Round 8 - CC Mariners Vs Melbourne Heart

[Bladesman]

I would start Musty but also after last weeks performance I would leave Hutch in place as Olly has been struggling this year and I thought Hutch brought a lot to us last week. I would also be tempted to start Hearfield up front instead or Bernie as well.

 

[Golly]

Weather.com.au suggests the rain will clear up before match time.

Any report on the condition of the ground? Would have to be close to calling it off surely. Must be awfully boggy.

BT has excellent drainage

absolutley no chance of being called off

we havent had that much rain as in mm just drizzle mainly this week

not like the rain we had when jets game called off at BT the other year

125mm on my rain gauge since monday

 

[timmers]

-------Pasfield-------

Pedj--Wilko--Dutchy--Rose

--------Griff---------
Glinch----------Hutch
-------Amini----------

----Matty--Bernie----

Subs: Hearfield, McBreen, Pelle

 

[timmers]

Tipping a 2-1 win, crowd of 7,800

Amini and Matty to score

 

[krusty]

ok blue sky and sunny now at umina crowd 10000 mariners to win 5-1

 

[Roy Law]

That was grim. I hope we haven’t used up all our good fortune for the season. Not that Melbourne Heart deserved much from the game, they weren’t particularly adventurous. Getting the points when you don’t pay well is said to be as good thing so I’ll take them but in particular very pleased for the remarkable Alex Wilkinson on his 150th game. I thought we were too slow in movement, too passive in midfield, and gave up possession too easily. Instead of getting better we seemed to have gone backwards today but I can’t be too churlish because four wins and a draw in five games is outstanding form. I fail to understand how arguably the tallest team in the league can allow Heart a free header from a set-piece. On the plus side what a superb take from Matt Simon – and I don’t care if he manhandled Bolton as Simon takes a lot of stick in the penalty area without reward. The penalty was harsh but we have the benefit of replays and in normal speed you can see why the ref called it but I could hardly bear to look when McBreen stepped up after his terrible penalty in the Grand Final but he hit it hard enough. And then there was Zwaanswijk with a strong leap and unstoppable header – what a talisman he is!
Pasfield: did ok without convincing; a fine save from Maycon and unlucky with their goal which he almost saved.
Bojic: Unbelievable. I can’t believe how a player with such energy and such an impact on a game can make so many poor decisions, but you can’t fault the work rate and determination.
Wilko and Zwaanswijk: strong enough, intelligent enough and mainly untroubled.
Rose: defensively read the play very well; got forward as usual but didn’t have the execution. Too many passes given away but the snap shot was a beauty.
Griffiths: dominated for long periods without quite getting it right.
Hutchinson: started ok, gave his all as always but too slow to move the ball forward.
McGlinchey: industrious as usual, nice close skills but we needed him to open them up and he struggled to do that.
Amini: they have to get the ball to him quicker and he has to demand it. When he gets the ball in tight positions danger threatens but his team mates seemed unsure to give it to him. Has the priceless knack of making the simple things look simple.
Bernie: Like the way he holds the ball up. Didn’t get the service he needs from midfield and the flanks, his run and shot for the ‘corner’ showed he is always dangerous.
Simon: One of those games when his touch was Teflon but the goal was genuine striker quality. Like Bernie got no decent service.
Hearfield; lightweight; unable to provide a spark. McBreen: plodded around without much impact.
Pellegrino: ran around without much impact.
I am struggling to award a MoM but suggest Zwaanswijk who was strong at the back and scored a good goal.

 

[Fishsdad]

Zwaanzwijk definite MoM for mine. I shidder to think how we will replace him in defnce when he needs to sit games out (yellow cards), not to mention he's our equal top scorer...

The only reason he doesn't get rave reviews every week is because our expecations are so high - he was the quality player on the pitch tonight.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Zwaanzwijk definite MoM for mine. I shidder to think how we will replace him in defnce when he needs to sit games out (yellow cards), not to mention he's our equal top scorer...

The only reason he doesn't get rave reviews every week is because our expecations are so high - he was the quality player on the pitch tonight.

What he said.

 

[gull]

We weren't great but still won. At the game didn't see any of the so- called Fox controversial decisions - great Matt Simon goal & looked like a handball live. Ref was closer than me. We won & that's it. Points are in the bag. On to next week....

 

[Wombat]

Strange game. Very ugly from both sides but I never felt we would lose although we always kept them in the game by being sloppy defensively (mainly by both fullbacks). I think the problem was we never adjusted to their strange team set up. They played with 3 at the back, stacked the midfield with 6 and just one striker.
They played really skinny and really high up the pitch. They are well drilled and a decent side and it's only the fact that we are better than them that we still managed to win without adjusting to their set up.
It was frustrating watching our back four marking one or two players and Griffiths still shielding the back four rather than making things happen up the other end of the field.
At the game nothing looked controversial apart from the ref booking players that didn't deserve it and letting other players off(that did) with a free kick.

Our movement wasn't good enough overall but when we actually made the effort things started to happen.

Impossible to give a 321 as no one was good enough to win it.

