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THE DECIDER Melbourne Derby 2/3, 7.50pm


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2 hours ago, Mr MO said:

 

I think somebody needs to make Wazza aware that this a salary capped league and he needs set his personal issues aside and make the best with the team he has as we are stuck with these players for the season. Larocca is another example.

 

This is the problem that I don't that CFG fully grasp. Coaches and franchises can't buy success here except in the W League where good players are very undervalued by the market. i think that you actually need to be a better coach here to get more out of limited resources

2 hours ago, CityWildcat said:

Nothing up front.  Zero. 

We have no penetration.

Bruno, bless him, is far from match fit, obviously.

Arzani got cramped from the eyeballs down, reading his own hype.  (sorry, youngster) 

Shit free kicks.

Poor corners.

We relied on the luck of the bounce to make any kind of decisive move through their  pretty decent defence.

That really was Melbourne Heart FC on show last night.

Poor crowd would be a huge worry to the powers that be.

And at the other end, large gaps between the lines, back 3 or 4 poorly positioned.

Just another routine season

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1 hour ago, belaguttman said:

This is the problem that I don't that CFG fully grasp. Coaches and franchises can't buy success here except in the W League where good players are very undervalued by the market. i think that you actually need to be a better coach here to get more out of limited resources

And at the other end, large gaps between the lines, back 3 or 4 poorly positioned.

Just another routine season

@belaguttman I've been wondering whether CFG care very much about what's happening here any more, and whether they are slowly reducing their investment?
This season's marquee is hardly that, if he is at all. Our manager is nothing out of the ordinary, and didn't even come from within CFG (as opposed to Vieira in New York). We haven't been to Manchester for pre-season a second time. We've dropped Citizens and City Voice, and I note our social media no longer repeats good luck and congratulatory messages from Manchester (e.g. when the girls won the W-League for the third time I didn't see a murmur out of Manchester).

Edited by jw1739
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I think that their attitude quite understandably is along the lines of "we've invested what you need to succeed, qualify for ACL and we'll invest more". That's true in all respects apart from coaching/recruiting, I just don't think that they understand how hard it is to win the League here, especially coming from the EPL where you can buy success. Here, it's even more about squad balance, depth and man management, injury management. 

I wonder if the social media change is a response to the perception that we are just a branch office of Man City?

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12 hours ago, jw1739 said:

@belaguttman I've been wondering whether CFG care very much about what's happening here any more, and whether they are slowly reducing their investment?
This season's marquee is hardly that, if he is at all. Our manager is nothing out of the ordinary, and didn't even come from within CFG (as opposed to Vieira in New York). We haven't been to Manchester for pre-season a second time. We've dropped Citizens and City Voice, and I note our social media no longer repeats good luck and congratulatory messages from Manchester (e.g. when the girls won the W-League for the third time I didn't see a murmur out of Manchester).

But isnt that all part of most Melb City fans wanting to be independant of the other CFG clubs? Be our own team and create our own identity? Also im pretty sure they stopped the Etihad prizes of going to see Manchester play (might be part of it aswell) other than the kit colour and major sponser it does look like they have given up on the mini manchester approach.

Im not sure they have/will tighten the purse strings considering the 2 youngsters that have come through for us this year, in the end we are just a farm for them and the investment they put in would be minuscule compared to what has been spent worldwide in the CFG. 

And re the girls i thought i saw something on twitter, but it wasnt like the last couple of years.

Edited by HeartOfCity
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12 hours ago, NewConvert said:

Given how poor the team is playing at the moment, does anyone believe that the team can win another game this season?

@NewConvertLet's look at what history suggests might happen in the last five matches. Since we became Melbourne City.

2014-15. Last five matches produced 5 points. We finished 5th on 35 points. Points required for top four finish were 46, and to finish 3rd were also 46.
2015-16. Last five matches produced 9 points. We finished 4th on 44 points. Points required to finish 3rd were 48.
2016-17. Last five matches produced 6 points. We finished 4th on 39 points. Points required to finish 3rd were 42.

