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2017 NPL Season


jw1739
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  • 2 weeks later...

Anyone get to the Richmond game Saturday? A few new faces in the squad. Arzani, Crowley and Cavallo missing. Great game from Ali Eyigun, maybe he will get a call up for the first team this week seeing as they need players??

Boys did well in the scorching heat to fight back and get a draw

 

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City came from behind twice to salvage a draw on City’s Elite Pitches as Dylan Pierias and a late long-range Ali Eyigun strike secured a point in Saturday’s stifling conditions. 

Murray United this weekend. Looking forward to watching Archie Thompson get smashed ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey Citymad, yes was an entertaining game thats for sure!!! Would rather pay 10 bux to watch the youth team than the first team at the moment. Certainly get your moneys worth!! Not sure if this is true or not, but apparently afterwards the lions coach faked a headbutt at Pala and Pala punched him in the face!! :tooth::tooth::tooth::tooth: .........Sore losers that lot.

Other than that I thought our boys played very well. Nathaniel Atkinson played great at right back (personally think its a better spot for him than midfield...actually think he mightve even done a better job than Pierias. Dont' get me wrong I rate Pierias, just thought Atkinson was stronger and had even more mongrel than him. What you reckon?). Arzani doing his usual annoying 'pass it to me and I'll do everything' style of play, was actually glad when he went off, think the game was better without him. I like the look of the new kid at the back not sure of his name (Jayden??) hes from Bentleigh Greens (scored a nice goal too!) strong with plenty of grunt. Bit disappointed in Genreau, he didnt really do much, looked tired and made a lot of mistakes. Man of the match IMO would have to be that Metcalfe kid in the middle. He has a gift with those feet! He scored a cracker off his left foot too. Which ones are the new boys from Victreeeeeeeeeeeee do you know?? Is it that winger with the fabio hairdo?? Hes not a bad player. Pretty dangerous on the wing. God knows we needed a decent winger.

Bring on the next game :D

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

saw a great game from city youth V Springvale White eagles yeaterday. City definitely have some up an coming youth outside of the Arzanis's etc. Great report on the city website. get to a game if you can. they play a great brand of football and are second on the ladder. Its a bit of a shame that the atmosphere at the home games is lame. They dont play at home until mid april which is weird but a game i saw last year was hard to watch. there is no stand and no seats and no food an two crappy port a loos. WTF is with that... the Youth games deserve at least a canteen with coffee!! C'mo CFG good games need an atmosphere. 

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Nice write up on Citys website too...........

NPL Report: Springvale White Eagles 1 - 3 City
 

Saturday, 25 March 2017 - 
Joey Lynch - @joeylynchy
 
Melbourne City’s winning streak has stretched to four after overcoming a 1-0 half-time deficit and multiple first-half injuries to score a gritty win over Springvale White Eagles at White Eagles Stadium on Saturday.

The victory solidifies City’s position in second place on the NPL2 East ladder; one point behind league leaders Dandenong City, who beat Nunawading City 5-1 on Friday night, and three points clear of the third and fourth placed Dandenong Thunder and Eastern Lions SC.

Coming into the game after a week on the sidelines due to the preliminary qualifying rounds of the Westfield FFA Cup, City took the field under the watchful eye of Coach Patrick Kisnorbo, who acted as head coach in place of Joe Palatsides, who kept a keen eye on proceedings from the stands.       

Opponents Springvale White Eagles entered the game eager to bounce back, having been eliminated from the Cup by NPL1 side Green Gully last week. Springvale coach Vlado Tortevski has seen his side’s early flirtation with top spot on the table waylaid by an FFV points deduction and back to back defeats.

And it was Springvale that had the game’s first clear cut chance, with Damir Stollovic firing his shot over the bar in the 9th minute after a run and cross from midfielder Delfin Mosibe Esara.

City responded a minute later, applying a period of sustained pressure from the kick-off that saw Connor Metcalfe free at the back post at a corner. It looked like he had the leveller City were after until a magnificent piece of goalkeeping saw his downward header turned wide.

These would prove to be the best chances for either side in the early running of the game, with City in charge of the game but unable to create any clear chances to grab an equaliser.

