Sydney FC Steal Last Parramatta Derby

Jamo was incredible. He always has been though. The guy is a machine.

Vidosic was not a passenger, still not sure about him being on marquee wages. But he was solid. And definitely showed a lot creativity trying to crack open the 10 man wall Easts had put up.

For me Castelen was not good at all. Coughed up the ball numerous times. Frustrating to see him walk back especially in that game.

I would of like to have seen more from Gol Gol. Showed a lot of promise.

Did anyone else notice he just didn't seem to be at the races tonight? Reminded me of the NYD game vs Adelaide, his mind seems elsewhere. Haven't seen him at his best since the Victory game.

Yep I noticed he was off the mark tonight.

 

After today's performance I have to say I don't agree with Popa that we are good and don't need to sign new players. If Pio was not injured why would the marquee be used in the last few minutes?

Are you saying why did he bring him on at the 80th minute or are you saying he shouldn't have brought him on?

If you have confidence in your marquee player and he is not injured then he should be playing. I don't think we have the depth to use a marquee as a sub. The question is was he injured?

Can we sign Jose mourinho

As head coach Popa back to assistant

Can we mute this f*cking idiot for a month?

 

 

 

I agree they should be doing better, we just disagree in what facet of the play.

Agreeing to disagree isn't a problem.

Facet of play?

Thank you for taking out the rest of the conversation, I'm on a mobile and can't really do that.

Are you asking which facet that is or correcting my grammar?

I know that feeling

 

yes which facet

We have some really good players, but the fact is we have p1ssed up the last 2 games (big games too) by not taking chances and being picked off by more clinical opposition. If we don't change this, we won't win anything.

100% on this, hope Popa spends extra time doing shooting practice this week

I mentioned the two most obvious ones earlier.

A lack of movement up front (often the only movement will come from the fullback and winger involved in the play, sometimes one of our DM's will move to create an option). It's very noticeable in the final third.

The other is we are very flat up front. Most of the time we have a line of three flat players (striker, and two wingers, sometimes our AM included) when our midfielders and sometimes defenders are advancing the ball with a little time up their sleeve (the perfect opportunity to play a pass).

 

Both of the above issues mean we either hold onto the ball, with little happening or give it away from pushing a pass that wasn't there (short and long).

 

I encourage you to have a look at our next few games and see what you think

i thought Andreu had a poor game, some of his passes in the first half were just WTF.  Romeo was a hogg (lol) tonight, numerous times he  could have passed to the open man and he tried to do it himself and lost possession.

 

was Dimas injured? felt Andreu earned the early rest instead of Dimas

 

gutted about the result but we have to cop it on the chin and move on to next week

Seems like everyone had an off game tonight so many passes went astray. One of our worse performances this year. Just had to be the derby didn't it.

 

I could almost taste a last minute winner in the air, and as i suspected they bury one in the dying minutes. Next derby will be interesting that's for sure.

Topor-Stanley pretty much gave that game away with the stupid shirt pulling penalty.

He got his 5th yellow so he's off next week, luckily it's against the Mariners but I'd be a tad worried about Luis Garcia

Late on, still at 1-1, Baccus had a clear 1-on-1 with the keeper. All he had to do was kick the ball through his legs. Instead he kicked it into his chest. If that goes in, we'd be celebrating. It's football. A game of only very small differences sometimes.

 

But we go on and take 3 points off the Mariners next week.

We can try and get weveeennnge in 5 weeks.

 

Let's face the other teams know exactly how we play. We are very predictable, all they have to do is defend and play the counter attack. We even give them plenty of time to get back because we won't go forward until the 10-20 passes sideways and backwards....so frustrating

Playing possession football is predictable? Huh? Opposition are happy to sit behind the ball, let us have possession & we need to step up our game to break down teams. The challenge is to play better not change our style.

 

I'm so happy to see my team play this brand of football, yes there needs to be a few tweaks to things like the quickness of our passing, moving the ball quicker, getting in between the lines more, double teaming wide players but this is the last 10%. We've got this formation & style down pat but struggling with just the fine moments.

 

I know the derby loss is hard to take but please don't tell me you want to go back to hoof ball S1 & S2.

 

 

They parked the bus after getting what they needed early on. There were times where we lacked a bit of speed in transition but how different things could have been if we'd put away just one of those guilt edged chances. We had more than enough of those tonight, last week, the week before...

