Wet & Wild Wanderers Wasted By Western United

[mack]

Western Sydney Wanderers had to win to keep their faint hopes of a finals run alive but fell to a 5-3 loss in a chaotic game where Western United pulled into a 3-0 lead before the Wanderers levelled the game only for defensive errors to assist their opponents to a 5-3 lead they didn't relinquish.

On a night of teeming rain and arctic winds at Kogarah Oval, Referee Alireza Faghani had an early penalty call to make, as Max Burgess blasted a cross into Dylan McGowan. Unlike his last game McGowan had his arms at his side behind his back and play continued after the penalty shout was waved away. Western United went inches away from taking the lead in the 4th minute, they sliced through the Wanderers porous defence, Alessandro Diamanti bought ex-Wanderers fullback Josh Risdon into the game and his cut-back found the late run of another ex-Wanderer in Steven Lustica. His first time left foot strike rose too high and smashed off the crossbar.

Western United didn't take long to open the scoring through Risdon. This time they attacked down the left flank, Connor Pain and Max Burgess combined with the Wanderers defence going to sleep, his cross was perfect and on the edge of 6 yard box, the four Wanderers defenders and the goalkeeper impersonated traffic cones and stood around watching as Risdon rose for an unmarked header down and past Prendergast. It was abysmal defence for a team that have had no trouble blocking the cross or putting even the tiniest bit of pressure on one of the smallest players on the pitch.

They doubled their advantage in the 18th minute after on the back of another Risdon raid down the right. After Duke lost a 1 on 1 heading duel on half-way, Berisha played a quick ball to Diamanti and he released Risdon. With the Wanderers defence massively out of position and hoping for an offside that never came because Jurman was playing Risdon onside, a tiny delay before the cross took out Georgievski's chance of a block and Berisha was perfectly placed for his trademark near post run and he sliced a side footed pass into the back of the net for 2-0.

Tate Russell had a crack from long range 5 minutes before half-time, his shot sailed high and wide. Kwame Yeboah got the ball at his feet from a goal-mouth scramble and fired it at goal, Filip Kurto's sharp, one-handed reaction save pushed the ball to safety, the last big attack of the half.

The second half started like the first, with inept attack and the fragile defence conceding a butter soft goal. First up Yeboah had an opportunity to play in Cox for a one on one with Kurto, but could only slowly roll the ball to the keeper. Western United scored their 3rd courtesy of a short corner and terrible goalkeeping. Diamanti played a one-two pass from the from the corner and walked down the byline under no pressure, floating the ball for an attempted cross that turned into a lob on Prendergast who had come out too far and his desperate tip did nothing to prevent it dropping over the line.

It took until the hour mark before the Wanderers even looked like scoring. Penalty area pinball ended with Kwame Yeboah having an unmarked header 6 yards out, but he failed to get any power and he was well wide in any case. Mitch Duke then lashed a shot wide. Bruce Kamau's introduction sparked the attack into life and he put the ball on a plate for Duke. Kamau's right foot cross floated over the head of Calver and Duke didn't miss from point-blank range.

The Wanderers' finals life line was found by sub Tass Mourdoukoutas, he made a neat near-post run for a wide free kick from Schwegler. Mourdoukoutas pulled a Kresinger inspired back heel out of the locker and the ball skidded across the turf to make it 3-2. Incredibly the Wanderers pulled the game back level in the 82nd minute, Western United stayed far too deep and let Georgievski find a path into the box, his pass into Yeboah was shanked into the path of Duke he bought the ball down with his chest then volleyed unerringly into the bottom corner with his left foot.

That was the high point of the game for Western Sydney, as they rapidly gave up a fourth and a fifth Western United goal in the 84th and 86th minutes. Tass Mourdoukoutas turned from hero to zero as he horribly misplayed a simple back pass from Kamau. Burgess then knocked the ball away, taking it on the run into the penalty area he finished superbly to Prendergast's right. United made it 5-3 as they killed off the game, the Wanderers defence failing to clear after a Connor Pain run, letting the ball bobble and bounce until man of the match Diamanti hooked the ball back over his shoulder and chipped Prendergast once more as he wheeled away to celebrate with his team.

How much more can you say about a result like that? The Wanderers defensive frailty showed through with the 5 goals conceded, the failure of the club to pay our foreign players properly during the pandemic put Prendergast in goal where he was badly exposed twice by Diamanti and whatever Mitch Duke does next week it's not going to matter and he's about leave because the leadership clearly don't see a player who has been one of our few bright sparks as worth retaining. The loss ends what little hope the club had of playing the finals and there doesn't appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel as yet another dismal season comes to a close.

From top to bottom the Western Sydney Wanderers are rotten. This begins at the top with our billionaire owner Paul Lederer and inept CEO John Tsatsimas taking charge of half a decade of failure since the billionaire picked up the club at mate's rates from Franky Lowy the former head of Football Federation Australia. There has been little to show from Jean-Paul de Marigny to suggest he has the ability to turn the club into a consistent winner, and with a raft of players coming off contract it seems unlikely that the Wanderers stand a chance of winning trophies barring drastic changes made to the playing & coaching staff.

