Sydney v Melbourne City FC - Saturday 10th April 5.05pm

[moops]

is Macca injured from last match, he keeps grabbing his knee?

[Mr MO]

That’s deserved based on our last 20minutes of football!

[haz]

Lucky

[MHFC-FAN]

Well deserved point! Against an inform Sydney! Definitely take that!! 

[moops]

nice Macca

[Young Polak]

Imagine if that very last attack turned into a 2nd goal

absolute memes

[Shahanga]

A loss would have been rough, as I thought we were ok apart from Glover’s fuckup. Incidentally both keepers made fuck ups and good saves, but our one dropped the ball to an opponent, theirs to a team mate.

Sydney played well. We really should have changed things up at half time, not with 25 to go.

[jw1739]

Fantastic point. Well done lads. Kept going right to the end, didn't drop our heads and got the reward at the death.

[CityBoyz]

4/6 points vs Sydney would have taken that at the start of the season. Keeps us in 2nd place and game in hand to go top. 

[moops]

I don't know why but we played joyceball for 80 mins, Sydney have been shit and we go all defensive, worst game of the season.

[malloy]

I know his stats have been good recently, but I really can't stand Noone..

[Shahanga]

1 minute ago, malloy said:

I know his stats have been good recently, but I really can't stand Noone..

I thought he was one of our best in the first half.

[Mr MO]

19 minutes ago, moops said:

I don't know why but we played joyceball for 80 mins, Sydney have been shit and we go all defensive, worst game of the season.

Well you see that a lot in football with a narrow lead that the leading team drops towards the end.

It also lines up with our subs being very dynamic, them getting tired and taking their best players off.

[rass]

1 minute ago, Mr MO said:

Well you see that a lot in football with a narrow lead that the leading team drops towards the end.

It also lines up with our subs being very dynamic, them getting tired and taking their best players off.

We started getting on top of them before they took their 'best' players off. Was nice to see that as soon as we went down, we took over.

Great fightback.

[Mr MO]

Every week I’m expecting Luna to back at his best but he’s really average lately - thoughts?

[Mr MO]

16 minutes ago, rass said:

We started getting on top of them before they took their 'best' players off. Was nice to see that as soon as we went down, we took over.

Great fightback.

Correct, that’s the least we should expect when going 1-0 down for a team with our ambitions. Old Ninko can’t do it for 90 anymore, Retre on a card, momentum always changes in such tight games, especially if you don’t put more goals away, we know all about this!

Happy with a point

Edited April 10, 2021 by Mr MO

[jw1739]

Tell me how that goal from Barbarouses was adjudged to have crossed the line with the camera where it was?

If we're going to have technology, let's have it on the goal-line and not VAR.

[Shahanga]

2 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Every week I’m expecting Luna to back at his best but he’s really average lately - thoughts?

Good call. Me too.

injuries are physical and mental I guess, you lose a bit of fitness, touch and confidence, can take a while to come back.

might be worth giving him a run at #6. Got the game smarts and passing skills and won’t need the box to box fitness.

1 minute ago, jw1739 said:

Tell me how that goal from Barbarouses was adjudged to have crossed the line with the camera where it was?

If we're going to have technology, let's have it on the goal-line and not VAR.

Ultimately it was because the linesman called it and there was no evidence to overturn it.

That was my take, anyway.

[Young Polak]

3 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Tell me how that goal from Barbarouses was adjudged to have crossed the line with the camera where it was?

If we're going to have technology, let's have it on the goal-line and not VAR.

the default answer is "sydney" if this helps 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Young Polak

[Mr MO]

6 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Tell me how that goal from Barbarouses was adjudged to have crossed the line with the camera where it was?

If we're going to have technology, let's have it on the goal-line and not VAR.

They linesman gave it I thought? What I understand that the VAR perhaps looked at it and deemed it inconclusive, so it wasn't an obvious error.

[jw1739]

 

17 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

They linesman gave it I thought? What I understand that the VAR perhaps looked at it and deemed it inconclusive, so it wasn't an obvious error.

A direct opposite of the call of offside on Noone a couple of matches ago. That's what shits me about VAR.

[Mr MO]

1 minute ago, jw1739 said:

 

A direct opposite of the call of offside on Noone a couple of matches ago. That's what shits me about VAR.

But in that instance the VAR concluded that the linesman was wrong and it was offside? Both seem correct to me.

[Shahanga]

24 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

But in that instance the VAR concluded that the linesman was wrong and it was offside? Both seem correct to me.

That was based on an oblique camera angle, someone’s call on when the ball was kicked and a overrule measured in micrometres. A strange overrule to say the least.