 

As frustrating as it is, if SFC have 11 players behind the ball, our players aren't going to needlessly give the ball away for the sake of going forwards.

 

One thing I would like to question is why NTS was so willing to give away that free kick? Blackwood wasn't going anywhere on his own. I'd be interested to see some stats on goals conceded from set-pieces. I'd imagine we are quite high up in the league.

 

After today's performance I have to say I don't agree with Popa that we are good and don't need to sign new players. If Pio was not injured why would the marquee be used in the last few minutes?

Are you saying why did he bring him on at the 80th minute or are you saying he shouldn't have brought him on?

 

If fit the so called marquee striker should have been on in around the 60th - 65th min, maybe a double substitution. It was pretty clear to all were were laboring and huffing and puffing and getting nowhere fast. We were passing the ball backwards as quickly as pushing forwards at time. No real urgency in our game.

 

To me this is the most disappointing derby defeat of the lot because even though we had plenty of possession I don't feel we had a really good go at them. Other games we have made mistakes but have thrown everything at them to get back in it only to fall short. This is the one derby where I feel we have left some effort out on the pitch and didn't give it our all. 

 

Making a mistake and losing at the death in one season is forgivable, making same mistake twice in a derby in the same season is unforgivable.

Edited January 16, 2016 by WSWBoro

 

 

After today's performance I have to say I don't agree with Popa that we are good and don't need to sign new players. If Pio was not injured why would the marquee be used in the last few minutes?

Are you saying why did he bring him on at the 80th minute or are you saying he shouldn't have brought him on?

If you have confidence in your marquee player and he is not injured then he should be playing. I don't think we have the depth to use a marquee as a sub. The question is was he injured?

If he was on the bench, then I would say he wasn't injured.

 

Personally I think it was a tactical decision. Bridge is a lot more mobile player than Pio & when you consider the type of game we were playing it was a good call. The bulk of Pio's contributions the last few weeks has been about his hold up & link up play however this game we were holding the bulk of possession & needed to unlock the defences. Playing bridge technically would have given us better movement in between the lines & running off the ball. I also think Bridge has been in good shooting form (to a degree) & he is able to close down quicker. I think it was the right call.

 

 

 

 

I agree they should be doing better, we just disagree in what facet of the play.

Agreeing to disagree isn't a problem.

Facet of play?

Thank you for taking out the rest of the conversation, I'm on a mobile and can't really do that.

Are you asking which facet that is or correcting my grammar?

I know that feeling

 

yes which facet

We have some really good players, but the fact is we have p1ssed up the last 2 games (big games too) by not taking chances and being picked off by more clinical opposition. If we don't change this, we won't win anything.

100% on this, hope Popa spends extra time doing shooting practice this week

I mentioned the two most obvious ones earlier.

A lack of movement up front (often the only movement will come from the fullback and winger involved in the play, sometimes one of our DM's will move to create an option). It's very noticeable in the final third.

The other is we are very flat up front. Most of the time we have a line of three flat players (striker, and two wingers, sometimes our AM included) when our midfielders and sometimes defenders are advancing the ball with a little time up their sleeve (the perfect opportunity to play a pass).

 

Both of the above issues mean we either hold onto the ball, with little happening or give it away from pushing a pass that wasn't there (short and long).

 

I encourage you to have a look at our next few games and see what you think

Agree matty.

 

What I said before is as a result of what you describe... you can see the opportunities that we should have but the link doesn't happen or the very small window goes unnoticed or unused.

We can try and get weveeennnge in 5 weeks.

 

Yeah no bro, we don't win derbies.

Topor-Stanley pretty much gave that game away with the stupid shirt pulling penalty.

He got his 5th yellow so he's off next week, luckily it's against the Mariners but I'd be a tad worried about Luis Garcia

The one he got a yellow? I'd much prefer him to stop the player in his tracks rather than let him past. We've got to expect to defend those set pieces much better than what we did.

 

 

 

After today's performance I have to say I don't agree with Popa that we are good and don't need to sign new players. If Pio was not injured why would the marquee be used in the last few minutes?

Are you saying why did he bring him on at the 80th minute or are you saying he shouldn't have brought him on?

