Mariners @ Glory Hole 15/3

[Big Al]

Started great and was unlucky that rebound didn’t end up in the net with Smith and from then on nothing was going to stop me from going to bed at halftime and looks like that was the right option.

Perth were to quick and I think we underestimated them

Season over unfortunately no finals.

 

[Ads]

Thinking about the game again.

* Once again no individual player played badly as such. (No howlers)

* We simply only have two options which include moving the ball into the middle whereby the opposition is right up our arse and we get dispossessed.

Or we long ball with probably only a 30% chance it will fall to us.

* We simply need to change the story of how we move the ball from the back to the front which seems like the only way is re-designing our structure and the way the players think about moving back and forward with their off the ball movement.

* I think it’s easier having some poor performers so we can place blame and identify weak areas but the reason that this season is almost more frustrating than others is that we know the boys have potential and the potential for best goal scorers in a long time.

Very hard to watch a tactically struggling team.

 

[marinermick]

I’m not too sure about great but if he can show a little more personality then maybe. Feels like he needs to be carried a bit and not all the current line up can do it.

I don't care that he sounds a little dull. At least he is not full of hot air and bluster trying to use big words that are out of context.

He is an outstanding analyst and that is his job and I love listening to him. He adds much more thought and reasoning behind the game than people like Harper or Skater.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Were you watching?

Nizzy was everywhere in the second half closing down or slowing down their attacks right across the pitch, while others got back in position. Without him the flood pouring through the hole in the forward middle of the park would have been unimpeded all the way through to the last line of defence.

 

[adz]

I don't care that he sounds a little dull. At least he is not full of hot air and bluster trying to use big words that are out of context.

He is an outstanding analyst and that is his job and I love listening to him. He adds much more thought and reasoning behind the game than people like Harper or Skater.

Yep this - I'd rather listen to someone talk through what's happening in the game, instead of coming up with stupid catch phrases and puns.

I've been following the Mariners since day 1 - before that didn't follow the NSL and a few EPL games here and there when I could - but I still feel really stupid when it comes to tactics, positioning, and basically understanding what's going on, beyond the obvious like team A has the ball and they are trying to score a goal.

When they went to 10/paramount+ they talked about shaking up the commentary like Big Bash did for cricket. I love the big bash commentary, you get so much info out of it and it's not boring. We just ended up with basically the same thing as we had before but filmed on someone's old iPhone.

 

[Ozhammer]

In fairness moss is a fantastic analyst. Great co-commentator.

Just a shame he wasn’t a great coach eh?

At the end of his first year after GA’s departure I will never forget him saying (iirc) “If you had offered me third place at the beginning of the season, I would have bitten your arm off” speaks volumes imho.

Also, any AL coach who thinks that offering Matt Sim a 3 year contract is sound coaching, should book themselves in for electro shock therapy stat.

Reflecting on last night’s game, it is disappointing that we couldn’t find a way to get the three points but that’s where we seem to be at the moment with our lack of fluid play, so we need to respect the point and move on.

That said, we will undoubtedly need to be significantly better come Saturday, or Methcarthur will likely take full advantage. I just hope that the club’s decision to play this game in Mudgee doesn’t bite us in the arse.

 

[marinermick]

Just a shame he wasn’t a great coach eh?

At the end of his first year after GA’s departure I will never forget him saying (iirc) “If you had offered me third place at the beginning of the season, I would have bitten your arm off” speaks volumes imho.

Also, any AL coach who thinks that offering Matt Sim a 3 year contract is sound coaching, should book themselves in for electro shock therapy stat.

Reflecting on last night’s game, it is disappointing that we couldn’t find a way to get the three points but that’s where we seem to be at the moment with our lack of fluid play, so we need to respect the point and move on.

That said, we will undoubtedly need to be significantly better come Saturday, or Methcarthur will likely take full advantage. I just hope that the club’s decision to play this game in Mudgee doesn’t bite us in the arse.

I don’t see how highlighting a few coaching errors several years ago have any relevance to his performance as a football analyst or this discussion.

 

[turbo]

I don't care that he sounds a little dull. At least he is not full of hot air and bluster trying to use big words that are out of context.

He is an outstanding analyst and that is his job and I love listening to him. He adds much more thought and reasoning behind the game than people like Harper or Skater.

No argument there but some of his games, perhaps due to the main commentator combination have been a real struggle with the audio really dragging down the game despite some good insights. There's definitely room to tweak and improve to appeal to a broader audience without changing what some of the more hardcore fans like.

 

[Tevor]

I wasn't surprised by that performance last night and I didn't have high expectations, at least the remaining few on here might now stop talking about us making the 6. We have been in the battle for the spoon for a while now and our luck has changed because getting results in the last three games has been more about luck than good play and tactics.

After that game I cannot help but think our new tactic and it has been for a while now is to try and hold on for any result to avoid the spoon. I like the prospects coming through but we are one or two players short of being competitive and in a comp that is as close as this one that makes a huge difference.

We don't have much chance of beating any of the top 7 teams at the moment, need to grab every point we can off the bottom 5 teams. Perth stole 2 points from us at home and we just repaid the favour as they should have won that game.

 

[marinermick]

No argument there but some of his games, perhaps due to the main commentator combination have been a real struggle with the audio really dragging down the game despite some good insights. There's definitely room to tweak and improve to appeal to a broader audience without changing what some of the more hardcore fans like.

Agreed. If you have Mossy you probably need a more dynamic lead commentator than Homer Simpson.

