Round 15 - F3 Derby #43, Scumdome

[Forum Phoenix]

What Scottmac said for mine.

Seems pretty clear to me that only thing separating us from the top teams is quality in the front third. That always costs extra $$

Scum are second, yet we were all over them for the most part. When you clearly look better than the number 2 side, it seems clear to me that we're at least capable of being a top 6 side "IF" we can address the issues in attack. I still believe we'd be top four and really able to challenge if we had a real striker and our wingers had a better final ball.

I'm pissed off about not rotating our DM's and waiting for injury to do it for us, going in what happened with Wout and Connor seemed a likely outcome, and the Roux sub is in my eyes a very poor decision unless Adsrubal had a niggle or something. However on balance, Okon has definitely done a good job with what he has, but we have 4-6 players not up to HAL quality in the squad, 2-3 that lack smarts in the front third (I'm looking at you wingers and Hoole) and we don't seem to have a striker capable of scoring regularly in the HAL in our squad, and that on its own is a BIG issue.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

A positive is that Lachie Wales does look like he has good game smarts. He looks. Can't believe how often Connor, Kubi and Hoole fail to get their heads up and read the play.

 

[tim...]

The improvement in our defence is the most evident thing to me. The front third is a massive sore point but we are far less leaky than in previous seasons.

We need more wins on the board, we need a striker, but ultimately Rome wasn't built in a day

 

[TedShot]

disagreement about okon not being a top six coach (yet), but backed up by discussing issues and oversights that are purely his decisions.

Realistically yes he is a good coach, but he is not fantastic, he hasn't adapted in games, goes in with a set plan and does not change it. Brama indicated he was hurting and instead of subbing him off, waiting till he had to be taken off. That doesnt seem smart for preservation.

I think some of our goal scoring problems could be fixed by okon telling the team to just f**ken shoot when they are near the box, not just pass it around.

 

[greenlig]

I think some of our goal scoring problems could be fixed by okon telling the team to just f**ken shoot when they are near the box, not just pass it around.

A guy can dream, can't he?

We look like a shallow emulation of Bris atm. They had a Broich and a Berisha. We have neither.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

What Scottmac said for mine.

Seems pretty clear to me that only thing separating us from the top teams is quality in the front third. That always costs extra $$

Yes....but don't forget how bad we were all over the park when tom h was out. I felt like the performance drop was rather disproportionate

 

[scottmac]

Yes....but don't forget how bad we were all over the park when tom h was out. I felt like the performance drop was rather disproportionate

Every team has an off night.

 

[Holy]

I'm pissed off about not rotating our DM's and waiting for injury to do it for us, going in what happened with Wout and Connor seemed a likely outcome, and the Roux sub is in my eyes a very poor decision unless Adsrubal had a niggle or something. However on balance, Okon has definitely done a good job with what he has, but we have 4-6 players not up to HAL quality in the squad, 2-3 that lack smarts in the front third (I'm looking at you wingers and Hoole) and we don't seem to have a striker capable of scoring regularly in the HAL in our squad, and that on its own is a BIG issue.

I agree with you, but there was a part of me thinking this may work when Storm came on as a winger.

I had a discussion with a mate prior to the start of the game that I would like to see how he went as a winger. He's got the speed, his got the attacking smarts and his ball control and crossing is not too bad. His defence is what lets him down but there is enough of that in him too to get back and help defend. With McGing starting the make RB his own, it's an option I think worth exploring.

Asdrubal, to me, looks like he would make a decent #10. Some of his passing in the early rounds was wonderful to watch. His through ball to put Hoole through to score against Sydney FC was magic. I think he is wasted as a lone striker, which is a shame, because there is a good footballer in him.

The other thing is it's not only a striker capable of scoring regularly we need, it's our whole forward line that we need to make a consistent contribution. Other teams are getting good contributions from all their forwards, we just aren't from ours.

I also wish both Tommy and Wout would have a long range go more often, there's always the chance the opposition keeper spills or knocks the ball in front of our more foward players. We don't even seem to be thinking that even.

Which makes me wonder sometimes if there is too much emphasis on our possession based game and no licence to do what comes naturally.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Every team has an off night.

What about an off dynasty?
In all seriousness, it was a few weeks of absolute shite when he was out. I mean, I know losing a key player hurts, but we shouldn't go from 'able to dominate a championship contender just not quite score against them' to 'a collection of schoolkids at lunch time would probably beat us' just from losing a single player. How bad we got just from missing him is a definite problem. One that seemed to go beyond the usual 'lack of depth' issues.

But I'd agree with other comments that our biggest and most immediate (and most easily fixable) problem is that we don't have a single striker in the team. Controlling the midfield is nice when you're doing one of those training games where every 5 passes without interception gets you a point. It only gets you so far when you're playing a game with those mysterious white sticks at the end of the pitch.

 

[Wombat]

The improvement in our defence is the most evident thing to me. The front third is a massive sore point but we are far less leaky than in previous seasons.

We need more wins on the board, we need a striker, but ultimately Rome wasn't built in a day

Having Roux out has probably saved us 6 or 7 goals conceded. And having MCGing at RB rather than CB another 3 or 4.
Baro has steadied the ship massively and Golec (while occasionally sketchy) has been a huge improvement over Harry and MCGing.

 

[Wombat]

People calling for Okon out are stupid imho.
He needs to improve his performance in a lot of areas but he is young and relatively green himself.
Overall he has been excellent.