However, football can be a fickle mistress, whose whims can turn on an instant, and City found that out in a disastrous 10-minute period that saw both Ahmed Yusuf and Nathanial Atkinson forced from the field with injuries (replaced by Gerrie Sylaidos on 30’ and Kobe Timms on 35’ respectively). City then found themselves unable to clear a cross from an attack down the right wing with Mosibe Esara turning it in for the hosts on the 38th minute.

The Equatoguinean midfielder had been Springvale’s best on ground in the first half –the one time Real Madrid and Real Valladoid youth player almost adding to his first goal in the 43rd minute, his long-range effort being magnificently tipped over the bar by Melbourne City goalkeeper James Delianov to keep City within one going into half-time.

Whatever Kisnorbo said to his young chargers in the dressing rooms at the half must have done the trick however, as City’s youth came out firing.

A 49th minute attack by Josh Cavallo announced City’s intentions and just three minutes later City again went close: Sylaidos was able cut inside his man going down the left wing before his piercing cross found Lucas Derrick on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Only the efforts of Springvale goalkeeper Lajos Hun denied Derick his second of the season, but in making the save the goalkeeper seemed to injure himself, appearing to hit his head on the goal post.

City did find the scoresheet six minutes later however, when a long looping cross from the right wing fell to Connor Metcalfe, who had time to gather the ball, beat a scrambling Hun and slot his second goal of the season to draw City level.

Hun appeared to be struggling however, and Springvale soon had their second goalkeeper warming up to replace the injured shot stopper.

Before the change could be made however, Sylaidos, whose second-half showing made a strong case for him to start next week, found himself with three yards worth of space in the penalty area and the ball at his feet in the 68th minute. He coolly slid it past the wounded Hun to collect his fifth goal of the campaign and give City the 2-1 lead.

Coming on to replace Hun immediately after the goal, back-up goalkeeper Nikola Popetrov was not greeted warmly by the rampant Melbourne City side, who launched an attack through Sylaidos down the right wing. Sylaidos was able to play a through ball to Marko Delic who beat Popetrov to give City a two-goal cushion.

Speaking after the match, Kisnorbo praised the way his side played: “I think we dominated the game to be honest, unfortunately when sometimes you dominate games they get half a chance and they score and that’s what happened.

‘’But it was great character by the team, a great work ethic and they got back into the game. I thought we controlled the game from minute one until the end.’’  

Questioned on the first-half injury substitutions Kisnorbo was pleased with how his side responded “It just shows that, when someone comes out there’s someone coming in to do their job, and they did a fantastic job.”

Earlier in the day City’s U20 side went down 2-0 in a bruising encounter with Springvale’s U20 side.

City’s next PS4 NPL run out will be on Saturday, April 1 when they will hope to avoid being the April Fool as they travel to Epping Stadium to take on Whittlesea Rangers FC.

Match Details:
Melbourne City FC 3 (Conor Metcalfe 58’, Gerrie Sylaidos 68’, Marko Delic 70’)
Springvale White Eagles FC 1 (Delfin Mosibe Esara 38’)   

 

 

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Got to the Whittlesea match yesterday. City boys unlucky, Whittlesea dominated. Well done to them, deserved the win. I just read the NPL report on Citys home page and was gobsmacked to read this .........

"Going into the break down 1-0, City would have been hoping to repeat the heroics that saw them come back from a one goal half time deficit against Springvale White Eagles the week before, and did start the second half strongly by creating a series of chances that was highlighted by Gerrie Sylaidos capping off an attacking run by playing the ball through to Josh Cavallo, who found himself just unable to reach the ball before it was pounced on by Whittlesea goalkeeper Philip Petrovski."

I must have been watching a different game to Joey Lynch the reporter as Sylaidos and Cavallo were probably the two weakest players on the pitch and did not deserve any mention. Sylaidos constantly pulls out of tackles and will not defend. Cavallo just runs around like he doesnt know where he's supposed to be. Kisnorbo yelling at him to get back in his position. Madeferri the left back was the stand out man of the match IMO. Worked his butt off the whole game. Derrick, Metcalfe and Delic the other 3 standouts working hard. The rest woeful performance. Missed Atkinson at right back, hopefully he is back next week to face Goulburn Valley Suns. 

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Did you get to the game jw1739? I was away in Perth with work so couldn't make it. What happened? I saw the team had Genreau, Arzani, Delianov, Pierias all playing, so thought it would be an easy win. Geeze thought the boys would beat GV easy. 

