Henrique Keeps Wanderers Anchored To Bottom

 

• Football feast on Saturday, football famine on Wednesday.
• Uninspiring football left me uninspired.
• We can argue about the penalty, but we can't argue that it all started with a defensive error by Cole. We continue to be opened up via the wings.
• Once the Roar had the lead all they needed to do was to defended it, and they did it well. MacKay and Brattan ruled in midfield, and we were not able to apply sufficient pressure over 90 minutes.
• I don't know what Saba is meant to be doing for us, but I don't believe he is a play maker. He certainly is no Ono.
• Ruka, Castelen, Saba - they need a goal.
• What is missing is a can opener to deal with parked buses. We need someone who can bang in the goals that we are unable to score. Right now I don't care if he is called Henry, Cahill, or else, but with Santa out and Haliti making the decisions he makes there is currently no valid alternative to Juric.
• We move on. Adelaide is waiting.

A strong synopsis of the game. Agree r.e. Saba, he has been very disappointing since the ACL. It's time for him to step up. Aside from accruing cards, what has he done? He is losing the ball constantly, doesn't get in sight of goal, and most importantly, is creating nothing. I'm beginning to think we wasted our money. Happy to be proved wrong.

 

As you touched on, the big issue is our inability to break down defences with large numbers behind the ball. We look totally out of ideas. Juric and Ruka look threatening, the rest look like they could go an entire season without scoring. In the past teams would take the game to us, and we often hit them hard on the counter. This happened in the ACL too. Teams have now learnt it is more effective to sit back against us, and 'out Wander the Wanderers.' How Popa counters this will be his next great evolution.

 

We will go into the new year last and winless, but all we can do is keep supporting. Even in rubbish performances like last night, the players are trying. Win or lose ...

It was only last month ! Can't we live off it for another few weeks at least ! Perspective plesse !

There is no reason we can't live off it and simultaneously look at the quite serious issue of the rather ordinary performances we are dishing up atm.

It's not just winning that measures our success as a club - it's also how we deal with losing. With every game our supporters continue to reaffirm that we are the most passionate and supportive in the A League and every time our players dust themselves off after a loss or draw and put in a wholehearted performance like they did last night they reaffirm their self belief, inner strength and unwillingness to surrender. We are successful regardless of our position on the ladder and unless Parramatta Stadium is silenced or our players stop trying we will continue to be a success.

We didn't play well but we all knew what kind of refereeing performance to expect when we saw who was appointed to our game.

Exactly. We need go into games not relying on any help from the refs because frankly the standard is diabolical. Its so inconsistent that we need to assume they are going to shaft us and do our best to win the frackin game despite the refs performance. 

 

Our poor A-league run:

I really do wonder what the issue is? Is it our mental stamina? Is this the reason we can't seem to find the net? I still believe we've got the goods on paper and there are moments when that's realised on the pitch. Our 1st half against esfc last week saw us play some great attacking, possession football. Creative and dynamic. And we had a bonanza of chances. Yet we drew. Last night we were so restricted by the iron defense in Brisbane's goal third, we didn't work to break the defense up. We either tried to shoot with 6-8 orange shirts in the box, resulting in human ping pong, or passed it back, spread ourselves out to get space but lacked the creativity (intuitiveness?) to make those gaps work for us. This is where I feel we're lacking

 

i'll put my hand up and say tactics are not my forte - but from Bay 1 in the Western stand it was a damn muddle. 

 

When things aren't gelling on the pitch, it makes me think things aren't gelling with the boys off the pitch. And I hate to think that's the case. 

I would be tearing Baccus apart if I was Popa, in the first half when he beat a couple of defenders in the penalty area and then he just dived trying to win the penalty.

 

All he had to do was take another touch and then he had a good chance to shoot.

 

I sat in the western stand tonight, because my mum didnt go so i took her seat to stay dry (my major mistake tonight)

 

Never again, all the fans there do is yell out crap to the ref when he makes a right call, criticize the players they pass the ball backwards and quite a few people left at the 88 minute mark.

 

I'm sure that there are lot of people in the western stand that know their football, and it was probably just a few idiots sitting near me,

But it made the game not enjoyable to watch.

