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Ross McCormack


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7 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

He's an injury replacement, on the outer with his Championship club, and taking this chance to reinvigorate his career in its latter stages. He's currently carrying two injuries but puts in extra training when he is able to do so. He's currently second in the Golden Boot table, on 13 to Bobo's 15. IMO he's been a great asset for us so far.

Absolutely. I maintain that i think he'll be doubly effective playing alongside Bruno too should it come to pass.

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16 minutes ago, bt50 said:

Yeh not sure about that. He's prob missed close to 10 he should have scored tbh.

He has. My impression is that the ones he misses are when he's being too careful - e.g the one his missed against CCM from Arzani's cross. If he'd just thumped it he'd have more likely scored.

I reckon the pairing of Ross and Bruno would be great if they could have a pre-season working on their partnership.

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12 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

He has. My impression is that the ones he misses are when he's being too careful - e.g the one his missed against CCM from Arzani's cross. If he'd just thumped it he'd have more likely scored.

I reckon the pairing of Ross and Bruno would be great if they could have a pre-season working on their partnership.

Yeh absolutely. He has seemed to miss the easier ones in general. Had three golden chances yesterday and scored the one that was easily the hardest.
Your point re being too careful is a good one; i do this all the time when i play and end up skying it cos i dont play through the ball.

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3 hours ago, fensaddler said:

If he was that good he wouldn't be playing in the A League.

 

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

He's an injury replacement, on the outer with his Championship club, and taking this chance to reinvigorate his career in its latter stages. He's currently carrying two injuries but puts in extra training when he is able to do so. He's currently second in the Golden Boot table, on 13 to Bobo's 15. IMO he's been a great asset for us so far.

My point wasn't that he hasn't been great for us (which he has been). He's been nearly the only spark in a pretty dull season. I was replying to a comment about his tally being low due a lack of service - an argument that to me is both irrelevant and untrue. Ross has been an asset for us this season, and his breaking this record shows that.

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8 minutes ago, playmaker said:

So has Bobo, however Bobo gets far more direct open play service than Ross does. You can't say that the service to Bobo is even close to the rubbish we hand out.

Is it service, or is it just weight of chances as Sydney are more dominant? Tbh i think Ross is a better player and isnt even firing on all cylinders yet, but i think the suggestion he isnt getting good service is a bit false tbh. Sure we miss his runs regularly, something which can be improved, but he's still getting three or four good balls to him per game to score from.

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15 minutes ago, GreenSeater said:

The idea of Ross and Bruno linking up together gets me fully hard. I just hope they work together better than Bruno and Cahill did

The main reason i think it will work is that Ross was always more of a 2nd striker than a target man in England. That, coupled with Bruno drawing extra defenders like he usually does will alleviate the defensive pressure on Ross and allow one or the other to get off of the leash, depending on who the oppo puts more time into.
Bruno can compensate on the defensive side too as his workrate is outstanding, as well as be the hold up man and play the tricks.

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3 minutes ago, bt50 said:

The main reason i think it will work is that Ross was always more of a 2nd striker than a target man in England. That, coupled with Bruno drawing extra defenders like he usually does will alleviate the defensive pressure on Ross and allow one or the other to get off of the leash, depending on who the oppo puts more time into.
Bruno can compensate on the defensive side too as his workrate is outstanding, as well as be the hold up man and play the tricks.

I hope you're right. A front two of Bruno and Ross would tear the league apart

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46 minutes ago, GreenSeater said:

The idea of Ross and Bruno linking up together gets me fully hard. I just hope they work together better than Bruno and Cahill did

There were other factors at play in the failure of the Fornaroli/Cahill partnership, one being the appointment of Bruno as captain (a bad mistake IMO), and another being the size of Cahill's ego ("my players").

I don't know anything about McCormack other than what I've seen on the field and a couple of brief interviews, but to me he's appeared to be a hard worker and a team player who hasn't let his past glories get in the way of giving his best for us. That's why I think he and Bruno would be a real thrill as a partnership up front.

 

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11 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

There were other factors at play in the failure of the Fornaroli/Cahill partnership, one being the appointment of Bruno as captain (a bad mistake IMO), and another being the size of Cahill's ego ("my players").

I don't know anything about McCormack other than what I've seen on the field and a couple of brief interviews, but to me he's appeared to be a hard worker and a team player who hasn't let his past glories get in the way of giving his best for us. That's why I think he and Bruno would be a real thrill as a partnership up front.

 

Hmm i think its even more simple than that : Cahill's style of player he is now is simply not compatible with many game styles. You almost need to build the team around him in attack in order for it to work, something that was never going to occur with Bruno in the side. It would have required Bruno to become a 10 or 2nd striker imo to be effective, and then by doing that you're taking the league's greatest scorer in a season out of position to accommodate another player.

