Murfy1

Thanks for the link. It's good to see that Schenkeveld has received so many votes over the rounds. I've just been very impressed that is he not only a rock in defence, but actually a very capable offensive player as well (who can even skillfully dribble out of defence). We're only 13 games into his first season, but Schenkeveld is already making a strong claim to being MCFC's best performing defender ever.

I think I agree with every point of Rass's assessment. A very good yet entirely fair summary of the situation with Joyce. I can also imagine a just a couple of significant changes turning things around in a big way. Unfortunately, that would require Joyce to change his decisions, instead of digging in his heels. And after his press conference yesterday, I'm far from optimistic about that..

Joyce alarmed by Melbourne City's lack of maturity Matt Dorman January 1, 2018 Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce questioned his side's mental toughness after they crumbled to a 2-1 defeat away to Western Sydney Wanderers on Monday. Leading through Ross McCormack's 25th-minute opener, City found themselves behind shortly after the half-hour as Wanderers struck twice in two minutes. McCormack failed to convert a penalty later in the half as the visitors' loss of concentration resulted in a third straight defeat. "Poor decisions let [Wanderers] back in the game and gave them two opportunities from nowhere really," Joyce told Fox Sports. "We've got to stop giving stupid goals away. "When we're in control we tend to take our foot off the gas. "We're not mature enough in talking and dealing and playing those situations out. They get casual at times." With three goals from their past four games, and a reliance on McCormack to fire, Joyce admits City's problems are not confined to defence. "We had a lot of really good opportunities where we weren't even clever enough to have a good effort on goal," he said. "That's frustrating, disappointing. We've got to get goals from all areas of the park." https://www.a-league.com.au/news/joyce-alarmed-melbourne-citys-lack-maturity

- Warren Joyce, October 5, 2017 [source] In a sense, what Joyce said is completely true. A team should play its best performing players. But what I mean is: why was Joyce saying this about Budzinski just before the season started? It stinks of making excuses IMO, for a player who is on much more money than most other players, but is not performing to a marquee level (or in Budzinski's case, to a normal A-League player level). I think Joyce said this because he saw Budzinski in preseason and realised or decided (each person can take their pick) that Budzinski is a limited player who won't do well in the A-League. Overall I believe that marquees should be better than other A-League players. And clearly the club (and maybe Joyce, I forget the ins and outs of the Budzinski signing) has gotten it horribly wrong by signing Budzinski as an international marquee. Indeed, to sign 2 out of 2 terrible marquees from Europe is actually something of a perverse achievement. I'd take Engelaar and Sibon over Koren and Budzinski any day of the week. So I'm hoping the club stops making excuses for Budzinski, and stops spending big wages on him weekly for no reward, and instead turn those valuable resources towards a new and useful marquee, and sooner rather than later.