My seats are in the Western stand and I get pretty frustrated with the level of participation with the game. I try and give the RBB chants a lift all the way in Bay 1 but its a thankless job. Having said that, last night was just difficult to get the atmosphere going. Sluggish on the pitch and  in my bay, sluggish off unfortunately. Last week the Western stand were in pretty good voice, particularly directly opposite the smurf supporters, so not all bad all the time.

decided to visit the elite bay 54 crew yesterday......they werent there!, at least i didnt see them there, scared of the rain?

I wish people would stop comparing Saba and Ono. It's not fair given Ono has played professional football almost as long as Saba has been alive. Popa has watched over Saba since the club's inception. Ono was an opportunistic marquee purchase made at the last minute that just happened to pay off well over the odds. Clearly they are two very different types of players, and clearly Popa is trying to play a very different style of football now compared to the war of grinding attrition that was our style in the first season.

 

Saba might be struggling to fit the bill a bit at the moment, but you could probably count on one hand the number of players who actually look comfortable out on the paddock right now. It's starting to feel like a Salem trial, with people lining up Saba to be the first witch off the rank simply because he doesn't have the football brain of a world weary man in his mid-30s who has already seen it all before.

 

If Popa wanted to keep Shinji he had ample opportunity to make him an offer. He didn't, and we need to move on. Fans need to adapt just as much as the players and manager do, especially with a turnover like we had between seasons 2 and 3.

 

As for walking out on the team, completely agree with all of those who have criticised those who do. It's a faithless act that shows disrespect for the team. When Ruka hit the crossbar, one of my first thoughts was "imagine how all those who just left, and heard the crowd's reaction, would feel wondering what happened" closely followed by "I wish we scored, not just for the point but so that those 'fans' missed out on seeing the goal and learnt a lesson". Never leave a game early, it's not over until the fat lady sings - particularly when there's only a goal in it.

 

People need to remember the words to the song - "We will follow you forever, We will be by your side".

 

That means good times, AND bad times.

 

We WILL click - when cohesion becomes better, when shots on goal become regular. We played some of our most enterprising and attractive football ever against the Smurfs - 1 week ago!! Stick with them!

 

It's a 10 team comp with 6 finals spots, and we're going to improve much more than some of the teams above us. COYW.

 

 

Ruka's shots go in instead of hitting woodwork and against the Jets we win as well and 75% of complaints don't occur.

Sooner of later the ball starts going in. If it doesn't oh well the forum gets more heated and interesting.

Win WIn i say 

It's not just winning that measures our success as a club - it's also how we deal with losing. With every game our supporters continue to reaffirm that we are the most passionate and supportive in the A League and every time our players dust themselves off after a loss or draw and put in a wholehearted performance like they did last night they reaffirm their self belief, inner strength and unwillingness to surrender. We are successful regardless of our position on the ladder and unless Parramatta Stadium is silenced or our players stop trying we will continue to be a success.

I like the positive attitude, but statements like this, especially when we lack even the shallow history of other A-League clubs, are just empty, self indulgent wanks better left for the pulpit out at Hillsong.

 

Right now we aren't succeeding, and until we make it through a horrible season with most of our support intact I wouldn't even dare to try and take the mantle of "club with the most passionate supporter base" from a club like the Victory.

 

Hell, I would argue that Perth are above us in terms of loyalty from their fans - their crowds may not be quite as large, but that club has survived with a reasonably sized core base for far longer than the A-League has existed.

 

Our club is young, and we have very passionate supporters, but please, let's not overdo it.

Ruka's shots go in instead of hitting woodwork and against the Jets we win as well and 75% of complaints don't occur.

Sooner of later the ball starts going in. If it doesn't oh well the forum gets more heated and interesting.

Win WIn i say 

Heated and interesting. Your kinda place.

Generator... You seem like a decent bloke but take half empty approach. What if you flip to half full?

We plugged away with the players we could get in the first two seasons, but it has always been obvious that we were at least one level below the top team in both seasons. Season one we scraped a win away to Central Coast, season two we were 3rd behind Roar and daylight. We need to develop a squad instead of buying one, that is where other teams have had the advantage on us. The Marty Los and Sotorios need first grade football or we'll be buying a new squad every two years like dyckheads *****.

