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  • Los Reyes Del Empate

    mack

    By mack

    The Gombau Era began tonight for the Western Sydney Wanderers against Melbourne City with a 1-1 draw in Melbourne.

    Melbourne City has the best of the opening opportunities, as the Wanderers were clearly struggling to adjust to the Gombau tactical regime. Western Sydney lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Kearyn Baccus as the lone defensive midfielder, and Roly Bonevacia & Mark Bridge playing together in central midfield. With Alvaro Cejudo on the bench due to injury, Gombau promoted Jaushua Sotirio to the starting lineup.

    The best chance in the first half for the home side came from a horrid backpass by Raul Llorente, as his attempt at finding Vedran Janjetovic instead found Ross McCormack. The striker was in the penalty area unattended with only the keeper to beat. With all the time in the world McCormack could only find the boot of Janjetovic. Late in the half  McCormack was given a shot from a free kick right outside the area, he curled the ball over the wall but it was met with another wonderful save from a flying Janjetovic.

    The inclusion of Sotirio into the squad turned into a move of genius. With Osama Malik caught on the ball by Oriol Riera his defensive team-mate Llorente pounced on the loose ball, sending it along the ground for the run of Sotirio, who made the best of the ball being slightly behind him to send it through the legs of Eugene Galekovic, onto the woodwork, before the winger turned it home into the open net to open the scoring.

    Melbourne City looked slightly the better side in the second half, and with the help of the VAR they were given a spot kick in the 55th minute. After Osama Malik booted the ball into Row Z, the ref awarded a goal kick, only to have the VAR overturn the referees decision & award a penalty for a foul from Llorente. After wasting a bunch of chances in open play, McCormack stepped up to the spot & sent Janjetovic the wrong way to equalise.

    The last half hour was a see-sawing affair that Melbourne City given the benefit of the officials whistle on numerous occasions. The Wanderers pressed & probed for a winner but weren't able to find one, while City were unable to get past a stellar Janjetovic for a second time. The Gombau Era starting for the Wanderers with a draw, just like the Wanderers first ever game under Popovic against the Central Coast Mariners. The biggest tactical change came with the use of Baccus as a sole defensive midfield distributor, Alvaro Cejudo was deployed in the midfield and made a lot of good touches but it will remain to be see if that will be a permanent switch. All in all, a decent if not wonderful start for Josep Gombau as the Wanderers manager, but one that looks promising.

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    Prydzopolis

    I was much more concerned at the beginning of the game, the slight tweaks saw us invert the triangle in midfield and Baccus seemed very uncomfortable.

    The other change was how isolated that Riera was up top & perhaps led to his frustration? How Bridge wasn’t substituted was beyond me, invisible in the second half but at least we made changes in 60 & 75 minutes at least giving our subs a chance to make an impact.

    In fact our whole team looked uncomfortable, marking was non-existent, holes everywhere and it seems like we have lost something already in our first game. For me, we were lucky to escape with a draw, they had chance after chance and if it weren’t for Vedran being huge then we’d be walking away without a point.

    14 hours ago, wanderersfanatic said:

    Should there be any concerns between Riera and Gombau? 

    For me, yes. Can you be annoyed that you got subbed off? Yes, but can you slap the managers hand away & mouth off at him whilst taking your seat? Most definitely not. That attitude or behavior should not be allowed to continue or fester. By all means, kick a water bottle, scream, sulk in your chair etc etc but don’t disrespect your manager.

    I suspect that he’ll be repremanded by the manager behind closed doors or he’ll pick up a fine up by the boys.

    ———————————-

    There will be more pain (read: more draws) till things turn around, in a TV interview Gombau has specified that the aim is to implement his style first and then make a run at the post season cup.

    Link to comment
    ZachMercer
    16 minutes ago, 2549_1494053217 said:

    It dont look good on tv. shame.

    I reckon it's just a bit of frustration with either service or tactics or both. Wouldn't read that as bad blood. My experience from Spanish friends would be a more "you're dead to me" interaction with no acknowledgement or eye contact if there was a problem.

    Link to comment
    JayZko

    Rofl we should of won convincingly hopefully it means your dead to me and January we pick up Jamie Maclaren 😃 he makes his own service 

    Link to comment
    DanButler

    Anyone else notice how exhausted our players were at the end of the game compared to city players? Everyone except Vedran on all fours/crouching/lying down. Fitness problems? 

