Just watched the replay under cool, calm and trying to be unbiased conditions.
We looked good in the first half because Sydney stood off us and allowed us time, probably why we usually play well against them. Historically Roar are our bogey team because they get in our faces and give us no time on the ball. Perth showed who effective that is last game.
On Melling, he was not as bad in the 1st half as I first thought. He made a couple of good interceptions and two good passes. However his most effective defending was three tackles in which he gave away three free kicks. However the majority of his passes went astray.
Apologies Captain GB, you were spot on, in the 2nd half he was woeful, I obviously did not pick that up because I was watching where the Sydney players were coming from and predicting there next goal. However he was definitely playing out of position but as a DM he should have been able to pick up opposition players. Overall he was poor rather than disastrous.
On Hoole, an inanimate carbon rod would have been just as good. If Mulvey has big wraps on him, it explains a lot of our problems.
On Cisse, total idiot. The first yellow came about for his kicking the ball away after giving the ref a gobful. If he had shut up and kicked it away he may have got away with it. He just asked for it. The original challenge between he and Le Fondre was 6 of one 1/2 a doz of the other, both were hanging on. He had position had position on Le Fondre but fell over and played for a foul which the linesman saw as a fall and flagged. It had to be a free kick. He could have received a yellow for grabbing the ball, giving the ref a gob full, or kicking it away. The ref had no option.
The 2nd yellow may have been a straight red, whatever the result is the same. The length of the suspension will not matter.
On leaving the field it looked like someone said something to him which led to him approaching Monty. Still no excuse, hopefully he gone and gives us a chance to correct one of the many poor signings.
On the penalty. It depends on the angle of the replay as to how you see it. From the second angle, it is clear to me that Melling takes both the player and the ball. This was the angle the ref had, a penalty.
On the 1st angle Fox replayed it looked like Melling got the ball first, but you could not tell when the legs came into contact.
VAR was never going to overturn it.
Melling came from behind with a sliding tackle in the box, a courages decision, but silly. He almost pulled it off and did not pick up a yellow for it, although he picked up one later on (is that 5?).
He may have got lucky, but did not. I think in most cases refs would call a penalty.
If it had been at the other end of the field we would have been screaming for it.
Just trying to be objective.
On Tommy. He did not stretch out at all in his 15 mins so may have been protecting his calf in what was a lost cause, but did provide two beautiful balls to the wingers. Hopefully he is fit enough to start and have 60 mins next week.
On Paine. His best game yet. not only for the goal and his attacking play but also for his defending, well done.
On O'Neil. Another top performance shame he picked up his 5th yellow we will miss him badly next game. He is getting better.
On Simon. Probably he best run this season, but another unnecessary yellow.
On the coach. He limited his options with the bench he selected and after the red we were gone. Poor selections. I would really like to hear him give a critical analysis after these losses rather than complaining and deflecting the questions and going after some questionable decisions.
It was good to see him going over to the fans post match, I think he has realised, or has been told, he needs to mend some fences in that direction.
Maybe the boys could get him on a pod cast and get him to answer some questions candidly. However, I think it would be extremely difficult to ask the questions that need to be asked without it turning into a punch up.
Any chance Jimmy. (If you can pull it off you will have to accept my offer
)
Overall, I am extremely disappointed that we found another way to lose. I would have been interested to see whether we could have jagged a win or whether we would have lost like our previous 1-0 leads.
Next game will be tougher.