CCM v the Pearl Divers / the Red Louganis

[Ancient Mariner]

From on high I think I saw a lot of things in the first half that were not obvious to those behind the goal.
The main thing was the way Urena played. That was his best performance with us by far. He showed more pace than I suspected he possessed. He is obviously starting to gain some match fitness and beginning to stretch out. His strike to near post was awesome and almost successful. He also gave a lesson on one touch football and showed he was the classiest footballer on the pitch. His play is, like Ollies, at the next level. As the rest of the team learns to play with him he will be seen as one of the better imports of the season.
BG, I am pretty sure that Staj told Simon as he was leaving the field at half time that he would be making replacements at the 60 min mark. I don't think the goal had anything to do with it. I mentioned to TB at half time I expected to see Nizz and Kuol on early, Staj did not disappoint.
Unlike many I was not too upset by the first half. The pen save was freaky as was the clearance off the line when Nigro looped the keeper. We were by far the better side.
I think Staj has some problems. There are 13 players who deserve to start. I am of the opinion that what he did tonight is the best way to go. Bring Nizz and Kuol on at 60 minutes and they just terrorise a tiring opposition. It is a weapon of mass destruction.
The starting line up with a bit of luck and better timing of passes and runs could have been 2 or 3 up at half time against the team coming second.

It works.

 

[scottmac]

Academy kids I believe. Bloody fantastic to see them getting amongst it. The bay was absolutely fantastic when in full flight tonight, so great to see. Had a huge sense of FOMO and also pride. Huge props to everyone who contributed.
I am absolutely buzzing, what a fight back, what a night, what a time to be alive.
Oh, and f**k Stefan Mauk

Mauk was invisible tonight. He played a few ok balls but had no impact on their loss or our win. Quiet as f**k

 

[Forum Phoenix]

. who'd have thought giving your subs time to do something would actually give them the time to do something

Weird right.

Confess I was worried and inside going, both strikers at once when we're chasing the game?? But proved to be a great decision. Kuol is an absolute bloody handful. Love him. And Nizzy, by god how is this kid not in the starting 11. He has played so many great games for us now. He immediately starts winning the second ball we've been missing all night, midfield battle swings and he puts on the assist for the winning goal and almost does another. And he does that after coming in and kicking ass last week in place of being dropped for Stens' whose half was a debacle, and gets dropped again anyway. But no problem for him, comes on and wins the game for us. What a f**king star. |

Same for Kuol. He's truly awesome coming on at 60, and Matty was decent again tonight I thought, but how many goals do you have to score off the bench to get a start? Regardless, he's been getting less and less minutes as we've progressed, but no problem, give me 30 mins again boss and I'll win you the game.

Bouman had a good game - just wish he was a little stronger in the press and tackle.
Whole backline was excellent bar Clisby's lapse and Ruon got caught out by the error too. But otherwise Ruon was a bloody monster for us again.
Nigro was much improved and had a terrific game.
Rowles played a near perfect game.
Birra... love him to death, but dear me. You don't need to prove you're Rene Higuita to get yourself into the NT. Just keep doing what you were doing.
Urena was exceptional first half. Combining with Kuol could be a very dangerous combo.
Olly, wow, what a time for a captain to stand up and turn a game. Absolute legend.
Stens, worrying for awhile, then settled. But still looks under done.
De Silva, that back heel was world class, he didn't have the impact he probably would have liked as they tried to double team him as soon as he got possession, but he works so hard for the team and linked in brilliantly yet again.
Matty had a decent, solid game imo. Pen miss aside. But I think Kuol should get a start over him and see how the Urena, Kuol combo goes.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Mauk was invisible tonight. He played a few ok balls but had no impact on their loss or our win. Quiet as f**k

Olly and Stens all but marked him out of the game. Loved it.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

We dominated that second half like no other half I've seen. We were a tad loose but our forward play was amazing. We decided to take it to them and didn't we what. The fact we missed two pens just goes to show what type of spirit and belief this team has. Devo that simmo didn't take the second. They didn't create more chances than we did and on another night that ends up 4-1.