 

[Stoxxo]

I wasn't able to watch the game but from from the general consensus we failed massively in the front third once again.
Just watched Paolo's media conference and he is the most animated and pissed off i have seen him, pressure building on him possibly.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/video/...-conferences/mariners-press-conference!659600

 

[Ozhammer]

but ultimately Rome wasn't built in a day

Yeah, but that was the builder’s original estimate.......

I’ll get my coat

 

[shipwreck]

disagreement about okon not being a top six coach (yet), but backed up by discussing issues and oversights that are purely his decisions.

Realistically yes he is a good coach, but he is not fantastic, he hasn't adapted in games, goes in with a set plan and does not change it. Brama indicated he was hurting and instead of subbing him off, waiting till he had to be taken off. That doesnt seem smart for preservation.

I think some of our goal scoring problems could be fixed by okon telling the team to just f**ken shoot when they are near the box, not just pass it around.

This is exactly my point, I don't understand the backlash at suggesting he isn't a top six coach, I mean... Of his entire Aleague coaching career we have been in the top six for what, 5% of it?

I don't know about you guys but I'm sick of hearing things like "he is doing great with what he has" or "if only we had a striker we would be great" to me that's what separates top coaches from average and mediocre ones, the ability to anticipate those issues, with the constraints you have and still make it in the top six.

While I acknowledge he has indeed done well with what he has, I'm still going to call it as I see it.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

This is exactly my point, I don't understand the backlash at suggesting he isn't a top six coach, I mean... Of his entire Aleague coaching career we have been in the top six for what, 5% of it?

I don't know about you guys but I'm sick of hearing things like "he is doing great with what he has" or "if only we had a striker we would be great" to me that's what separates top coaches from average and mediocre ones, the ability to anticipate those issues, with the constraints you have and still make it in the top six.

While I acknowledge he has indeed done well with what he has, I'm still going to call it as I see it.

That’s fine. It’s not backlash. I just disagree.

A high quality striker would clearly make a difference? Same football, same game with a high quality striker on the park and 9 times out of ten we win that game,

I think we’re two thirds of the way to being a great side, and given our GENUINE lack of resources, that’s a good achievement and like Timmah said fact is we’re still unfortunately a work in progress.

As to.., but turning average players into great teams is what a top coach does argument... I don’t think that’s accurate, Only a very special coach can take mediocre players and turn a sows ear into silk and even then they often fail. Doesn’t matter if it’s the special one himself, and I’m definitely not saying or convinced okon is special. He needs the right players like 99% of coaches. And I think expecting Kubi to be regularly banging in his chances if he was just better coached and Pain playing better final balls is pretty unrealistic.

Dominating the 2nd placed team with the players he has shows he’s doing a good job.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree he’s making some mistakes, like Wout. But I think he’s pretty clearly gotten a lot more right than wrong. So it’s still a pass mark from me. You don’t think there’s been some massive improvement in this side under him?

 

[Big Al]

What about an off dynasty?
In all seriousness, it was a few weeks of absolute shite when he was out. I mean, I know losing a key player hurts, but we shouldn't go from 'able to dominate a championship contender just not quite score against them' to 'a collection of schoolkids at lunch time would probably beat us' just from losing a single player. How bad we got just from missing him is a definite problem. One that seemed to go beyond the usual 'lack of depth' issues.

But I'd agree with other comments that our biggest and most immediate (and most easily fixable) problem is that we don't have a single striker in the team. Controlling the midfield is nice when you're doing one of those training games where every 5 passes without interception gets you a point. It only gets you so far when you're playing a game with those mysterious white sticks at the end of the pitch.

Perth without Casro. Hopeless
City without McCormack. Hopeless
Mariners without Tom. Hopeless

 

[Big Al]

This is exactly my point, I don't understand the backlash at suggesting he isn't a top six coach, I mean... Of his entire Aleague coaching career we have been in the top six for what, 5% of it?

I don't know about you guys but I'm sick of hearing things like "he is doing great with what he has" or "if only we had a striker we would be great" to me that's what separates top coaches from average and mediocre ones, the ability to anticipate those issues, with the constraints you have and still make it in the top six.

While I acknowledge he has indeed done well with what he has, I'm still going to call it as I see it.

Try building a plane with ordinary engineers.

He has done a fantastic job at fixing our defence. It’s gone from A League worst ever to respectable. That took 12 months and 3 imports.

Hopefully another 12 months and the attack is fixed and we legitimate top 4 team.

He has had the opportunity to clean half the house. Next season he can clean the rest.

Baro tick
Brama tick
Tom gold star
Asdrubal meh but with better wingers could be good but doubt he’ll be here next season

Paulo does some strange things and i get frustrated to but for his experience he is doing well and learning him self. He still has his P plates on

 

[Big Al]

Also pushing Wout was part Wout’s fault.

Wout said he can get to half time which as a coach you trust someone like Wout to know his body. Depth also would of said to him I hope he is ok. Next time he will go. No you’re off.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Mmmm, says he’s feeling a complaint after playing only a few days ago, no way I would have risked him further.

 

[scottmac]

Asdrubal meh but with better wingers could be good but doubt he’ll be here next season

If its true that we are operating at the floor again he may not cost much and would be awesome as the second striker in our squad.
He's definitely not a lone striker