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Defibrillator

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Everything posted by Defibrillator

  1. I personally lost interest big time about 18 months ago. We’ve had several identities along the way - the early JVS youth development model as a foil to the big cross town rival, then the Aloisi “wtf” identity where we were treading water, then the CFG takeover with all of the initial promise of being the rich club in town and two magic seasons of the Mooy and Bruno show. Then for me we just totally lost the plot. Selling Mooy for more than they paid for the whole club was exciting and we all sat and waited for the big re-investment, the stellar high profile marquees and the results that would follow with 32 scouts putting together a brilliant squad. And what did we see? Tightening of the belt and a poor manager whilst the mother ship was spending money like drunken sailors to woo Pep and put together a squad that dominates the EPL. A fraction of that money our way would have been amazing in attracting some seriously entertaining marquees amd a decent manager. From that players want to come. So we’re not the underdog financially any more and yet we’re not flexing our muscle financially. At that point I realised that really this club didn’t really give a shit about it’s fans and that they’re only really here to hopefully cash in on speculative youth sales. It’s hard to follow an identity like that and this message doesn’t go down well when I tell the club.
  2. Lol!! You want me to re-sign for my Preium A family membership when we can only get to 3 games at most this season???Circumstances change - work requirements changes, kids leave home and move away, major holidays are booked etc. It's life. But to be called "fair weather" when we've attended over 70 games in the last 6 years with a 200km round trip each time is insulting. I haven't seen much "fair weather" with this club. I resent being told what type of fan I am by anyone who has no idea of who I am or the effort we have put in to support this club.
  3. Circumstances change in life so the family are stepping away this year. But today's announcement certainly hasn't made it any harder. For a club with touted aspirations this is pretty ordinary. Good luck to the team but I'm scratching my head.
  4. I'd take Nichols in a heartbeat. Runs all day, constructive and good on the ball. No brainer.
  5. Having thought about the season I can see one of our major problems coming home to roost again. For all of the talk about the setup at Melbourne City, the facilities and the oversight of the CFG, again we've had another season where individual player development has been absolutely abysmal. Apart from Fitzy this year and Mooy last year, can anyone think of a player who's career is blossoming under the CFG stewardship and management? I'm really struggling. FWIW I still think a manager/coach has a role in improving the individual as well as the collective. Books by/about Ferguson, Guardiola, Wenger, Postecoglu, hell even Simeone etc all talk about how do develop the best out of players and mould them to the collective. A professional coach still has the same responsibilities as an Under 7 coach - can I make this kid in front of me a better player? And in my mind City is becoming a graveyard for careers. Brattan has gone markedly backwards since Brisbane, Malik is plain worse, Kamau hasn't flourished with his enormous potential and the list goes on. For me - send us someone who can develop the individual as well as put in a system that works to their strengths. (We know it's the A league and players will have weaknesses.) They don't have to be a big name, simply a proven track record of taking a mediocre squad and making it better and better and working their way up tables. Develop a culture where the individual can be improved and people gel together and we're off. They are out there I'm sure. If CFG, as they tell us, can unmask players from pretty well any league in the world, I'm sure they can do the same with a manager.
  6. Give me time to confirm a rumour - but I'm hearing about the problems at MC with the CFG group often overriding the gaffer - including things such as team selection. If this is the case then we have big cultural problems me thinks.
  7. I certainly don't see not going as a badge of honour but the time slot for country fans with young kids was horrible and the cost not insignificant. But let's be honest - I've missed a few games over the last couple of months and tbh if the team can't be fucked putting in a good performance and having a crack, then my enthusiasm has plummeted. Driving 100 km each way to watch a pack of guys who largely just didn't give a shit just wore myself and my kids down. Like many on here it's just become too hard to get fired up about this team, and with kids sport and school ramping up next year, we're already talking about whether we can be bothered to renew. It just sucks that it's come to this - and I can't even be angry at the performance last night.
  8. Sam Simmons was excellent btw. Laughed as if no tomorrow. The joys of denial.
  9. Screw this. I'm off to the Comedy Festival. My doctor warned me too much lol hilarious defending could be bad for my health!!
  10. At his age Woy will pull both calves, a quad and both hammies and won't be able to make it to training. The City old farts injury curse will get him too - wait and see!!
  11. I'm trying to figure out what a white flag at half mast symbolises? It's probably a more ominous sign than the white flag at full mast.
  12. I'm just the type of geek to disagree Kiro but (result aside obviously) I think they're actually good to watch. They have some exciting forwards, a clever midfield and a rock solid defence with obvious good foot skills (can't remember the last time I saw a CB taking corners or standing over a dead ball discussing who should take it with a teammate). But what I like to watch is a machine that works together and plays within its own capabilities. I warned you I was a geek, but looking at their organisation and structure only made me jealous as to why we can't do this?!?!?! Whether you like Annie or not, the guy can coach and build something with what he has at his disposal. I find that really interesting. Different strokes for different folks I guess. But finally to see us defend a bitter deeper and in a more organised fashion in the first half at least warmed my heart (no pun intended). Players creating a 4-2-4 defensive organised structure made it hard for Sydney to play and the dour tactical battle I found interesting. It's probably too late for the season, but a bit more of that pragmatism and we were well in the game against the leagues best team. If only............................................!?!?!?!?
  13. Fitzy for me and amazed by the Kilkenny love. His worst game for the year who turned the ball over pretty frequently. Late in the game it was hilarious that he made a simple mistake then started ripping in to a teammate who was in no way responsible for his error (they did present etc). He must be a nightmare to play with I'd reckon. Too intense at times and Bruno even biting back last night. A City coach told me a couple of years ago a good 6 should not turn the ball over more than twice a game. He was way off the mark last night and his decisions were often poor. Intensity and effort are not negotiable, but at the end of the day this is a game of brains and what I saw last night was so many players not using theirs. Easy easy options being ignored and ending up in cul de sacs. Discussion with my son on the way home - do we have many smart footballers? Sydney did the basics very very well and it seems to me most of their team have a pretty good handle on their capabilities - unlike a lot of our lads.