Went for Schenkeveld Schenkeveld was our best passer at 94% accuracy, and he also made the most passes with 53 passes attempted. That's really insane football form (which he has averaged this season, with his passing normally over 90%). Needless to say, but if all of Schenkeveld's teammates were passing at 90% or above too, then we'd be smashing teams every week. We all know he's our best player this season, but I'm actually unsure if he's getting enough praise.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), my venue of choice couldn't get a working broadcast for 90 minutes. Nonetheless, I saw most of the match. I saw a team set up in a very defensive way, with a very defensive mindset. After somehow managing to go up (thanks to some individual brilliance from Atkinson), from my view the team immediately starting dropping back to the edge of their box. There was a warning shot from their Japanese player. Then a goal a minute later. Then their (ultimately decisive) goal a few moments after that. All the while Melbourne City seemed to be trying to hold on to a 1-0 lead from the 25th minute. A very negative and disappointing attitude towards playing a bottom team. The stats bear out the team's overly-defensive approach as well. Only 44.3% possession, only 6 or 7 (unblocked) shots overall, only 6.7% of crosses successful. That's can never be good enough. There was maybe some individual mistakes along the way in this game, such as Brattan and La Rocca being too passive with their defending for the first goal, and Atkinson being pretty out of positive and defensively mediocre for the second goal. But IMO the bigger picture is Melbourne City not controlling the game, inviting too much pressure, and ultimately playing a weak opposition into form and enabling them to push on until they put 2 goals past us. I agree that coach's decisions have to come under a lot of scrutiny. I agree that Joyce put the team into a weak position going into this game. I fully agree that the Jakobsen-as-midfield experiment is a failure, as is the "defence-first" (or really "defence-only") approach that Joyce adopted at the start of the season. A few of these decisions worked over our first 4 games, and we picked up wins against teams that have now clearly been terrible this season such as Brisbane, Wellington, and Adelaide, and while all teams across the league were clearly yet to settle. But now I fully believed that whatever "worked" over those first 4 games is massively insufficient to guarantee Melbourne City success this season. So Jakobsen should be dropped back into defence, and another genuine midfielder must be brought into midfield (like Kilkenny or Budzinski). Melbourne City has lost 5 of their last 8 games, so really, nothing could be lost by trying two pretty obvious changes like this. Just like Joyce's matchday decisions: what is to be lost by using more than 1 substitution when chasing the game? What is to be lost by telling a few players to bomb up-field and attack? It is obvious now that not all of Joyce's decisions are working, and he has to give up some of his fanatical defensiveness, so that the team is more balanced, and at least has some creativity and attacking prowess. So Joyce better make some chances ASAP. Maybe he is waiting around until Fornaroli and Carrusca are fit again, and can improve the attack. Unfortunately for the club and for Joyce, the fans aren't going to wait around for a few returning players to save the team's fortunes.

I agree that clubs should have a useful amount of self-belief together with a positive outlook. At the same time, I see some value in identifying problems and efforts at problem-solving (but overall I agree: no need to do these things in a negative way). WSW have lost 4 of their last 5 games by multiple games, so the coach and the players don't really have a reason to be negative going into this match. This match is another opportunity for the team and the players to show what they can do.

Here's a full list of players recruited since the club was taken over by CFG and renamed Melbourne City (Mooy was just signed before the takeover). Looking at the big picture helps can often help get an understanding of things. I'd like to know: Which of these signings can be called our best? Which signings have been our worst? Are there any trends to Melbourne City's recruitment? What does this history of recruitment suggest about the types of players Melbourne City should sign in the future? I'll post a few of my own ideas later.

My best guess is that Warren Joyce was meant to be a type of Mancini figure, someone who would provide a solid foundation, sort out that defence, and produce a highly professional and hardworking culture. My guess is that Joyce has been given one season to get stuff like that right. Then, next season CFG's overaching philosophy will come back into play, and attacking football of the style of Pellegrini/Guardiola will then be expected here at Melbourne City again. I've been rather weary about Joyce's approach from the start. I've got no problems with a "no-nonsense" defence-first approach per se. But any approach or strategy needs to be implemented effectively. And I am increasingly unsure that Joyce is actually producing an effective defence-first approach here, that can give MCFC any kind of success (flooding a midfield with defenders, and clearly not creating tactics or practicing attacking much isn't a sound approach IMO, of any kind).

In retrospect, when Joyce said that he doesn't view players as "marquees or not marquees", it should have set off alarm bells. Imagine someone saying that Raheem Sterling isn't expected to score goals, despite him being worth 60 million Euros or whatever. I think the coaches are benching and not playing Budzinski for a reason. I believe he's the second Robbie Koren. CFG's Central Europe scout for us should be sacked, and then Budzinski should be cut loose, in that order.

I've generally liked Vidosic over the years. However, I'm weary of signing another long time A-League player like him. We seem to recruit more "Franjics" (who don't produce their best A-League football at our club) than "Fitzgeralds" (who arguably produce their best at our club). The fact that Vidosic has an injury cloud over him, and that we're getting him from the worst A-League club mid-season, makes me all the more weary about signing him. Hopefully with the change of scenery Vidosic (still a good age, at 30) can get back to his best.

Happy New Year to all!