 

 

We are 4 points away from an away finals series to a soft wannabe club, if we stick with it we can take the piss out of the league and at least make the semis with our kids playing

Got to see and spend more time with and meet great people.

 

Had a night not having to worry about anything more serious than a game of football.

 

Thanks to Lloydy got into the RBB and revelled in the rain like I was a little kid.

 

More mid-week football.

 

Great times.

 

We lost, but we still have a football team and we will get to play another day, nobody got struck by lightening and we're still alive.

 

I'm wrapped personally.

I wish I could've gone last night - I wasn't at the game unfortunately, I was going to go, I had my jersey on and everything...

 

And a friend gave me two hours notice for his birthday dinner

 

 

Anyway, I watched a recording when I got home.

 

 

On the plus side, I was WSW reppin' in the city - complete with the gold star over the crest. Actually shines in the light. Beautiful stuff

Very well said Tony

 

It's not just winning that measures our success as a club - it's also how we deal with losing. With every game our supporters continue to reaffirm that we are the most passionate and supportive in the A League and every time our players dust themselves off after a loss or draw and put in a wholehearted performance like they did last night they reaffirm their self belief, inner strength and unwillingness to surrender. We are successful regardless of our position on the ladder and unless Parramatta Stadium is silenced or our players stop trying we will continue to be a success.

I like the positive attitude, but statements like this, especially when we lack even the shallow history of other A-League clubs, are just empty, self indulgent wanks better left for the pulpit out at Hillsong.

Right now we aren't succeeding, and until we make it through a horrible season with most of our support intact I wouldn't even dare to try and take the mantle of "club with the most passionate supporter base" from a club like the Victory.

Hell, I would argue that Perth are above us in terms of loyalty from their fans - their crowds may not be quite as large, but that club has survived with a reasonably sized core base for far longer than the A-League has existed.

Our club is young, and we have very passionate supporters, but please, let's not overdo it.

This is just the attitude taken by so many other supporters of other teams wanting to see WSW fall off its mantle. It's disappointing, why can't we just unite and believe the best in our supporter base. Sure we have a few bandwagoners who will fall off sooner or later if the results don't improve but do you think that is all of our 19,000 members? Don't think so! Comparing us to Perth Glory don't even go there

 

W2154, I don't mind the constructive stuff but it's just constant negativity that is just frustrating. Let's change the whole team, change the formation, players aren't good enough, Popa isn't good enough, we aren't succedding this season (hello, just won the ACL) etc etc I just think this does nothing for the team or club. Let's be be constructive and break things down on where things are going wrong and look for things to improve the team.

 

To the Saba expectations comparing him to Ono. Look it's really hard not to do this but the problem is that Ono played in a certain way for us in our first two seasons that made us so dangerous in the final third. Even though Saba isn't Ono, we bought this player to replace him but he doesn't play in the same way as Ono which is why things aren't clicking right now. Either Saba has to adjust or the team have to adjust to him. I feel that Saba has to adjust and grow into his role changing his game to get the best out of the team and himself. Unfortunately this isn't going to be a couple game process, but I just hope that when he does start firing for us that he sticks around to replay that loyalty shown in him by the fans, Popa and the club.

 

Been lurking for a while but had to sign up to add a big +1 to this.  All this Saba is no Ono talk is madness.  Let's see, before he came to the Wanderers Shinji had played several hundred games for Red Diamonds and Feyenoord, had been in the Japanese national team for almost 15 years and played in three world cups.  He was an international superstar, still playing good football, an amazing team player and had a great work ethic.  Saba must be pretty darn lazy and incompetent not to just fit right in and take over where Ono left off.  Sarcasm aside, give the guy time.  Popa has obviously seen something in him that he feels he can develop.  At 24 he was never going to be a one for one replacement for Ono (I throw it open to the floor to name anyone who would be a one for one replacement for Ono that matches everything he brought, Ono's don't just grow on trees where you can pick another one when one leaves).  I don't claim to have anywhere near the football brains that some on here have but considering Popa is the most methodical strategist in the A League I doubt very much he just picked him up because the wind was blowing a certain direction - he has a plan and in Popa I trust.  If he still hasn't fired by the end of the season then we can re-evaluate but plenty of time left.  

