Defibrillator

I don't mind at all. Finally good to see some street smarts and a bit of gameplay. We'd normally cough this up. Three points away with players who have a bit of mongrel (esp Brattan) and who will pull out everything to win. I know it's ugly and not popular- but we need to learn to win ugly!! Take the money and run!!

That plan seems to be working for Aloisi in Brisbane.

Brandan with the mullhawk. What a classic! Long live the 80's!!

I'd actually wear it! About time we came out from our humble beginnings and start giving shit back to people. We're a well financed club. Enjoy the ride. The amount of shit I've copped over the years - "only one team in Melbourne......", "love your trophy cabinet..." etc etc. It gets a bit tiring. The banter would be great and the concept has obviously come from a position of jealousy. I'd put that jealousy right back in their face. One thing supporting this team has taught me - you gotta have a laugh!

I've just finished reading his autobiography - a recent birthday present. It's actually not a bad read and my opinion of him has gone up a fair bit. Whatever one thinks of him, his pure drive to succeed and even from a young age his attention to detail are pretty impressive. He's from a really humble background and has worked his arse off despite setbacks along the way. If he can bring even a portion of this to our team we will be very lucky. We do need the marketing kick too and I already know three people who are in if he arrives. Before the cries of "fair weather supporters", I always think of the Oscar Wilde quote - "the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about". We need the attention - time to step out of the shadows.

Did anyone see the Turkey away kit this week at the Euros? The blue looks paler live. Was a great look and would suit our current and past history.

No need to hurt his feelings on porpoise.

Thanks for the advice everyone. After numerous emails and phone calls to the club, they have changed their policy back to where I can upgrade our teenager on a family ticket. We can all watch City together as a family again. A sensible change. A special thank you and shout out to Chloe on the switchboard at MCFC - she followed up enquires and got back to me when her superiors hadn't. Impressive, understanding and courteous. I hope her bosses see this.

Advice please ladies and gents. Just rang to renew my family membership and told that one of the child memberships can't be upgraded to concessional/student under the new structure, so I have to buy an additional concession membership and the second child membership will have "guest" on it. That adds considerable cost to start with. The sting in the tail is that the new concessional membership will not be seated with the family (we are in Premium A). One of the joys of going to the football is spending time with my teenage daughter and young son as a family unit - especially the Christmas derby. Given we will be separated I feel like telling the club to shove it. I know we can shuffle, but the idea of being forced to buy an extra ticket and leave one seat potentially empty has me baffled. I can't see the logic of this decision - do they want teenagers to go to the football and build future members? We are now in a position to either go ahead with this at extra cost and separation if we take another child, or myself or my wife drop our membership and upgrade my teenager to adult to save costs. Our days of a family outing to City probably gone. Really not happy.

I must admit I'm not overly surprised or concerned by the Melling move if it pans out. Whilst we've loved him kicking the shit out of people while the club has been poor, I think it's just mirrored the frustration felt by us in the stands. This year in particular he has been very poor. Poor decision making, poor shape (running around madly) and poor passing. Having someone as an enforcer in modern football is a zero sum game. Refs don't like it and smart footballers easily play around it amd outsmart it. Ironically some of his better football this year was at CB where he had no licence to hare around the park in a crazy manner. Whether he had the smarts or application to kick on there we'll never know, but his height would have held him back there too.

I won't say - but very personal and really poor.

I heard tonight from a member of MCFC staff what Mauk actually said to the bench in the last game at AAMI. For a lad who was basically nurtured as a footballer from the age of 17 at our club, the disrespect he showed to those who had mentored him and guided him was really really average. Good riddance I say.

Whilst I find it amusing that people condemn players for their inconsistency, I keep thinking "a fish rots from the head". Some of JVSs decisions this year have been dumbfounding - even Kisnorbo coming off last night had me totally bemused - the problem was in midfield and not the back four, and Caceras looked cooked. You can't demand consistency from your players with baffling merry-go-round squad selection, constant formation change (how can anyone settle), baffling substitutions and poor game day reactions to problems. Players sense this and live in a bemused culture of mediocrity. Get someone in who knows what they're doing and can motivate a team, and belief grows - players will crash through brick walls to please a coach they respect. It's time.............please!!

Can I have some of what you're taking?? I'm shitting myself!!

What a night and thanks to the Melburnians - a great shift. All that needs to be said about Bruno has been said. I've missed quite a few games since February with work and holidays but the thing that really stuck out for me last night was Wilkinson. He was just so solid and assured on the ball and really put Keogh to the sword. Sitting behind the Perth bench Castro and Harold clearly weren't fit and struggling - Kenny Lowe screwed up badly with the old adage of playing injured players in finals - and we made them pay. That to me doesn't detract from the result - best team performance I've seen from our lads in a long time. A dominant performance and great fun to be there Onward and upwards - bring the team effort and players clearly working for each other and Friday should hold no fears for us.

SF, as one of the more "negative" posters on here, I think you need to understand that people look at football in many ways. I myself look at it (at the risk of sounding like a total wanker - let rip!) as a form of advanced problem solving. Fix the obvious issues and mistakes and success will follow. I go to watch games to look at the problems, how we are dealing with them and if we can fix them to get success. I like it as an academic exercise. If the problems are sorted then a group of professionals are doing what they should be doing and I feel I don't need to comment on that. A case in point was last weekend. Our midfield was slaughtered in the first half, but anyone who said as much on here was often branded a heretic. Even when we win, if I feel there are problems I will comment. In my mind I don't feel I'm negative - I just want this team to strive to be the best they can be every week. And I can assure you - I enjoy our success as much as anyone else and revel in our moments. Fwiw, last night was one of our best performances I've seen - I loved it! But until we do that every week and there are problems that are obvious to me, I'll keep posting away. There are many ways, perspectives and philosophies to look at the same game - we don't always have to agree.

You're right. He's playing a diamond in the middle.

We are 4-4-2. But agree - Caceras has been bad. I'd push Fitgerald on a wing and further up the park - their fullbacks are having a field day.

Has JVS lost the plot? I've never seen Fitzgerald in midfield - he looks like a duck out of water. Their 3-5-2 is hard to break down and.no pressure on their fullbacks. We're lucky to be in front. As above - need 4-3-3 to make their fullbacks accountable!

You can't build a "team" by flip-flopping selection, experimenting every week and not letting players settle and gain confidence. Rule 101 of success - build a "team". The injury excuse is gone. If only JVS was. Ps. Beers and red wine not dulling the pain (or inhibiting opinion for that matter!!).

Either you've missed an apostrophe or I really need to sit you down with some diagrams and explain anatomy.

FFS!! We are the Yasser Arafat of the A-League! We never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Fuming!!!!!

I've only just watched the replay now but one thing that stood out to me was how disciplined Malik was. We haven't had a 6 all year who's sat reliably to break up play and cover Kisnorbo's forays upfield like he did on the weekend. He sat in the hole in front of the back four which allowed Mooy and Retre to wander further - especially Mooy. I don't think he's match fit yet - he looked sluggish especially on some late tackles - but our midfield shape is so much better with him there. Paartalu certainly wasn't as disciplined, but get him fit and Caceras sorted and our midfield looks so much more potent.

Interesting you say that. I have heard of concerns on the pitch re the holes for the rugby/league goalposts. I'll check the replay to see if could be possible.

Announcing Guardiola seemed pretty bold to me with an incumbent there. This would pale into insignificance compared to that. What's the downside?