Ross McCormack’s future with Melbourne City will be decided within the fortnight DAVID DAVUTOVIC, December 26, 2017 ROSS McCormack’s A-League future could be decided in the next fortnight with Melbourne City investigating ways of keeping the striker. Signed as an injury replacement from Aston Villa for Bruno Fornaroli, McCormack’s deal currently expires when the Uruguayan sharpshooter returns from injury, likely to be early February. The Scottish international will want to have his future resolved by then because if a deal can’t be done at City, he will look to move to another English club before the English transfer window closes on January 31. City’s football chiefs are weighing up the pros and cons of keeping McCormack, 31, which would likely involve a big pay cut, and whether he and Fornaroli could play in the same team. While they have the street smarts to play a deeper role, both are natural predators who prefer the out-and-out striker’s role. Coach Warren Joyce’s horses-for-courses style means that it’s quite possible that both could line up in the same XI in a strike pairing rarely seen in the A-League in recent years. Joyce has adopted similar philosophies to his former mentor Sir Alex Ferguson, by regularly deploying his players in makeshift positions (ie. Michael Jakobsen in midfield and Luke Brattan on the right wing). And the front two was another Fergie favourite, enjoying plenty of success with front duos like Andy Cole-Dwight Yorke, Wayne Rooney-Louis Saha/Cristiano Ronaldo/Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov/Robin van Persie). City’s most likely formation fielding the prolific duo would be a 3-5-2, giving the defence more surety and team more balance while playing a front two. Otherwise a 4-4-2 could be considered, but that would require him fielding an energetic, high-octane midfield four. Joyce played down the possibility of much January movement, with defender Harrison Delbridge to come into the squad while Fernando Brandan and Tim Cahill left. But Neil Kilkenny is odds on to leave in January with one or two more exits in the pipeline, which would open up more spots, though there is believed to be ample salary cap space available. “I wouldn’t think it will change a great deal because there’s no vacancies on the roster. There’s only one (spot) available,’’ Joyce said. Cahill’s exit has also left City’s forward stocks threadbare, with Joyce preferring to use Bruce Kamau in a makeshift striker’s role rather than promoting a youth team striker. That’s why McCormack, who Joyce has fiercely defended while he’s been at City, is every chance of staying on. His miraculous recovery, several days after it was thought that he needed a knee reconstruction, also impressed Joyce. “There’s no way last week that you’re thinking Ross is going to be on the pitch,’’ he said. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/ross-mccormacks-future-with-melbourne-city-will-be-decided-within-the-fortnight/news-story/1f41ec5c3f2fcab345dfba7f0052dfdf

I'll do what I can haha. Been a bit busy lately settling in, but that's just about done. Anyway here's the latest: Melbourne City pair Bruce Kamau and Nick Fitzgerald to weigh up their futures DAVID DAVUTOVIC December 19, 2017 THE futures of Bruce Kamau and Nick Fitzgerald remain in limbo, with the wingers headlining the Melbourne City stars coming out of contract at the end of this season. Fitzgerald is understood to have attracted interest from rival A-League clubs and abroad after a breakout season where he has established himself as a bona fide member of a City side that is pushing for an Asian Champions League berth. Kamau, 22, is also weighing up his future and harbours ambitions of playing abroad. City is keen to stitch up youngsters Ruon Tongyik and Daniel Arzani. The futures of experienced trio Michael Jakobsen, Marcelo Carrusca and Manny Muscat are uncertain, while a January exit looms for out-of-favour midfielder Neil Kilkenny. City’s extraordinary player turnover continued during the week when Argentine Fernando Brandan departed, returning to his parent club after a loan deal. But his and Tim Cahill’s exits could pave the way for on-loan Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack to stay until the end of the season. City coach Warren Joyce has said that Kamau and Osama Malik, who is also out of contract at the end of the season, are capable of playing in the English Championship. Joyce was effusive in his praise of Kamau, who is likely to return for Saturday night’s AAMI Park derby, after he scored the Round 2 derby winner. “I think he’s a good player. I thought that even before I came to the country, watching him play for Adelaide — I thought he was an outstanding player, to be fair,’’ Joyce said. “Certainly, if you’re watching Aaron Mooy ... and looking at players who you think could play in English football, he’s certainly one that could play in the English championship, easily. “The demands on him are to improve certain things about his game and goalscoring is one of the aspects.’’ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/melbourne-city-pair-bruce-kamau-and-nick-fitzgerald-to-weigh-up-their-futures/news-story/0c1e9d1c89b5bbd462040bc3fde1e0ef