[Mr MO]

19 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

That was based on an oblique camera angle, someone’s call on when the ball was kicked and a overrule measured in micrometres. A strange overrule to say the least.

Yes that’s the big problem with VAR around the world at the moment, when is the ball actually kicked! I hope that the Dutch VAR system for offside will be introduced globally, it won’t solve it all but still.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Mr MO

[jw1739]

The football version of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. You cannot simultaneously measure the position and the momentum of a player with complete accuracy.

The Dutch solution is indeed a very sensible one. Intellectually very satisfying. It actually defines what is meant by "too close to call."

I like it very much indeed.

[Shahanga]

25 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Yes that’s the big problem with VAR around the world at the moment, when is the ball actually kicked! I hope that the Dutch VAR system for offside will be introduced globally, it won’t solve it all but still.

Yes. A common sense approach. Acknowledging the error in the technology 

[belaguttman]

I was very pleased with tonight's performance because we didn't give up and snatched a draw despite being outplayed for much of the game.  Previous Heart or City teams would almost never have got a draw out of this game.

Positives:

The draw

The performance of our subs and the sub selection by PK. Tilio and Coalkowski gave us pace and width and pulled the smurfs out of shape.

Scoring a pen whilst Redders danced around like a lunatic

Negatives:

Injury to Nabbout

I think that our initial tactics were wrong, we sat back and didn't press until the smurfs were in our half, it allowed them to play their game and took our midfield out of the game

I'm not sure why Reis didn't start because when he was subbed and Griffith moved to midfield we were back in the game.

Edited April 10, 2021 by belaguttman

[haz]

1 hour ago, Mr MO said:

Yes that’s the big problem with VAR around the world at the moment, when is the ball actually kicked! I hope that the Dutch VAR system for offside will be introduced globally, it won’t solve it all but still.

Holy shit this is what I proposed. Great minds think a like.

[Nate]

Geez, a few on here not giving Sydney credit for how well they played, especially in that first half. Brattan and Caceres murdered us with their passing and link-up play but it wasn't as though it was because we were bad or flat - we pressed really well and forced our way forward when given the chance as best we could given Sydney's possession at home.

Aside from Nabbout who was clearly playing with an injury, nobody really underperformed imo. Our last 25 minutes was obviously brilliant, the subs were effective and well-timed finally, and I thought we were deserved recipients of the penalty and subsequent 1-1 result. 

Amazing effort by the boys in what was a genuine championship-hinging match with their backs to the wall. Loved it.

[haz]

With the impact the subs have made in the last two games, I hope PK has recognised the importance of getting on fresh legs earlier than the 85th minute.

[mattyh001]

Both teams had their chances in a very tight game. A point from this game is a valuable point, particularly when it's sydney in the chasing pack and not us. 

In terms of their goal, if the linesman has initially given it then i'm happy for it to stand. Footage was inconclusive, and would have gone our way if the goal wasn't given initially. 

What pisses me off is that they have a lack of cameras and they do pregame video capture across the field so they can get the camera lines right for offside. Why the fuck is this not done for the the goal line? 

Edited April 11, 2021 by mattyh001

[Imtellingyou]

It's a very good result for us. The game has shown the importance of finishing first.  The home GF is imperative. Tilio and Cola prove to be more impact subs than Najjar guys. 

[Missing_Moy]

Last night showed me we need to have Griff or O’Neil as the DM going forward 

metcalfe is wasted in DM and doesn’t get stuck in enough to play that role 

[belaguttman]

6 hours ago, Missing_Moy said:

Last night showed me we need to have Griff or O’Neil as the DM going forward 

metcalfe is wasted in DM and doesn’t get stuck in enough to play that role 

Has anyone heard an update on O'Neill?

16 hours ago, Nate said:

Geez, a few on here not giving Sydney credit for how well they played, especially in that first half. Brattan and Caceres murdered us with their passing and link-up play but it wasn't as though it was because we were bad or flat - we pressed really well and forced our way forward when given the chance as best we could given Sydney's possession at home.

True, but our press was much deeper and that gave Sydney space to play their game

[Shahanga]

Did anyone watch the Jets -Tards game before this blockbuster?

Honestly it looked at least another tier below in standard. 

[Shahanga]

37 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

Has anyone heard an update on O'Neill?

True, but our press was much deeper and that gave Sydney space to play their game

Back training.

(bizarrely this was updated in the Tsubaki thread)

[citymad]

6 hours ago, Missing_Moy said:

Last night showed me we need to have Griff or O’Neil as the DM going forward 

metcalfe is wasted in DM and doesn’t get stuck in enough to play that role 

Metcalfe is on 4 Yellows and i think it might be weighing on his mind.