    Link to comment
    sonar
    2 hours ago, JayZko said:

    Rofl we should of won convincingly...................

    Jay, I can't see how you came to that conclusion mate, if the players we have are crap...lol We should be losing every game by heaps....lol....yet we are still undefeated, new manager been there a week,sitting 4th, some work to do on tactics...sure...lol 

     

    Link to comment
    Sithslayer1991

    Bridge at Cm? forgot he was on the park for the 2nd half. Still undefeated thanks to the Vedran and where would we be without Robbie Cornthwaite?

    Gombau has some work to do this week to improve the team.

    Link to comment
    JayZko
    1 hour ago, sonar said:

    Jay, I can't see how you came to that conclusion mate, if the players we have are crap...lol We should be losing every game by heaps....lol....yet we are still undefeated, new manager been there a week,sitting 4th, some work to do on tactics...sure...lol 

     

    It’s sad we’ve got unbelievable defensive partnership between cornflakes and Thwaite best keeper in Vedran More 

    and so much possession but or attacking options are crap we’re way to slow

    Link to comment
    JayZko

    Ouch 

    It’s hard for someone who knows football to constantly watch us have the same problem agian and agian to everyone I apologise but 

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    Burgerman

    Did we even midfield this game, we looked lost in attack and will need to fix the cam setup as Bridge was poor, take a draw from that as $ity could have scored 4/5 goals if it wasn't for snake and their striker having a bad day out.

    Bring on the Nix at home and hopefully Gombau gets more training sessions in and the boys pick up this style as the first 20" was piss poor.

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    WestSyd

    Looks like Bridgey came back to Australia for his pension.

    The fitness thing still baffles me a little. How can we get so tired in comparison to other teams towards the end of games? Surely that means we have to change something in the way we play as we are tiring ourselves out too easily. I doubt our players are that unfit.

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    Smoggy
    5 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

    What I got from reira incident is he's one passionaite playing who is sick of not winning 

    more of the above please 

    Gombau can handle the rest 

    Yep, not a bad thing at all, hope Reira said how it is in the changing room afterwards. 

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    Smoggy
    9 minutes ago, WestSyd said:

    Looks like Bridgey came back to Australia for his pension.

    The fitness thing still baffles me a little. How can we get so tired in comparison to other teams towards the end of games? Surely that means we have to change something in the way we play as we are tiring ourselves out too easily. I doubt our players are that unfit.

    Bridgey looked done just before he left us the last time, love him and always will, but it was his mate Popa doing him a favour by getting him out of the shitehole in Thailand.

    But let us not forget it was only  few weeks ago he scored a damned fine goal, he still has it in flashes.

    Roly disappointed me big time last night, need MUCH more from him.

    Edited by WSWBoro
    Link to comment
    WestSyd
    8 minutes ago, WSWBoro said:

    Bridgey looked done just before he left us the last time, love him and always will, but it was his mate Popa doing him a favour by getting him out of the shitehole in Thailand.

    But let us not forget it was only  few weeks ago he scored a damned fine goal, he still has it in flashes.

    Roly disappointed me big time last night.

    Bridge probably needs to be used in a different role. More off the bench as a sub to bring something different to the game. Playing the whole game he gets worked out pretty quickly.

    As for Riera, I think it would be easier for him to have done what he did due to the fact him and Gombau are both Spanish and were in the same academy. Gombau seemed to take it ok. Almost as if it didn't bother him and he half expected it.  I don't think Riera would have tried that with another coach (or Popa if he was around). 

    Edited by WestSyd
    Link to comment
    StringerBellend

    Random Thoughts 

    - Sotirio at times left them for dead with his pace, which was good to see given how slow we have been 

    - sotirio’s touch and awareness is not that of a professional footballer, highlights included him trying to control a cross field ball and it bouncing of him. Running straight into a defender as he has his head down when running with the ball

    - we looked better when Sejudo came on and played central, he actually played a few very nice passes. I’d be playing him there (instead of bridge)

    - I like that Gombau has us playing with more width, sotirio ans Jumpei actually stayed wide rather than our usual clog the middle up

    -Thwaite is a decent player 

    - Var is crap, but it was a penalty even though he was never going to get to the ball (that doesn’t matter)

    - our trying to constantly play the ball out from the back when it isn’t on drives me nuts. We couldn’t get over half way for first 10 minuets yet we still kept rolling it out from keeper passing in to a congested midfield and losing it. Reira is ace at holding the ball up and laying it back to others, we should go long to him a lot more and build from there  

