A-League thread

[dwaino]

I thought we put in a good 90mins and controlled most of the game. The difference was Sydney buried the limited chances they had and we didn't. The guys were hungrier for longer and our pressing was very good. What really peed me off was the epic time wasting starting at 70mins. The same Sydney bloke kept sitting down and the second time he did it the ref even told him to stand up and get on with it. He did it again though and there was hardly any play from 70-80mins. How Sydney didn't get more yellows was beyond me with the amount of times they pulled our guys down once beaten and dangerous late tackles with studs up. Berisha needs a rest, too many times the team set him up only for him not to make a run or for him to waste the ball. Beister is a waste, that's the kind of player we need to come on and make something happen but apparently he's still unfit. If that's the case then we should never have got him, he is taking up a visa spot and we could have been active this window for another midfielder. Too often opposition have impact players come on late, we don't.

Sydney have been worked out though. They're only dangerous narrow, they only look like scoring on a turn over when Ninkovic puts it through the middle to Holosko or whoever else is there. We had no hassles from their wide play and our passing chopped up their mids. All we had to do was put away any of the other numerous chances we had. The dunny seat is as good as theirs but if we make the final and play them I think we've got it.

[one-eyed]

What a crazy last 10 minutes  . 



Summary of game:

* Victory spend an hour missing chances  .
* Rojas brought down in box. Berisha goes predictably low and left again and it's blocked. His 3rd penalty miss this season  .
* City score. Looks like Perth loss all over again  .
* Rojas brilliance sets up Berisha goal. We're level with 10 mins to go.
* Berisha's passive on/offside  and City score an own goal. We're 2-1 up in 3 mins    .
* Timmy Cahill red carded before he even got onto the pitch  .
* Victory takes all 3 pts to the bank .

[dwaino]

Crowd had enough of Brandan's rolling around and had a great laugh when he bounced off Rojas looking for a foul, only for Rojas to set up the second goal while he was still carrying on like a pork chop. The icing on the cake was the roar that went up as Bouzanis got a yellow and Cahill got the red.

Epic walk back to southern cross. Chants were in full voice and some flares went off. Watched the cops get an arrest and no one got hurt. Everybody is happy.

Ange was in the crowd and hopefully took some notice of Geria. Been playing well and thought he had a belter tonight.

[tony_montana]

Thought we were the better side but predictably we go to water and don't know how to ice a game when in control. First half was an appalling spectacle, but once it settled down and opened up we saw some good football. Brandan is a twit and should see the pine for that pathetic effort. Is a very skill full player but has let himself and the side down horribly with his bs diving.

Still cannot believe they let Connor chapman go, would be building a defence around Tongyak and chapman for the future.

[dwaino]

I beg to differ, besides a small part late in the first half and a 15 minute block in the second I thought we had the game on our terms. Baro, Ansell and Valeri combined well to clog City's inside forward half and forcing Brattan and Fornaroli wide if they wanted the ball and besides the moment when Geria overcommitted on Brandan and led to a deflected goal our full backs mostly had their opponent's measure. Instead of going wide like normal we played through the guts and stuff and Rojas constantly attacked central defenders and if it wasn't for Berisha having a few fresh airies including a tap in and generally spudding it up (feel free to go for something other than bottom left for a pen ffs) then it should have been a blow out. Bringing on Georgievski and Austin when one goal down was impeccable timing because we changed from narrow to assaulting the wings and City didn't adjust to change to be able to shut it down, instead they opened up while those two and Troisi went berserk specifically attacking Manny Muscat and Franjic who were fatigued, stretched and losing the plot.

[tony_montana]

Disagree, first half was appalling no one controlled anything, no team could barely put 3 successive passes together. 2nd half we controlled the tempo and we're in almost complete control 1-0 up I felt. Victory are always dangerous, but felt we lost it rather than victory being the better side, it was more stupid unforced errors from city that gave victory their chances, ie Brandon's theatrics for one goal and Maliks star jumping defending for the other goal.

[dwaino]

A few mins in Berisha missed a tap in, yet another pen and Bozanic fresh aired a ball while Bouzanis was scrambling. That's 3-0 before City's goal that would have rolled into Thomas' hands had Baro not deflected it. Of course City had chances too but they weren't on target except for two great saves by Thomas. The only City player that got going was Kilkenny, others were nullified and were never in any position to control anything. There was only a brief window in the second half I felt we were coming undone but the complete 180 on the gameplan was genius.

[tony_montana]

I thought our midfield was on top and controlling the tempo which we do most games but the difference being this game was the first time since early in the season that I felt we looked dangerous and capable of opening up a side at will, which imo we did in the 2nd half. Brattan and Brandan were looking dangerous and Kilkenny was marshalling the midfield. Just bc a shot isn't on target doesn't mean the midfield and defence wasn't busted wide open a few more times. Anyhow moot point, victory got the win and that's all that matters in the end

[one-eyed]

A nothing 0-0 draw tonight for Victory.

Is there something in Newcastle's water? We always play crap up there  .

[Diocletian]

So did a plaer really cop a 5-match suspension just for calling another player a "gypsy'? Haha stuff me drunk....

[one-eyed]

So did a plaer really cop a 5-match suspension just for calling another player a "gypsy'? Haha stuff me drunk....

Dean Bouzanis given five-match A-League ban for Besart Berisha 'gypsy' slur in Melbourne Derby ...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-09/dean-bouzanis-given-five-match-a-league-ban/8254210

[tony_montana]

lol yep

[one-eyed]

Kevin Muscat has reaffirmed his desire to coach abroad, but gave little away amid speculation linking him to his former club Glasgow Rangers.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/victory/kevin-muscat-believed-to-be-in-running-for-coaching-role-at-glasgow-rangers/news-story/3d37a54051ead5dae203fe586a7e4c2b

[one-eyed]

 

Very unlikely to catch Sydney but it's back to 8 pts now and we play them again in two weeks.

[dwaino]

So did a plaer really cop a 5-match suspension just for calling another player a "gypsy'? Haha stuff me drunk....

Wasn't just gypsy, it was "f***ing gypsy" which didn't leave any doubt that it was implied as the racial slur for a Romani.