Matchday 12: v Sydney - Sunday 29th December 6.30 pm at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

[CityBoyz]

51 minutes ago, Hanz said:

Get some good fucking imports for a change. They are all well below par all of them. Man this is the most dissapointing  game I have watched in some time.

Only good import who has looked threatening  has been Cabrera. 

[playmaker]

Our tactics don't suit Jamie.

Things need to change asap

[jw1739]

44 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Paddy won’t succeed either, we aren’t serious about marquee and visa players.

Just put Sydney's visa/marquee players alongside ours. No comparison.

We're not a serious football club. Too fucking up ourselves being "CFG this" and "CFG that."

Over it. Absolutely over being let down by the club time after time.

 

[HeartFc]

The lack of alpha energy is disturbing. This club is faggy.

[Jovan]

Pure City. 

 

[CityBoyz]

Wellington recruitment is 10x better than ours and recruit players that suit their style like Davila.

What does that say about CFG and Petrillo. Amateur hour. Where are our supposed worldwide scouting that’s delivered us Korren, Budzisnki, Florin, and now Noone, says it all really. 

[Mr MO]

16 minutes ago, playmaker said:

Our tactics don't suit Jamie.

Things need to change asap

The last 2 games Jamie can take a little blame too, it’s not always about scoring goals - he needs partake accordingly in the play. These struggles to control simple balls and tonight selfishly overlooked Ramy. Tactics or not, he’s not playing well just like many others. 

1 minute ago, CityBoyz said:

Wellington recruitment is 10x better than ours and recruit players that suit their style like Davila.

What does that say about CFG and Petrillo. Amateur hour. Where are our supposed worldwide scouting that’s delivered us Korren, Budzisnki, Florin, and now Noone, says it all really. 

Simple, good visa and marquee players cost money.

[CityBoyz]

CFG ?? Show us you care in transfer market in January cause quite frankly it’s hard to see you do. #WeCareDoYou

Edited December 29, 2019 by CityBoyz

[Mr MO]

On Florin, didn’t get a look in again tonight - so okay he’s gone but why put him on the bench?

[CityBoyz]

11 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

The last 2 games Jamie can take a little blame too, it’s not always about scoring goals - he needs partake accordingly in the play. These struggles to control simple balls and tonight selfishly overlooked Ramy. Tactics or not, he’s not playing well just like many others. 

Simple, good visa and marquee players cost money.

Yep when you compare Sydney visa to ours chalk and cheese Ninkovic, Baumjohan, Barbarouses, LeFondre.

City Cabrera, Luna, Florin, Windbichler and Noone.

In the transfer window city could have targeted Barbarouses and Baumjohan but didn’t. Especially Baumjohan when we have been crying out for a creative spark. You know why $$$ CFG don’t care 

[Mr MO]

18 minutes ago, CityBoyz said:

Yep when you compare Sydney visa to ours chalk and cheese Ninkovic, Baumjohan, Barbarouses, LeFondre.

City Cabrera, Luna, Florin, Windbichler and Noone.

In the transfer window city could have targeted Barbarouses and Baumjohan but didn’t. Especially Baumjohan when we have been crying out for a creative spark. You know why $$$ CFG don’t care 

I’m not sure why people are so surprised. All preseason, FFA cup and the league, we’ve been scraping wins and been underwhelming in the visa and marquee department (expect Newcastle). What did we expect that we were going play Sydney of the park?
 

2-1 loss to Sydney, we can play for second place now and finally get this ACL spot. I don’t see this happening but people have said that when we get Champions League then CFG finally will invest in players.

[jw1739]

4 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

I’m not sure why people are so surprised. All preseason, FFA cup and the league, we’ve been scraping wins and been underwhelming in the visa and marquee department (expect Newcastle). What did we expect that we were going play Sydney of the park?
 

2-1 loss to Sydney, we can play for second place now and finally get this ACL spot. I don’t see this happening but people have said that when we get Champions League then CFG finally will invest in players.

No, but we went a goal up against 10 men. Just like Brisbane when we were 3-1 up and couldn't hold on.