The final match of the season is against fellow cellar dwellers the Melbourne Victory, in what will be a battle of two big clubs reduced to ruin by poor recruitment and coaching. The game is the second match in a Wednesday August 12th Western Sydney Stadium double header. Perth vs Western United begins at 5:35PM, followed by the Wanderers vs Melbourne Victory at 8:10PM.

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[GunnerWanderer]

2 minutes ago, mack said:

Mourdoukoutas pulled a Kresinger inspired back heel

Oh yes orgasmic it was just like the club legend ☺️

[wendybr]

6 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

Oh yes orgasmic it was just like the club legend ☺️

Ohhhhh....but the contrast, between that goal, that game, and its outcome, and this. 

[sonar]

9 minutes ago, mack said:

From top to bottom the Western Sydney Wanderers are rotten. This begins at the top with our billionaire owner Paul Lederer and inept CEO John Tsatsimas taking charge of half a decade of failure since the billionaire picked up the club at mate's rates from Franky Lowy the former head of Football Federation Australia. There has been little to show from Jean-Paul de Marigny to suggest he has the ability to turn the club into a consistent winner, and with a raft of players coming off contract it seems unlikely that the Wanderers stand a chance of winning trophies barring drastic changes made to the playing & coaching staff.

This.

The fans deserve way better. 

[THEWANDERERSPOST]

Tass goal was probably best this season and one of our best ever. However I feel like this game won't be remembered because of it. His mistake was cruel.

Get Mcgowan, Georgevski and Ziegler out of their contracts through mutual termination, let Jurman go. (All absolutely pathetic, surprisingly felt more comfortable with Hamill and Tongyik then those lot)

Feel like Duke is gone, very sad if thats the case, our own fault really. 

Will miss Schwegler after he retires. True gentlemen and pure class player.

The only thing I got out of the interview was JP saying he would try recruit players who would excite the fans lol. They tried to do that his year and look how it turned out.

What players in Australia could we even sign lol. Also sounded like we would change formation which was very good to hear considering we play such a terrible formation where we get dominated in midfield leaving our crap defence to try and save us lol.

Any chance of signing the Gypsy? JP and Bes at Vuck together, seemed to have a little conversation at the end of the game.

Could be a decent replacement for Duke if he leaves.

Feel bad for NS22, been on bench for last 4 games only for Grozos to come on in his first match back in the squad, back from non existance. Sullivan has shown a lot more this season than Grozos in my opinion. The club should offer him another year contract.

One more game then see you next season! 

Edited August 7, 2020 by THEWANDERERSPOST

[WHACKO]

Quote

 

Duke is now equal second highest goal scorer for the club in a season alongside Santa, only behind Riera. But I still don't feel he's a marquee player. Admittedly, the definition of a marquee will most likely change considerably in the next season.

Works very hard, is a leader, first name on the (current) team sheet and deserves to stay. But we're never going to compete with Oil League money.

 

Yes that's true, but at least here he'll be paid and will play every game. Also his wife will be able to walk the street's like a human being and drive a car.

[StringerBellend]

@wendybr following on from the other thread.  JP spoke about that in the Perth game the subs didn't positively impact the game as they did this week. If he doesn't play Right footed wingers at Left Wing Back it would help. 

He got the starting line up badly wrong tonight

[wendybr]

29 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

@wendybr following on from the other thread.  JP spoke about that in the Perth game the subs didn't positively impact the game as they did this week. If he doesn't play Right footed wingers at Left Wing Back it would help. 

He got the starting line up badly wrong tonight

I was seriously not defending him as a manager, or his choices of formation, his player selection etc etc.

I really only meant to say that  I thought he was dignified in what must be a disappointing and humiliating situation for any manager.

And I (totally pointlessly ) said I appreciated that, at least, we didn't have to listen to the Babbel approach to losing under humiliating circumstances.

[1988banana]

JT change or be changed 

 

JTOUT

[mack]

 

[Neverbloom]

it was a rollercoaster

[sonar]

46 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

He got the starting line up badly wrong tonight

Yep. I still don't understand why Schwegler didn't start ffs. It may have ended 3-5 after we got back to 3-3 but tbh the game was gone by half time. Gave them too much ball and space early and we paid the price. 

[Burgerman]

Poor start with a defensive formation and wu took full advantage running through midfield gaps, wasn't until changes did we see something but what a mess and disgraceful effort from some only Russell and Duke ran all game while others walked. 

Big changes needed and they can't use covid19 as an excuse not to change something and set up a new direction for the club. 

[StringerBellend]

5 hours ago, wendybr said:

I was seriously not defending him as a manager, or his choices of formation, his player selection etc etc.

I really only meant to say that  I thought he was dignified in what must be a disappointing and humiliating situation for any manager.