It's also a large reason why a lot of clubs havent come for Cahill imo, or at least wanted to spend the money required.

I dont think many doubt his ability, but between goals he's usually fairly anonymous, not a trait thats particularly endearing to coaches over a long term.

Edited by bt50
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7 hours ago, jw1739 said:

He's an injury replacement, on the outer with his Championship club, and taking this chance to reinvigorate his career in its latter stages. He's currently carrying two injuries but puts in extra training when he is able to do so. He's currently second in the Golden Boot table, on 13 to Bobo's 15. IMO he's been a great asset for us so far.

And given that Bobo should have been banned in the game where he scored three of those (since it followed the game with us when he assaulted Muscat off the ball) I'll give that as a moral victory to Ross.

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Melbourne City keen to retain Ross McCormack to boost Champions League bid

 

JANUARY 15 2018

Michael Lynch

 

 

When he arrived in Australia in a hastily arranged loan deal as Bruno Fornaroli's injury replacement, Melbourne City striker Ross McCormack divided opinion almost immediately.

But such has been the Scotsman's goalscoring record that City are now desperately trying to extend his loan beyond its late January expiry date.

McCormack has now netted 13 times for City, and has scored two-thirds of the club's 19 A-League goals this season.

He became the fastest man to score 13 goals in league history with his strike against Central Coast on Sunday, chalking up his total in just 15 games.

Discussions are taking place between his agent and parent club, Aston Villa, to keep him in the A-League at least until the end of this season.

"There have been discussions. Ross has done really well here and we would like to see him stay, and we are seeing if that can be made to happen," a City insider said on Monday. "There are a lot of things to be tied up, so we will have to see what happens."

McCormack said he was enjoying his time at City.

"It's been a great experience for me. It's a pleasure to be able to score goals regularly and to secure a record – but I'm more focused on the team playing well and getting results.

"It's a great club, good players and professional environment. My focus is to keep working hard for my teammates."

City were happy to let Argentine midfielder Marcelo Carrusca leave last week because it needed someone to go to create space on the roster for McCormack when Fornaroli returns.

The fact that Carrusca was a visa player was another bonus, as the club now has the visa spot it needs to keep McCormack at Bundoora even when Fornaroli is back on the pitch, which, the club hopes, will be next month.

Fornaroli, City's top scorer in recent seasons, has recovered from his knee reconstruction and is expected to start taking part in team ballwork sessions this week at training.

The prospect of the Uruguayan linking up with McCormack is not surprisingly fanning excitement and expectation at City's Bundoora training base as the club looks to seal a top-three finish, which would give it the chance to qualify for the Asian Champions League for the first time.

There was no doubt about McCormack's ability. He had scored 91 goals in 233 appearances for Fulham and Leeds, so he had proved his prowess in one of the most demanding leagues in the world, England's Championship.

But his time at Villa had been turbulent, and he had fallen out with manager Steve Bruce.

McCormack, according to the doubters, had an attitude problem, was unlikely to be committed to the A-League, and was thought to be carrying too much weight.

But the striker proved his worth again in City's battling 2-2 draw with Central Coast at the weekend when they played for more than an hour with 10 men.

He has, in a few short months, done plenty to prove the doubters had perhaps jumped to conclusions too soon.

The Scot even confounded medical expectations: before Christmas he limped off the field with an injury that had Joyce and club officials fearing he would be out for the rest of the season with a knee reconstruction.

He was playing shortly after, and still banging in the goals from trademark free kicks and penalties, emphasising his value.

The early knock on McCormack was that he didn't score enough goals from open play, that his contribution was limited to spectacular strikes from long-range free kicks.

But a goal from a free kick is worth as much as a goal involving a slaloming run past several defenders.

And in recent games McCormack has started to get more involved and score from open play, where his anticipation, close control and ability to read the game and find space has seen him pop up with typical poacher's goals.

Joyce was delighted with the mentality shown by his depleted team to come back from behind twice against the Mariners, and with the way McCormack took his goal.

"Unfortunately that's the fourth time now we have been down to 10 men, but every single time we have driven the game and showed unbelievable levels of fitness. I thought we were the stronger team and were the team looking the most likely to win.

"I think we had a bit more urgency and move the ball a bit shaper with 10 men, really. I thought Ross' chance was a good chance, was a good play, and I thought we had several other good opportunities to score goals in the first half."

 

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-city-keen-to-retain-ross-mccormack-to-boost-champions-league-bid-20180115-h0ign6.html

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34 minutes ago, n i k o said:

Ok this guy has grown on me so much over the last few games and deserves so much credit for a few reasons. Firstly no matter how he scores the ball is ending up in the back of the net and with regularity. Secondly his commitment and professionalism during matches has been nothing short of fantastic. He has constantly been working hard, pushing himself, never dropping his head and given everything for the team. It'd be so easy for him given his background and also his playing history to disrespect the league and not give his all but it is apparent his attitude is in the right place. He's copped a lot of shit this season and I for one am very happy to see the guy, who's struggled in a number of environments be settled, apparently happy and performing well. 