Lachlan Armstrong was Pala's assistant and has been  seniors head coach since Pala was elevated to A League assistant

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20 minutes ago, Tomi said:

Did you get to the game jw1739? I was away in Perth with work so couldn't make it. What happened? I saw the team had Genreau, Arzani, Delianov, Pierias all playing, so thought it would be an easy win. Geeze thought the boys would beat GV easy. 

Lachlan Armstrong was Pala's assistant and has been  seniors head coach since Pala was elevated to A League assistant

No, I haven't been to a NYL/NPL match for a long time I'm afraid. I just try to follow how the team is doing.

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26 minutes ago, Tomi said:

Did you get to the game jw1739? I was away in Perth with work so couldn't make it. What happened? I saw the team had Genreau, Arzani, Delianov, Pierias all playing, so thought it would be an easy win. Geeze thought the boys would beat GV easy. 

Lachlan Armstrong was Pala's assistant and has been  seniors head coach since Pala was elevated to A League assistant

Really? Paddy was managing the side the other week against the White Eagles...

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28 minutes ago, Tomi said:

But they lost 3-0 under Paddy last week against Whittlesea.......maybe they need Pala back??

There are times when I really wonder about our club - and football clubs in general. At this stage in the A-League season is it really necessary to have both Montemurro and Palatsides "assisting" Valkanis? What is it about football that demands all these "assistants"? What value are they adding? What extra knowledge are they bringing to the table? 

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9 hours ago, jw1739 said:

There are times when I really wonder about our club - and football clubs in general. At this stage in the A-League season is it really necessary to have both Montemurro and Palatsides "assisting" Valkanis? What is it about football that demands all these "assistants"? What value are they adding? What extra knowledge are they bringing to the table? 

At the very least i would've thought there should be some separation between the two teams.

If Valkanis needs another assistant then do it, but dont take them from the npl team 

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Boys lucky with a 3-1 win against Nunawading on Sat at La Trobe. Bit of a weak game. Midfield was a shambles. Derrick always works hard. Good signing by the club. Atkinson played great, man of the match IMO. Anyone else get to the game? Thoughts?

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/npl-report-city-3-1-nunwading-city-fc/1p35uapi23fk714h40xpyespdt

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  • 1 month later...
4 hours ago, IssySG said:

Anyone planning on going and watching the NPL boys this Saturday? At home vs Dandenong City. 1st vs 3rd. Going to make the trip to cheer on our boys.

What facilities are there for supporters out there? Seating, refreshments? From where I live it's too bloody difficult to get there and then stand up all match with no shelter and no opportunity for a coffee.

Used to regularly watch Heart NYL at Northcote, but once they started playing in the boondocks, forget it.

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48 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

What facilities are there for supporters out there? Seating, refreshments? From where I live it's too bloody difficult to get there and then stand up all match with no shelter and no opportunity for a coffee.

Used to regularly watch Heart NYL at Northcote, but once they started playing in the boondocks, forget it.

No seating. Sometimes there is a canteen open with some hot food and drinks. Other than that nothing else. 

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I went the other week, there was absolutely fuck all, but there was a baseball pitch about a 5 min walk away that had a canteen open. The pitch is also pretty far from the fence, it's generally a pretty shitty place to watch a game to be honest

I probably won't go up there again, Fawkner is more acceptable although also a generally terrible place to get to on Public Transport for me. I'll just get my football fix from the local state league side.

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49 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Out of interest - do many people go out there to watch our NPL matches (other than family/friends of the boys)?

I would go regularly but as of this last season I've dropped off completely. I've really lost that 'club feel' with City and with that the interest has dropped off. 

Edit: I misread your question. From going in the past I'd imagine it was a mix of regular city fans and family and friends. 

Edited by n i k o
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  • 1 month later...
17 hours ago, Thrillhouse said:

we are shit, were up 2-1 in the 80's recently and lost 3-2
today were up 3-2 after being down 2-0 to go and lose 4-3
always start the season well and completely fall apart later on 

We do have two NYL Premierships. That said, perhaps it's going to take a while for change to filter right through the club? Wazza has considerable experience with Manchester United's youth and I'd be confident that he knows what sort of approach is the best one for our youth teams.