I've been following the team from my place overseas. Good two wins recently (and that Sydney game had too messy circumstances to bearing commenting). January is going to be a huge month for Warren. According the Davutovic and Windley, Melbourne City have some good space inside the cap "with Ivan Franjic, Cahill and Brandan’s exits opening significant space" (source). I'm not sure this has been picked up yet either, but "City will lose Stefan Mauk and Bruce Kamau, as well as frozen-out defender Ruon Tongyik" for pretty much the whole month of January, for the Under 23 Asian Cup in China (source). So, Warren will be able to remake the team a lot with his influence. It'll be very interesting to see what the team is like at the end of January. But in my opinion, Warren won't have any excuses like he hasn't had chances to remake the team the way he wants it come the end of January, so we'll see how successful Warren's coaching influence is next month.

LUKE BRATTAN TALKS GAFFER BANTER AND WEIGHT LOSS By Clement Tito Nov 12 2017 Warren Joyce knows how to find the balance when managing a team, according to Brattan. The message coming from Melbourne City this season is to tighten things up defensively after proving to be the league's entertainers over the years. City have conceded two goals in five games under Joyce and consistency is the main message coming from the boss, with Brattan impressed. Brattan said Joyce was “refreshing” for the playing group and also praised his sense of humour. “Warren is a fantastic coach, and he’s got pretty decent banter as well which is awesome,” Brattan told FourFourTwo. “I cop it a fair bit with some of the stuff I wear, he’s printed a few photos out of funny looking people that I apparently look like and he’s stuck them up around the place. “You just know every day, on the field he’s serious and then he’s got the banter. It’s very refreshing and a good balance.” Brattan made it no secret that he would like to be playing more and has so far come off the bench twice in the four games he has played. The midfielder was a regular starter for City last season, however he said he felt comfortable approaching Joyce to discuss any concerns he has. “There’s still that respect but I think having banter with the boys makes him a bit approachable and that’s what you need in a coach, you can’t be scared to go and talk to him,” he said. “I’m not playing as much at the moment, but I’m not intimidated to go and talk to him and I’ll know he’ll be honest with me. “We’ve started the season well, we’re well drilled and defending extremely well which was missing last year. “We just need to continue that now, it’s also not a long season so to start well is very important. We have to keep the standard high and he drives that.” Brattan said he feels in excellent condition, despite the battle he's facing to regain a regular spot. He's had a big year after the birth of his baby-daughter Amaya and the new challenge of juggling fatherhood with football. And he said he had to slim down before the start of the 2017/18 season. “Since last year I’ve lost about 8kg, so it’s a fair bit,” Brattan said. “I’m a bit lighter than I was at Brisbane, it’s allowed me to add a bit more to my game, I need to be super fit to play in the team and the style we play in the A-League as well as go to the next level. “The competition is getting better and better each year, so to keep up, my fitness has got to improve and I feel the best I’ve felt in a while, so I’m pretty happy. “Last year coming back from England, my weight was poor, then I returned in good shape this year and it was a lot easier to get to where I am now. “This year I really wanted to go to the next level and I looked after myself in the off-season. Having a baby might’ve had a bit to do with that, but I worked pretty hard so it was a good start. “I feel great, credit to the gaffer for working us so hard, but also to the medical staff who have worked wonders with me.” Brattan also admitted the Socceroos are on his mind going into a World Cup year. Despite being involved in senior camps he remains uncapped and in January he slammed himself, feeling he wasn't good enough for the team. Brattan said he needed to get some games going for City before he can even think about the national team. “I’m not going to say that I deserve to be there when I don’t,” he said. “I know Ange (Postecoglou) chooses the team on form and he’s not scared to make big decisions. “Hopefully we do make the World Cup, I get my chance and start playing club football. But at the moment, I’m nowhere near it because I’m not playing regularly here.” https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/luke-brattan-talks-gaffer-banter-and-weight-loss-477419