Great sportsman, fully agree. Aston Villa must have been toxic for him.

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45 minutes ago, n i k o said:

Ok this guy has grown on me so much over the last few games and deserves so much credit for a few reasons. Firstly no matter how he scores the ball is ending up in the back of the net and with regularity. Secondly his commitment and professionalism during matches has been nothing short of fantastic. He has constantly been working hard, pushing himself, never dropping his head and given everything for the team. It'd be so easy for him given his background and also his playing history to disrespect the league and not give his all but it is apparent his attitude is in the right place. He's copped a lot of shit this season and I for one am very happy to see the guy, who's struggled in a number of environments be settled, apparently happy and performing well. 

Yep, fully agree. I've given him a fair bit of stick over the start of the season, but I'm very happy to eat humble pie. This guy is a class act and we are seriously lucky to have him. Would love to see him stay permanently

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47 minutes ago, GreenSeater said:

Yep, fully agree. I've given him a fair bit of stick over the start of the season, but I'm very happy to eat humble Haggis. This guy is a class act and we are seriously lucky to have him. Would love to see him stay permanently

FTFY

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15 minutes ago, johnno cpfc said:

According to Lynch Fornaroli had a knee reconstruction, funny that, i thought he had a broken ankle. Maybe Lynch has been watching the wrong team .

 

Lynch's journalistic standards have been pretty appalling of late tbf...

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43 minutes ago, fensaddler said:

Haven't we heard mutterings that Fornaroli's return had been delayed because of a knee injury incurred during his recovery from a broken ankle?

If he had an operation it was nothing serious, have seen numerous social media posts from himself and teammates over the last few days and there is nothing wrong with him.

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1 hour ago, fensaddler said:

Haven't we heard mutterings that Fornaroli's return had been delayed because of a knee injury incurred during his recovery from a broken ankle?

The rumour id heard, well before the papers were reporting it was that hed virtually done the same thing but to his other ankle in training, hence the setback from mid December to late Jan.

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City’s bid to extend hot-shot McCormack’s loan on a knife edge

 

By Dave Lewis

 16 JAN 2018 - 6:57 PM  UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO

 

Melbourne City’s hopes of retaining gun goalscorer Ross McCormack are “changing by the day” as high-level negotiations with parent club Aston Villa reach a critical point.

 

The on-loan Scotland international has become the fastest player in A-League history to race to the 13-goal mark, from just 15 games, and coach Warren Joyce is salivating at the prospect of pairing him with soon-to-be-fit again Bruno Fornaroli in pursuit of a top-two finish and Asian Champions League qualification.

Dead-ball impresario McCormack, 31, has produced the performances to put himself back on the radar of Villa coach Steve Bruce, even as a potential revenue earner with a January transfer window sale elsewhere.

Hence the to-and-fro of talks aimed at keeping him in the A-League beyond the January 26 expiration of his loan agreement as an injury replacement for last season’s top scorer Fornaroli.

“Ross wants to stay, we want him to stay, the question is can a way be found with Villa to make him stay?," a City insider explained.

“It’s working out very well for him here and it’s probably in everybody’s interests to keep it going. But things are literally changing by the day.”

The departure last week of Argentine Marcelo Carrusca to Western Sydney Wanderers frees up a visa spot to accommodate McCormack, who has scored five goals from set pieces, the highest tally from any player in a season.

Fornaroli is close to returning to training after his knee reconstruction and the prospect of the Uruguayan forging a partnership with the Scotsman could spell serious trouble for A-League defenses, with McCormack’s tally representing two thirds of City’s 19-goal haul for the season.

 

[...]

 

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/01/16/citys-bid-extend-hot-shot-mccormacks-loan-knife-edge

Edited by Murfy1
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5 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Fundamental errors in that article:

- Carrusca did not occupy a visa slot on the roster;
- Bruno did not have a knee reconstruction.

 

I think Dave Lewis got his erroneous ideas from Michael Lynch's article.

 

Both of them clearly didn't spend the 1 minute required to Google and read the primary sources about these issues (like Melbourne City's statement about signing Carrusca). They are lucky they are not my students

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I hope Ross stays.

Before he played I was expecting him to score 20 goals in his loan spell, after 3 weeks I was disappointed, thought he was NPL quality. But now I want him to stay, if he took his chances and had a better supply early in the season he could have had close to the 20 goals. 

If Ross and Bruno play together and click, that will be one dangerous attack, would hope to get atleast 10 goals from the pair in the final 5-8 rounds.

Edited by haz
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