R5 v City away

[Michael]

We were completely out played in a couple patches but we also held our own for some periods. We cant look past how tired all the boys looked from about 15mins onwards though. I don’t really think that’s the coaching staffs fault or the players. I personally underestimated the travel factor but it was plain as day.
City also showed they are the real deal, they were very good with the ball overall but in saying that they score from 2 set piece errors on our behalf. The cut back goal was very well worked.
Putting the hindsight hat on staj probably should’ve made a couple changes to the starting side to freshen it up from the start, but you can’t argue the unchanged team heading in.
I’m not at all concerned but I am obviously disappointed.
I also have to mention, Lachie was excellent for them. If there’s even a hint he’ll come back.... geeze

 

[Tevor]

They are currently top of the table and I’ve watched most of their games and they deserve to be. Perth still struggling but we copped a good lesson tonight, the team and Staj. It’s early but I called them after round 2 being a top 2 team this season and they still have good players injured on the bench. They are very well structured, best in the comp in the moment.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

For how much we got dominated, it was really 3 moments of laziness and/or inattention in defence that lost this.

 

[Michael]

For how much we got dominated, it was really 3 moments of laziness and/or inattention in defence that lost this.

Exactly, perfectly rectifiable errors from set pieces and a few other moments. I trust staj and his staff to fix it this week. We’re not going to come first but semi finals are a real prospect for us once these kinks are ironed out.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Big game next week - we need to get something, especially at home

 

[Wombat]

We were completely out played in a couple patches but we also held our own for some periods. We cant look past how tired all the boys looked from about 15mins onwards though. I don’t really think that’s the coaching staffs fault or the players. I personally underestimated the travel factor but it was plain as day.
City also showed they are the real deal, they were very good with the ball overall but in saying that they score from 2 set piece errors on our behalf. The cut back goal was very well worked.
Putting the hindsight hat on staj probably should’ve made a couple changes to the starting side to freshen it up from the start, but you can’t argue the unchanged team heading in.
I’m not at all concerned but I am obviously disappointed.
I also have to mention, Lachie was excellent for them. If there’s even a hint he’ll come back.... geeze

I dont want him back here while he lookslike Baldrick from Blackadder. I cant cope with that haircut!

 

[scottmac]

We didn't play badly. City were just right onto the press and did what perth couldn't. Milan really didn't get much time on the ball either. We needed a 9 in that game to get the ball to and hold it or to be a threat in the box when we crossed it in. City will only get better too so tonight was really the night to get them.

 

[true believer]

We didn't play badly. City were just right onto the press and did what perth couldn't. Milan really didn't get much time on the ball either. We needed a 9 in that game to get the ball to and hold it or to be a threat in the box when we crossed it in. City will only get better too so tonight was really the night to get them.

i thought we should have played roun for rowles . but midfield is where it was lost .
kim had no effect when he came on . the rain didn't help , rostyn and Brillante dominated in the rain .
and wouldn't you give a pretty penny for a player like luna

 

[turbo]

Got finished watching a bit late, a few things stood out to me:
- I feel like the rain and wet conditions threw off our confidence to play that real tight passing game we saw against Perth. City handled the conditions far better arguably as a team from Melbourne might be expected to. There will be some learning points there on how we need to change things up a bit to suit.
- City pressed well and took advantage of those stray touches and forced even more.
- we were flat and didn’t have the same attacking penetration. I still feel like the slippery conditions had a part in that though but the two game away trip may have been a factor
- at the back they had us for pace and it could have gotten ugly

Not sure who I’d call MOTM for us, maybe Duric or DDS but no one really stood up. Stensness maybe as a quiet achiever? I’m glad the Muzz got fed but couldn’t give it for that.

I felt Ziggy had a poor game and his side was wide open multiple times, was potentially in position to stop both set piece goals too. I disagreed with bringing Matty on and would have rather seen Nisbet get on to bring some energy back in to the mids.

City are a quality side and at the top of the table for a reason. No real shame in the score but I would have liked to see a few more chances created by us.