A highlights video of Novillo made a few weeks ago (FWIW made by a Thailand based sports agency whose CEO is an Australian seemingly from Melbourne):

Melbourne City unlikely to make changes to its starting line-up for clash against Western Sydney David Davutovic November 11 2017 MELBOURNE City coach Warren Joyce says it’s time his starters received some praise for the form they have shown this season as he declares striker Ross McCormack is in the best shape he has been all season. MELBOURNE City boss Warren Joyce said it was time his starters earnt praise, hinting strongly that he would stick with his regulars for Sunday night’s clash with Western Sydney. City can regain top spot by beating the Wanderers at AAMI Park, after Sydney FC lost to Central Coast on Friday night. Joyce revealed that striker Ross McCormack had come off his sharpest week of training since arriving from Aston Villa, in a good sign for a City side that have found scoring goals more difficult than keeping it tight defensively. City’s star-studded subs Marcin Budzinski, Marcelo Carrusca and Neil Kilkenny have had plenty of airtime, Joyce said Nick Fitzgerald, Bruce Kamau and Stefan Mauk deserved credit for keeping them out. “I spend a lot of time talking about lads who are not playing rather than how well Fitzy and Mauk and Bruce are going,’’ Joyce said. “These three have impressed me since I walked through the door. The lads have done a fantastic job in the first four games. “All you want, when you come in with an open mind and blank canvas, you throw the same challenges down to the boys. “Players aren’t always happy, which you expect. Then it’s about conducting yourself. “Budzinksi, Carrucsca, Kilkenny, (Luke) Brattan and the young lads have been doing well. It’s great to watch, it’s good to have competition.” City hosts an unknown quantity, with former Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau leading the Wanderers for the first time. Osama Malik and Scott Jamieson return and despite a maiden loss of the season and Tim Cahill (Socceroos duty) absent, wholesale changes were unlikely. “We had a disjointed pre-season, we never played the same side. We’re in a building process,’’ Joyce said. “The only way players get to know and understand what others are doing is by playing together, building up relationships, understanding the runs they’re making. “Lots of teams that have played together for a while beforehand, they’ve had success. “There were different changes tactically and personnel (wise) that we were forced to make — it was a shame, we were on a good run, there wasn’t anything in the (Sydney FC loss last week).’’ http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-city-unlikely-to-make-changes-to-its-starting-lineup-for-clash-against-western-sydney/news-story/6682385c0737aa8b842670273e0442d8

FFA delays making a decision on whether Tim Cahill will travel to Honduras DAVID DAVUTOVIC Nov 4 2017 IS A Rolled ankle about to cost Australia a place at the World Cup? Tim Cahill and the Socceroos staff will wait until tomorrow morning to make a call on whether he flies to Honduras. Australia’s record goalscorer is being assessed by Melbourne City’s medical staff, and he will consult with them and the Socceroos medicos before Cahill and coach Ange Postecoglou make a call. The striker today received scan results which are believed to have cleared him of serious injury after he rolled his ankle in Friday night’s loss to Sydney FC. The ligament damage could leave him in doubt for Saturday morning’s first leg World Cup qualifying playoff against Honduras. Cahill, who is due to fly late Sunday morning, has spent much of the last 24 hours icing his ankle in a bid to keep the swelling down. “A decision will be taken on Sunday after the swelling subsides,” an FFA spokesman said “We won’t really know until then what the real situation is.” Cahill was forced from the field in Friday night’s 1-0 A-League loss to Sydney FC at AAMI Park after landing awkwardly in attempting to hurdle Sky Blues defender Jordi Buijs. The 37-year-old was able to walk and put weight on the ankle but was whisked away to hospital for scans. Cahill was due to leave Melbourne on Sunday, a 30-hour journey involving three flights to arrive in San Pedro Sula. Given the inflammation involved with a rolled ankle, it’s not an ideal scenario for Cahill or the Socceroos’ hopes of qualifying for the 2018 tournament in Russia. Neither Cahill, his A-League club Melbourne City are commenting on the severity of the injury. Instead, Sydney FC and ex-Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has urged the country to cross fingers for the health Australia’s all-time leading scorer. Cahill missed City’s Saturday morning recovery session, opting to recuperate at home in an attempt to make his flights as planned. The avid social media user put a solitary quote on his Twitter and Instagram account, which reads ‘You become what you think. So think positively’. Cahill’s importance to the Socceroos was underlined in their most recent qualifier. The veteran scored twice and played the full 120 minutes in Australia’s second leg victory against Syria to set up the showdown with Honduras. It’s why Arnold, who coached Cahill as Socceroos boss a decade ago, has suggested Australian fans should say a little prayer. “Lets all keep our fingers crossed he’s OK,” Arnold said. “I just want us to qualify and we need our best team out there. ” Timmy’s our star. “You can’t give (enough) credit for someone who does so much for the country. “Against Syria, over 120 minutes, what he did was phenomenal. “I’m sure he’s OK. He’ll be ready at least for the return leg here in Australia.” The away leg with Honduras will be played on November 11, before the return tie in Sydney on November 15. Melbourne City coach Joyce defended his decision to give Cahill a first start of the season ahead of the crunch qualifiers. “Timmy’s desperate to play. He’s been training hard. It’s a big game. We’re trying to win a big game. That’s it,” he said. “The fact the national team coach (might have wanted him to rest) has got no bearing on it.” http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/socceroos/tim-cahill-injury-news-australia-socceroos-v-honduras/news-story/96663220201b1c306476454ce1e6778f