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On 22/07/2017 at 6:37 PM, Thrillhouse said:

we are shit, were up 2-1 in the 80's recently and lost 3-2
today were up 3-2 after being down 2-0 to go and lose 4-3
always start the season well and completely fall apart later on 

Ive followed the NPL for a while and I have noticed City tend to get the team up the ladder by stacking it with more experienced players, then when they are safe on the ladder and there is no way they can be relegated, they take out the quality and bring the younger players from the u20's up to give them an opportunity. I really don't think City care if the team is promoted or not, just as long as it is not relegated. Example: last week they had a win over Springvale White Eagles. If you saw the game they brought Metcalfe in (who hasnt played for ages as hes been up with the first team) and he absolutely dominated. I dont think they wouldve won that game either if he wasnt in there. Then on the weekend against GVS, they took him out and they lost, but they obviously didnt care as the team stayed 3rd on the ladder. Just my opinion

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1 hour ago, Tomi said:

Ive followed the NPL for a while and I have noticed City tend to get the team up the ladder by stacking it with more experienced players, then when they are safe on the ladder and there is no way they can be relegated, they take out the quality and bring the younger players from the u20's up to give them an opportunity. I really don't think City care if the team is promoted or not, just as long as it is not relegated. Example: last week they had a win over Springvale White Eagles. If you saw the game they brought Metcalfe in (who hasnt played for ages as hes been up with the first team) and he absolutely dominated. I dont think they wouldve won that game either if he wasnt in there. Then on the weekend against GVS, they took him out and they lost, but they obviously didnt care as the team stayed 3rd on the ladder. Just my opinion

Is that a problem? 

We need the opportunity to develop the youth players against men. At this point NPL2 is good enough to do this. Dropping down would expose the players to less technical more physical team (hacks). So I guess not getting relegated is a bigger priority than winning the League but ultimately its all about developing enough players to be available for senior selection. 

I can't see a problem with it.

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2 minutes ago, Jovan said:

Is that a problem? 

We need the opportunity to develop the youth players against men. At this point NPL2 is good enough to do this. Dropping down would expose the players to less technical more physical team (hacks). So I guess not getting relegated is a bigger priority than winning the League but ultimately its all about developing enough players to be available for senior selection. 

I can't see a problem with it.

Yep, they've clearly identified that that's the level they feel is best suited to getting the youth the experience they need against an appropriate level of opposition, perhaps they even feel that a division above may also not be suitable.

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1 minute ago, Embee said:

Yep, they've clearly identified that that's the level they feel is best suited to getting the youth the experience they need against an appropriate level of opposition, perhaps they even feel that a division above may also not be suitable.

If they went up it would require more senior youth players if you know what I mean and possibly some fringe senior players to get results. 

Maybe in 3 or 4 seasons we will have enough quality youngsters that we will compete at the highest level (Sydney FC are the only A League I think that has a NPL team) but at the moment I'm not sure.

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1 hour ago, Jovan said:

Is that a problem? 

We need the opportunity to develop the youth players against men. At this point NPL2 is good enough to do this. Dropping down would expose the players to less technical more physical team (hacks). So I guess not getting relegated is a bigger priority than winning the League but ultimately its all about developing enough players to be available for senior selection. 

I can't see a problem with it.

I don't think its a problem. I think its actually pretty clever. I was just responding to Thrillhouse's quote above; "we are shit......always start the season well and completely fall apart later on" ....I agree with you, its a great opportunity to develop younger players

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On 24/07/2017 at 10:07 AM, Tomi said:

Ive followed the NPL for a while and I have noticed City tend to get the team up the ladder by stacking it with more experienced players, then when they are safe on the ladder and there is no way they can be relegated, they take out the quality and bring the younger players from the u20's up to give them an opportunity. I really don't think City care if the team is promoted or not, just as long as it is not relegated. Example: last week they had a win over Springvale White Eagles. If you saw the game they brought Metcalfe in (who hasnt played for ages as hes been up with the first team) and he absolutely dominated. I dont think they wouldve won that game either if he wasnt in there. Then on the weekend against GVS, they took him out and they lost, but they obviously didnt care as the team stayed 3rd on the ladder. Just my opinion

Bloody interesting insight, despite the flack you copped. Continue to keep us updated of whatever else you notice happening in the NPL.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Cit played Dandy Thunder today and it was pretty much a must win game to hold on to third position on the ladder. Arzani, Genreau, Pierias were thrown in to stack the team. The team played well but were only able to pull off a 2-2 draw. I think this will make them equal third now with GVS. Must win final game of the season next week against Box Hill to retain their spot.

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