And I (totally pointlessly ) said I appreciated that, at least, we didn't have to listen to the Babbel approach to losing under humiliating circumstances.

fSC4F4

[WSWJACK]

At 3 - 3

What did someone say earlier "it's the hope that kills you"

so true, so true 

[scarcev]

starting the same poor back 4 was a terrible decision and it went downhill from there, a fightback that eventually will do us more harm than good as pundits, players and club can justify that we 'came back' despite not being at the races for 70 of the 90 minutes.  It should of been 5 at half time, cross bar, couple of easy misses, possible penalty we got a new one torn through our middle even though we play two extra players there.

[THEWANDERERSPOST]

19 minutes ago, WSWJACK said:

At 3 - 3

What did someone say earlier "it's the hope that kills you"

so true, so true 

yeah that was me lol. 

You can expect it every time we play.

[StringerBellend]

They could have been 5 up in the first 30 mins

[Unlimited]

Also we played 5-3-2. Five defenders.

How the **** do they score five goals against us with five defenders? That’s the formation I play on FIFA if I want to grind out a 1-0 win or something. If I wanted a free for all goal fest I’ll play something like 4-2-4 or 3-4-3 

[Hughesy]

Jurman and McGowan are so immobile, they have zero ability to hold up a player running at them. Once they’re inevitably skinned you’ve got zero hope of them recovering. For two tall blokes, the amount of headers they lose is appalling.

Ziegler I have no idea wtf his role is and I don’t think he does either. Its as if he’s just been put into a false CDM/back up CB cause they’ve got nowhere else to officially stick him but want him out on the field anyway. He occasionally will mop up when Jurman and McGowan get skinned but he’s just as prone to an error himself.

[1988banana]

6 hours ago, Unlimited said:

Also we played 5-3-2. Five defenders.

How the **** do they score five goals against us with five defenders? That’s the formation I play on FIFA if I want to grind out a 1-0 win or something. If I wanted a free for all goal fest I’ll play something like 4-2-4 or 3-4-3 

If we had 1 more defender 

[Wanderboy]

6 hours ago, Unlimited said:

 

How the **** do they score five goals against us with five defenders? 

How the **** does an unmarked Risdon (of all players) score from a header with 8/9 players in the box?

It's just baffling.

[mack]

For Berisha's goal we had 6 defenders and the keeper, WU's attack was with just three players after Duke missed the header from the throw-in. It was four passes. Berisha to Diamante to Risdon to Berisha. Not one of those passes or any of the runs made was impacted by the defence, the closest someone got to that was Georgievski but he got completely taken out of a potential blocking position by Risdon's stutter step move.

[1988banana]

We're s.hi.t simple as that , not good enough, next season won't be any better , owner/ceo don't give a sh....

#CHANGEORBECHANGE

 

#JTOUT 

 

#FREETHEREDANDBLACK

[wswclaret]

Unless drastic changes happen at board level I can't see the club surviving another 3 seasons. Should have been sold  by the FFA as a Community club because right now there's nothing Community about it anymore.

[sonar]

1 minute ago, wswclaret said:

Unless drastic changes happen at board level I can't see the club surviving another 3 seasons. Should have been sold  by the FFA as a Community club because right now there's nothing Community about it anymore.

Can't see the club not surviving....a few less members....(or quite a few less members if things stay the way they are perhaps), Lederer & Co will/would most likely try to sell before it went under. The last thing he would want is to be the man that was in control if it all goes kaputski...lol

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, sonar said:

Can't see the club not surviving....a few less members....(or quite a few less members if things stay the way they are perhaps), Lederer & Co will/would most likely try to sell before it went under. The last thing he would want is to be the man that was in control if it all goes kaputski...lol

Want hear something really sad. My son asked me a few months back what the old Parra stadium looked like as he couldn't remember. As a young kid he spent hours playing on the grass bank down the southern end....but 3 or 4 years or so is a long time when you are a kid. He doesn't remember the first season so well. He IS still interested but this has obviously drifted. He and other kids his age are the future and the club is losing them.

 

 

[Burgerman]

Yeah really missing the old parra first 3 years all around the ground was passion and support now you see frustrated foundation members yelling abuse at refs and walking away, the Bulls will kill off more fans, if we don't reconnected the community i will feel like walking eventually as i can get an email reply about purchasing merch ASAP but no response to email inquiries regarding the club daily stuff. Need to get rid of the corporate feeling we have now. 

[ANZAC]

parra stadium died for this

[wswclaret]

On 08/08/2020 at 9:39 PM, sonar said:

Can't see the club not surviving....a few less members....(or quite a few less members if things stay the way they are perhaps), Lederer & Co will/would most likely try to sell before it went under. The last thing he would want is to be the man that was in control if it all goes kaputski...lol

Wish he'd sell now.  I just think the Community feel has gone.  Also add that whoever is running the match day experience is pretty dumb too.  When there is only 2000 people there we are gonna struggle to shout the goalscorers name 17 times.  And the players last name thing before the day.  Apart from the fact that I don't even know who half the players are anymore, it just doesn't work anymore.