 

[adz]

No argument there but some of his games, perhaps due to the main commentator combination have been a real struggle with the audio really dragging down the game despite some good insights. There's definitely room to tweak and improve to appeal to a broader audience without changing what some of the more hardcore fans like.

There's no energy in the commentary unless it's yelling stupid shit. Sounds more like one of those sleep hypnosis recordings, going down a wiiindy paaaath to a loooovely garrrrden, rather than a football game.
I know the games aren't always that exciting but come on. There are times when someone has a shot on goal and it doesn't even crack a mention.

Also feels like it's being dumbed down a lot. I want to hear all the lingo as if I know wtf they are on about, and if I don't know something I'll consult Google, and then I will know.

 

[adz]

Agreed. If you have Mossy you probably need a more dynamic lead commentator than Homer Simpson.

 

[true believer]

Nah


Yeah

yeah so we'll get smashed again without any way of physically being able to standing up.
the tackle on cy (albeit a foul) says it all about our midfield .

our plan A is gone .

 

[marinermick]

I wasn't surprised by that performance last night and I didn't have high expectations, at least the remaining few on here might now stop talking about us making the 6. We have been in the battle for the spoon for a while now and our luck has changed because getting results in the last three games has been more about luck than good play and tactics.

After that game I cannot help but think our new tactic and it has been for a while now is to try and hold on for any result to avoid the spoon. I like the prospects coming through but we are one or two players short of being competitive and in a comp that is as close as this one that makes a huge difference.

We don't have much chance of beating any of the top 7 teams at the moment, need to grab every point we can off the bottom 5 teams. Perth stole 2 points from us at home and we just repaid the favour as they should have won that game.

I had the same expectations and in the end a draw was a good result for us. Not that I liked it but in light of the reality of the situations, and where we are currently it Is passable. Just.

What really concerns me is the lack of combinations anywhere on the park, but especially moving the ball from midfield to the strikers to a goal scoring opportunity. Our default is to play back which suggests players don’t have a plan going forward. This, to me, is a coaching not a player issue.

We have invested a big chunk of our cap and all our imports in the front third and yet not getting anything out of them. We have seen that these players have the ability to do much better than the past two months but they are stifled, not energetic and working in silos.

A massive test for Monty as a coach going forward will be how creates solutions to these football problems.

 

[true believer]

Were you watching?

yes am. he was unable to effect anything .
he's in the wrong position

 

[FFC Mariner]

yes am. he was unable to effect anything .
he's in the wrong position

Hardly his fault is it? If it wasnt for the bad blood between Moss and certain owners he could be the assistant/mentor that Monty needs.
Of course we would have to pay him so thats that then

 

[turbo]

We have invested a big chunk of our cap and all our imports in the front third and yet not getting anything out of them. We have seen that these players have the ability to do much better than the past two months but they are stifled, not energetic and working in silos.

And from what I recall our visa players + cummings are locked in for next season so we need to find a solution for the long term too.

 

[midfielder]

I had the same expectations and in the end a draw was a good result for us. Not that I liked it but in light of the reality of the situations, and where we are currently it Is passable. Just.

What really concerns me is the lack of combinations anywhere on the park, but especially moving the ball from midfield to the strikers to a goal scoring opportunity. Our default is to play back which suggests players don’t have a plan going forward. This, to me, is a coaching not a player issue.

We have invested a big chunk of our cap and all our imports in the front third and yet not getting anything out of them. We have seen that these players have the ability to do much better than the past two months but they are stifled, not energetic and working in silos.

A massive test for Monty as a coach going forward will be how creates solutions to these football problems.

Astute post..... I think Monty still has L plates on.... I never believed any coach could go from youth coach to head coach overnight and with very limited experience....

The key issue as most have identified is we have no penetration in the midfield especially thu the middle....

We miss DDS a lot as aside from his ability he changed the shape of other sides as they always had someone watching or tracking him, we don't have that threat today in our mids...

Maybe its the shape we play 442 is difficult if you don't have at least one or two play makers in the midfield.

I would suggest a change to 4 - 3- 2 - 1

with the mids being

the back 3 Miller, Olie, Smith

The front 2, Urena, Miller, Beni, Nizzy, ... they simply run their socks off.....

I have played in this structure and the wide backs, and wide mids, push up constantly .... its strong in defence ... and needs the two attacking mids to also be in the box a lot... they need to run and run and run and move and move all match...

 

[true believer]

Hardly his fault is it? If it wasnt for the bad blood between Moss and certain owners he could be the assistant/mentor that Monty needs.
Of course we would have to pay him so thats that then

yet nizzy is in the wrong position and made a fraction on of the impact he made before new years.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

yes am. he was unable to effect anything .
he's in the wrong position

He did not provide scintillating attacking runs or passes that led to goals. He played as a #6 and let Ollie do more of the distributing. However without Nizz sprinting back in defence, while the rest of the midfield jogged, after we turned over the ball in attack, I suspect we would have conceded a heap goals.
He is possibly in the wrong position. As a winger he was able to bring some creativity to our attack. However, we had plenty of potential wingers and our young DMs were struggling, hence the shift. I think a lot of the problem is that he is playing more of a #6 to Ollie's #8. Although Ollie is the captain and calls the shots on the field I think this is a mistake. Ollie does not seem to have the legs anymore to play box to box all game.
Personally I would like to see Nizz in a more advanced central role, providing passes for a striker or for wingers to run onto.