 

[MagpieMariner]

Well, we haven't had a clean sheet so far (yeah I know, for a long, long time, but I'm talking about this season, I'm putting the last 5 years out of my mind), but we also haven't given up a clean sheet either. And our worst defeat isn't as big as the Scum's.

 

[Tevor]

For a change even the commentary was positive towards us, we didn’t play bad they were better structured and hungry. Their energy levels were way above ours. 4 wins on the trot for them is no fluke, they have a very good coach and they play a very nice looking game. Good possession with attacking football and if the opposition build up slow they are all behind the ball.

 

[Ironbark]

Bubble burst but the thing that stood out for me was the lack of (comparative) energy from last week. City were very good too.

I would think that locks down the signing of Jair. Having a starting 9 gives us more tactical options for games like this.

Happy to see Murray score and score well. Still think he has development in him and could prove a decent striker for us in time.

 

[Ironbark]

For a change even the commentary was positive towards us...

Noticed this too

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

It's a shame we weren't able to build momentum and I was also a little surprised that Staj tried to play the same game as against Perth, especially given I though he was going to adapt to each game. He got shown up there, but I'm sure he'll take that lesson on board.
Hopefully this doesn't hurt confidence - a reason to believe is still going to be precious until we get a few wins under our belt; we all know that the last few seasons we've shown great potential until we started racking up a few losses.
I kind of feel like the WSW and Jets games hurt more, but maybe because those felt like we should have won those. This one? From the first couple of minutes we weren't in it. Part of us playing flat, part of Staj being outcoached, and part of MCY just having our measure and not letting us build anything.

And yet despite that, it still took moments of laziness in defence - moments where our defence looked like last year's - for them to score. Still credit to MCY - the good team do capitalise on those, and the more a team defends the more likely they are to make mistakes. Against Perth we defended for half an hour and didn't make mistakes. Last night we defended for 70 minutes and made a couple of mistakes.

Hopefully Staj makes those players involved understand that there is never, never, never any excuse for a defender standing there scratching their balls.

So glad we have Biri though. He still made some good saves.

Ultimately we were beaten by a better team, - and the current best team in the comp by a fair measure - fair and square. I can't take that too much to heart.

Let's not forget that the current 2nd team in the comp were not better than us, and required a dodgy AF VAR call to win. We're fine.

Our next match should be a good test, but that's going to be a mindgame after the FFA cup match.
And if nothing else it's nice to not walk away blaming the ref / VAR for the result

 

[scoober]

I don't think we should've of played a high press, we were too open in midfield. We clearly didn't have the energy required to play it again. I think the line up still could of suited us sitting back, absorbing and hitting hard and fast on the break. The good thing is they will review and build a better plan for next time, thats the difference on the last four years.

 

[MagpieMariner]

It is so very refreshing not to have any reason to bitch about the reffing.

 

[turbo]

It is so very refreshing not to have any reason to bitch about the reffing.

Only thing I didn’t like was Galloway not getting a yellow for blatantly holding Oar back 10-11 minutes in. That kind of thing can change a game but no one wants to card that early. No need to warn something that blatant. If he got one later I would have been annoyed but fortunately it wasn’t an issue.

 

[Pirate Pete]

It is so very refreshing not to have any reason to bitch about the reffing.

If Lachie had been playing for the Mariners he would have had a red.
Kicking the ball away in the first half... no card.
Did get a card in the second half for a foul though.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

If Lachie had been playing for the Mariners he would have had a red.
Kicking the ball away in the first half... no card.
Did get a card in the second half for a foul though.

Yeah, that should have been a card......but it does often let go. It shouldn't, but honestly I would have been more surprised if he got a card than if he didn't.
That, and stopping players from taking quick kicks are 2 things HAL refs almost never pull up.

 

[MagpieMariner]

The trouble with football yellows are IMO too wide ranging, from minor things like delaying play to a studs-up leg amputation or boot to the head. When I played hockey, we had a green card (no, not so we could play in USA) for minor things and a yellow for nasties. These days from what I can see a green gives you 2 mins in the bin, a yellow gives you 10 in the bin and a second yellow says goodbye. Be interesting to see how that would go in football.