Bulls Neutered In Parramatta

[mack]

Western Sydney Wanderers kicked off 2023 with a home game against local rivals Macarthur Bulls in a 3 v 4 A-League New Year's Day clash, a blow out 4-0 score-line followed with the Wanderers rampant against a tired and ineffective Macarthur team who were more interested in lying on the pitch diving to try and win fouls.

The big news for Western Sydney was misfiring forward Sulejman Krpic being dropped to the bench in favour of Kusini Yengi. Yeni Ngbakoto took Krpic's striking position up front with Yengi starting on the left wing. Both teams were aiming for a win that would elevate them into 2nd place on the ladder, with the Wanderers having dropped to 3rd due to the Mariners 2-1 win over the Victory the night prior.

Yengi should have opened the scoring in the 5th minute when a penalty area pinball fell to an unmarked Yengi. Instead of shooting first time the winger waited and waited and waited, taking multiple touches that took him away from goal and let the defence catch up. He had another chance moments later, going past Matt Millar like he wasn't there and fired toward the near post where Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto just managed to get down quickly enough to block the route to goal. Al-Hassan Toure had the first chance of the day for Macarthur after a sweeping counter-attack, but like Yengi earlier, Toure went wide and made his shot easy to block.

Toure continued his bright start to the game with an inside run this time, splitting past Amalfitano, beating the diving block of the cover defence and slicing a shot off the far post with Lawrence Thomas beaten otherwise.

15 minutes in and the Wanderers had a fortunate lead. After Jake Hollman gave away a foul, the long range free kick from Ngbakoto wrong-footed Kurto via a deflection to open the scoring. The keeper had moved to his right for a likely simple save, only to be deceived by the deflection from the defensive wall.

Oli Bozanic made it two 2 minutes later with a phenomenal, technically perfect long range shot. Bozanic, having made a massive impact in the midfield following his return from injury, was played the ball after some sterling strong work from Yengi. Bozanic took one touch to lift the ball in the air, the second on his left, a perfectly executed lob shot that Kurto stood rooted to his line watching nestle into the bottom corner making it 2-0 in an explosive 3 minute stint.

Marcelo went into the book for a lunge on the back of a Macarthur attacker, and former Wanderer Jonathan Aspropotamitis followed him in the 24th minute after a clear dive in the penalty area as he tried to win a penalty to put his team back in the contest.

The match fell into a lull after the 2nd goal, Macarthur continued to waste time after every 50/50 challenge with faking injuries, although why they'd do that at 2-0 down was hard to understand, the Wanderers content to try to build up and stay compact in defence to hold onto the 2 goal advantage. With 39:25 on the clock Bozanic nearly had a double. The Wanderers played out from the back, picked up a second ball on a clearance and Yengi found the midfielder with a great ball. Bozanic fired first time, forcing Kurto to palm it away for a corner, leading to yet another delay with Hollman lying on the ground after he collided with Marcelo as they were going for a high ball.

Ulises Davila had the final action of the half, a left footed curling strike that had Thomas momentarily worried but skidded wide of his right post. The two goal lead was a good reward for the effort shown in the half, and Macarthur huffed and puffed in response but rarely found the final ball, and when they had any momentum they typically killed it by having a player end up lying on the turf, giving the half 6 minutes of stoppage time.

The first half opened with back and forth attacks lacking end product, the pick of the shots a Borrello fizzer from 25 yards out on the turn that was a few meters wide of the net. Craig Noone cracked a free kick off the crossbar in the 58th minute. Tomislav Mrcela joined his central defensive partner in the book on the hour mark after bringing down Davila. Shortly after the Bulls talisman blasted the ball into the roof of the stadium with the worst shot of the night.

