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FFA Cup - Round of 16: Marconi Stallions v City, Wednesday 21 August 7.30pm


Harrison
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5 minutes ago, kingofhearts said:

How good is noone, a class above everyone else

Shows what you get if you just invest in proven players instead of French second league players or tiny Uruguayans (all seem a little light) - I’m yet to be convinced on our imports besides Noone with the games I’ve seen so far.

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That midfield in the second half doesn’t work. Don’t think we can rely on that combination. 

Otherwise we were very good in the first half, we controlled the game with ease. I liked Berenguer’s performance but he can’t impact consistently. He drifts in and out and can look sublime in one sequence and ordinary the next. Luna was dangerous, so much skill but needs help from the players around him. Seems to be a level above.

Noone looks like the best signing so far. He will be very hard to stop.

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Still work to do, but:

A good first 60 minutes with positive football, always pressuring, always looking fir a forward pass and kept Marconi under pressure. When we lost the ball, our midfield counter-press usually won the ball back quickly without allowing Marconi into dangerous areas of the field. Le Patrone adjusted proactively for the second half, expecting a change of tactics from Marconi, the complete opposite of Joyce.

The second half was less convincing, I agree with @Harrison that the midfield subs didn't work well as a unit and we lost control of midfield. Genreau was good in parts. Maclaren drifted out of the game as the service to him deteriorated. He really needs quality service to deliver goals, I'm still not convinced with Florin's final ball quality.

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Game never really reached much heights tonight, seem to fizz out until Marconi scored and sent a bit of a fright through the team for the last 5 or so minutes.

I’d like to see 25-30 games into Metcalfe this season, really looking forward to see the lad develop this year, not afraid to get stuck in which I like.

Hoping we’re giving Najjar a bit of time in our friendlies, will need him fit and firing for round 1.

 

 

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I thought we were shit tonight TBH. Not sure if it was the pitch or the wind but I've never seen us turn the ball over so badly and we looked out of sync with each other. I also think we looked a bit cocky/arrogant at times too.

But Marconi were worse and I thought most of their possession came from our turnovers. They didn't do anything special at all - Bentleigh looked much better than them the other week.

Take the win, go away and keep working - there's still time to clean it up.

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The media wasting no time in having a few shots at us. Going to be standard fare from now on.

Melbourne City survive late scare against Marconi

Dominic Bossi
By Dominic Bossi
August 21, 2019 — 10.07pm

Melbourne City narrowly avoided what could have been an embarrassing FFA Cup exit at the expense of Marconi, hanging on by the skin of their teeth to seal a 2-1 win over the Stallions on Wednesday night.

The cashed-up club, backed by the global City Football Group, did just enough to progress to the quarter-finals but left much to be desired before their upcoming A-League season with an unimpressive display in Bossley Park on Wednesday. A gulf in class there may have been, but it was nothing that the difference in resources and professional standards would have suggested as Melbourne struggled to break down a team operating on less than a tenth of their wage bill. They made the most of their meagre chances, finishing twice from their three shots on target while surviving a late onslaught against a spirited Marconi. For the most part, the club now with little but their wealth of history held their own against the A-League side with little yet but their wealth.

From the opening, however, it looked like it could have been routine win for Melbourne as they snatched an early lead against the rank outsiders. The home fans hadn't even yet dared to dream before they were brought back to reality. With their first attacking of the game, Melbourne City rattled the back of the net in a manner that deflated the Stallions.A simple cross from Scott Galloway found an unmarked Jamie Maclaren inside the area and a deft touch was all he needed to guide the ball past Nenad Vekic in goals.Having snatched the lead so early, Melbourne were in no mood to please the crowd. They sat deep, played to a slow tempo while happily invited Marconi to come forward in vain. The hosts' best chance of the half came from a Marko Jesic free-kick that was almost turned in by Zach Cairncross at the post.

The most damage Marconi threatened to inflict came from fouls. Mitch Mallia and Connor Evans entered the book for bruising challenges while City's Adrian Luna wasn't to be outdone either. While several players looked to have lost their cool, Craig Noone remained the calmest man on the pitch.On the end of a sweeping move from the opposite flank, the former Bolton man unleashed a fierce strike from the edge of the area that rattled the bottom corner of the net to double Melbourne's lead before the break.

There wasn't much to celebrate beyond the re-start for either side. Melbourne lacked the creativity or the enthusiasm to threaten Vekic's goal. They're every part a team in pre-season under the guidance of a new coach but were not only disjointed but seemingly disengaged.

