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Rd 11: Sydney FC v Melbourne City, Friday 15 Dec 7.50pm


Harrison
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I reckon Wazza will certainly stick with a defensive mindset, and try and pinch a single goal to win it.

I think that Malik should stay at RB, and perhaps start Muscat over Atkinson, with the young fella to be brought on in the 2nd half, if needed.  I think if we start him, Sydney will overload his side and target him physically, which would be a risk to our chances.  If our defense can play well, and as long as we match it with them in midfield, we are a chance.

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http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-city/bruce-kamau-to-miss-melbourne-citys-big-aleague-test-against-sydney-fc-20171214-h04lut.html

Bruce Kamau to miss Melbourne City's big A-League test against Sydney FC

Ben McKay

Melbourne City will be without livewire winger Bruce Kamau for their trip to A-League leaders Sydney FC, but coach Warren Joyce has pledged to play without fear against the Sky Blues as he attempts to knock off the champions at his third try.

The clash of the A-League's two sky blue-clad sides on Friday night will pit first against third, but it's a more important clash for City given their position in the chasing pack.

A loss would have City nine points behind Sydney in the title race, but Joyce insists his side isn't thinking about the ladder.

"There's a long way to go for every side. We're just looking to win another game, we don't look any further ahead than that," he said.

"We try to win the game that's in front of us and that's the way I'll do it for the rest of the season."

Sydney monstered City in their FFA Cup quarter-final back in September.

Joyce said his side had improved since then and would relish the occasion.

"They're a good team. They've got some good pros and they know their jobs. They make good decisions and have a good manager. That's why they've been successful," he said.

"(Last time) a mis-hit shot gets them a 1-0 win. We've got to build on that.

"They've got a team of men and you've got to not be fazed by them.

"We've got to go into the game with no fear and be on the front foot."

Kamau's knee strain means the 22-year-old isn't yet in the frame for next weekend's Christmas derby, with pre-season predictions of Fernando Brandan returning in that fixture now also by the wayside.

Brandan is not in full training and may have played his last game for the club amid rumours of a January clean-out that will include sidelined Socceroo Neil Kilkenny.

Joyce didn't address those suggestions but did say every player needed to earn their spot on merit, given the strong performance of 18-year-old debutant Nathaniel Atkinson last week.

"Killer's no different to Atkinson. He's got to train and train well and try and force himself into the team," he said.

"January's not around yet. Everybody's trying to fight to get into the team really at the minute, that's the main concern."

__________________________________________________

I think these are pretty fair comments from Wazza. Bad news for Brandan who seemed genuinely fully committed to the team. The tip rat will be missed if he goes. As for Killer, who knows what's going on but his uncanny ability to go full-throttle-outburst probably didn't endear him to the gaffer.

Let's hope young Atkinson puts in another good performance and provides Kamau with competition for the spot. Might just bring out the best in Brucy.

 

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1 hour ago, xXCiTyZeNXx said:

Idk if wazza should just park the bus and accept a draw or try to attack but could possibly concede. Sydney are a good side with good players and Graham Arnold has been successful at 2 clubs atm. If we want to beat sydney away we need to man mark players like Ninkovic, Bobo, Brosque and that Polish guy...the way we can do that is playing Brattan as Defensive mid with Jakobsen and have Mauk track back and man mark Ninkovic. Also Scott needs to man mark Wilkshear and have Fitzgerald tracking back and helping Scott mark Wilkshear. Muscat to man mark Zullo and Atkinson tracking back for support. If we havent scored by 65th minute, sub on Kamau as impact sub and Arzani

Reckon you've missed the most important players in their setup.

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1 hour ago, rass said:

Reckon you've missed the most important players in their setup.

The VAR? How do the players mark that?

------------------------------------------------

Why is Kamau not listed as injured?

Kilkenny, Tongyik to be dropped

My prediction of Waz's XI

--------------------------------Booooozanis----------------------------------

Muscat---------------Bort------------------La Rocca-------------Jamo

---------------------------Jakobsen-------Malik-------------------------------

------------------------------------Brattan-----------------------------------------

Atkinson------------------------Ross--------------------------------------Fitzy

Bench: Galekovic, Mauk, Budzinski, Arzani, Crowley (No defenders because we have 7 on the pitch)

 

My XI

--------------------------------Booooozanis----------------------------------

Malik---------------Bort------------------La Rocca-------------Jamo

---------------------------Jakobsen-------Brattan-------------------------

------------------------------------Mauk-----------------------------------------

Atkinson------------------------Ross------------------------------------Fitzy

Bench: Galekovic, Muscat, Budzinski, Arzani, Tongyik

Edited by haz
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5 minutes ago, Embee said:

No chance Mauk get's dropped, he's crucial to our defensive structure, he'd be the first midfielder on Joyce's teamsheet atm.