 

Enough with the witch hunts, a month ago we won the ACL and if history is anything to go by, clubs with far deeper pockets have fallen into huge form slumps post ACL win due to the huge toll the campaign takes on the team.  Enjoy the feeling of being ACL champions, we will almost certainly experience a number of A League titles but may possibly never again in our lifetimes be champions of Asia.  Perspective please!  We have a freakin' star after all, something in all likelihood no other A League team is going to get for a very long time.  Enough ranting by this n00b, fire away!

 

Welcome to active participation on the forums Dugong!!

 

Great first post!!

 

I wish people would stop comparing Saba and Ono. It's not fair given Ono has played professional football almost as long as Saba has been alive. Popa has watched over Saba since the club's inception. Ono was an opportunistic marquee purchase made at the last minute that just happened to pay off well over the odds. Clearly they are two very different types of players, and clearly Popa is trying to play a very different style of football now compared to the war of grinding attrition that was our style in the first season.

 

Saba might be struggling to fit the bill a bit at the moment, but you could probably count on one hand the number of players who actually look comfortable out on the paddock right now. It's starting to feel like a Salem trial, with people lining up Saba to be the first witch off the rank simply because he doesn't have the football brain of a world weary man in his mid-30s who has already seen it all before.

 

If Popa wanted to keep Shinji he had ample opportunity to make him an offer. He didn't, and we need to move on. Fans need to adapt just as much as the players and manager do, especially with a turnover like we had between seasons 2 and 3.

 

Been lurking for a while but had to sign up to add a big +1 to this.  All this Saba is no Ono talk is madness.  Let's see, before he came to the Wanderers Shinji had played several hundred games for Red Diamonds and Feyenoord, had been in the Japanese national team for almost 15 years and played in three world cups.  He was an international superstar, still playing good football, an amazing team player and had a great work ethic.  Saba must be pretty darn lazy and incompetent not to just fit right in and take over where Ono left off.  Sarcasm aside, give the guy time.  Popa has obviously seen something in him that he feels he can develop.  At 24 he was never going to be a one for one replacement for Ono (I throw it open to the floor to name anyone who would be a one for one replacement for Ono that matches everything he brought, Ono's don't just grow on trees where you can pick another one when one leaves).  I don't claim to have anywhere near the football brains that some on here have but considering Popa is the most methodical strategist in the A League I doubt very much he just picked him up because the wind was blowing a certain direction - he has a plan and in Popa I trust.  If he still hasn't fired by the end of the season then we can re-evaluate but plenty of time left.  

 

Enough with the witch hunts, a month ago we won the ACL and if history is anything to go by, clubs with far deeper pockets have fallen into huge form slumps post ACL win due to the huge toll the campaign takes on the team.  Enjoy the feeling of being ACL champions, we will almost certainly experience a number of A League titles but may possibly never again in our lifetimes be champions of Asia.  Perspective please!  We have a freakin' star after all, something in all likelihood no other A League team is going to get for a very long time.  Enough ranting by this n00b, fire away!

 

welcome to the forum and i 100% agree

 

Wendy won

Last night was very poor.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

 

We are devoid of attacking options.

We are 11 reasonable good players, but a shite team.

We have little or no cohesion.

We lacked a lot of intensity and focus last night.

We really miss those little combinations, especially Hersi & Polenz on the right.

We can't continue to concede two deep midfielders at home to weak teams in the A-League, we have to attack them.

What the hell is letting left footed players taking in swinging free kicks from the right all about?

(for **** sake we have NTS, a man mountain, just let him run on to a nice ball).

Baccus did look good, but he's no Mooy.

Not convinced about Adeleke, at least we know Golec can put in a pretty good crosses.

We've currently ****ed unless Juric plays.

Saba needs to wear the light blue booties.

 

Black shorts, please.

Last night was very poor.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

We are devoid of attacking options.

We are 11 reasonable good players, but a shite team.

We have little or no cohesion.

We lacked a lot of intensity and focus last night.

We really miss those little combinations, especially Hersi & Polenz on the right.

We can't continue to concede two deep midfielders at home to weak teams in the A-League, we have to attack them.

What the hell is letting left footed players taking in swinging free kicks from the right all about?

(for **** sake we have NTS, a man mountain, just let him run on to a nice ball).

Baccus did look good, but he's no Mooy.