We currently sit on 33 points. History suggests a finish on 38-42 points. If we can finish strongly with 9+ points we might finish top four, even crack 3rd place, but history suggests that it's more likely that we won't achieve either.

 

 

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1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

@NewConvertLet's look at what history suggests might happen in the last five matches. Since we became Melbourne City.

2014-15. Last five matches produced 5 points. We finished 5th on 35 points. Points required for top four finish were 46, and to finish 3rd were also 46.
2015-16. Last five matches produced 9 points. We finished 4th on 44 points. Points required to finish 3rd were 48.
2016-17. Last five matches produced 6 points. We finished 4th on 39 points. Points required to finish 3rd were 42.

We currently sit on 33 points. History suggests a finish on 38-42 points. If we can finish strongly with 9+ points we might finish top four, even crack 3rd place, but history suggests that it's more likely that we won't achieve either.

 

 

So going by the stats at the same time in the 2014/15 season we are 3 points in front this season; we are two points behind when Bruno won the golden boot and we had Mooy; and we are on par to last season.

We now have to play AU (away), WSW (H), Jets (A), CCM (H), WP (A). Of these matches I can only see two games where City could start outright favourites which is against CCM and WP. And if the latter two park the bus, then I can only see getting a point in each game.

Pessimistically City could have its worst finish since CFG had the team for a full season.

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21 hours ago, NewConvert said:

So going by the stats at the same time in the 2014/15 season we are 3 points in front this season; we are two points behind when Bruno won the golden boot and we had Mooy; and we are on par to last season.

We now have to play AU (away), WSW (H), Jets (A), CCM (H), WP (A). Of these matches I can only see two games where City could start outright favourites which is against CCM and WP. And if the latter two park the bus, then I can only see getting a point in each game.

Pessimistically City could have its worst finish since CFG had the team for a full season.

We would start favourites against WSW, they are rubbish

For all the doom and gloom were still better than 7 teams in this comp. Says more about them than us though 

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1 hour ago, Rasputin said:

As long as the city group make a profit here and there on the likes of Mooy then they'r happy.  They don't give a fuck about melb city success.  Bring back heart.  Oh and get rid of the dud wazza.

Ahum, let's bring back a club that had to sell off players and hence compromise any chance of being competitive. Ahum.

Not my words by the way.

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Why all the doom and gloom? We are in good position.  There 2 to 3 matches where we should win. Adelaide is clearly not consistent.  Victory have ACL games. We are not dominant team and we already won once in Adelaide this season. A bit unlikely to repeat that, so don't be too much disappointed. 

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25 minutes ago, Imtellingyou said:

Why all the doom and gloom? We are in good position.  There 2 to 3 matches where we should win. Adelaide is clearly not consistent.  Victory have ACL games. We are not dominant team and we already won once in Adelaide this season. A bit unlikely to repeat that, so don't be too much disappointed. 

We've lost 2 home games in a row. We don't look like we are close to the top teams and as a collective the team looks lost and out of ideas.

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Melbourne set for bonanza in week one of A-League finals with City, Victory joining race for Asia

 

MATT WINDLEY AND DAVID DAVUTOVIC

March 5, 2018

 

MELBOURNE is on track to play host to two A-League finalsin the one weekend for the first time.

Melbourne Victory’s 2-1 derby win over Melbourne City on Friday night helped consolidate its hold on a top four spot, a grip that tightened further on Saturday when fifth-placed Adelaide lost to Brisbane.

City is third on 33 points, one ahead of Victory, who is three points clear of the chasing pack.

But both teams have inviting runs home, with Victory in particular helped by a draw that sees them play teams below it for the next four weeks.

Home games for City against Western Sydney and Central Coast are must win, while a trip to also-ran Wellington in the final round is another big opportunity.

The third and fourth-place finishers receive home elimination finals in week one of the playoffs, before travelling for the semi-finals in week two.

But the other subplot to the final five weeks of the season is the race for Asia, with a third-placed finish likely to secure that team entry into the 2019 Asian Champions League playoffs.

