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  • Normal Service Resumes After A-League Break

    mack

    By mack

    The Wanderers maintained their consistent performances in the A-League with a come from in front 2-1 loss against Melbourne City this afternoon.

     

    Despite taking an early lead through debutante Yojiro Takahagi who curled a free kick through a sea of bodies to leave City keeper Andrew Redmayne clutching at thin air, a defensive error from Nick Kalmar allowed City to break away for the equaliser and it was ex-Wanderer Aaron Mooy who slotted home a long range winner in the 73rd minute.

     

    In addition to Takahagi, Sam Gallaway & Yusuke Tanaka made their debuts for the Wanderers. Tanaka is an injury replacement for Iacopo La Rocca while Nick Kalmar was bought back to the squad on another injury replacement contract for Romeo Castelen.

     

    Just 5 minutes into his debut Tanaka had his debut A-League goal. A free kick on the Wanderers left flank was swung in by the twice capped Japanese midfielder, it beat both defender and attacker and bounced on the penalty spot. Redmayne was caught on his heels expecting a touch from a Wanderer that never came and his despairing dive couldn't prevent the ball nestling into the side netting. The twin Japanese imports celebrated the goal in the corner with a sumo goal celebration.

     

    That was as good as it got for the visitors, as they succumbed to yet another display of inept passing, pointless long balls to a striker ill suited for the task, and complete domination at the hands of the opposition.

     

    It took just 20 minutes for City to equalise, the move started and finished by Jacob Melling. Nick Kalmar strode out of the Wanderers defensive area, only to take an eternity to release the ball. After being closed down by Melling the ex-Heart player spun on his heels before attempting a long switch that was blocked by Melling. It fell to makeshift striker Robert Koren who fed it through the line to Mooy. On the byline his chipped cross found Melling steaming onto the ball and he beat a statuesque Topor-Stanley to thump the ball home to the delight of the crowd.

     

    Western Sydney were on the complete backfoot from this moment on and were lucky to head into the break level, Iain Ramsay butchering a golden chance on the 43rd minute after Kalmar's tackle only managed to result in a near perfect pass to Damien Duff.

     

    If the half-time team talk was the hope for Western Sydney it proved a futile one. Despite the introductions of Labinot Haliti, Jaushua Sotirio & Yianni Perkatis, in the second half the Wanderers only managed two shots on target, neither of which gave Redmayne any trouble at all.

     

    City should have taken the lead in the 67th minute as Ramsay perpetrated the miss of the season thus far. Redmayne blasted a long ball past Gallaway, into the path of David Williams who turned inside and out before crossing along the face of goal. Hamill's missed interception gave Ramsay the simplest of tap-ins on the 6 yard line but he stabbed at the chance and he fell to his knees in shame.

     

    Despite the miss City never looked like losing the game, and when ex-Wanderers Aaron Mooy was given the freedom of AAMI Park he made his former employers pay by taking all three points. Mateo Poljak was caught ballwatching, leaving his direct marker open for a cutback by Jason Hoffman. From the middle of the penalty arc Mooy's first touch put him in a perfect shooting position and he curled the ball past Hamill & Poljak and through Perkatis and finally a full length dive by Covic.

     

    It was a disgraceful exclamation point to cap a performance that shows that the ACL hangover is far from complete, and that the problems on and off the pitch may not be resolved following the tense Club World Cup boycott threat.

     

    While the new Japanese players in general looked like improvements over Adeleke & Saba, Tony Popovic made three subs that took off two poorly performing players, yet still had on the pitch the likes of Hamill with his 48% passing accuracy with 40% being punted long, Rukavytsya losing 75% of his one one one duels, Poljak being completely invisible throughout the match and Santalab getting absolutely no traction on his return.

     

    If the solution is a formation change, changing the players in the squad or even releasing yet more of the existing squad so Bulut & Baccus can come into the squad full time is something that any manager could be kept up late at night thinking about and one that Tony Popovic has little time to ponder over before the next match and a fast approaching Asian Champions League campaign.

     

    The Wanderers next match is against Wellington Phoenix at Penrith Stadium on Sunday the 8th of February at 5:00PM.

