Rd 7 MV v CCM Thursday

[Capt. Awesome]

what news on Austin? I didn't hear why he went off

Walmsley thinks he has a broken foot.

 

[Capt. Awesome]

Commentators are dicks, when MV foul on the break it is clever to give them time to regroup defensively, CCM do it and it is silly or clumsy.

Totally agree with you there. Ned is so biased against every game. Sick off hearing his dribble.

 

[Wombat]

Ascroft got two fouls against him in quick succession. The first was when Finkler fouled him and the second was freekick that led to the second goal. To my mind he got all ball and there was no foul nut Williams talked to him and threatened a yellow card when he had not done either foul. Soon after Mitch was clumsily taken down in what looked like a clear penalty.

If the correct decisions were made the score would be 1 - 1 - but Roy would be off with a red. The only thing worse than Williams reffing was Izzo's setting of the wall. Victory is too good a team to expect points from if the team and officiating are not exactly spot on. Sadly tonight neither has been.

ISSO did ok but that wall was hopeless.
Danny would have let that in but Reddy would not.

 

[Wombat]

Totally agree with you there. Ned is so biased against every game. Sick off hearing his dribble.

Speed freak.

 

[bikinigirl]

We lack penetration in the top third cos we dont have a genuine #10. Plenty of balls into the box but we play with 2 wingers and just the 1 striker, too far apart to deliver numbers in the box when needed.

. i know that Cas has a lot of fans on here but i can't help but feel he is what is holding us back offensively

. we do get crosses into the box but often Roy is alone with three of the opposition on him and no support ... rarely are we seeing the midfield arriving in the box to attack

. Cas can do a decent job with the ball at his feet (is much better at holding his own than previous seasons) but he is easily herded backwards or sideways ... it is pointless being able to hold the ball if he is unable to play it forward. often he holds the ball then lays it off to somebody in a less advanced position - if he could only squeeze the ball forward when he is receiving attention

. i can't tell what position he is actually playing, but i think he needs to spend more time sitting close to the strikers and less time jogging about in a DM-type position ... sorry, but his play just seems to frustrate me at the moment

 

[Rowdy]

iZZO,
looked like he had the wall set up for Bozanic to take the kick being a left footer BUT was standing on the wrong side for that set-up AS WELL.

Why? I think he was trying to cheat by standing where he did because if you look at the replay, it afforded him a slight gap in the wall to see through to the ball.

The problem with that was as soon as Finkler hit it - it disappeared from his view instantly. How he could even assume/anticipate that Finkler MIGHTN'T have a go is beyond me.

You only have to look at Finkler's earlier free kicks this year to realise that HE was more of a threat than Bozanic.

If Izzy had've stood even central or more to Finklers side he would have had a better chance, might have even saved it.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

. i know that Cas has a lot of fans on here but i can't help but feel he is what is holding us back offensively

. we do get crosses into the box but often Roy is alone with three of the opposition on him and no support ... rarely are we seeing the midfield arriving in the box to attack

. Cas can do a decent job with the ball at his feet (is much better at holding his own than previous seasons) but he is easily herded backwards or sideways ... it is pointless being able to hold the ball if he is unable to play it forward. often he holds the ball then lays it off to somebody in a less advanced position - if he could only squeeze the ball forward when he is receiving attention

. i can't tell what position he is actually playing, but i think he needs to spend more time sitting close to the strikers and less time jogging about in a DM-type position ... sorry, but his play just seems to frustrate me at the moment

I see things very much the same way as you and Luca. I think when talent meets wrong application or lack of full realisation its often frustrating. Being, I think he's a very talented player, but he goes missing too much for my liking, he always does some good things in a game and helps us hold possession well, but he is not working as a #10 primarily because his decision making/vision and final ball - for mine the two most important pieces for a ten - are not working.

I remember watching him his first season in CCM youth,
and you could see his talent on the ball, and a good passing range, but wondering about his positional play and asking if he was an AM or a DM? He seemed to be playing positionally more like a DM that game, but had the feet of an AM and did not seem to have the engine/mongrel or defend like a DM... I was told he's often been played in both.

