Tasswegia here we come! Aka WU Away Rd17

[Ancient Mariner]

I think. it has become clear now that if opposing teams close down Ollie, we struggle.
Nizzy must start, because he is one who is able to one touch pass accurately and able to nullify the press. Quick accurate passes will beat a press.
If Kuol also starts, very few defences will play high against us which also should nullify a pressing defence.
If we are to keep playing our wingers narrow, the players must have the speed and fitness to cover a lot of ground laterally. Janotta has neither. We had an open channel down our right side all first half which exposed Nigro who had multiple attackers to take care of and which subsequently dragged Tonyik across. This more than anything else massively disrupted our defence.

 

[Avoca]

Rudan’s smary behaviour on the sidelines were irritating, as were his dumb assistants, spewing verbal diarrhoea. Other coaches are dignified compared to him. I don’t mind WU, but Rudan’s sheer arrogance and look-at-me attitude destroys the game.

 

[Big Al]

3 - Birraz
2- Birraz
1- Birraz

Even if they did keep shooting at him. They could of been 3 up at halftime but if Urena had his usual game we probably go in 1-1 at halftime at least.

 

[Big Al]

Think Staj got the subs horribly wrong again. Late in the second i was like who should we pass to that can make something happen and I only really came up with Nizz and he didn’t get enough ball when he came on.

I would have liked Staj to really go for it and bring Hatch on for Stens with the Smilye change to open up the wings and chance our arm.

Ok we were dominant but useless with it in the second half

 

[Tim]

Just a thought but is it possible that Staj realises some of the players need some game time and match fitness if some of our starting 11 end up on international duty? Tough to coach if you need to keep winning but risk being decimated at finals time and have to field players that are not match fit/lack combinations etc.

Do we play our best 11 all of the time and try and win everything or somehow get some fringe players some game time in preparation for the finals? Seems to me that the side that wins the grand final is given far greater cred than the one that wins the season proper so Staj might accept that a top 3 or 4 finish is the goal and then be prepared for the finals?

Of course, you don’t want to fail making the finals due to your attempts to prepare for them.

 

[shipwreck]

We cling onto second spot by the skin of our teeth thanks to a favourable result between Adelaide and Sydney.

On addition the loss of Ruon is somewhat offset by Sydney FC losing Grant next week against us due tk his Red card.

We need to snap out of this little funk that imo has been present since we got that lucky draw against Perth.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

We cling onto second spot by the skin of our teeth thanks to a favourable result between Adelaide and Sydney.

On addition the loss of Ruon is somewhat offset by Sydney FC losing Grant next week against us due tk his Red card.

We need to snap out of this little funk that imo has been present since we got that lucky draw against Perth.

We do - and Staj needs to stop trying to do Plan A better.

 

[Big Al]

Just a thought but is it possible that Staj realises some of the players need some game time and match fitness if some of our starting 11 end up on international duty? Tough to coach if you need to keep winning but risk being decimated at finals time and have to field players that are not match fit/lack combinations etc.

Do we play our best 11 all of the time and try and win everything or somehow get some fringe players some game time in preparation for the finals? Seems to me that the side that wins the grand final is given far greater cred than the one that wins the season proper so Staj might accept that a top 3 or 4 finish is the goal and then be prepared for the finals?

Of course, you don’t want to fail making the finals due to your attempts to prepare for them.

We need to make the finals before we worry about that. I think it was purely tactical and DDS injury sort of forced it as well

 

[turbo]

We need to snap out of this little funk that imo has been present since we got that lucky draw against Perth.

Hopefully losing top spot smacks some complacency out of the squad.

 

[scottmac]

We do - and Staj needs to stop trying to do Plan A better.

I can't see that as what's happening. Staj is the difference between this squad being last or first (for the majority of the season until now) he's done so much against what the "experts" on here think he should have (including me).... and it's worked. He's spot on in the media saying that we now need to be ready for teams to play us as a top 2 team (or words to that effect). At the end of that game the difference is a moment of poor defence (and birraz being birraz) and a player in Urena being below what he's delivered previously. We can argue selections till the cows come home but he's the gaffer and he calls it as he sees it. That's enough for me and it's served us well so far. At the end of the season we'll all be saying how we'd take what ever result comes now before it started. That's completely down to Staj (and an Real Madrid loanee by the name of Simon)

For me I think DDS changes that result.