When Martin Fernandez pulled a goal back for Marconi in scintillating style, chipping goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis from the edge of the box, the game's nouveau richebecame nervous in the face of Australia's giant of the past.

It was so nearly a night to savour at the old palace, Fernandez narrowly missing from close range before substitute Anthony Frangie stung the palms of Bouzanis from distance with a powerful effort. It was too little, too late for Marconi, who salvaged plenty of pride in nearly humbling the new cashed-up club of Australia.

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9 hours ago, mus-28 said:

Very worrying signs from Big Boy Haz in both FFA Cup games, looks a shadow of the player that was beside Bart last season. 

 

How the fuck has Frenchy got this far as a footballer, litereally everything he does is shit. Shit touch, shit passes, shit work ethic.

Delbridge is so important for his heading, he wins just about everything.

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2 hours ago, Tommykins said:

What an odd report. Thought we were boringly clinical after scoring in the first couple of minutes and that Marconi only looked remotely dangerous for the last 5.

I posted because of the obvious "anti-City" comments. I think that elements of the media have lost patience with us after years of under-performance - as did a quite a number of fans last season. Expectations of the club are high and we're going to read this "cashed-up" line, and similar comments, time and time again.

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23 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

I posted because of the obvious "anti-City" comments. I think that elements of the media have lost patience with us after years of under-performance - as did a quite a number of fans last season. Expectations of the club are high and we're going to read this "cashed-up" line, and similar comments, time and time again.

Oh definitely. But what's super interesting is we're starting to get articles that mention stuff like this.

https://dailyfootballshow.com/why-2019-20-could-make-or-break-melbourne-city-1/

Quote

 

In hindsight, the purchase of the entity known as Melbourne Heart by CFG ahead of the 2014-15 season serves as one of the major landmarks on the road that eventually led to the fall of the Lowy dynasty and the independence of Australia’s professional football leagues; the United Arab Emirates and Chinese owned group providing much-needed leadership as the professional clubs began to pull towards a unified vision for reform.

Now, with victory seemingly secured, it is no coincidence that Melbourne City vice-chairman Simon Pearce – identified by John Stensholt of The Australian as the most powerful figure in Australian football – was one of the leaders of a presentation given to A-League clubs surrounding a “100 days” marketing blitz that would accompany the launch of an independent A-League.

 

 

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We are the club which hasn't achieved anything in the A-league itself.  As we have formal City Imperium background,  we can and should be under the scrutiny. Unless we just want to be satisfied with not being relegated. 

One goal difference against lower half professional team, defending the score in the daying minutes- isn't this inviting for a such articles.  

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Five wins from five matches. 

Think we’re going well. Yes we have conceded goals and look rusty at times but these players are learning a style of play, some for the first time. We’ve also got almost a new XI from last year. 

I think people are expecting a bit too much. I’m confident we’ll be a force this season. A few kinks to iron out but some of the football has been beautiful and we can only improve. 

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3 hours ago, jw1739 said:

I posted because of the obvious "anti-City" comments. I think that elements of the media have lost patience with us after years of under-performance - as did a quite a number of fans last season. Expectations of the club are high and we're going to read this "cashed-up" line, and similar comments, time and time again.

I hate when they start an article with “the cash up club”.....what is their problem, are they that blind to see we are actually not spending it?

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28 minutes ago, Harrison said:

Five wins from five matches. 

Think we’re going well. Yes we have conceded goals and look rusty at times but these players are learning a style of play, some for the first time. We’ve also got almost a new XI from last year. 

I think people are expecting a bit too much. I’m confident we’ll be a force this season. A few kinks to iron out but some of the football has been beautiful and we can only improve. 

Ah the good old we need to gel and we are only in preseason. I always wonder why a player like Noone is applying his trade accordingly and whilst the rest of the team still needs to gel? 

It’s got to do with recruiting and the quality of the players. Quality will also surface in preseason games.

I think our team is still one or two proper visa players away from a top 2 finish.

How come these Uruguayan boys aren’t playing for our outlet in Uruguay? I find them so timid and this league is rough.

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1 minute ago, Mr MO said:

Ah the good old we need to gel and we are only in preseason. I always wonder why a player like Noone is applying his trade accordingly and whilst the rest of the team still needs to gel? 

It’s got to do with recruiting and the quality of the players. Quality will also surface in preseason games.

I think our team is still one or two proper visa players away from a top 2 finish.

How come these Uruguayan boys aren’t playing for our outlet in Uruguay? I find them so timid and this league is rough.