Pasfield. Looked pretty solid. No complaints, quality reserve.
Bojic. Mixed bag. Fantastic athlete but not top quality footballer.
Rose. Started on fire and looked like a likely mom but made too many mistakes after that
Wilko. Solid. I liked what I saw.
Dutchy. Some great stuff mixed in with some shit house distribution. Superb finish. In top 3.
Weemac. Top 3. Looked great at times and the most likely to open them up but also too quiet at times.
Rostyn. Not great tonight. Too defensive minded. Some nice tackles and a couple of good switches but also some dross.
Hutcho. Pretty good again. Would have been my mom but for some sloppy passing. Good enough to keep Olly out......defiantly not! But shows he is strong cover and deserves a bench spot.
Amini. Not very impressive but flooded Heart midfield made life very hard for him and although he was looking tired was actually playing his best football of the game in the ten mins before he was subbed.
Simon. Great goal but otherwise quiet.
Abini. Average tonight but still lively. They tried to monster him tonight and with our poor movement and lack of support we made it extra hard for him.

Subs. Hearfield ...not a striker so not sure why he is criticized when played out of position. Always works hard and makes
things happen.
McBreen. Looks lively and hungry for mine and a decent cameo. Would have rattled the Heart midfield with his running and aggression.
Pelle. Did ok but only given 5 mins which is about right.

Not a great atmosphere but thought yellow army were fantastic.

As for my extra 5 people i scored zero!!!!! Sorry but about 20 promise to come to scum game.

 

[midfielder]

Still not back to our best... tho Duchie, weeMac & Simon were our best...

Good bits ... we seem to be developing a pattern again... further we are hard to break down... MacBreen seems to have found himself a place in the CAM position ...

Bad bits ... the passing by some in the team is below the current standard of the A-League... Pedj heavens the youth backs must be playing something bad if he stays in the top team... Rostyn first half in particular was awful his passing was hopeless... As for Hutch can see last years Hutch returning ... why o why did he give that free away ... it almost cost us the game...

Musty & Berni seem not to have hit top gear yet .. hopefully it comes soon...

 

[true believer]

i think the boys did well against. the picture in my head all game was "honey badger"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c81bcjyfn6U

the highlight for me was rosey shot at an obsolutely perfect angle from my seats.

glinch was my Mom .Mcbreen had immediate impact as soon as he came on.
although like most people i almost got religon .when he was taking the penalty.

 

[Jerem]

Dutchy only worthy mention
MOM 9

1out of 22, meh.

didnt deserve the win 1-1 would have been more accurate

 

[garlo]

I love when people say we didn't deserve the win ..haha well we kinda did because we scored more goals I hate to be a douche but just annoys me when we win and people still have issues ...other than okay crowd considering earlier weather and playing the heart ..nice finish matty ..the boys are gelling again !

 

[gull]

Yep, there are plenty of games we should have won but didn't so i don't care how we win, as long as we do.

 

[garlo]

+1 gull

 

[localpom]

Not pretty but a good result, i'll settle for that.
Putting Musti in from the start was always going to change things and he will need 3 or 4 games before he gets his mojo going(and the rest of the team getting used to the way he plays).

McBreen is in form and needs to start, maybe at Bernies expense. Tough call of course.

Olly and Matty back next week so some selection headaches for Arnie. Hutch and Pasfield haven't done alot wrong and Hearfield another one that deserves a start soon.

On the Pedj debate, too good a workrate and defender to consider dropping. One of last years most consistent players and will improve on the crossing and passing soon( which i agree has been woeful).

 

[style_cafe]

Not pretty but a good result, i'll settle for that.
Putting Musti in from the start was always going to change things and he will need 3 or 4 games before he gets his mojo going(and the rest of the team getting used to the way he plays).

McBreen is in form and needs to start, maybe at Bernies expense. Tough call of course.

Olly and Matty back next week so some selection headaches for Arnie. Hutch and Pasfield haven't done alot wrong and Hearfield another one that deserves a start soon.

On the Pedj debate, too good a workrate and defender to consider dropping. One of last years most consistent players and will improve on the crossing and passing soon( which i agree has been woeful).

I`ve bagged Pedj in the past for the same reasons but in his defence he didn`t get a lot of support from Wee-mac on the weekend.
At stages in the second half Pedj was all alone with no other option than to put in a (shit) cross & hope for the best as Wee-mac was nowhere to be seen.

 

[Roy Law]

I`ve bagged Pedj in the past for the same reasons but in his defence he didn`t get a lot of support from Wee-mac on the weekend.
At stages in the second half Pedj was all alone with no other option than to put in a (shit) cross & hope for the best as Wee-mac was nowhere to be seen.

I have no argument with the defensive qualities of Pedj (Wellington aberration aside); Porter is a much better crosser but you couldn't trust him defensively; Hearfield is better on the ball and reasonably quick but clearly the mongrel defence of Pedj still gives him the edge in Arnie's eyes.
I agree with the idea of a Padj/Weemac combo -that's what can work so well for us on the left with Rosey and Ollie. The problem for McGlinchey is that if he passes the ball to Pedj the odds are he will take the wrong option and the move will break down so McGlinchey is reluctant to give it too him. It becomes self fulfilling. It's quite obvious we have lacked width on the right which has not helped Matty or Bernie.

 

[Bex]

For all you crowd tipsters, crowd was 7,242. Timmers wins with 7,800.

For those that guessed 6-7000 (FP and LY), I took that as 6,500 which is further away than Timmers' guess.