  14. I've calmed down after last night but still love the draw. But what is killing my joy at the moment is the refereeing. It's beyond a joke - inconsistent, petty, uninformed, plain wrong and incompetent. It frustrates me to put mental and nervous energy in to a team only to find a muppet with a whistle destroying results and ultimately the spectacle. FFA need to look at this urgently - Valkanis was right in his presser but will probably pay a pretty high price for being honest enough to say what we all are thinking. Like a senior player who isn't performing, you go down the list until you find someone competent. Alternatively, the best ref I have seen in the A League was a Japanese ref here on exchange. The Asian refs seem to be far better than ours and don't follow the culture (I think ultimately set by rewarded refs like Ben Williams) of thinking they're the main focus of the game and treating players like they're 5 years old. The culture is just poor and the end product as a result is bullshit. Fix it FFA!! The focus of this game should be beautiful football - not repeated shaking of all of our heads at what we're witnessing End rant.
  15. This is just a joke - beyond a joke!! Chris Beath is a disgrace. Two shocking decisions and now turned the game in to high farce. How the fuck do the FFA employ these muppets??
  16. Agree. This is actually a big game for Caceras. He needs to lift big time or will cement himself as a cameo performer. He just needs to bring his A game.
  17. Whether you like it or not Victory press well as a team. So much more pressure on the ball when we have it.
  18. A 4-2-2-2 ?? We are very narrow but, to Valkanis's credit, he's changed things. A different look (admittedly early). No penalties centrally and no line judge calling offside. Going to be a tough night.
  19. The only time Malik has really played well for us was as a stay at home 6 for a few matches with JVS last year. I just don't know what his role is for the team now - Tongyik and Jacobsen clearly better as CBs, and Kilkenny playing the 6 role for us. Unless we play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-1-3 I just cant see much of a role for him. He needs to define himself pretty soon and pull his finger out or it does look pretty grim career wise. Having said that, the above two formations are what we are screaming to do with a proper number 10 who can play a ball. Only with changes in coaching can this happen - and we know given the repeated stubbornness that it's unlikely at the moment.
  20. We do have them - he just won't play them with our structure. Brattan could play that role, Caceras or even Brandan would play well there. You are so spot on - no link play in midfield and we look like a shit team rolling the ball from one side of the park to the other with no effect. It's been obvious for weeks on end this needs to be fixed - just amazed that we persist with the same rubbish.
  21. I agree Caceras' cameo was fantastic. We looked like a quality team with him playing through the midfield. He needs to bring it more but the midfield worked with him there. Thinking more about last night and the role of Cahill debated on here, I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of his playing history at Milwall/Everton and how he was used? I'm totally ignorant if he's played with a striker similar to Bruno, but given the turnover in the English leagues at some point he must have played with someone like this, given the length of his career. I've followed him closely as a Socceroo but club football history a bit of mystery to me. Has anyone any idea how we could use him better given his past form? Cue the Lions and Toffees fans. At the end of the day football is advanced problem solving I suspect the answer to our problems has been addressed before - even as he's slowed down.
  22. I just feel so conflicted about this team at the moment. Whilst I'm happy to take the three points and Cahill is the MOM with two good goals, I just think we're playing boring rubbish football and not playing anywhere near our potential. I think Cahill is great for marketing and getting fans through the gate but I think structurally he's horrible for our team. Hence my mixed emotions - I really like the guy, like his goals, but dislike our style of play which I don't think, after watching us over the last three weeks, will deliver us any more silverware if we continue at this rate. The difference from last year is not Aaron Mooy alone, the major difference is that we're not playing a number 10 really at all who can play the ball around the park. present to the DMs and provide an avenue through the middle of the park. I know this may not be popular to say, but look at the last 15 minutes of the game with Colazo in the middle (not a natural 10, but presented to the 6 and 8) and then especially Caceras, and you see interplay, faster ball movement, attacking through the middle of the park and quick balls played to the feet of our Argentinian forwards who like playing this way. For 75 minutes, Cahill as our 10 may would occasionally present to our two DMs, but then charge forward to join the front line for a header. We couldn't play through the middle and always had to play wide because we had no 10 to transition through the middle of the park. That's ok - that's playing to Cahill's strength - but I don't think it is a way to win against really good teams who will chop it out easily and get us on the counter. Hence I'm conflicted. Because whilst we gain from Cahill's strengths, we take from Bruno's and Brandan's who are basically useless when your major avenue to goal is a Franjic cross. Very few clever through-balls all night and no plan B with the team set up as it is. My real concern is whether, given the FFA have tipped so much money in to get Cahill, that there is an expectation that we have to play him. I'd suspect not but I wouldn't be surprised if there was. I love Tim Cahill as a player and a leader but I just hope the new manager can find a way to gel him with the rest of the team because at the moment the football is pretty uninspiring. The current setup, structure and style needs to be re-thought. The other thing my son commented upon and becomes clear when you hear then on the park was that this just looks like a team that isn't enjoying itself. Kilkenny is getting frustrated with players not listening to him, others are getting pissed off back with his yelling at people and giving them a spray and Bruno just isn't happy with the lack of space due to a crowded forward line. They don't look like a happy bunch and I think this is also reflected in the football. There's a long way to go and plenty of time but at the end of the day you do want to see your team having fun and playing for each other. It all looks a bit robotic, defensive and negative. Take the money and run - I am happy with a win and we do march on. We have some tougher games coming up and hopefully the team can pull together and enjoy some wins.
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