It's just fucking mental weakness and inability to adapt to the way the game is going. Also repeated failures to put the ball in the fucking net. We sign players with the wrong mental attitude right from the start.

[Harrison]

Absolute shit show and something we’ve come to expect. I’m tired of seeing these foreign players underwhelm us week in, week out. Noone and Luna do one good thing then go missing. Cabrera is a bit more consistent but not enough end product. Berenguer is non-existent, as is Windbichler. Just so bizarre. So far, Cabrera is the only one who gets a pass mark. 

As to the match, Sydney are just far too good at the moment. Quality all over the park, intelligent movement between different phases, shrewd in-game management. They’re a difficult team to play through and we don’t have the quality to finish our chances. We created some good chances but were let down when it mattered e.g. Maclaren not squaring it to Najjarine for an easy shot.

Atkinson a bright spot. Please keep him in the team. I also liked Najjarine’s little cameo, some nice bits of executed skill but needs a bit more time.

[n i k o]

Upon looking at the performances so far, our recruitment of visa players has been shit this season. It's makes being in second position almost an acheivement in itself. 

I'm still annoyed at how we allowed Sydney the opportunity to dictate play for that 15 minute window before they scored their winning goal. We sat back completely and allowed them time on the ball. 

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by n i k o

[playmaker]

1 hour ago, Harrison said:

Just so bizarre

You managed to perfectly describe our club in 3 words

Nothing more can be added

End thread

 

[HEARTinator]

JMac is a one dimensional player. His main attribute is poaching around the box. That's it. If he's not getting service or the opposition is playing tight on him then we have few other consistent avenues to goal. The 3 nil home game defeat against Glory clearly exposed our weakness against teams that can defend but can also counter and bang in a goal or two.

Over to you Mombaerts.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/sky-blues-strike-late-to-snatch-points-against-melbourne-city-20191229-p53ngc.html

Sky Blues strike late to snatch points against Melbourne City

By Dominic Bossi

December 29, 2019 — 9.27pm

The race for the A-League premiership is already looking like the Sky Blues to lose after a 10-man Sydney FC opened a nine-point lead at the top of the table with a 2-1 win over Melbourne City at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Sunday.

An 85th-minute winner from marquee Kosta Barbarouses and an earlier strike from Adam Le Fondre increased Sydney FC's lead by another length, capping off a dogged and disciplined display that left City's players kicking and cursing their way back to Melbourne.

At the sound of the final whistle, they looked everything from livid, frustrated to dejected. And they only had themselves to blame. City saved a penalty, had an extra man for more than an hour but could barely find a way through Sydney's phalanx that rendered City's top scorer Jamie Maclaren inconspicuous on the field, starved of any quality service.

"Going down to ten men, it showed great character from the boys to dig and do what they do out there," Sydney coach Steve Corica said. "We kept Jamie Maclaren quiet at times, we frustrated them and we defended well especially with balls into the box."

The Sky Blues' ninth win of the season could be remembered as their most vital, hammering a huge pyschological blow against their nearest challengers. City coach Erick Mombaerts admits "it’s very difficult to come back," in the premiership race after this defeat.

With this season's bye format, Melbourne City don't play Sydney three times and their next meeting isn't until the final round of the A-League season. If both sides continue amassing points at their current rate, that round 26 game will be a dead-rubber in the race for the premiership.

For a brief moment, City looked to have pulled back into that contest. Youngster Connor Metcalfe put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute with a close-range header from a cleverly-worked set-piece.

It got worse for Sydney immediately after when Grant's evening was finally cut short. A reckless studs-up challenge on Atkinson earned Grant his marching orders after the VAR upgraded the initial yellow card to a red.

Sydney were outnumbered but far from outgunned, and their sharpest shooter brought them back into the contest before the half-hour mark. A dropped ball from City goalkeeper Tom Glover sparked chaos in the box that ended at the feet of Adam Le Fondre. The Englishman received a loose ball with his back to goal, and at an acute angle but he finished with perfection and composure to make it 1-1.