It might be this fact seems to have carried through and maybe impacted his development for mine. There is definitely some adjustments that need to be made imho. More connected to the strikers would be a start... otherwise hard, a lot of it is mis judgement, sometimes he needs more patience... others to lay off earlier... other times to be more ambitious, others not to be... so his decision making seems to be rendering a very good player, mostly ineffective.

I think the other elephant in the room for an all out attacking team... is genuine goal scorers.

We are definitely not equal to BRIS, SFC or MV in the front third.
Of our attacking forwards/mids... Fitzy is not a natural goal scorer, nor is Austin (though he is delivering the best final balls) nor I'd hazard is Adelson, Caceres - can hit them from range and I'd say is actually closer than the other 4, but still cannot be counted on...

So we have Roy... Who I think is. And is doing fairly well, but he is not a lone striker. Ferriera is. So that's two - when he's back. Maybe three if we play with two upfront and Heff can prove himself at this level. Bingham? Young at 22, and not much HAL time as yet, so I'll reserve opinion till next season I think, but he's not that young and doesn't strike me in the same way Bernie or Duke did and I can;t see him ever getting into double digits in a yellow shirt. (Make me eat those words PLEASE JB) oh and SIM Who in all seriousness does look like he's the third most natural goal scorer in the entire squad.

What I do think we have is a team capable of some very attacking combinations and general play...especially when you throw in our wingbacks, which is great... really is... but we clearly need a better balance of clinical scorers and better decision makers to take advantage of it. Our attack still looks confused. MV's attacking runs and play is a lot clearer in structure. (Oh the "awareness" Zelic ) We seem to oscillate between fast and furious crosses like we have Andy Carol upfront...not O'Donovan... (Though I think he gives his all and I like him for it) or intricate play like we're trying to be Arsenal, but far too often undone by a lack of quality with the incisive ball or a poor decision.

FWIW I thought Storm played his best game this season tonight and thought he was very good - so deserved a wrap after a weak start.

 

[bikinigirl]

Bingham? Young at 22, and not much HAL time as yet, so I'll reserve opinion till next season I think, but he's not that young and doesn't strike me in the same way Bernie or Duke did and I can;t see him ever getting into double digits in a yellow shirt. (Make me eat those words PLEASE JB)

. well he does already have one this season and last night made a run that was well timed ... his opponent did just enough to put him off for the strike - and hopefully he learns from that

. i thought he was a striker that the Club may be trying to turn into a winger/midfielder (hopefully not like dukie in that sense) ... it did suit bernie however

. adelson did seem a bit lost for what to do last night and a few critical times wasn't moving in attack when he should have been

. all part of the learning for the young-uns no doubt

 

[Wombat]

Not a bad effort.
Tony made a couple of mistakes in starting Monty at CB and starting Adelson on the wing (although he was impressive preseason)

. i know that Cas has a lot of fans on here but i can't help but feel he is what is holding us back offensively

. we do get crosses into the box but often Roy is alone with three of the opposition on him and no support ... rarely are we seeing the midfield arriving in the box to attack

. Cas can do a decent job with the ball at his feet (is much better at holding his own than previous seasons) but he is easily herded backwards or sideways ... it is pointless being able to hold the ball if he is unable to play it forward. often he holds the ball then lays it off to somebody in a less advanced position - if he could only squeeze the ball forward when he is receiving attention

. i can't tell what position he is actually playing, but i think he needs to spend more time sitting close to the strikers and less time jogging about in a DM-type position ... sorry, but his play just seems to frustrate me at the moment

Agree.

Look at how Monty drives forward and creates. Cas has better technical skill but no real drive and his passing is very poor.

 

[Wombat]

..................doesn't sound like you are though.

Im $250 up but Melbourne cup and those couple of draws lost me $300.....so i was travelling a lot better.