This.

 

[pjennings]

That's what I was yelling at the AU bench. Among many other things.

Basically what my son yelled at Juric as he came off. Juric had the good grace to smile and give him a thumbs up. Halloran on the other hand did not respond well :-}

 

[midfielder]

Nigro has his best ever match with us tonight... hope he can keep this form up... the Centre Back combination is starting to look as good as any the A-League has seen for a while...

Matty played like Matty from last year tonight... always offside and reacting and a step behind the play mostly ... he looked absolutely rooted when he came off... maybe he needs a rest ...

I don't think I imagined this, but this is what I observed tonight.... The starting strikers are slow and the Piss Ants as did MV & City pushed up in numbers as they seemed to hold no great fear of the speed we have in attack ....they seem to think they have the speed to close down setting up play from the back.

When we changed strikers, with the two very fast and young players up from, they did not push up as much nor play around at the back as much...

This results in there being more space between there front line and there back line for our mids to work in especially Nizzy ....

Koul & Bowman's pace and score card to date seem to strike fear into teams hhhhmmmm more they change there structure ....

Nizzy, DDS, Koul & Bowman seem to all work well together and when on the field together they are a joy to watch...

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Basically what my son yelled at Juric as he cam off. Juric had the good grace to smile and give him a thumbs up. Halloran on the other hand did not respond well :-}

Gold. My own favourite was when the AU Diving bench got up to warm up and I got to yell at them that the pool was just up the road, so they could go and get ready.

And Mick absolutely gave it to Veart and Aloisi

 

[greenlig]

Just finished watching. Unbelievable game. I got that sinking last-season feeling at half time, but we just killed them in the second. I always liked Adelaide, now I f**king hate them

 

[greenlig]

Oh and Nigro was outstanding.

 

[LFCMariners]

At the risk of sounding like Phil Gould after an Origin game: I had a feeling this would happen

I had a feeling CCM would respond tonight with a showing that would quash murmurings about a "slump". In the first half, clearly had the better of Adelaide and with the lottery that is penalties, unlucky not to be up 1-0. In the second half when Yengi scored early on from some uncharacteristic defensive lapses I felt like one Charlie Metheven in 'We Are Sunderland' where Sunderland concede a goal early in the second half of a crucial match and he gets demonstrably grumpy and mutters "This is so us. This is so f**king us- we can't put two halves together!"

But after going 0-1 down, what followed was the point where CCM showed what they're made of. They recognised they'd come out sub-par and rose to a new level in response. You can question executions and substitutions- but tonight was a solid pass mark for attitude. Tonight also showed all the difference Kuol makes. It's those tiny centimetres extra he gives us, but in the bigger picture they make so much of a difference. I said as such after he scored the second goal. I don't think it's all a coincidence the momentum really turned as soon as he was on the pitch.

Also a big tick to the active support. Granted, only truly found a unified voice once the game drew level, but I haven't seen (or heard) a unity in Bay 16 like that (front and back) since at least a time when cigarettes came in branded packaging and you could catch an S set on most lines in Sydney. So, it's been a while. What I found most promising was seeing so many young guys down the front and so many girls who (so it would appear) are their girlfriends. That's a strong indication our active support has a strong future that's not going to be dragged away.

I might have walked to the game and back (same as the Bulls match) and I may have bought a bottle of LFL on the way home again, but I swear it hasn't affected my judgement of the match. Feel free to explain in detail why I'm wrong ,but..

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Nigro has his best ever match with us tonight... hope he can keep this form up... the Centre Back combination is starting to look as good as any the A-League has seen for a while...

Matty played like Matty from last year tonight... always offside and reacting and a step behind the play mostly ... he looked absolutely rooted when he came off... maybe he needs a rest ...

I don't think I imagined this, but this is what I observed tonight.... The starting strikers are slow and the Piss Ants as did MV & City pushed up in numbers as they seemed to hold no great fear of the speed we have in attack ....they seem to think they have the speed to close down setting up play from the back.