If you have confidence in your marquee player and he is not injured then he should be playing. I don't think we have the depth to use a marquee as a sub. The question is was he injured?

If he was on the bench, then I would say he wasn't injured.

 

Personally I think it was a tactical decision. Bridge is a lot more mobile player than Pio & when you consider the type of game we were playing it was a good call. The bulk of Pio's contributions the last few weeks has been about his hold up & link up play however this game we were holding the bulk of possession & needed to unlock the defences. Playing bridge technically would have given us better movement in between the lines & running off the ball. I also think Bridge has been in good shooting form (to a degree) & he is able to close down quicker. I think it was the right call.

 

 

We need a player that could hold the ball up tonight actually. Our movement was going backwards at times anyway, someone to hussel and try and hold the ball around the penna area would have been good for us in this game. Bridge and Pio should both have ******* played together more game time, they are not both centre forwards for fook sake.

I just don't know what to even say besides, I'm very disappointed. I really thought we had this. Two soft goals against the run of play. Our final third needs do much more work. If we're getting caught out on counters, I don't know, may be we're pressing too high - more than we can handle?

I think we have enough talent to hold the ball up but if we're not putting the goals away we're going to get caught out sooner or later with a good ball put behind our line.

 

I'm really just honestly ******* gutted over this loss. It's really hit home.

 

 

We can try and get weveeennnge in 5 weeks.

Yeah no bro, we don't win derbies.

Yep feels that way.. we find a way to **** them up.

 

Big run coming in context of table..

Mariners resurgent

City doing ok

Victory resurgent

Wellington not sure

Sydney derby.. dominate and lose

Perth resurgent

Brisbane strong

 

We need to start winning again.

Tbh it seems other teams have now figured us out.

Tbh it seems other teams have now figured us out.

 

Yep, we are predictable. Easy on the eye with some nice passing at times, but just firing blanks.

 

I mentioned the two most obvious ones earlier.

A lack of movement up front (often the only movement will come from the fullback and winger involved in the play, sometimes one of our DM's will move to create an option). It's very noticeable in the final third.

The other is we are very flat up front. Most of the time we have a line of three flat players (striker, and two wingers, sometimes our AM included) when our midfielders and sometimes defenders are advancing the ball with a little time up their sleeve (the perfect opportunity to play a pass).

Both of the above issues mean we either hold onto the ball, with little happening or give it away from pushing a pass that wasn't there (short and long).

I encourage you to have a look at our next few games and see what you think

Agree matty.

What I said before is as a result of what you describe... you can see the opportunities that we should have but the link doesn't happen or the very small window goes unnoticed or unused.

- Can I ask what sort of movement you are referring to? Is it when we have the ball on the half way line or is it when they are sitting really deep?

- The options out wide is what this type of formation tries to exploit, it is the reason why we always seem to attack through the wings. It would be very different if we were to play a 4-4-2 or try to play narrowly.

- On being flat, not something I take notice of as I tend to follow the play rather than analyse the formation & position of players. Are you trying to say that our front 4 are too high up the field when are attacking?

 

Reddy must be thinking his start is coming soon after watching tonights game.

 

Redmayne seems to be a good fella, but geez, sometimes the occasion or opposition crowd really gets in his head and he just wilts.

The reddy dilemma is a tough one, the issue is that this guy seems to have one bad clanger a game & this was no different.

 

First goal:

Not too much that he could have done, we should have cleared the first ball but the ball found its way into 6 yard area. Should he have got the ball? It's very difficult when there is 6 players infront of you & a header from a metre out means that it was close to impossible to stop. Not Reddy's fault but defenders should have cleared it first time.

 

Second goal:

Reddy comes for a ball that is lobbed into box. The problem was that he came halfway out & was stuck in no mans land. As soon as that happens I feared the worst, he either has to come for it or stay on his line. I applaud him for trying yo command his box but it's just not good enough. True to his word, he made the one stuff up that he usually makes & unfortunately it led to a goal.

 

What does Popa do?

- Does he drop him for a game? Maybe a bit of a wake up call he needs?

