically risen from Victorian NPL to play as first choice for the team coming 2nd in the A-League.
Also playing as a RB when his preferred position is defensive midfield.
I honestly think he deserves more credit that what he gets...
I also think Victory erred in getting storm Roux to replace him buts that`s their mistake

Genuinely surprised. For mine he's clearly our weakest starting eleven player. The team routinely get mad at him and Staj keeps hooking his right back with less than 60 minutes played. This is not a typical first sub.

He has had some good defensive games for sure (though last night certainly wasn't one of them - he was utterly destroyed) but with his season overall, he's been bailed out innumerable times by our high quality centre backs and it's clearly not lost on Staj. I will say he seems to have an awesome attitude and does give his all but for mine I think we need a much better balanced starting RB.

 

[style_cafe]

Genuinely surprised. For mine he's clearly our weakest starting eleven player. The team routinely get mad at him and Staj keeps hooking his right back with less than 60 minutes played. This is not a typical first sub.

He has had some good defensive games for sure (though last night certainly wasn't one of them - he was utterly destroyed) but with his season overall, he's been bailed out innumerable times by our high quality centre backs and it's clearly not lost on Staj. I will say he seems to have an awesome attitude and does give his all but for mine I think we need a much better balanced starting RB.

Admittedly not one of his better games but in his defence he was up against Noone who has been great for City all year.
As a RB he is a first defender on numerous occasions so "being bailed out by a centre back " is a routine thing for a RB / LB.
He`s been subbed 10 times this year (which is a concern),but Staj has started him in every game so he must be doing something right.
My only concern (and I may be old school here) but i`d have liked to see him really rattle Noone`s cage (as in kick the bastard ala Matty) and get a card before he went off....

 

[FFC Mariner]

So he can play right back provided we aren't up against anyone good?
Hmmm

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Genuinely surprised. For mine he's clearly our weakest starting eleven player. The team routinely get mad at him and Staj keeps hooking his right back with less than 60 minutes played. This is not a typical first sub.

He has had some good defensive games for sure (though last night certainly wasn't one of them - he was utterly destroyed) but with his season overall, he's been bailed out innumerable times by our high quality centre backs and it's clearly not lost on Staj. I will say he seems to have an awesome attitude and does give his all but for mine I think we need a much better balanced starting RB.

I personally don't think Nigro is our weakest starting eleven member, would argue Clisby is much more frail defensively, and that he also struggles to achieve anything offensively when he isn't in position to immediately cross. I think every A-League fullback has struggled to deal with Noone this season and Clisby gets routinely beaten by wingers of far less quality.

I definitely think a big part of next season's recruitment/development needs to be addressing our defensive frailties at fullback.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Clisby is in a class of his own just for his "crossing"
Mitch Austin syndrome. Runs a lot. Achieves nothing

 

[style_cafe]

So he can play right back provided we aren't up against anyone good?
Hmmm

Geez,that`s whittling it back past the stick.
He got outplayed by Noone, as have most right backs this season.

He got replaced for the 10th time by the player who played RB for most of last season.
Miller is younger and needs field time too so no disgrace in that.

As for being the weakest link in the team,well, he has started 23 games out of 23.
Hmmm I`ll leave the rest up to you...

Cheers

 

[style_cafe]

Clisby is in a class of his own just for his "crossing"
Mitch Austin syndrome. Runs a lot. Achieves nothing

I love the Mitch Austin syndrome reference.
It was a master stroke to swap him for Conner Pain,then he went Newcastle then to SydneyFC
He ended up in Scotland played 2 games for Partick Thistle and returned home due to Covid.
Another that made the mistake of leaving us to chase the big $$$$$

 

[turbo]

Clisby is in a class of his own just for his "crossing"

We dump a lot of our 'nothing really on here' opportunities out to Clisby expecting him to deliver a cross to make something happen, often after enough time mucking around to let the defenders get set up, have a drink and a snack, maybe a quick lie down. Then he cops the flak for it when hes one of the few trying to make something happen.

Dont get me wrong he has some good deliveries and some shockers but if you're seeing repeated ineffective crosses it's often a symptom of a lack of creativity or confidence elsewhere.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Admittedly not one of his better games but in his defence he was up against Noone who has been great for City all year.
As a RB he is a first defender on numerous occasions so "being bailed out by a centre back " is a routine thing for a RB / LB.
He`s been subbed 10 times this year (which is a concern),but Staj has started him in every game so he must be doing something right.
My only concern (and I may be old school here) but i`d have liked to see him really rattle Noone`s cage (as in kick the bastard ala Matty) and get a card before he went off....

I agree on Noone being a handful. But have to agree to disagree otherwise. Though I’d much rather you prove right in the long run.

 

[pjennings]

We dump a lot of our 'nothing really on here' opportunities out to Clisby expecting him to deliver a cross to make something happen, often after enough time mucking around to let the defenders get set up, have a drink and a snack, maybe a quick lie down. Then he cops the flak for it when hes one of the few trying to make something happen.

Dont get me wrong he has some good deliveries and some shockers but if you're seeing repeated ineffective crosses it's often a symptom of a lack of creativity or confidence elsewhere.

I agree with the first part. I just want to see Ollie taking the corners.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I agree with the first part. I just want to see Ollie taking the corners.

Or Desilva.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

So he can play right back provided we aren't up against anyone good?
Hmmm

Your first six words say it all. "So he can play right back."

Quality fullbacks are scarcer than quality strikers. It has become a very demanding position.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Millar is off contract at the scum isn't he

 

[sydmariner]