And City is hellbent on making it to the Champions League for the first time.

City has lived in the shadows of Victory since joining the A-League in 2010, finishing above their arch rivals just twice.

The City Football Group has invested millions since buying Melbourne Heart in 2014 and is keen to expand its Asian footprint.

City midfielder Stefan Mauk admitted watching Victory and Sydney FC play in this year’s ACL was tough to swallow.

“The owners didn’t buy the club for us to finish fourth or fifth on the table, they want us to win things,” Mauk said.

“It (Asia) hasn’t been spoken too much to us as players, but it’s something we understand. It’s a massive tournament.

“As a player you want to play as many games as possible. Training is OK, but you want to play and watching Victory and Sydney play in China in front of the big crowds, against Oscar and Hulk, you want to play at the highest level against the best players.”

Lack of international breaks could again come back to hurt Victory with Kosta Barbarouses and possibly James Troisi and Rhys Williams to miss their side’s Round 24 trip to Perth.

While snapping a six-game losing streak against Sydney in Round 27 could also be enough to see Victory finish above City on the table once again.

 

THE RUN HOME

MELBOURNE CITY

3rd, W 10, D 3, L 9, GD +2 pts 33

R23 v Adelaide (A) L

R24 v Western Sydney (H) W

R25 v Newcastle (A) L

R26 v Central Coast (H) W

R27 v Wellington (A) W

MELBOURNE VICTORY

4th, W 9, D 5, L 8, GD +2 pts 32

R23 v Central Coast (H) W

R24 v Perth (A) L

R25 v Western Sydney (H) W

R26 v Wellington (H) W

R27 v Sydney (A) L

* Matt Windley’s predicted results

PREDICTED LADDER

1 Sydney 67pts

2 Newcastle 57pts

3 Melb City 42pts

4 Melb Victory 41pts

5 Western Sydney 38pts

6 Adelaide 36pts

-----

7 Perth 31pts

8 Brisbane 28pts

9 Central Coast 20pts

10 Wellington 20pts

PREDICTED FINALS

ELIMINATION FINALS

Melbourne City v Adelaide, AAMI Park

Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney, AAMI Park

SEMI-FINALS

Sydney v lowest-ranked week one winner, Allianz Stadium

Newcastle v highest-ranked week one winner, McDonald Jones Stadium

GRAND FINAL

Winner of semi-final 1 v winner of semj-final 2

TOUGH MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB

City/Heart has only twice finished above Victory

FINISHING POSITIONS

VICTORY // CITY

2010-11 5th // 11th

2011-12 8th // 6th

2012-13 3rd* // 9th

2013-14 4th // 10th

2014-15 1st // 5th

2015-16 6th // 4th

2016-17 2nd // 4th

2017-18 # 4th // 3rd

* Denotes qualified for Asian Champions League

#After 22 of 27 rounds

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/melbourne-set-for-bonanza-in-week-one-of-aleague-finals-with-city-victory-joining-race-for-asia/news-story/0e77905a5301f6632f24aab4c4453211

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I watched a replay of the game and I was surprised of how good the game actually looked. Watching it live I left that night thinking it was one of worst performances in ages. Almost at the Aloisi era levels. But after watching it again we were not as shit as I thought and tbf nor were the tards. 

It was a decent game for the neutrals and on a side note I reackon it was the most evenly split crowd numbers for a derby. Without exaggerating I think it was 50/50 easily. 

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3 hours ago, Jovan said:

I watched a replay of the game and I was surprised of how good the game actually looked. Watching it live I left that night thinking it was one of worst performances in ages. Almost at the Aloisi era levels. But after watching it again we were not as shit as I thought and tbf nor were the tards. 

It was a decent game for the neutrals and on a side note I reackon it was the most evenly split crowd numbers for a derby. Without exaggerating I think it was 50/50 easily. 

Neutrals have been saying it was a good entertaining game but as a supporter at the ground it was frustrating as hell. Maybe my Heart conditioning kicks in automatically. Not sure how I’d feel if the guys won the granny. Meh :unsure:

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