The Wanderers had absorbed the Macarthur attack and in the 70th minute swept across the pitch with a team goal for the ages to make it 3-0. The Bulls were chasing shadows as the Red & Black passed around them sublimely, went from Lawrence Thomas all the way to the other end of the pitch where Yengi put it on a plate for Borrello's neat finish which he celebrated with a backflip. Ramy Najjarine had come on as a sub and he made a great effort on the turn in the 80th minute, Kurto having to jump up into the corner with strong hands to get it out for a corner. Borrello showed the effort being put in when he ran a full length of the pitch from taking a corner to make a vital block on his own byline. Rudan emptied the bench, with Tongyik having come on earlier, Zac Sapsford, Krpic and Daniel Wilmering entered the game in a triple change with each of the Wanderers scorers departing.

Mrcela should have made in 4 in the 85th, he had an open net from 6 yards out, received the ball from a Sapsford header, but with the goal gaping and Kurto out of the picture he somehow nodded it over the bar when it seemed easier to score. Gabi Cleur had a good game without standing out, but showed his ability winning a penalty from Daniel Arzani.

Najjarine thumped it straight down the middle, Kurto diving out of the way, 4-0, securing all 3 points, 2nd place on the A-League ladder and the 1st win against the Bulls in the 6th attempt. Arzani tried to win a penalty for Macarthur but the referee wasn't fooled by his dive, but perhaps sensing the imminent end to the game, decided not to book the winger. In the last minutes of injury time Zac Sapsford had a tap-in robbed by Kurto diving to stop a low cross. It was the last major action of the game, the 5 minutes of stoppage time ended with the Wanderers in control, a highly impressive, dominant performance against a fellow top 4 rival.

With an away trip to Perth looming before a potential top 2 game against Melbourne City to come it was the perfect return to Parramatta and one that could be the turning point after the World Cup break.

The Wanderers next match is against Perth Glory in Perth on Friday the 6th of January with kick-off at 10:30pm Sydney time.

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[sonar]

Best performance of the season by far. We start the new year in a good place. Yengi my MotM.....but a good team effort overall.

Edited January 1, 2023 by sonar

[pseudonym]

Sucked in Bulls

Ding a-ling a-ling

[Wanderboy]

6 minutes ago, sonar said:

Best performance of the season by far. We start the new year in a good place. Yengi my MotM.....but a good team effort overall.

Yengi played well. As did others

But in my mind the most under rated player in the whole league this season and even tonight has been the Hoff. Seriously, the way he calmy controls the midfield is something to behold. I'd go as far as saying he has been far and away our best player this season.

He is Keanu B x 2. And that is not to downplay how good KB was for us and how well he is going now.

Jack who? ESFC, you can keep the flop.

[Keithie]

I agree Wanderboy the Hoff is certainly please to the eye to watch and I can see him getting better as the season progresses. 

[Upthehill]

Best performance from our front line in a very long time. But the midfield dominance is what we've been missing so badly when it comes to getting on the score sheet.

For those that could be bothered, go check out our average passes and % accuracy for our wins. Our wins are about 400 PPG, with the accuracy around 75%-80%. Our losses, the passes average closer to 500, with the lost against WU being 560 passes. The accuracy in that game was 87%, implying we constantly chose safety over creation.

Tonight was just 388 passes for 17 chances. We had quick ball movement out of the back line (my biggest gripe), into midfielders ready to turn their man, who then had the front three running into all sorts of channels and looking to get behind. The fast ball movement freezes opposition midfielders because they just didnt know who to chase.

Again we had a lull right after half time, but if we're prepared to try the same things against city, we have a red hot chance of an upset

 

[sonar]

 

[BoyFromTheWest]

The Hoff kept Devilla quiet most of the match. He was on him the whole game and didn't let him get a run. Great work.

Good all round game from everyone.

[StillAtMeurantsLane]

7 minutes ago, BoyFromTheWest said:

The Hoff kept Devilla quiet most of the match. He was on him the whole game and didn't let him get a run. Great work.

He's been a great acquisition from Easts. 

[Upthehill]

7 minutes ago, BoyFromTheWest said:

The Hoff kept Devilla quiet most of the match. He was on him the whole game and didn't let him get a run. Great work.