 

[shipwreck]

Fans starting to turn on Tony on Facebook, not the real fans just the bandwagoners that keep saying ignorant things like "Bring Reddy back" and the like.

Still, only a matter of time before their dissatisfaction spreads.

 

[Blackadder]

Fans starting to turn on Tony on Facebook, not the real fans just the bandwagoners that keep saying ignorant things like "Bring Reddy back" and the like.

Still, only a matter of time before their dissatisfaction spreads.

And why shouldn't it? At the end of the day it's all about results, not about future plans etc.

 

[dibo]

Because it's stupid.

Reddy's gone for non-football reasons, and we are doing what we can with an extremely limited budget.

We've been in every game we've played, we've scored in every game we've played, but the fans who want instant gratification and a trophy every other year will need to take a reality check.

 

[Wombat]

It was a decent showing.
A couple of things i would have done diffently.
Ascroft at CB.
Fitz on wing.
Heff up front in 442.

Isso 6. One quality save but did poorly on the freekick.
Storm 7. Going forward he is the best fullback in the HAL. His defence needs work but he worked hard last night.
Ascroft 6.5. Pretty good game. He is not a middy Tony so stop wasting your time.
Posco 8. Impressive. Does need to give away less free kicks.
Rose 6.5 Solid
Adelson 4. Overawed.
Monty 8. Another top game.
Caceras 6. Time to shine or face time on the pine.
Fitz 6. Bit of a headless chook but tried hard
Roy 6. Amazing workrate. Luck of the Irish to not get red
Austin 7. Good game
Sim 7. Proving us all wrong.

 

[soccer mad]

There's no doubt that victory are the yard stick of the comp .We played in patches at times the gap will shorten by years end as frustrating as it is we will get better .I must admit but I'm a fan of TW vision we'll get these young pups playing good football. And f**k off anyone who doesn't buy it.

 

[true believer]

Speed freak.

Definatly sounds like it

 

[MrCelery]

Commentators are dicks, when MV foul on the break it is clever to give them time to regroup defensively, CCM do it and it is silly or clumsy.

Can't agree more. MV under Muscat are the experts in breaking up an attack with a 'professional' foul.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

A big part of how this unfolded if a big difference in quality - and their quality has just won 3 trophies together. it's hard to hit that last pass against such a great defence, and it took two very high quality moments to score the two goals that they did. otherwise we were at them for the bulk of the game. as I said before if this is a work in progress I'm happy with the progress and where we appear we'll end up

Yeah that's true. I suppose, all things considered - a 2-1 loss isn't anything for Victory to be too excited about.

But I'm still concerned about our lack of real goalscorers. Get a goalscorer in, and we'll be a real contender, especially if we get our silly mistakes in defence sorted.

And god, I'm sick of the f"****** commentators. CCM were attacking and the commentators were just crapping on about which foreign players Muscat should pick. MV get the ball, and one of them (terrible at recognising the voice) was 'oi, oi, Victory are in attack' and back to talking about the game.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Because it's stupid.

Reddy's gone for non-football reasons, and we are doing what we can with an extremely limited budget.

We've been in every game we've played, we've scored in every game we've played, but the fans who want instant gratification and a trophy every other year will need to take a reality check.

The FB comments on the clubs page are like a car crash, its awful but you have to look.

One in particular NEEds TO wORk on USINg CAPitalS BetteR

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Yeah I've seen a bit of that. Is it wrong that I'd still prefer losing like we did last night to being higher in the ladder under Moss' playing style?
My concern is - how long before the club starts listening to the complaints on fb? They'll get worse each week.
We look like we're _almost_ a championship team. But I am a little concerned as to whether we're still making progress on those 'nearly there' aspects. Though our defence has come a long way since the first few rounds.

And let's not forget - nobody expected us to do well this season anyway. So really, we're only meeting expectations as far as ladder position goes It's probably the fact that our playing style caused hope in the first few rounds but it hasn't yet delivered that's starting to cause some frustration.