BBC now reporting Joe to be Arsenal Women’s Head Coach: http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/41859461

Voted Fitzgerald. Solid general play, and quality end-product: shot on goal, dangerous runs into the box (including one almost penalty), and some superb crossing (including one Ross should have got on the end of). I’d like to see Kamau produce more at the end of his attacks. If he produced as much end-product as Fitzy (like Kamau did in our first 2 games) then I’d be very pleased. Schenkeveld another good shout for MOTM. Flawless again.

It seems the players and Joyce know just where we’re at. The defence is solid, but our attack is really 2nd rate ATM. No goals in open play in 3 games. No goals in open play at home (AAMI) in 2 games. In short, back to the drawing board with our midfield, and our plans on moving the ball up field and creating chances. We’ve played 5 games, we’ve built the defence, so now it’s time to establish an attacking plan (even if it’s a simple attacking plan [it doesn’t need to be Barca football, it just has to be effective]).

CAHILL INJURY 'NO EXCUSE' SAYS MAUK By Staff Writer Nov 3 2017 Stefan Mauk has refused to blame Tim Cahill's early injury exit for the 1-0 loss to Sydney FC at AAMI Park on Friday night. Cahill got his first start of the season, but only lasted 25 minutes after rolling in ankle in a clumsy challenge. A rare goal by Luke Wilkshire on the hour saw Sydney leap frog the home side to take the summit, ending coach Warren Joyce's four-game winning start at City. Mauk admitted losing Cahill was unsettling. "You're playing all week to do certain things and when a player like Timmy goes down it disrupts the team," he told Fox Sports. "But in saying that we had a great player coming on in Marcin (Budziński). I'm not going to use that as an excuse. We lost and it happens to every team." Cahill was taken to hospital for scans but before that he rallied the team at half time telling them "to keep going, fighting and doing everything to keep a clean sheet," Mauk said. "So he was in good spirits - I don't think it's too serious, I hope not. I guess we've just got to focus on next week." The 22-year-old midfielder said the outcome was an improvement on the last time the two teams met - City going down 2-0 in the FFA Cup - but he was far from satisfied. "Last time we were disappointing," he said. "We've been pretty good the last four games. I think tonight we probably weren't good enough on the ball. "Defensively I thought we were pretty good and beside their goal I didn't think they really had a chance and they're the champions - that was good in terms of that - but I think we need to be much better on the ball to create chances." https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/cahill-injury-no-excuse-says-mauk-476869

Very interesting. It’s the first time McCormack and Cahill have played together I think. To be honest, in possession we haven’t been moving the ball through the centre of the pitch too well, so I’m pretty interested too see how we do with 442 with Cahill and McCormack up front, and team using the wide areas with Kamau and Fitzy.