    - it’s a criminal waste of a player who thrives of headers to have nobody who can cross to him. Hopefully Risdon coming back will fix this 

    - City really aren’t that good, nobody we have played so far really worries me

    - not baccus’s best game him and Roly kept turning the ball over 

    - we should do a Roly chant to the Dolly Parton song Jolene 

    Edited by StringerBellend
    Link to comment
    Hughesy

    Teams play a high press against us yet every time we win the ball in defence our transition to attack is too slow. City had their 2 centre halves bombing on to the edge of the box, we’d win possession and rather than spread it to the wing and take off upfield, we’d play it laterally or backwards and let them reset. A quick transition would murder these teams. 

    I’ll never understand the appeal of Sotirio. Bloke gives his best and that’s all I’ll ask but he just does not have the skill or brains. He can run all day and very quickly at that, but put a ball at his feet and he struggles. Seems to be a trait of most young Aussie attackers these days to be honest. 

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    Prydzopolis
    57 minutes ago, WestSyd said:

    Bridge probably needs to be used in a different role. More off the bench as a sub to bring something different to the game. Playing the whole game he gets worked out pretty quickly.

    100%, it’s clear that once he came back from Thailand after his knee injury he just hasn’t been the same. Useful player, usually has his best game in the first half so make of that what you will

    34 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

    Sotirio at times left them for dead with his pace, which was good to see given how slow we have been 

    - sotirio’s touch and awareness is not that of a professional footballer, highlights included him trying to control a cross field ball and it bouncing of him. Running straight into a defender as he has his head down when running with the ball

    Sotirio for me is a necessary evil, the payoff for a player who takes up not much of the cap. He may not be the most skillful or the most talented but he tries to make up for it by working hard.

    Last night he showed his value and something I feel we have been missing. Run his heart out for 60 minutes and then bring on a more talented player to unlock defenses.

    4 hours ago, DanButler said:

    Anyone else notice how exhausted our players were at the end of the game compared to city players? Everyone except Vedran on all fours/crouching/lying down. Fitness problems? 

    Yes, 100% agree. They were spent and I don’t remember ever in any season that the players have been that under prepared. It has been a number of weeks the players have showed these effects.

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    tardotz

    Sotiro is a fast player and can see him being used when we are away and playing the counter attack game.

    Jumpei is great with the ball at his feet, he is quick and can take almost any player one on one. His problem is he is always looking at the ball at his feet , when he looks up he loses it

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    Horus

    Sortiro may be fast but whats the point if he overuns or over hits the ball on his 2nd or 3rd touch - the kids a liability, and surely no-one can honestly hand on their heart can say that he didn't butcher his first shot only to get lucky on the rebound...

    Unfortunately Fathead cant start anymore

    Gombau patted Oriel on the back as he steamed past...so i'm not worried

    ...and I'm happy that Oriel had the shits, at least it showed he cares and isn't here just to bank a pay cheque  and hang out at Leichardt 

    Edited by Horus
    Link to comment
    luisenrique
    4 hours ago, GunnerWanderer said:

    What I got from reira incident is he's one passionaite playing who is sick of not winning 

    more of the above please 

    Gombau can handle the rest 

    Yep, I think it's a complete non-issue to be honest. If anything it's a positive. I've said before, you can tell the imports this year give a **** more than they have in previous years (as a collective).

    Also don't think it was such a disastrous performance as everyone suggests. Yes they had more chances, but away from home against on paper probably the best squad in the league, without two Socceroos in our team (one current one former), we caused them more than a few issues at the back as well. We could easily have won it at the end. 

    It's unrealistic to expect us to go dominate City away from home in a new manager's first game in charge, I actually thought we looked more fluid up front once we got our **** together than we have for a while. Obviously missing the crosses to Riera though.

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    Davo

    People keep bringing up the fitness issue but were we really that bad at the end of the game? I thought we controlled the last 15 mins and looked more like scoring while their chances all came on the break. Admittedly we were pretty awful at the beginning of the game, which is new for this season, but we didn't fade out like we did in previous rounds.

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    GunnerWanderer

    Luis 100% agree the imports have bought into the culture and want to represent western Sydney proudly 

    i an confident come finals time we will be a genuine contender as with all predictions only time will tell

    but when reira is lifting the golden boot I wonder what jayzko will have to say 

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