City should have restored their lead seven minutes later when Craig Noone dribbled his way into the box to set-up a simple finish but somehow failed to hit the target from point-blank range.

Fortunately for him, Le Fondre let him off the hook. Some fancy footwork from Ninkovic drew a foul from Delbridge inside the box to win a penalty. The Sydney FC striker stepped up to the mark and thrashed a trademark powerful penalty that deceived Glover but not his trailing leg, putting Le Fondre's shot off course.

After that let-off, City went on the hunt after the break by playing wider and throwing numbers forward. Josh Brillante, Rostyn Griffiths and Atkinson joined the attack with chances from deep before substitute Adrian Luna came within centimetres of scoring a stunning bicycle kick before the hour mark.

For the most part, City only looked dangerous from distance. Sydney FC's defensive shell did it's job and with six minutes to play, their other marquee did his. Barbarouses pounced on some generous space offered by City, turned his marker and unleashed a powerful, precise and ultimately perfect shot into the bottom corner of the net to seal a win that makes the A-League premiership start to look like a one-horse race.

[belaguttman]

2 hours ago, HEARTinator said:

JMac is a one dimensional player. His main attribute is poaching around the box. That's it. If he's not getting service or the opposition is playing tight on him then we have few other consistent avenues to goal. The 3 nil home game defeat against Glory clearly exposed our weakness against teams that can defend but can also counter and bang in a goal or two.

The problem is, that whilst the other forwards contribute an occasional goal, the majority of our goals scored by a forward are scored by JMac. It means that he's effectively shut out of the game of double teamed by defenders. Normally, that would open up space elsewhere and create an extra man, but whereas earlier in the season we seemed to be flooding the box with attacking players, JMac is usually left isolated and we have no effective avenues of attack.

Despite that we created more than enough genuine chances to win the game, however our conversion rate was so poor that, by half way through the second half, it looked unlikely that we would score on any attack. We only have 1 player who is likely to score from a good opportunity, shut him down and we are pretty impotent. We were more likely to score when the surfs had 11 players on the pitch as the game was more open.

Edited December 29, 2019 by belaguttman

[Embee]

We're still second, and had a large amount of guilt edged chances, so despite me feeling absolutely distraught atm it's hard to make the case it's quite as bad as I feel it is...HOWEVER....something within this club feels inherently broken at the moment. Change the manager, change the players, change whatever you like, there's just an inherent culture of failure and weakness that we seem absolutely unable to shake off. The Cup Final, the Derby and now this game are all further examples of this clubs inability to capitalize on opportunities or rise to the occasion, we could already have one trophy and be level on points with a team that is easily the best side in the country if we had at least the tiniest set of balls.

The continuing refusal to use Florin lends some plausibility to the rumours he may be off in January. If he is this club absolutely needs to bring in a marquee level creative player, there is absolutely no excuse now. Despite crumbling at every hurdle so far, there is a very real possibility we can fall into the Asian places if we address that weakness.

 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Embee

[Torn Asunder]

Sydney are clearly a much better team than us.  We simply do not have a midfielder (or player to that end) that all opposition teams fear.  Look at Sydney with Ninkovich and Le Fondre, Perth with Castro and Bruno, the Tards with Toivonen and Nabbout, Western Melbourne with Diamanti and Gypsy ... we have a weapon in McLaren who needs service ... but we have no fkn trigger.

We cannot expect to do anything other than make up the numbers,unless we inject some proper class into the midfield ... we need that player that scares the crap out of the opposition ... at the moment, all the opposition has to do is block our lanes, and hit us on the counter.

[rass]

1 hour ago, Embee said:

...

The continuing refusal to use Florin lends some plausibility to the rumours he may be off in January. If he is this club absolutely needs to bring in a marquee level creative player, there is absolutely no excuse now. Despite crumbling at every hurdle so far, there is a very real possibility we can fall into the Asian places if we address that weakness.

 

Agree. Obviously hopeful here, but I do believe the coach is trying to find that Golden Ticket #10. I think we will get a new attacking player in January, I just hope he'll be good.