Because it’s a system of play with complex requirements of different individuals who together must create and adhere to the system. Noone has scored a few goals, including a wonder goal that happens once or twice in a player’s career, against semi-professional goalkeepers. 

The system, especially the high press, takes a bit of time to understand and execute properly. The attacking phases are clearly a work in progress. We controlled the first half and opened their defence up quite often, but the final balls and runs weren’t connecting. That’s a problem that training and experience fixes. 

Simply saying that we need five Craig Noones is reductive. Of course, quality goes a long way, but all five foreigners have quality. It’s combining them into a system which is difficult, and it’s what separates good coaches from the best.

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4 hours ago, Harrison said:

Because it’s a system of play with complex requirements of different individuals who together must create and adhere to the system. Noone has scored a few goals, including a wonder goal that happens once or twice in a player’s career, against semi-professional goalkeepers. 

The system, especially the high press, takes a bit of time to understand and execute properly. The attacking phases are clearly a work in progress. We controlled the first half and opened their defence up quite often, but the final balls and runs weren’t connecting. That’s a problem that training and experience fixes. 

Simply saying that we need five Craig Noones is reductive. Of course, quality goes a long way, but all five foreigners have quality. It’s combining them into a system which is difficult, and it’s what separates good coaches from the best.

Not just Noone’s goals - pay attention to his ball control, level above any other visa player. We don’t need 5 Noone’s but the others aren’t recruited at the same level - I hope that is obvious to most. 

But you are right it will take a little time.

Edited by Mr MO
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32 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Ah the good old we need to gel and we are only in preseason. I always wonder why a player like Noone is applying his trade accordingly and whilst the rest of the team still needs to gel? 

It’s got to do with recruiting and the quality of the players. Quality will also surface in preseason games.

I think our team is still one or two proper visa players away from a top 2 finish.

How come these Uruguayan boys aren’t playing for our outlet in Uruguay? I find them so timid and this league is rough.

The purpose of CA Torque is not just to find players for that club, it's to establish a presence in the region to find players for the whole City Football Group. That's why Luna and Cabrera are playing for us. We haven't owned Torque for very long - I'm sure that in due course they'll have their own CFA and attract young players from all over South America.

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41 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

I hate when they start an article with “the cash up club”.....what is their problem, are they that blind to see we are actually not spending it?

My problem is with the "cashed up club' label, when, at the same time, Bossi would be writing another article wanting more investment in the League

 

25 minutes ago, Harrison said:

Because it’s a system of play with complex requirements of different individuals who together must create and adhere to the system. Noone has scored a few goals, including a wonder goal that happens once or twice in a player’s career, against semi-professional goalkeepers. 

The system, especially the high press, takes a bit of time to understand and execute properly. The attacking phases are clearly a work in progress. We controlled the first half and opened their defence up quite often, but the final balls and runs weren’t connecting. That’s a problem that training and experience fixes. 

 

This. Yes, it's only right that there is press scrutiny and pressure at our lack of success over the course of CFG's ownership, but attacking their investment and expecting that the team can recover from the Joyce years and become fluent in a complex style of play during pre-season is unhelpful and unrealistic. Perhaps the press should be asking why the franchise hired Joyce when his tenure undid the work that had been done by JVS rather than improving and building on it?

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33 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

My problem is with the "cashed up club' label, when, at the same time, Bossi would be writing another article wanting more investment in the League

This. Yes, it's only right that there is press scrutiny and pressure at our lack of success over the course of CFG's ownership, but attacking their investment and expecting that the team can recover from the Joyce years and become fluent in a complex style of play during pre-season is unhelpful and unrealistic. Perhaps the press should be asking why the franchise hired Joyce when his tenure undid the work that had been done by JVS rather than improving and building on it?

I don't think that's quite the question really. Joyce was hired to fix the perceived soft underbelly - our propensity to give away points in the last few minutes of matches. We threw away the Premiership in 2015-16 when we we leading the league with two matches to play - and lost both. Roy Hodgson was sent here to find the cause of our repeated failures, and Joyce was hired as a result of Hodgson's report. It can be argued that in his first season Joyce had success.

IMO what the media should have been asking was, when Joyce started to destroy the club in his second season, why the hell didn't CFG step in and either bring him into line or sack him.

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36 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

If Joyce was 'the answer', why it it require a clear deviation from the CFG style of play?

Well tbf i dont think Joyce went away from playing possession based football at all. It was possession for possessions sake though and definitely not an attacking style of possession.

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