Not convinced about Adeleke, at least we know Golec can put in a pretty good crosses.

We've currently ****ed unless Juric plays.

Saba needs to wear the light blue booties.

Black shorts, please.

Baccus did look good, but he's no Mooy.

we have seen him play for about 5 seconds, a bit too early to say that yet, maybe he isnt like mooy and wont chase the oil money

Oh, also, take the white shorts out somewhere, pour petrol over them and burn them.  Then pour petrol over the ashes and burn that too.  Let us never see white shorts again.

Left foot players taking free kicks from the right is good though...

 

Like in-swinging corners.

 

It was only last month ! Can't we live off it for another few weeks at least ! Perspective plesse !

We'll cherish it forever however we need to restore our fear factor and soon....every single away team so far this season has huddled into a group at wanderland before kick off and come away with a result...we were clearly the better team in 3 of the 4 games however have nothing to show for it.

Clearly the better team you say? Then stop complaining you glory hunter

 

Left foot players taking free kicks from the right is good though...

 

Like in-swinging corners.

 

Yes. I like in-swinging corners.

Although on corners, we need to vary it up a little.

 

Free-kicks though, when the entire defence is on the edge of the box,

floating a ball over to the keeper isn't giving the attacking team the high percentage.

 

Better to let in hang in the air, tempt the keeper and let attacking players run on to it.

(just my opinion, like).

 

I would be tearing Baccus apart if I was Popa, in the first half when he beat a couple of defenders in the penalty area and then he just dived trying to win the penalty.

 

All he had to do was take another touch and then he had a good chance to shoot.

 

I sat in the western stand tonight, because my mum didnt go so i took her seat to stay dry (my major mistake tonight)

 

Never again, all the fans there do is yell out crap to the ref when he makes a right call, criticize the players they pass the ball backwards and quite a few people left at the 88 minute mark.

 

I'm sure that there are lot of people in the western stand that know their football, and it was probably just a few idiots sitting near me,

But it made the game not enjoyable to watch.

My seats are in the Western stand and I get pretty frustrated with the level of participation with the game. I try and give the RBB chants a lift all the way in Bay 1 but its a thankless job. Having said that, last night was just difficult to get the atmosphere going. Sluggish on the pitch and  in my bay, sluggish off unfortunately. Last week the Western stand were in pretty good voice, particularly directly opposite the smurf supporters, so not all bad all the time.

 

Here's an idea, get membership in the active areas...

I know what you're saying dmixtaa and I realise members in the stands have a right to be as active as they want to be but when we really need the boys to lift, I think it's the exception to the rule. I'm not saying sing for 90 minutes but I'm saying for the big moments, let's get them over the line!

I know what you're saying dmixtaa and I realise members in the stands have a right to be as active as they want to be but when we really need the boys to lift, I think it's the exception to the rule. I'm not saying sing for 90 minutes but I'm saying for the big moments, let's get them over the line!

Hmmm

We are in western stand Bay 5, we always get into it and have a go but its pretty tough getting stand people to sing.

 

BUTTTTTTTT,

 

To the RBB collective leaders. Boys whats the go with the call and response. We used tod do 3 calls per each stand then a united one x 3 im pretty sure. Now we are at one call per side and one collective one.

 

On Wed the first half there was no call and response. Its obvious the RBB have made a decision to change and thats their right. However I gotta ask why they would do that? The bond between the stands and the RBB is  important and the call response is critical to that. I can assure all in RBB leadership group those in the stands that I speak with are very aware of that.

 

So to ask the stands to do more when team is in need is reasonable and I try my best. However when our own key supporter group makes a deliberate decision to significantly reduce active and stand interaction you got ask why?

 

So can anyone answer this without it turning into a bun fight?

 

I also think that the Paranoia chant is easily able to transform from RBB to stands. We can do more im sure.

We used tod do 3 calls per each stand then a united one x 3 im pretty sure. Now we are at one call per side and one collective one.

 

 

 

It was overkill (IMO, and obviously in other's as well). Being in the rbb, by the 5th time saying "WDWSF", you almost.... just want the chant to end. This was it's quick, still gets the stands involved, and it doesn't.... I don't know, drag on.. I guess.

 

 

 

Maybe one in each half would be a good compromise... Dunno