[HEARTinator]

I thought I'd put this here because it goes with the conversation we're having after last nights game. We need no reminding that Joyce was brought in to change the clubs culture and what he ended up doing was causing the exit of experienced players and for what end product???? I keep coming back to CFG and whether they give a rats arse about what's happening down under.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/dec/30/sydney-fc-have-become-an-a-league-first-a-ruthless-serial-win-machine

Sydney FC have become an A-League first: a ruthless serial win machine

Richard Parkin

Mon 30 Dec 2019 04.00 AEDTLast modified on Mon 30 Dec 2019 08.02 AEDT

Sydney FC’s star players continue to shine - but their consistent success has its roots off the pitch.

Fifteen seasons of the A-League has produced a handful of great teams. Ange Postecoglou’s Roarcelona of 2010-2011, Ernie Merrick’s 06-07 Victory side with that memorable grand final, and Graham Arnold’s 16-17 record points-getters.

But few have boasted the creative guile of Thomas Broich’s Roarcelona as well as the fear factor of Fred, Danny Allsopp and Archie Thompson in full flight quite like 2019-20’s iteration of Sydney FC.

In a spectacular warning shot to the rest of the competition, on Sunday the pretenders to the crown, Melbourne City, came for the king – and pulled up dramatically short. With a nine-point ladder buffer now established, only a spectacular injury crisis or dismal Asian Champions League campaign will prevent Sydney FC from claiming its third premiership in four seasons.

The focus all season has been on the “Fab Four” – the lethal finishing of Adam Le Fondre, the pace and nuisance of Kosta Barbarouses, the sublime vision and skills of Milos Ninkovic and Alexander Baumjohann.

But to focus on just these players ignores at least seven other key performers and more importantly disregards the work that has taken place off the pitch – not just this season, but over the last four-five seasons.

For three and a half seasons Sydney FC have dominated the competition – boasting 65 wins in 92 matches, averaging 2.3 points per game, with a win rate of over 70%. This isn’t flash in the pan stuff – this is the A-League’s first serial win machine. A team that’s the product of legacy planning, sustained investment and more than anything – continuity and stability – within the board and ownership group, the coaching staff, and the playing personnel.

While many clubs have undergone wholescale dressing room change, over the off-season Sydney FC brought in just four new faces – all experienced campaigners and known commodities, all with a proven track record of success. The spine of the team remained, the winning mentality and DNA re-spawned seamlessly.

When Graham Arnold departed few outsiders tipped assistant Steve Corica to fill his illustrious boots. After all, the inherited wisdom of the A-League era is that number twos rarely progress to number ones – especially at so-called big clubs with bigger expectations, despite Kevin Muscat’s notable exception.

Some wobbles emerged throughout 2018/19 – after all, the Sky Blues picked up seven losses en route to their second place finish. But as 2019 draws to a close Corica’s second-season chargers are threatening to stomp the league like few others.

After 11 games Roarcelona weren’t even top – and only three teams have earned 28+ points by this stage of a campaign. Ernie Merrick’s 06/07 Victory, and Sydney FC in 17/18 and 19/20.

Former Sydney FC assistant Ufuk Talay’s departure to Wellington Phoenix has already brought the New Zealand club success, as well as being the only team to have denied Sydney FC a run of eight consecutive wins.

In an appointment that speaks to the intelligent succession planning and continuity inside the club, like Talay before him, Corica’s present assistant, Robbie Stanton, has also been promoted from within. A NSW Premier League championship-winning coach with Sutherlands Sharks, Stanton’s graduation from academy and reserves coach mirrors Corica’s own progression.

And while former coach Arnold famously eschewed young players, it’s the established relationship of coaches like Corica and Stanton that enables Sydney FC to seamlessly incorporate young players like Joel King into their otherwise heavily fixed starting XI.

Youngster Cameron Devlin may have followed Talay to Phoenix to greener pastures, but as the travel and fatigue from the ACL campaign begins to bite, expect players like Luke Ivanovic and Ryan Teague to integrate without detriment to the Sydney FC first team.