To say that he doesnt get stuck in is a bit over the top however. He has made some very important interceptions and heavy tackles while playing as a 6. He took Bratten out of the game last time we played Sydney with a high ball challenge and wiped out Simon in the CCM game with a strong shoulder to shoulder. His cards have mostly come from robust challenges as DM and he outleaps many opposition players during midfield header challenges, winning us possession. Last night i agree it was not has best game in that position, although he has also played numerous long dialgonals balls to feet from 6 position over the time he spent in that role, looking more like a deep lying playmaker. It is noteworthy that the '6' in city's structure sits behind opposition striker, not in front, as so many other teams do. The latter gives the six so much more time to dwell on the ball safely knowing that all opposition is facing them. WU, ADL, MAC, CCM all do this. Our six is expected to remain as high as possible and it puts the player right in the middle of opp midfield and retreating Forwards. it also keeps us poised to attack. I actually think this is why Gomulka has not seen much game time, as his ADL experience did not set him up for, nor has he shown ability to play, the 6, our way. 

That said without doubt Metcalfe's best postion is a Box to Box 8. Against Sydney last night he had three shots on from the 65th and made numerous great runs behind that were not rewarded. So i agree his talent is wasted as a six. Yes we need O'neil back in as a dedicated 6. 

As a reminder though, we have won plenty of games under the current Griff/Metcalfe 6 arrangement, than we have lost. 

And we didnt lose last night either. 

[Missing_Moy]

2 hours ago, citymad said:

Metcalfe is on 4 Yellows and i think it might be weighing on his mind.

To say that he doesnt get stuck in is a bit over the top however. He has made some very important interceptions and heavy tackles while playing as a 6. He took Bratten out of the game last time we played Sydney with a high ball challenge and wiped out Simon in the CCM game with a strong shoulder to shoulder. His cards have mostly come from robust challenges as DM and he outleaps many opposition players during midfield header challenges, winning us possession. Last night i agree it was not has best game in that position, although he has also played numerous long dialgonals balls to feet from 6 position over the time he spent in that role, looking more like a deep lying playmaker. It is noteworthy that the '6' in city's structure sits behind opposition striker, not in front, as so many other teams do. The latter gives the six so much more time to dwell on the ball safely knowing that all opposition is facing them. WU, ADL, MAC, CCM all do this. Our six is expected to remain as high as possible and it puts the player right in the middle of opp midfield and retreating Forwards. it also keeps us poised to attack. I actually think this is why Gomulka has not seen much game time, as his ADL experience did not set him up for, nor has he shown ability to play, the 6, our way. 

That said without doubt Metcalfe's best postion is a Box to Box 8. Against Sydney last night he had three shots on from the 65th and made numerous great runs behind that were not rewarded. So i agree his talent is wasted as a six. Yes we need O'neil back in as a dedicated 6. 

As a reminder though, we have won plenty of games under the current Griff/Metcalfe 6 arrangement, than we have lost. 

And we didnt lose last night either. 

You make a fair point about the yellows. 
my point was more I prefer him getting further forward and happy to have someone behind to do the dirty work out midfield functioned better when Flo went off. 

[citymad]

On 10/04/2021 at 7:15 PM, malloy said:

I know his stats have been good recently, but I really can't stand Noone..

Both Noone and Nabbout were poor in this game. I think it has a lot to do with their lack of familiarity with the respective left and right backs. Galloway and Garruccio don't play as Nate and Jamo have done so. The expectation is not fulfilled for wingers and they seem a bit lost. I know they all should be playing the same 'city way' but in reality the small nuances in each players individual style actually makes a significant difference. 

Lets see if they our L/R flanks can show more cohesion and attacking intent against victory. 

This will be a big test for us as we are not the same team as we were for the six nil thrashing we handed them last time. 

 

 

[malloy]

48 minutes ago, citymad said:

Both Noone and Nabbout were poor in this game. I think it has a lot to do with their lack of familiarity with the respective left and right backs. Galloway and Garruccio don't play as Nate and Jamo have done so. The expectation is not fulfilled for wingers and they seem a bit lost. I know they all should be playing the same 'city way' but in reality the small nuances in each players individual style actually makes a significant difference. 

Lets see if they our L/R flanks can show more cohesion and attacking intent against victory. 

This will be a big test for us as we are not the same team as we were for the six nil thrashing we handed them last time. 

 

 

My dislike of Noone isn't just in relation to this game.

I think he is too easily nullified. All defenders need to do is just to stand him up, and leave him with the sole option of passing the ball, which he isn't that great at when being jockeyed. He generally only gets passed his man when they go in for the tackle or over commit.

Plus I think he is too soft and has no grit.

It might be irrational for me to dislike, but I can't see it changing.