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    WhoDoWeSingFor

     

     

    And before anyone goes in too hard on anyone involved with the players or coaching staff, a very very serious look needs to be taken at the ownership consortium. I am speaking entirely on rumour, innuendo and what's passed through this forum since about January last year, but even with the salary cap considerations taken into account I don't have the confidence in the agenda of our overlords that I had in LG's regime. There have been some screwy things coming out of the highest echelons ever since that contract re-negotiation situation at the training session early 2014, and the differences between what Shinji said and the club when he was released was a bit disconcerting. And we all know about the ACL pay dispute.

     

    If the owner consortium want to get bouquets for being there as part of the ACL triumph, they also deserve a long hard review now our HAL season's in the shitter.

    Not sure if srs...

     

     

    Deadly ***** serious.

     

    Surely you don't believe that the owners consortium haven't contributed in some way to the malaise we are in? A club's good run of form and its bad run of form are not just down to the guys on the pitch and the guys telling the guys on the pitch what to do. It's also down to the guys who pay the guys who tell the guys on the pitch what to do, and the guys on the pitch themselves.

     

    I know this may be a long bow but when an organisation like ours goes from the smooth operation of the membership packs in season one and two, and the allocation and distribution of memberships in the same period, to what has often come across as a comical affair, then that's symptomatic of a business that is cutting costs, not applying due diligence and trying to get away with 'good enough'. That sort of culture doesn't happen unless the people at the top of the food chain consciously go down that path, or don't manage or fund operations appropriately. And if they can make blues and cut corners there they can do it with the actual coaches and playing staff as well (viz the pay dispute).

     

    If you ever see me and Balks down the Bavarian come on over and we'll have a chat about the role of Mr Pirtek... :ninja:

     

     

     

    The fish rots from the head

     

    # FACTS

    Link to comment
    theguyyouwishyouwere

     

     

     

    And before anyone goes in too hard on anyone involved with the players or coaching staff, a very very serious look needs to be taken at the ownership consortium. I am speaking entirely on rumour, innuendo and what's passed through this forum since about January last year, but even with the salary cap considerations taken into account I don't have the confidence in the agenda of our overlords that I had in LG's regime. There have been some screwy things coming out of the highest echelons ever since that contract re-negotiation situation at the training session early 2014, and the differences between what Shinji said and the club when he was released was a bit disconcerting. And we all know about the ACL pay dispute.

     

    If the owner consortium want to get bouquets for being there as part of the ACL triumph, they also deserve a long hard review now our HAL season's in the shitter.

    Not sure if srs...

     

     

    Deadly ***** serious.

     

    Surely you don't believe that the owners consortium haven't contributed in some way to the malaise we are in? A club's good run of form and its bad run of form are not just down to the guys on the pitch and the guys telling the guys on the pitch what to do. It's also down to the guys who pay the guys who tell the guys on the pitch what to do, and the guys on the pitch themselves.

     

    I know this may be a long bow but when an organisation like ours goes from the smooth operation of the membership packs in season one and two, and the allocation and distribution of memberships in the same period, to what has often come across as a comical affair, then that's symptomatic of a business that is cutting costs, not applying due diligence and trying to get away with 'good enough'. That sort of culture doesn't happen unless the people at the top of the food chain consciously go down that path, or don't manage or fund operations appropriately. And if they can make blues and cut corners there they can do it with the actual coaches and playing staff as well (viz the pay dispute).

     

    If you ever see me and Balks down the Bavarian come on over and we'll have a chat about the role of Mr Pirtek... :ninja:

     

     

     

    The fish rots from the head

     

    # FACTS

     

     

    is that actually a fact? or is it like -

     

    hats do not exist.

     

    #FACTS

    Link to comment
    OglenLangden

     

    **** all of youse, **** all the club, **** sokkah.

     

    I'm going to a club and a sport that really reflects West Sydney....

     

    792565-43093a5c-1357-11e3-ad8c-280eaa3a0

    Oh and PS...

     

    #YesToANZ

     

    Now there's a coach. Is he available??

     

     

    not effnic enuff

    Link to comment
    theguyyouwishyouwere

     

     

    **** all of youse, **** all the club, **** sokkah.

     

    I'm going to a club and a sport that really reflects West Sydney....