Then that would  mean golden boy Malik gets the pine. I can't see Muscat not starting even though Malik was decent at Rb Muscat is better and has been pretty good minus 1 or 2 games.

So if Mauk is must start then so to is Jakobsen that leaves 1 midfield spot for Brattan and Malik and Brattan has been better than Malik in recent weeks. 

What might happen is that Atkinson won't start and Brattan or Mauk could drift wide and thus allow said golden boy a start. So I reackon Wazza will go with 

                 Mr Distribution 

Muscat        Bort La Rocca       Jamo 

                Malik     Jakobsen

Brattan

                     Mauk               Fitzy 

                    Ross

                      

 

 

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I am 50-50 if we will go with same team as last week, or if there is a reshuffle to get Muscat in for Atkinson

If it wasn't zullo, who I rate as the best LB in the comp I'd be playing Atkinson, but I don't know if the possibility of the kid getting beaten is the best thing in a big game 

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56 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

@haz In the official list on the City web-site - see my post on Page 1 - he is. Knee. 

Unavailable: 23. Bruno Fornaroli (ankle), 9.Marcelo Carrusca (calf), 11.Bruce Kamau (knee)

Yep Carrusca is a Germano, good signing at first but I think most predicted this

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56 minutes ago, haz said:

Yep Carrusca is a Germano, good signing at first but I think most predicted this

10 matches gone - over one-third of the season - and Currusca has just 59 minutes on the field for us. I think many observers would say an ill-advised signing.

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34 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

10 matches gone - over one-third of the season - and Currusca has just 59 minutes on the field for us. I think many observers would say an ill-advised signing.

I should say a good 'Pre' signing. For a VISA who has been of the best in the A League in the last few seasons and is now an Australian on low wages (?). I would say the idea to sign him was good

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6 hours ago, Torn Asunder said:

I reckon Wazza will certainly stick with a defensive mindset, and try and pinch a single goal to win it.

I think that Malik should stay at RB, and perhaps start Muscat over Atkinson, with the young fella to be brought on in the 2nd half, if needed.  I think if we start him, Sydney will overload his side and target him physically, which would be a risk to our chances.  If our defense can play well, and as long as we match it with them in midfield, we are a chance.

You would play muscat on the wing?

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9 hours ago, jw1739 said:

10 matches gone - over one-third of the season - and Currusca has just 59 minutes on the field for us. I think many observers would say an ill-advised signing.

The coach never wanted to play him. Doesn’t seem to like actual footballers.

Clearly for this game Jacobsen and Malik need to go out and Kilkenny and Muscat come in (unless Jacobsen is moved to rb) si we can start playing our best players. 

Obviously this won’t happen. Malik to move into midfield and play 6 defenders and a #10 who had been converted into a #6 (Mauk)..  Reckon Wazza has hired a bus for the occasion.

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3 hours ago, Shahanga said:

The coach never wanted to play him. Doesn’t seem to like actual footballers.

Clearly for this game Jacobsen and Malik need to go out and Kilkenny and Muscat come in (unless Jacobsen is moved to rb) si we can start playing our best players. 

Obviously this won’t happen. Malik to move into midfield and play 6 defenders and a #10 who had been converted into a #6 (Mauk)..  Reckon Wazza has hired a bus for the occasion.

 

Here is exclusive footage of Joyce taking a gym session

giphy.gif

Edited by Dylan
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15 minutes ago, n i k o said:

I'd imagine Waz would want to get peop back into positions that have been successful. In saying that if Muscat starts then one of mauk, Jakobsen, Malik, Brattan misses out.

Agree with Muscat starting at RB but does he contine with Atkinson at RW. For me it's a  huge risk. So potentially Brattan or Mauk could play that wide right midfield role and he could then play his preferred Malik Jakobsen combination. 

If he starts Atkinson again over the above scenario then that would be a bold statement. Really not sure how much of gambler Wazza is?

For me I'd rest Atkinson and play a lopsided midfield with Brattan out right playing that Broich type role and Mauk in the pressing 10 role.

Whatever the decision it's going to be a tight tough game and a mistake will probably decide it (hopefully from Redmayne). 

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35 minutes ago, bt50 said:

Geez you've turned into a bitter old woman lately. Maybe you're turning into a proper Melbchester fan...