Banana-skin fixtures still abound – Sydney FC face two more derbies, two more Big Blues, a visit from Perth and even nearby Central Coast and Newcastle have a nasty habit of rising to the occasion against their more-vaunted neighbours.

On current form though, only two sides look able to stop the Sky Blues. Reigning premiers Perth have overcome their stuttering start and have the collective competitive instinct to force results, while with a seven-game unbeaten streak and Gary Hooper still to return to full fitness, the Phoenix are eyeing a January fixture list that boasts four of the league’s bottom five sides.

Gertjan Verbeek’s Adelaide have shown promise but are still gelling. The fortunes of Mark Rudan’s Western United seem dependent on the increasingly fractious relations of his aging squads’ big characters. While outside of Jamie Maclaren, the promise of Melbourne City’s talent-laden squad appears as fickle or fleeting as in seasons past.

Having conceded a 16-competition-point lead already, traditional rivals Melbourne Victory will need a January window midfield overhaul to challenge. A championship could still figure – but the premiership is long gone.

It’s a cavalcade of unique problems facing the A-Leagues various would-be clubs. But only one club will enter 2020 a picture of near-fluency. The A-League has seen great one-campaign wonders. But it’s never seen a team as ruthlessly consistent as this.

[Red or Dead]

7 hours ago, Torn Asunder said:

Sydney are clearly a much better team than us.  We simply do not have a midfielder (or player to that end) that all opposition teams fear.  Look at Sydney with Ninkovich and Le Fondre, Perth with Castro and Bruno, the Tards with Toivonen and Nabbout, Western Melbourne with Diamanti and Gypsy ... we have a weapon in McLaren who needs service ... but we have no fkn trigger.

We cannot expect to do anything other than make up the numbers,unless we inject some proper class into the midfield ... we need that player that scares the crap out of the opposition ... at the moment, all the opposition has to do is block our lanes, and hit us on the counter.

Considering his history with Man City, we should've signed Yaya Toure when he was a free agent from the start of the season! Quality, fearsome and would've got a few more bums on seats

[n i k o]

Watching the highlights it's just so frustration how for about 15 minutes prior to conceding the second goal we sat so deep and defended. It's incredible to wonder where the confidence was in the team to go for the win and to want to be a top of the table team. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by n i k o

[jw1739]

56 minutes ago, n i k o said:

Watching the highlights it's just so frustration how for about 15 minutes prior to conceding the second goal we sat so deep and defended. It's incredible to wonder where the confidence was in the team to go for the win and to want to be a top of the table team. 

We've seen that so many times even at AAMI Park that I don't understand why our coaching team doesn't put a stop to it. We are so well known for it that all opposition teams know it and they just keep coming at us in the final minutes knowing that we are (visibly) at panic stations and likely to crack.

Our records against Perth and Sydney in particular are truly pathetic.

[n i k o]

47 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

We've seen that so many times even at AAMI Park that I don't understand why our coaching team doesn't put a stop to it. We are so well known for it that all opposition teams know it and they just keep coming at us in the final minutes knowing that we are (visibly) at panic stations and likely to crack.

Our records against Perth and Sydney in particular are truly pathetic.

Sometimes it can happen and it's out of a coaches hands. I'm disappointed in the players more than anything else. I don't think Mombaerts did a whole lot wrong actually. He made good subs (Florian is another discussion) at the right time. The tactics were there except for the players making errors that cost us goals. 

It's actually surprising given the players we have that we are doing so well. Not sure it's an indication of our quality or the rest of the league's lack of quality. I think a bit of both. 

If our season continues to be this roller coaster then questions need to be asked over the recruitment of our foreign players. I still remember Postecoglou saying in an interview after he finished in the aleague that the key to success in Australia is the quality of your imports. Last night showed this was a huge difference between us and Sydney. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by n i k o

[Thrillhouse]

6 hours ago, jw1739 said:

Our records against Perth and Sydney in particular are truly pathetic.

more frustrating is in the first 19 league games against Sydney we had a good record, 7 wins 8 draws 4 losses, since we've won 1 and lost 6 

[rass]

1 hour ago, Thrillhouse said:

more frustrating is in the first 19 league games against Sydney we had a good record, 7 wins 8 draws 4 losses, since we've won 1 and lost 6 

Is it that frustrating though? Every other club in the HAL would have a similar record with Sydney recently given their dominance.