     

    792565-43093a5c-1357-11e3-ad8c-280eaa3a0

    Oh and PS...

     

    #YesToANZ

     

    Now there's a coach. Is he available??

     

     

    not effnic enuff

     

     

    pretty sure entitled and white is a minority in western Sydney.

    Link to comment
    GunnerWanderer

    For some reason I've noticed a lot of people on the forum get defensive when the new owners are mentioned and attacked

     

    But this is the main thing that changed

     

    How can Popa and his players go from best in Asia to bums they don't all of a sudden become bums

     

    The problems lie deeper than tactical and playing style

     

    Millicic was long gone before we won Asia so pinning it on his departure is far fetched in my eyes

     

    Back Manfred on this one

    Link to comment
    ManfredSchaefer

    For some reason I've noticed a lot of people on the forum get defensive when the new owners are mentioned and attacked

     

    But this is the main thing that changed

     

    How can Popa and his players go from best in Asia to bums they don't all of a sudden become bums

     

    The problems lie deeper than tactical and playing style

     

    Millicic was long gone before we won Asia so pinning it on his departure is far fetched in my eyes

     

    Back Manfred on this one

     

    Thanks Gunner...the payment's in the mail.

    You accept Arnie Cash right?

    550655-0d00052a-a1fa-11e4-9b58-9db4d149c

    Link to comment
    Hughesy

    If people want to be able to call a spade a spade then do it, but most aren't. Say that we aren't playing well cause we aren't but don't follow it up with excuses or guesses like a lot of people are doing. Too many people are running their mouths about management when none of us have any ******* idea what exactly goes on and the media is hardly a reputable source of information. I'm not defending them but don't talk **** about something you don't know anything about. No one even knows exactly what happened with the Club World Cup situation... There's too much soul searching going on and there's some real crap being thrown around, we're having the first bad run in our history and it's as simple as that. We're finally having some bad luck too which doesn't help. We've all been too spoiled with our early and massive amount of success. There are changes that need to be made in our play and that'll happen, we'll be fine.

    Link to comment
    wsw2154

    Right now we are playing like a team with no leadership, knowledge of positions within the team structure and no game plan. Call a spade a spade and this is what we have been seeing.

     

    We have had a player exodus last off season and have now had a mini turnover of players in the last few weeks...everything is new again, however there needs to be some sort of truth session and positions needs to outlined...if yojiro is going to be the one pulling the strings from midfield, then he needs to be given the ball....if ruka is only useful for his pace and left foot, then he needs to play on the left side of the field. Like i have said many times before....poor choices have contributed to our downfall. We easily have a top 6 squad yet find ourselves free falling further behind loss after loss. The worst thing that is happening out of this is that the losses are mentally affecting the confidence of the team. Need to pass and move and get back to basics.

    Link to comment
    tardotz

    For some reason I've noticed a lot of people on the forum get defensive when the new owners are mentioned and attacked

     

    But this is the main thing that changed

     

    How can Popa and his players go from best in Asia to bums they don't all of a sudden become bums

     

    The problems lie deeper than tactical and playing style

     

    Millicic was long gone before we won Asia so pinning it on his departure is far fetched in my eyes

     

    Back Manfred on this one

     

    It wasn't just the ownership that changed, we lost half of the team (Polenz, Mooy, Ono, Hersi, Beauchamp, Minniecon, Tyson, D'Appuzzo and Heffernan) we also lost Milinic.

    We did not have a pre season and we travelled more than any other team in the world. We focused on the Asian cup (and rightly so) but we do not have the depth to compete in two competitions, especially when you add a couple of injuries, suspensions and international duties.  

    Remember that this did not start after we won the Asian cup,  we have not won an a-league game since last season's semi final. We were already at the bottom of the table when we became Asian champions. We than had the farce of the Club World Cup and the famous pay dispute and to top it off the disharmony/issues with the new recruits.

    I like most of the people here have no inside information, so it's impossible to say exactly what's going on but what is pretty clear is that :

    1: we had too many personnel changes 

    2: offseason recruiting was bad

    3: some tactical decision have been wrong (players playing out of position or persisting with players that were not performing.