- Does he drop him for 5/6 games? Maybe but would absolutely kill his confidence

Tough call either way

 

Second goal: that wasn't a flat delivery....the ball was in the air for a very long time. He came, he saw, he froze. A keeper who is seen to be "trying" to command the box (and isn't) is an extreme liability and needs to be replaced by someone who owns the box and doesn't make 95% of Parramatta stadium wet their pants every time the ball goes near him. He's becoming more and more like his boss (Spider). At times a spectacular shot stopper but a quivering blancmange when it comes to bread and butter things like crosses. Even when a very simple long straight ball bounced through to him in the first half I swear there was a collective intake of breath across the whole stadium. Then there's the "give me a second or two to process what's going here" when he has the ball in his possession. You can just about hear the wheels and gears clanking in his brain. 

If fit the so called marquee striker should have been on in around the 60th - 65th min, maybe a double substitution. It was pretty clear to all were were laboring and huffing and puffing and getting nowhere fast. We were passing the ball backwards as quickly as pushing forwards at time. No real urgency in our game.

We need a player that could hold the ball up tonight actually. Our movement was going backwards at times anyway, someone to hussel and try and hold the ball around the penna area would have been good for us in this game. Bridge and Pio should both have ******* played together more game time, they are not both centre forwards for fook sake.

Not 100% sure on this, we needed players who can unlock defences not somebody to hold up the ball, the game was played in the oppositions half the whole game. I disagree we were huffing & puffing, though I think it was a mistake to take Nichols off.

 

Also we are playing to retain possession, we value that over giving the ball away. We can go for the miracle pass or the long ball but higher chance of giving the ball away than creating anything meaningful.

 

Topor-Stanley pretty much gave that game away with the stupid shirt pulling penalty.

He got his 5th yellow so he's off next week, luckily it's against the Mariners but I'd be a tad worried about Luis Garcia

The one he got a yellow? I'd much prefer him to stop the player in his tracks rather than let him past. We've got to expect to defend those set pieces much better than what we did.

 

I'm ok with Topor-Stanley trying to stop the player, I just think that personality it was still a stupid penalty given from the referee.

The two most vital things is we don't press as hard as we used to and we don't counter quickly enough like we used to. Especially with the latter we have really fallen off.

 

A few other things might be that Andreu might have lost some of that early form he had. Our defence is also becoming a liability. Would prefer Reddy to Redmayne, and will also be happy to see Aspro come in next week as our defence looked rock solid when he was playing as a starter.

 

 

Let's face the other teams know exactly how we play. We are very predictable, all they have to do is defend and play the counter attack. We even give them plenty of time to get back because we won't go forward until the 10-20 passes sideways and backwards....so frustrating

 

Playing possession football is predictable? Huh? Opposition are happy to sit behind the ball, let us have possession & we need to step up our game to break down teams. The challenge is to play better not change our style.

I'm so happy to see my team play this brand of football, yes there needs to be a few tweaks to things like the quickness of our passing, moving the ball quicker, getting in between the lines more, double teaming wide players but this is the last 10%. We've got this formation & style down pat but struggling with just the fine moments.

I know the derby loss is hard to take but please don't tell me you want to go back to hoof ball S1 & S2.

 

They parked the bus after getting what they needed early on. There were times where we lacked a bit of speed in transition but how different things could have been if we'd put away just one of those guilt edged chances. We had more than enough of those tonight, last week, the week before...

 

As frustrating as it is, if SFC have 11 players behind the ball, our players aren't going to needlessly give the ball away for the sake of going forwards.

 

One thing I would like to question is why NTS was so willing to give away that free kick? Blackwood wasn't going anywhere on his own. I'd be interested to see some stats on goals conceded from set-pieces. I'd imagine we are quite high up in the league.

The NTS yellow happened right in front of my bay. It was typical 50/50 shirt pulling, and Blackwood grabbed a handful of shirt first, right in front of the linesman. The lino on the western side was really off his game tonight. Constantly 2-3 meters off the pace for offsides, and almost always looking the wrong way when something happened.

 

Tbh it seems other teams have now figured us out.

 

Yep, we are predictable. Easy on the eye with some nice passing at times, but just firing blanks.

I'm against this view, playing possession based football forces us in order to step up our game against teams who want to sit deep. It is very difficult to master this style of play for the majority of the squad. We have got this style 90% right but are missing the final 10% that is costing us.

Don't understand the Redmane bashing. The first goal was a point blank header and the second was a thundering volley from an unmarked striker. What was he expected to do? For me the only thing he did that cost us was putting the ball out for a corner instead of a throw in.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Davo