A-League thread

[dwaino]

Merrick has resigned. Nix are a rabble.

[one-eyed]

    

[dwaino]

Made out like bandits in the first half, were so lucky they couldn't find the net. These slow starts are worrying but on the positive side it means we have room for improvement and sitting nicely with a game in hand.

[mightytiges]

Swings and roundabouts. We missed a heap of chances last week and blew 3 points. This time we got lucky and took our chances when WSW didn't and walked away all 3 points  .

Merrick has resigned. Nix are a rabble.

With the talk of expansion and bringing in more Aussie-based clubs for the 2018-19 season, it's probably a chance to kick Wellington out of the league to satisfy the AFC rules.

[tony_montana]

building nicely Victory - massive massive game next week

[dwaino]

Just wish we had more depth in the middle. As good as it is that we still have Rojas and Austin to come in, all our depth is in the wings. Troisi has been putrid lately. His personal game hasn't been too bad but as a playmaker he has been ordinary for the team if that makes any sense.

Broxy is fun to hate for opposition supporters but he is having one of his best seasons in a long time, Valeri is starting to fill the hole that Milligan left and Geria is having fewer howlers as the season goes on. Muscat is finally going back to the counter attack plan that won us every domestic trophy and all we are missing is quality transition into final third. Bes showed last night that he's still got it if he is given the chance, can't expect a striker to keep manufacturing their own chances from nothing when it's the entire team's job to set him up. I think the criticism of his game has been warranted but hardly fair. 

[dwaino]

I have no voice at all today but that was a great game. I think both teams wasted a lot of chances and it really could have gone either way. Bes missed some total platters while City didn't make the most of hemming us in at various times. Great composure from the Victory defenders and mids to weather the storms then use the ball properly to set up counters and not just clearing it. That's the style that won us every title and looks like Kev has gone back to it. Rojas is a star. I wish he were Australian, would be a walk up start in the Socceroos every day.

Got a bit of a chuckle at the start though when the stadium had to turn the PA up as Victory supporters drowned out the City song and all you could hear was Stand By Me  . South End are doing a great picking up the active supporters void. I still hope the NT are back next season though, being the only club with two supporters terraces is what sets us apart as a big club with massive, passionate support with people who really do love their club and not just following it out of spite of any other team.

That Brandan really is the slimiest grub in the league. Spends most of his game rolling around on the ground, antagonising the opposition and as soon as someone sits him down like Geria did he runs off to a safe distance while his team mates have gone in to fly the flag for him. Absolute gutless flog, a really poor excuse for a bloke.

[🏅Dooks]

You're poo when your red
You're poo when you're blue
stuff off heart
And stuff city too

 

Watched the game on foxtel and there were a few (slightly uncomfortable) comments about how loud Victory supporters were

[tony_montana]

what a game, atmosphere was electric and level of play was high class. As good a melbourne derby as I have seen.

 Felt Victory deserved the win, they created the better chances and should have buried us before halftime. We played a lot better in the second half but we lack a cutting edge, we knock it around really well but teams are starting to park it and pick us off on the counter. There were about 4-5 times where victory had sliced us open but a poo final ball stopped a certain goal scoring chance. Couldve got real ugly.
Our defensive structures/woes will likely stop us winning the title this season:
 Rose isnt good enough, actually hes a shocker! terrible would prefer Muscat
Without Jacobson we are all at sea. I like the new tall dark fellow in the heart of defence, looks a real prospect and not sure why Chapman isnt getting a game, lad can play. Cant play Kilkenny as a makeshift CB/midfielder, ridiculous tactics by JVS that is hurting us. Either plonk him at defensive mid nd play with 3 at the back(not my preference) or bring in a proper CB

[dwaino]

Just got the replay on while I work on some guitars and apparently Rose's old man (I think that's what I heard) passed during the week so pretty fair if he wasn't in the best frame of mind.

Ingham is really coming on well for us, competition for that wing spot opposite Rojas is FBK, Ingham, Austin and Beister. Troisi is starting to find his groove so the sooner he can start reliably putting more dangerous balls in we should have a deadly forward line regardless of combination.

[tony_montana]

Yeah thats tough re his old man - the comment though wasnt solely in relation to last night, generally this season he's been our weakest link week in week out for mine. 

[mightytiges]

What a crazy game last night! 6 goals, 2 red cards and City getting 3 penalties awarded and missing two of them.

[mightytiges]

Good results in the other games over the NY break for the Victory. A chance now with two games in hand to cement 2nd place, bridge the gap on Sydney and get a break on the rest [touchwood].

[one-eyed]

Victory 4-2 win over the Jets in Geelong  .

Berisha broke Archie's all-time A-league goalscoring record while Rojas was man of the match  .

[dwaino]

That win felt a bit dirty, but not so much after FBK's disallowed goal. Will take it and move on.

In other news, JVS has resigned for family reasons http://www.a-league.com.au/article/coaching-shock-melbourne-city-coach-john-vant-schip-resigns/19gclxpr8zr91mkrjjk9oy6nl