    4: management acted unfair in regards to the Club World Cup payment

    5: Players dishing out dirty laundry on social media just added fuel to the fire

     

    I think it is fair to say that management , coaching staff and players (and to an extend fans) all contributed in some way or other to the state we're in. We are still new and mistakes are going to happen. The owners never owned a football team and the coach is still on his "P"s but and as long as we learn from these mistakes we will only get stronger. In all honesty we have over achieved in the first 3 years.

    I do not have the same optimism as popa for this season but we have (good) new recruits and we still have an Asian cup to defend, let's get behind the team more than ever as this is the time that they need us the most.

    Link to comment
    theguyyouwishyouwere

    If people want to be able to call a spade a spade then do it, but most aren't. Say that we aren't playing well cause we aren't but don't follow it up with excuses or guesses like a lot of people are doing. Too many people are running their mouths about management when none of us have any ******* idea what exactly goes on and the media is hardly a reputable source of information. I'm not defending them but don't talk **** about something you don't know anything about. No one even knows exactly what happened with the Club World Cup situation... There's too much soul searching going on and there's some real crap being thrown around, we're having the first bad run in our history and it's as simple as that. We're finally having some bad luck too which doesn't help. We've all been too spoiled with our early and massive amount of success. There are changes that need to be made in our play and that'll happen, we'll be fine.

     

    ya know this is the internet right? :lol:

    Link to comment
    Hughesy

     

    If people want to be able to call a spade a spade then do it, but most aren't. Say that we aren't playing well cause we aren't but don't follow it up with excuses or guesses like a lot of people are doing. Too many people are running their mouths about management when none of us have any ******* idea what exactly goes on and the media is hardly a reputable source of information. I'm not defending them but don't talk **** about something you don't know anything about. No one even knows exactly what happened with the Club World Cup situation... There's too much soul searching going on and there's some real crap being thrown around, we're having the first bad run in our history and it's as simple as that. We're finally having some bad luck too which doesn't help. We've all been too spoiled with our early and massive amount of success. There are changes that need to be made in our play and that'll happen, we'll be fine.

     

     

    ya know this is the internet right? :lol:

    But my friend's mum's hairdresser's garbage man's son's personal trainer's daughter's pet rabbit's food supplier who's a reliable source told me that Lederer is actually a woman and none of the players are happy because they don't like the colour of the Gatorade being offered and we are also in talks to play all our big games on the moon so that more people can see them.
    Link to comment
    Tilton

    For some reason I've noticed a lot of people on the forum get defensive when the new owners are mentioned and attacked

    But this is the main thing that changed

    How can Popa and his players go from best in Asia to bums they don't all of a sudden become bums

    The problems lie deeper than tactical and playing style

    Millicic was long gone before we won Asia so pinning it on his departure is far fetched in my eyes

    Back Manfred on this one

    I'd rather not back the bloke that said

     

    "I am speaking entirely on rumour, innuendo and what's passed through this forum since about January last year."

     

    Proof please!

    Link to comment
    ManfredSchaefer

     

    For some reason I've noticed a lot of people on the forum get defensive when the new owners are mentioned and attacked

    But this is the main thing that changed

    How can Popa and his players go from best in Asia to bums they don't all of a sudden become bums

    The problems lie deeper than tactical and playing style

    Millicic was long gone before we won Asia so pinning it on his departure is far fetched in my eyes

    Back Manfred on this one

    I'd rather not back the bloke that said

     

    "I am speaking entirely on rumour, innuendo and what's passed through this forum since about January last year."

     

    Proof please!

     

     

    Anyone who follows the Blues knows the value of being sceptical  :good:

    Link to comment
    marron

    If you are referring to the link I shared, dude, I am just sharing a site where you can actually have football updates. I personally write articles for that site..

    I'm not sure anyone is going to want to read them if your opinion is as ridiculous as what you said in your first post there.

    Link to comment
    JayZko

    I have from a reliable sources aliens are keeping our boys out all night before kick off gang probing them in the anuis I got told this from my weasels gynaecologist cousins sister but really I think we pissed off the stone cutters aka referees Union seriously wtf we get no penaltys and **** all season and other teams all we gota do is tap them thx krisna

    Edited by JayZko
    Link to comment


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