 

[pjennings]

I can't see that as what's happening. Staj is the difference between this squad being last or first (for the majority of the season until now) he's done so much against what the "experts" on here think he should have (including me).... and it's worked. He's spot on in the media saying that we now need to be ready for teams to play us as a top 2 team (or words to that effect). At the end of that game the difference is a moment of poor defence (and birraz being birraz) and a player in Urena being below what he's delivered previously. We can argue selections till the cows come home but he's the gaffer and he calls it as he sees it. That's enough for me and it's served us well so far. At the end of the season we'll all be saying how we'd take what ever result comes now before it started. That's completely down to Staj (and an Real Madrid loanee by the name of Simon)

For me I think DDS changes that result.

For me DDS or Nizz from the beginning changes that result. They simply would not have scored the first goal. Connor would have been shut down. Janota not only did not shut him down but then ran alongside him putting off our CBs who held off waiting for him to make a move.

In spite of our dropping down to second and everyone writing off our premiership chances I think it will come down to us and Adelaide. I'm sure Melbourne City will lose Maclaren and Nabbout to GA's expanded 34 man squad for Kuwait which will gut them for the final rounds and finals.

The question then comes how many, if any. Adelaide and us and possibly the Smurfs lose.

 

[onto it]

For me DDS or Nizz from the beginning changes that result. They simply would not have scored the first goal. Connor would have been shut down. Janota not only did not shut him down but then ran alongside him putting off our CBs who held off waiting for him to make a move.
....

Yep, Janta was ordinary, seems lost and won't or can't put in the effort to compensate. It just shows how good DDS has been this year.
With Ruon out I would like to see Stenz go back to CB with NIzz in front of him. Stenz was solid but too safe, with few forward passes in the first half.
Ruon made more forward runs than either mid, not completely successful but sufficient to show the fight that was needed. The whole team was too passive in the first half, playing as if we were 3 nil up. Wakey wakey boys....
I feel both Ollie and Staj should have been going ballistic at the team way before half time. They need to be sharper from the kickoff in every game, and especially when the other side scores so early.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I think we have to be fair to Janota. He’s had barely any minutes or even no minutes of late. Then an injury and he’s starting. Can happen and that’s your chance - but He looked rusty. Nizz should obviously have come in based on what he’s already done multiple times in that role this season,

 

[true believer]

i think the thing we've got to think about .besides obvious team changes .
is teams want to play us in a phone both . especially if they get faghani .

 

[Ozhammer]

I think we have to be fair to Janota. He’s had barely any minutes or even no minutes of late. Then an injury and he’s starting. Can happen and that’s your chance - but He looked rusty. Nizz should obviously have come in based on what he’s already done multiple times in that role this season,

This, we are being critical of Janota when he has both had limited minutes and was also asked to play inverted. Whilst I am not yet convinced by Bouman as a right mid in my own mind, he looked equally lost playing on the left. If we want to get the best from any of our players in a limited squad, we need to be playing them in their strongest position and Staj should know this.

I am worried that the boys subconsciously don’t believe they should/could win the league and if they can’t rediscover their mojo, they will struggle to go into the finals with any confidence and have any impact.

For mine this last game needs to be a line in the sand moment for the team. No more half-hearted performances and team selection should be based on who has the necessary belief in their eyes and hearts.

 

[Tevor]

This, we are being critical of Janota when he has both had limited minutes and was also asked to play inverted. Whilst I am not yet convinced by Bouman as a right mid in my own mind, he looked equally lost playing on the left. If we want to get the best from any of our players in a limited squad, we need to be playing them in their strongest position and Staj should know this.

I am worried that the boys subconsciously don’t believe they should/could win the league and if they can’t rediscover their mojo, they will struggle to go into the finals with any confidence and have any impact.

For mine this last game needs to be a line in the sand moment for the team. No more half-hearted performances and team selection should be based on who has the necessary belief in their eyes and hearts.

To be honest we could still miss the finals. Another loss or two and the pressure really starts to build on us. SFC, ADL, Citeh, Roar and I'll throw the Fire Chickens into the mix are all starting to look sharp and gaining momentum. We are very lucky to still be in second place, we could have gone down to about 4th if results were different. How this young teams handles this situation will be interesting to watch, no longer top dog so we need to fight hard again or face the possibility of missing finals which would be devastating given our season to date. Every game from now is pretty much like a final IMO.

 

[Insertnamehere]

I think we have to be fair to Janota. He’s had barely any minutes or even no minutes of late. Then an injury and he’s starting. Can happen and that’s your chance - but He looked rusty. Nizz should obviously have come in based on what he’s already done multiple times in that role this season,

It was his attitude and his link with Nigro that got me offside.
Rustiness is fine. You can cope with it if a player is working their ass off. I just dont think he did. And he blew up at other players too much.