Need proof of those footballs or it didnât happen
Fuzzy haircut?
I had the strangest dream last night, I dreamed we were not shit in a continental competition.
Iâm taking heart from recent Asian campaigns where we have often dominated play and chances but couldnât score to save our lives. I know itâs a lesser quality team and itâs early days but having players that know how to finish is giving me hope!
Definitely a good game for us and we were very clinical in front of goal. Also nice to get a decent mixture from the goals. I canât remember the last time weâd properly scored from set piece. Klimala was definitely getting into really really good positions, but he looks quite rusty. Some of his shots were unlucky to be saved, but he chose good targets, with others were quite poor. More importantly heâs there and he was making a nuisance of himself. The other foreigners were absolute gold that game. Time will tell how they gel together and whether they can keep it up, but we now have a few dangerous people up front and weâre not just relying on Lolley cutting in from the right to score.
Eastern definitely let us into the game. They attacked ok, but thought they put WAY too much pressure on themselves. Most of their play out of the goal was really short, which plays perfectly into our strategy of a high press. We need work defensively as weâre going to 100% be caught out on a break if thereâs a fast forward in the ALM.
Some of Costaâs passes though, they were just beautiful. The one to set up Grantâs cross was inch perfect. Positioning, weight, timing, everything.
Early days and not a strong opposition, but looks like itâs going to be a fun season. That 3rd goal is already enough. Gambled on 3 of our 5 foreigners but to have them all on the park for plenty of minutes and doing good things, with a heap of preseason still to come is promising. If we can rotate them evenly through the physio bench over the course of the season itâll go well.
Who needs a defence? Weâre going to win (every game) 5-4!
That Costa pass should be hung in the Louvre. Just perfect
They way Sena rides challenges and holds the ball in possession was brilliant. Was really our metronome and looks like he shouldnât be in the A-League (Covid/Heart aside he wouldnât be)
AO seems really lively and effective without being flashy (although I suspect he is capable of this). I suspect he could get a fair few goals from midfield and looks to be able to effectively rotate from 10 to either side.
Costa seems to have a bit of a free role at times as part of the rotation with AO and Lolley, and surprisingly, dropped really deeps a points to pick up the ball. Football and passing were still at a great level, could see that pace has gone a bit but if he and AO rotate around that 10, he will be very effective without needing the pace
Klimela looked quick and looked like he will fit tactically. Early days of course, but he still for some reason, doesnât come across as being that interested in being here., kind of like how that rich kid Banks didnât want to have to play for the Mighty Ducks because he was too good but knew if he didnât then he wouldnât be able to play league hockey at all. Maybe a few goals will change that, or some rousing touchline speech delivered by Uffy when we are 1 nil down to the Wanderers with only a few seconds remaining on the clockâŚ
Iâve never met a Pole that smiled a lot. Wouldnât read too much into that just yet.
If not for some pretty impressive keeping and the offside flag (which is obviously a failing in his play but doesnât diminish the shot he subsequently buried before the whistle), Klimala couldâve had two or three last night. I was most concerned about him of all the foreigners, and he definitely seems like a confidence player who needs to score a few soon, but Iâm not overly worried about his prospects of getting to double figures this season if the team as a whole clicks.
Sena, as others have mentioned, looks like he could be the find of the season. Obviously the opposition wasnât great, but the positive aspects of his play are things that should translate to tougher matches. The calm under pressure, ability to pick a pass, and absolute omnipresence should make him one of the better players in the league.
Similarly, Costa showed that heâs still capable of splitting defences with a moment of class. I suspect heâll be a little less effective in the league where physicality and speed matter more, but his close control is absolutely going to create goals for us.
Ouahim I think is going to turn out to be the sort of player you donât really notice until heâs gone. Did nothing particularly flashy all night (two goals aside obviously) but was routinely in the right place to cap off a nice move.
The optimism is making me sick.
I think the thing I was most happy about Costa was his mobility. After hearing he was obese, canât run, etc from Fluminense fans I was curious to see for myself.
No worries. More than the fact that he cropped up all over the pitch - he seemed able to dart between lines to pick up the ball, or play a ball from deep and sprint to rejoin the attack.
Obvs defenders will stay tighter on him in the Aleague, but heâs not a total slug.
Heâs built, I wouldnât call him fat.
Still I wouldnât give his Misses a foot massage just in case
The only thing that worries me was the huge drop off in pressure in the last twenty minutes of the game. Granted we were up 5-0 so we didnât need to push, but we definitely looked more disjointed later in the game as fatigue started to set in. Considering a high press is the earmark of Talayâs side, hopefully he can get that fitness and concentration up.
4 minute video from The AFC Hub for anyone interested in rewatching some of the highlights from the game. Includes some of their early attempts on goal and some of our misses too, on top of the 5 goals scored and the missed penalty.
No Channel 10 commentary, so we miss out on Dooogie, but a good summary of the gamre.
One thing that could be exciting is klimala is always looking for the early ball and costa loves an early cross.
Aleague defences often turn like the Pasha bulker so it wouldnât surprise me to see a few goals from that.
Really impressed with Sena. Held that midfield very well, looks strong on the ball too.
Without getting carried away I was really heartened by what we saw last night.
All of our imports were at least decent, despite it being our first competitive game with them, Kilmela was the least gelled with the rest of the squad, but he was putting in the effort and on occasion was genuinely unlucky, the pen was a low point, but he seems fit, just not sharp.
Anas, Sena and Costa were really good, gelled very well with the rest of the team and with each other, body language suggests that they all like and respect each other, Costa showed no signs of primadonna behaviour, making a point to celebrate every goal and goalscorer, and keeping himself out of the penalty convo, his crosses and corners are next level, wonderful in and out-swinging aggressive dangerous balls. Anas was hugely generous to push Klimala to take the pen when he was on a hatty, again suggesting that theyâre developing a real rapport, which I think is more useful and vital than individual talent levels.
Yeah, the oppo wasnât great but the general signs of what we can be were there and there were very few negatives.
Great outcome for our first competitive match.
Second. 