Good all round game from everyone.

Hoff biggest asset is his fuggn huge football brain. He's barely what you describe as athlete, he's not tall, strong or fast. He just seems to be aware of where everyone is around him all the time. And he seems to like kicking people a fair bit. If Wanderers ever let him leave for anywhere but overseas, I'll be monumentally pissed off

[dodson]

Regarding the gameday announcing/experience, it seems as though the club has outsourced it to a company called "Great Big Events." I'm not sure if this was a once off or will be a regular thing. If any of you have attended any Sydney Kings games or Tim Tszyu boxing fights you would have noticed a similar presentation/vibe from the mc Rob Shehadie to the dance cam and the song playlist. They do a good job engaging the crowd pre-game and at half-time. 

 

 

[Davo]

5 minutes ago, dodson said:

Regarding the gameday announcing/experience, it seems as though the club has outsourced it to a company called "Great Big Events." I'm not sure if this was a once off or will be a regular thing. If any of you have attended any Sydney Kings games or Tim Tszyu boxing fights you would have noticed a similar presentation/vibe from the mc Rob Shehadie to the dance cam and the song playlist. They do a good job engaging the crowd pre-game and at half-time. 

 

 

He needs to learn how to pronounce the players names if he’s going to be the stadium announcer.

On multiple occasions he said Oliver Bosnich.

[dodson]

4 minutes ago, Davo said:

He needs to learn how to pronounce the players names if he’s going to be the stadium announcer.

On multiple occasions he said Oliver Bosnich.

Yeah he was like that when he first started doing the Kings games but as the season progressed he got much better.

[Bones]

Ohhh Fooooark yeah!!! Great start to the year.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Bones
Ok

[MathyouWSW]

The biggest win this season (so far) and the first ever win against those Cows. So glad it happened against that club, they should of never ever existed in the A-League in the first place. Anyway, happy days are here again (for now) at the Wanderers.

Is it safe to say that this match has most likely cemented Yengi's spot into the starting XI as the number 9 over Krpic? Maybe. Yengi was a bit floppy at the start but he eventually played probably one of his best games to date for the club and most likely was the men of the match.

The only question is now that if Krpic departs from the club during the mid-season transfer, is there anyone available that's a decent replacement?

Oli Bozanic (aka Oliver Bosnich according to the game announcer at the stadium...YOU HAVE ONE JOB!, ONE JOB! and they still screwed it up!) played well too, seems as though he was playing as the attacking midfield today and just fitted like a glove. I think coming into this game there was concerns could the squad do it without Ninkovic and I think they provided that answer today as well...yes, they can.

And as always, Nieuwenhof is just doing Nieuwenhof things. Deadset the signing of the season for the club.

I don't know where the squad got their motivation heading into this game but hopefully they can do it again and again and again. Maybe it was the fact the RBB visited them during the week at a training session? who knows, However...JUST KEEP PLAYING LIKE THIS FROM NOW ONWARDS

Hopefully, the squad can do the same against Sterling Macedonia FC Perth Glory. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by MathyouWSW

[Tranquilo]

What a start to the year. Had good vibes walking down to the stadium with cars of Wanderers tooting their horns and yelling go Wanderers.

The first 20 minutes despite being New Years day and many hung over supporters the RBB belted out and got the crowd awake with their chanting and enthusiasm. This was a great lift and got the team the lift they needed to start strong and strong we did after 20 minutes 2-0 nil up.

Clinical finishing from the boys, strong at the back and moving fwd with purpose and precision, The Bulls controlled the 2nd half but a lot of possession led to not creating much chances and again we got in the right areas to cause them grief.

Rudan new we were in a bit of a slump after a loss and a few draws and really need the win tonight to keep us up the top and to give the fans and the players the encouragement to keep believing this season.

Yengi playing up front gave us more of a direct threat instead of the slow build up holding up play of Krpic, and it worked wanders Rudans plan for this match, despite Macarthur having come off 2 wins with 4 goals scored and none conceded, we got it right tonight and were lethal.

