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I wonder: does Bon Jovi ever think about this club?

Having Florin back is huge but I am worried we'll get his pedestrian version coming off a bad injury. Honestly, I'd only bring him off the bench for the first leg personally but Adelaide away is a massive test so I guess we can't afford to hold back.

Id give him 20-30 off the bench tomorrow night with the view to start him on Sunday. You want minutes in his legs before the GF and we've seen in the past hes taken a few runs post injury to get going, but we also need to make sure we dont rush him either. Thats about the right balance imo.

City have done well but I wish there was more consistency and a killer finish to put teams away.

No away goals rule. Forum hate aside, Aloisi deserves full credit for Western United's defensive structure. It's elite

Now open to the general public. You've missed the members window.

With no away goal rule, any close result is still good. I would not play Florin tomorrow. Give him Pucci status until the 2nd leg.

The pressure will be all on them though if we do play off in the final together. Those undefeated streaks come to an end eventually and the pressure of trying to maintain that in a final may be too much...there is also the pressure of trying to win another title to catch Sydney's 5 grand final wins. Additionally the pressure of Popovic having lost all grand finals he has coached as well. Playing in front of a majority fan base which will put even more expectation on their shoulders. Frankly we will be the underdogs (if we make it) and the pressure is squarely all on them!

If Florin really is back then this is another test for PK. This something new - a two-leg knockout tie and we have the advantage of being at home for the second leg and knowing exactly what we have to do then. I'm with you - only use him in Adelaide if really necessary.

I've never really wanted anything untoward for any player or team, But.

Pray4Western I couldn't stomach a grand final against Victory, as monumental as it would be for the league. Not in the form they're in of late, nope

So you're saying we need to bring back the sausage stand yeah?

It doesn't surprise me. I've been a rusted on 10-11 home matches minimum for several seasons, and I bet I've only managed 5 or 6 this season. That's down to impossible scheduling. And there have been plenty who haven't attended at all because of covid. Let's get back to a more manageable schedule, get past covid, have something of a reset and then see where we are. Three things that get people going to matches are good atmosphere, entertaining football, and decent food/bevs. With small crowds we've been lacking atmosphere (but that's a longer run suppression of active terrace culture too), the football has been patchy (some of that is scheduling) and the food and bevs choice this year has been rank.