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Pre-Season Friendlies


hakz7
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The best thing about tonight was that I'm pretty sure that JA just told the lads to get the bad shit out of their systems in pre-season so that we're fired up to go with our good shit when the HAL really gets going. However if this is as good as it gets then holy shit.

Edited by HEARTinator
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Does JA know what he's doing? Some of us were tearing our hair out in the first half but JA seemed unmoved by what was happening on the pitch. Plenty of possession but side ways and backwards and DMac hardly presenting options upfront. No incisive defence splitting passes. Just possession. Better in second half with McGrath actually presenting himself and making space and pulling defenders in different directions.

Edited by HEARTinator
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We controlled the game, Mass was a Boss again, we were never in any trouble but at the same time created fuck all. Thought McGrath showed more than DMac. Would rather him on our books than both DMac & Hoff.

Ramsay and aziz will provide a lot of excitement on the left!

Interesting to watch Paddy G play DM 2nd half with Vranks and Archibald CB. HK sat very deep too 2nd half showing our diversity.

We just lack creativity and a finisher. So badly!

Not sure what's with Kalmar being named but not playing. He was chirpy on the sidelines so can't be to bad.

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There's not a lot to say from my perspective. We were everything that we were last season - ponderous, pedestrian and predictable. There is far too much backwards and lateral movement for me. Somebody please learn how to turn on the ball and make a forward pass to someone who has actually moved into a space.

 

Just some things that come to mind:

Velaphi gives me the shivers any time the ball goes near him.

Hoffman not up to standard at RB. Walker under pressure when he came on. This is a problem position for us.

Vrankovic OK and got the goal. Gerhardt guilty of over-elaboration, losing the ball unnecessarily - better teams than Oakleigh would have punished us. Very impressed with Ross Archibald who came on at half-time.

Behich worked hard but is not at the level of last year yet.

Germano - very ordinary. Macallister likewise. Murdocca worked hard. Kewell showed touches but is going to have to work a lot harder - also guilty of over-elaboration and losing the ball.

Dugandzic easily knocked off the ball.

Ramsay our best forward option.

 

IMHO completely pointless leaving it to half-time to bring on McGrath. He's more mobile than Macallister; he does stretch the defence by moving out to the wings etc., but based on this showing he's not a patch on someone such as, say, Berisha. Sadly not really the answer for us.

 

Sorry to be negative, but altogether it was awfully sterile. We just don't seem to have any creative spark.

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For those at the game tonight, does McGrath look like a good pick up? If we signed him and went into the season with him as our main striker would we be fucked?

If we got McGrath then there's no point in having DMac. But will he solve our goal scoring problem? Doesn't look like it.

Edited by HEARTinator
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Went to the game so will share my thoughts:

 

We were pretty putrid throughout. The surface of the ground wasn't great but still no excuse. We had most of the play but Oakleigh's defence held up well but our passes in the final third were extremely poor.

 

Some Player ratings - 

 

Kewell - 7.5 - By far our best player, his ball to McGrath to set him free with a shot on target was a beauty, off balance and a long one. Was calm with it and liked what I saw, rarely missed a target and showed some tricks throughout! Anyone who doesn't want this bloke on our side can GTFO he is one of our only players who look decent atm. 

Murdocca - 6 - Was solid, he was tireless in midfield, held the ball up well, sprayed a few passes but so did everyone else.

Behich - 4 - No good tonight, didn't do his usual runs and when he did he pretty much ran in a straight line and was easy pickings for the Oakleigh defence, needs to improve!

McAllistair - 5.5 - He had some nice touches for a big man but the service was poor, there was one in the first half where I think Kewell set him free and he just missed it completely. But I saw enough to see he could be decent this year

Ramsay - 5 - Showed small signs of his good ball control but just didn't get enough of it, and his crosses were piss poor. Not good enough. 

McGrath - 6.5 - Could have easily been higher with better service and a decent pitch, I liked what I saw but can't give him higher because he didn't get enough of it, his shot was good from a tight angle and did a very nice turn to get into position. Sign him up, cap him etc

Gerhadt - 7 - Was probably our other best player with Kewell, solid in defence and showed some good close control throughout to suggest he could do a job at DM if required. 