[jw1739]

3 hours ago, rass said:

Is it that frustrating though? Every other club in the HAL would have a similar record with Sydney recently given their dominance.

I think that's the sort of acceptance of being second-best that bedevils the club and shows lack of ambition.

[rass]

2 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

I think that's the sort of acceptance of being second-best that bedevils the club and shows lack of ambition.

I don't think it's acceptance JW, it's just a straight fact. They have been the best team and as such, everyone's results against them recently will look shit.

Doesn't mean other teams don't want to beat that. I'd bet every single person associated with our club would be hurting badly from the loss on Sunday.

[jw1739]

3 minutes ago, rass said:

I don't think it's acceptance JW, it's just a straight fact. They have been the best team and as such, everyone's results against them recently will look shit.

Doesn't mean other teams don't want to beat that. I'd bet every single person associated with our club would be hurting badly from the loss on Sunday.

Except that I think everyone knows why Sydney are better - it's their better quality imports. And we continue to sign second-rate imports, and do stupid things like drum imported players such as Kilkenny and Fornaroli out of the club. All this tells me that we are therefore accepting of being second-best.

[rass]

1 minute ago, jw1739 said:

Except that I think everyone knows why Sydney are better - it's their better quality imports. And we continue to sign second-rate imports, and do stupid things like drum imported players such as Kilkenny and Fornaroli out of the club. All this tells me that we are therefore accepting of being second-best.

In all due respect mate, i think there's a difference between acceptance and just making stupid decisions.

You can't tell me this club and our players go out every game accepting that they'll lose or that they're not good enough. No way.

[Embee]

22 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Except that I think everyone knows why Sydney are better - it's their better quality imports. And we continue to sign second-rate imports, and do stupid things like drum imported players such as Kilkenny and Fornaroli out of the club. All this tells me that we are therefore accepting of being second-best.

I think that's oversimplifying it a little.

Sure, this season they have better quality imports, but if we look at last season their squad contained: Reza (average at best), De Jong (decent enough but injured for a large portion) and Jop van der Linden (I honestly don't even remember him). That team still won the Grand Final.

To be honest I think a large part of Sydney's success, aside from the coaching of Arnie, has been their ability to get the absolute most out of A-League journeymen/castaways from other clubs. Their top end is obviously outstanding, but they still manage to run deeper than the majority of the competition.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Embee

[Harrison]

9 minutes ago, Embee said:

I think that's oversimplifying it a little.

Sure, this season they have better quality imports, but if we look at last season their squad contained: Reza (average at best), De Jong (decent enough but injured for a large portion) and Jop van der Linden (I honestly don't even remember him). That team still won the Grand Final.

To be honest I think a large part of Sydney's success, aside from the coaching of Arnie, has been their ability to get the absolute most out of A-League journeymen/castaways from other clubs. Their top end is obviously outstanding, but they still manage to run deeper than the majority of the competition.

And quite a few of those castoffs are ex-City players. We couldn’t keep Wilkinson and I’m not too sure about the others, but I’m still a little frustrated over Retre because I know we could’ve kept him. He always impressed me as a footballer and if it was up to me I would’ve retained him. He looks ready to take the next step now.  

[Le Hack]

I think Rass means the top end imports; you take Le Fondre and Ninkovic out of Sydney's team on the weekend, it's not as toothy. Barbourouses is good but a little bit flat tracker, Baumjohan didn't last the distance and is probably at the same level as a good Aussie midfielder. It was pretty much Ninkovic and Le Fondre which sunk us. We don't have any import ay either of their standards.

[Imtellingyou]

Barba scores big time goals in A-league. 