7 goals conceeded in 10 matches has us sitting 2nd spot on the ladder and also in goals conceeded only 1 behind Oil City. 4 goals tonight is a wakeup call to the rest of the League that we are not just a 1-0 nil smash n grab team aka Western United of last season.

Good to see familar faces on game day, keep turning up, keep watching from home/pubs and wear your colours proud!

 

[bombagol]

That's how you deliver a Happy New Year!!!

[Tranquilo]

31 minutes ago, Davo said:

He needs to learn how to pronounce the players names if he’s going to be the stadium announcer.

On multiple occasions he said Oliver Bosnich.

and also said we were playing next sunday at home against Melb City

[Upthehill]

15 minutes ago, MathyouWSW said:

Is it safe to say that this match has most likely cemented Yengi's spot into the starting XI as the number 9 over Krpic?

Only slight correction there was Yenni was 9. Yengi played LW. And to be honest he really looked good there

[MathyouWSW]

5 minutes ago, Upthehill said:

Only slight correction there was Yenni was 9. Yengi played LW. And to be honest he really looked good there

Sorry, you're right...I meant to put Yeni (N'Gbakoto), not Yengi.

[Upthehill]

8 minutes ago, MathyouWSW said:

Sorry, you're right...I meant to put Yeni (N'Gbakoto), not Yengi.

Yeah I'd say he's got that locked down. He wasn't anything special, he just wasn't dreadful. Didn't seem to feel the need to constantly drop off the line.

Did you see Krpic at the end defending on our own 6 yard box, instead of being up on the last man? He seems to get involved in the build up way too much, and he's never there to do his actual job.

Although watching Yenni drop that world class switch onto borellos feet was glorious.

 

[pseudonym]

WSW record on New Year's Day (all played at Parramatta)

2013 - win against Victory - 2-1

2014 - loss against Phoenix - 1-3

2015 - draw against CCM - 0-0

2016 - draw against Adelaide - 0-0

2017 - draw against Perth - 1-1

2018 - win against City - 2-1

2019 - loss against City - 0-2

2020 - loss against Roar - 1-2

2023 - win against Bulls - 4-0

[StringerBellend]

It was eetswa 

[MathyouWSW]

12 hours ago, Wanderboy said:

Jack who? ESFC, you can keep the flop.

Jack Flopwell 

[VedranRozic]

We are looking pretty good huh? (Crosses himself three times not to jinx it). Great keeper, strong in defence, great midfield (with a bit of depth there too), and looking better in attack now too. If Rudes can bring in a couple of good forwards in the transfer window, then…..(wait, what is this? Optimism???)

 

[octa9ona11]

Marcelo and Mrcela are absolutely immense. Our best CB pairing by a mile. The ability to bring on a third decent CB in Tongyik and Rudan being willing to change formation is accommodate this when needed is awesome too. I cant remember the last time I saw us changing formation through a match. All our recent coaches just seem to pick a formation and stick with it, whether it's working or not. The only downer for me last night was I won tickets to the members lounge and my name was displayed on the big screen multiple times... only they spelt my last name totally wrong🤣🤣🤣🤣 Just like the ground announcer with "Bosnich"....1 job!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WSWJACK]

Bozanic has been the perfect drop in, seamless and classy and is finding the onion bag on top as well. 

[Paul01]

Yeni ngbakoto was clutching at left hamstring well he came off. Hope it is just a twinge

[Zelinsky]

2 hours ago, VedranRozic said:

We are looking pretty good huh? (Crosses himself three times not to jinx it). Great keeper, strong in defence, great midfield (with a bit of depth there too), and looking better in attack now too. If Rudes can bring in a couple of good forwards in the transfer window, then…..(wait, what is this? Optimism???)

 

Yes! We are going to win th….   - oh, never mind.

[BoyFromTheWest]

A mate of mine has been proclaiming, 'The ACL is coming home!'

I dream...