Dugandzic - 5 - Crosses were poor, just generally not good enough, got in some space a few times but needs to show more otherwise it might be Williams/Ramsay

 

We opened the game up in the second half and any other team would have punished us big time, Oakleigh were doing some pretty poor shots but I would have hate to have seen what Broich and Berisha would have done to us. 

 

The goal was pure luck and I don't think I heard anyone cheer, in all honesty the team didn't deserve to be cheered at this stage

 

After watching this I am genuinely worried for us this season, we just sprayed too many passes, when players were through on the ball their touches were poor, we just don't look good enough. I am afraid if we don't get McGrath, midfielder and defender we are gone.

 

JA is not up to scratch at all 

 

I would love to be proven wrong 

Edited by RoyalHeart
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Shockingly unimaginative stuff im afraid. Got a photo with aloisi, shook his hand and wished him luck but that was more because i know he will get the sack this season. As it was mentioned in here, him and the ranger were content with that performance!

We need a striker asap, theres just no attacking threat, cogesion or purpose in our attacks. Really bummed thats its looking like last season all over again.

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Couldn't make the match. From what I've heard, there seems to be some buzz around McGrath. Along with the comments here, Michael Zappone tweeted "Brent McGrath has been impressive. Move of the match so far forcing brilliant save from McMaster".

 

I'm hoping with another signing or two we'll be strengthened enough. Also, come the season we'll have a settled best XI, which shouldn't include the likes of Hoffman and some others anywhere near the match-day squad.

 

Hopefully we see more from Heart when we play A-League opposition in our remaining pre-season games.

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Melbourne Heart beat Oakleigh Cannons in Harry Kewell's first game as captain

 

David Davutovic    Herald Sun    September 4 2013 11:33 PM

 

A HEADED goal from defender David Vrankovic saw Melbourne Heart prevail 1-0 over Oakleigh Cannons in Wednesday nights pre-season friendly.

 

Harry Kewell made his second consecutive 90-minute appearance, just hours after being confirmed as Heart’s captain, but struggled to inspire his side in a lacklustre game.

Playing in the number 10 position, Kewell was forced deep to gather possession with Oakleigh players marking him tightly, but his class was evident as he repeatedly brought his teammates into the game with clever flicks and passes.

But it was left to Vrankovic to break the deadlock 15 minutes from time when he headed home new signing Iain Ramsay’s corner.

Heart won the corner after Kewell unleashed a rasping 25 metre drive which was tipped over by Cannons keeper Griffin McMaster.

Heart dominated possession but struggled to penetrate the Victorian Premier League side, although coach John Aloisi had several positives to draw from the match in addition to Kewell’s latest hit-out.

 

With injured trio Orlando Engelaar, Rob Wielaert and Nick Kalmar watching from the sidelines, Jonatan Germano and Jeremy Walker got through a half each on their return from injury while Patrick Gerhardt looked at home when he moved into midfield in the second half.

Aloisi used the clash to experiment with Jason Hoffman playing the first half at right back while he’s contemplating pushing Gerhardt into midfield to replace the injured marquee Engelaar, who will miss at least four months despite avoiding surgery.

Triallist Brent McGrath looked lively in the second half, forcing a top save from McMaster after he cleverly turned his defender in the 81st minute - the 22-year-old striker is hoping he’s done enough to win a contract.

Golgol Mebrahtu, David Williams and Andrew Redmayne were all rested but will join the squad for Tuesday’s trip to Perth where they will play two games against Glory.

"It was frustrating for the players but it was a positive - no injuries and 90 minutes into a lot of players," Aloisi said.

"But there’s still a lot of things that we need to work on and we will."

 

OAKLEIGH 0 MELBOURNE HEART 1 (Vrankovic ‘75)

Crowd: 1000 (Approx.) at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex, Cheltenham

HEART LINE UP (4-2-3-1): Velaphi; Hoffman (Walker ’46), Gerhardt, Vrankovic, Behich; Germano (Archibald ’46), Murdocca; Dugandzic (Garuccio ’71), Kewell, Ramsay; Macallister (McGrath ’46).

 

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-heart-beat-oakleigh-cannons-in-harry-kewells-first-game-as-captain/story-fnibbvjo-1226710956891

Edited by Murfy1
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