No not being bitter with that comment, it’s just we’ve seen Joyce is very pragmatic. He knows what’ll happen if he goes tora tora tora against Sydney away, he’ll set out to limit them and then hope to take our chance(s) when they come.

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3 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

No not being bitter with that comment, it’s just we’ve seen Joyce is very pragmatic. He knows what’ll happen if he goes tora tora tora against Sydney away, he’ll set out to limit them and then hope to take our chance(s) when they come.

Not necessarily that one in particular, but because you dont like his/our playing style i think you've been very over-critical of a lot of aspect of his coaching. Do you disagree?

I've no doubt that we'll set up to defend and counter, much the same as Sydney normally do, and as we've done all season.

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Personally I don't think we have a chance tonight, I'm tipping a comfortable 2-0 win to them. They're just in way too good of form and are a class above the rest of the competition. It's not all doom and gloom though as this current Sydney team is arguably the best in A-League history alongside Postecoglou''s Roar so if we finish second only behind them it's a great first season for Wazza. And who knows, we meet them in the grand final with Bruno and hopefully Brandan back we are every chance.

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We would be crazy to start Atkinson. he is not ready for the onslaught of an in form Sydney F.C. side. I can see us playing 4 centre halfs two wing backs and have 4 up front to pinch a goal. I reckon it will be 2 -1 to Sydney. Bruno will be back in 6 weeks. Brandan is never going to play for the club again. 

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Massive game.

If we play like we did last time we just need to watch the Zullo and Wilkshere runs so our wingers need to be on their game as Sydney use them to spread the middle and create space. 

Our attack is looking more fluid and our defence has consolidated further.

In my view we are better than Sydney it's just if we are drilled enough for 90 mins without making critical mistakes and making the most of theirs.

Tonight is going to be more about who can handle the pressure on the ball. 

Looking forward to Wazza's strategies and tactics also, where the 'give up possession, wait for the error and counter direct' will be the focus as we can't press too high or we will be punished on the turnover. Never know though.

Massive game.

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1 hour ago, bt50 said:

Not necessarily that one in particular, but because you dont like his/our playing style i think you've been very over-critical of a lot of aspect of his coaching. Do you disagree?

I've no doubt that we'll set up to defend and counter, much the same as Sydney normally do, and as we've done all season.

Yeah, you’re right.

Also I’m a foundation member of the Neil Kilkenny fan club, so that’s part of my problem!

Anyway as to spectacles I think styles make games and 2 cagey counter attacking sides are likely to be games for purists only.

i expect it to be 1-0 or 0-1. If we win it’ll be a MCCormack special that gets us Home coupled with a strong defensive game.

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21 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

Yeah, you’re right.

Also I’m a foundation member of the Neil Kilkenny fan club, so that’s part of my problem!

Anyway as to spectacles I think styles make games and 2 cagey counter attacking sides are likely to be games for purists only.

i expect it to be 1-0 or 0-1. If we win it’ll be a MCCormack special that gets us Home coupled with a strong defensive game.

Also I’m a foundation member of the Neil Kilkenny fan club, so that’s part of my problem!

I think I am in the same club :D

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20 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

Yeah, you’re right.

Also I’m a foundation member of the Neil Kilkenny fan club, so that’s part of my problem!

Anyway as to spectacles I think styles make games and 2 cagey counter attacking sides are likely to be games for purists only.

i expect it to be 1-0 or 0-1. If we win it’ll be a MCCormack special that gets us Home coupled with a strong defensive game.

It's quite likely if the first game is anything to go by. Obviously my preference too is beautiful attacking football over dour defensive stuff, but i still get a kick out of quality defending and i'll certainly take results over a beautiful 3-2 loss, esp given the lack of success this club has had over the journey.

And no-one wants the forum to become a City cheerleading site either, being critical is encouraged from my point of view. I would certainly rather hear everyones different take on things than it become an echo chamber. What I think doesnt help is being one-eyed, whether thats in the positive or negative sense and seeing everything one individual does as solely good or solely bad.

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The forum is place where coach is evaluated by the pregame interview, where the key players like Jacobsen should be benched, where new younsters should play immediatelly against the toughest opponent, where the best scorer in the club history should make his way to wide and further from the goal position. 

In other words it's a fun(tasy) place. 

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13 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

Maybe every single person should start their own forum to avoid encountering any “cancerous” posts.

Maybe the people who don't like their cancerous posts being referred to as cancerous should start to their own forum to avoid encountering any dissenting views about their cancerous posts

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