[Mr MO]

15 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

I think Rass means the top end imports; you take Le Fondre and Ninkovic out of Sydney's team on the weekend, it's not as toothy. Barbourouses is good but a little bit flat tracker, Baumjohan didn't last the distance and is probably at the same level as a good Aussie midfielder. It was pretty much Ninkovic and Le Fondre which sunk us. We don't have any import ay either of their standards.

Agree, Sydney’s foreigners are not all at the same level but all their imports are better then ours, that makes a big difference. In my opinion Le Fondre is also a better player than Maclaren.

Sydney has more capspace than we do.

Even having 2 or 3 excellent decent foreigners makes a difference we have none. 

[Mr MO]

1 hour ago, rass said:

I'd bet every single person associated with our club would be hurting badly from the loss on Sunday.

The CFG accounting and scouting departments couldn’t care less. I’m salty I know but it’s so obvious.

Berenguer complete disaster and stuff up in all departments. Luna and Cabrera, the hidden gem gamble (yet not good enough for our entity over there?) Windy is always injured, unlucky? Noone looked good on paper and is a mystery, I’m not blaming them.

Edited December 31, 2019 by Mr MO

[playmaker]

10 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Agree, Sydney’s foreigners are not all at the same level but all their imports are better then ours, that makes a big difference. In my opinion Le Fondre is also a better player than Maclaren.

Sydney has more capspace than we do.

Even having 2 or 3 excellent decent foreigners makes a difference we have none. 

La Fondra did nothing and got destroyed by Atkinson and Delbridge.

The only difference between the 2 clubs is that they have a playmaker in the midfield that can take on defenders and score goals and we don't.

La Fondra had many more opportunities and Jamie didn't, that was the difference between the two, nothing to do with La Fondra being better.

They also play a style of play that suits their goal scorers and we don't, this is the thing that concerns me the most.

We just can't get the whole package right and I really think that something is fundamentally disjointed at this club.

[rass]

9 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

The CFG accounting and scouting departments couldn’t care less. I’m salty I know but it’s so obvious.

Berenguer complete disaster and stuff up in all departments. Luna and Cabrera, the hidden gem gamble (yet not good enough for our entity over there?) Windy is always injured, unlucky? Noone looked good on paper and is a mystery, I’m not blaming them.

Oh i agree, stuff ups all round. ..and it does your head in as a supporter to stay positive through it. But I just don't buy the argument that we don't care and accept mediocrity. 

In all reality, we could have spent the exact some $ that we have on Luna (for example), on some other no-name dude and he could've turned out to be a beast. Only last season we brought Harrison down who had the pedigree to be a star. That's not the decision making of a club who doesn't give a f**k...

[Mr MO]

12 minutes ago, rass said:

Oh i agree, stuff ups all round. ..and it does your head in as a supporter to stay positive through it. But I just don't buy the argument that we don't care and accept mediocrity. 

In all reality, we could have spent the exact some $ that we have on Luna (for example), on some other no-name dude and he could've turned out to be a beast. Only last season we brought Harrison down who had the pedigree to be a star. That's not the decision making of a club who doesn't give a f**k...

Yeah that’s me being salty - of course they care and want their masterplan of hidden gems and second division imports to work, but how many seasons do they want to waste on this to get a result?

They underestimate the strength this league, okay perhaps poor quality football at times but it’s hard to succeed here, it takes a certain pedigree of player. Luna and Berenguer types aren’t the answer, too weak or too timid.

So Harrison wasn’t too bad, why not keep him? He went to Holland on modest wage.

22 minutes ago, playmaker said:

La Fondra did nothing and got destroyed by Atkinson and Delbridge.

The only difference between the 2 clubs is that they have a playmaker in the midfield that can take on defenders and score goals and we don't.

La Fondra had many more opportunities and Jamie didn't, that was the difference between the two, nothing to do with La Fondra being better.

They also play a style of play that suits their goal scorers and we don't, this is the thing that concerns me the most.

We just can't get the whole package right and I really think that something is fundamentally disjointed at this club.

I’m not talking about one particular game. Le Fondre is the top of charts and so is Sydney, proof enough for me.