When we changed strikers, with the two very fast and young players up from, they did not push up as much nor play around at the back as much...

This results in there being more space between there front line and there back line for our mids to work in especially Nizzy ....

Koul & Bowman's pace and score card to date seem to strike fear into teams hhhhmmmm more they change there structure ....

Nizzy, DDS, Koul & Bowman seem to all work well together and when on the field together they are a joy to watch...

Hmmm, I seem to be on my own on this one, everyone seems to think Matty was poor. I thought he was ok. Nothing flash, ie didn't have a significant impact, but worked hard as per usual and did nothing terrible aside from the pen that I saw? But I agree he's behind the play if when we break. Urena does not look slow anymore. He was quality tonight. But no he can't press like the young uns can. But the press of the youth would not be as effective if played form the start imo. And we'll lose the smarts and calm Matty and Urena combo is currently giving the team - so I don't think it's black and white.

What's amazing, is in Kuol and Nizzy but tbf also Janota and Casella, we have 4 players who either could or should be starting. Incredible to have this depth with our budget. Which is why subs need to be made early like they were tonight - as has been said.

 

[JackMariner]

The Adelaide United Diving Team. Where was mauk on Ork?

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Just finished watching. Unbelievable game. I got that sinking last-season feeling at half time, but we just killed them in the second. I always liked Adelaide, now I f**king hate them

Lol. me too. After they stole 3 points from us by cheating, I have wanted to beat them more than anyone. And right now, they have a culture of diving, whining and whinging. So f**king unlikeable. Which made tonight so, so sweet.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

The Great South Australian Diving Team

NOW THAT'S A TIFO

 

[priorpeter]

Mauk was invisible tonight. He played a few ok balls but had no impact on their loss or our win. Quiet as f**k

Things you absolutely love to see

 

[Ironbark]

From on high I think I saw a lot of things in the first half that were not obvious to those behind the goal.
The main thing was the way Urena played. That was his best performance with us by far. He showed more pace than I suspected he possessed. He is obviously starting to gain some match fitness and beginning to stretch out. His strike to near post was awesome and almost successful. He also gave a lesson on one touch football and showed he was the classiest footballer on the pitch. His play is, like Ollies, at the next level. As the rest of the team learns to play with him he will be seen as one of the better imports of the season.
BG, I am pretty sure that Staj told Simon as he was leaving the field at half time that he would be making replacements at the 60 min mark. I don't think the goal had anything to do with it. I mentioned to TB at half time I expected to see Nizz and Kuol on early, Staj did not disappoint.
Unlike many I was not too upset by the first half. The pen save was freaky as was the clearance off the line when Nigro looped the keeper. We were by far the better side.
I think Staj has some problems. There are 13 players who deserve to start. I am of the opinion that what he did tonight is the best way to go. Bring Nizz and Kuol on at 60 minutes and they just terrorise a tiring opposition. It is a weapon of mass destruction.
The starting line up with a bit of luck and better timing of passes and runs could have been 2 or 3 up at half time against the team coming second.

It works.

Urena is a seriously good player, we're lucky to have him. I'm with everyone else in calling for a Urena/Kuol starting pairing to be tested

 

[scottmac]

Watching the game again, after the second pen save Gauci was very questionable. Poor choices, coming out way too far and maybe just too much confidence. That lost then the game. That mistake for the second goal was worse that Birra's fumble. Some might say it was first season Izzo type stuff........

 

[scottmac]

Urena is a seriously good player, we're luck to have him. I'm with everyone else in calling for a Urena/Kuol starting pairing to be tested

Well according to some if we don't do it now we may not get many chances to see it.

 

[Corsair]

Awesome game and atmosphere tonight. The grit was back. Stens physical prescence makes a big difference.

Coming back after missing 2 pens, big balls on show. Oli is such a fantastic leader, you can see they respect and believe in him.

So satisfying to wreak revenge on the diving Mauk scum.

Absolutely buzzing. If you're on the fence about attending a game now's the time!