Round 18 - Brisbane vs Sydney FC - 8/2/18

The Cove
241

I don’t have an issue with it — I don’t think it has anything to do with how determined they are to turn things around this weekend.

I do find it strange that these guys put up stuff like that on public social media. I suppose it’s interesting to see them beyond the cliche-ridden post-match interviews, but it does open them up to the kind of criticism you hinted at, especially if we go on a longer run of poor form.

Remember when the only way to find out about Dwight’s antics was the Daily Terror’s Sydney Confidential (which famously identified Ceccoli as one of his bodyguards)? Maybe I’m just getting old.

242

Obviously they should be wearing hessian sacks & whipping themselves ffs

1 Like
243

That’s the kind of thing I was thinking about. Dim music and lighting, pained facial expressions, an ascetic life until redemption is attained.

244

After that performance, I would consider it appropriate.

245

Typical ESFC.

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246

Players have lives and they should not be afraid to show it. It doesn’t mean I can’t be extremely disappointed in their performance on the night, though.

247

Was on instagram the other day and wondered the same thing, but I don’t think have a problem with them enjoying their lives outside football.

The disappointing part for me is that there hasn’t been any public acknowledgement of how bad Friday night was - e.g. Branners and Stevie were full of excuses in their interviews post-match. I’d have much preferred some honest contrition after that performance.

248

Just spoke to a mate who lives in Brisbane.

The humidity is fucked up there at the moment.

The players are employees who have more to life then satisfying your need for self flagellation.

Get the fuck over it.

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249

I was in Brisbane two weekends ago ago, walking around everywhere, and it was fine. Sydney’s been at least as unpleasant this summer.

250

Wow, I didn’t realise that the Roar players are immune to the effects of humidity, lucky them.

251

FMD.

You’re kidding ja?

You’re just having a bit of a lend? Completely ignoring acclimatisation for the sake of a cheap laugh? Giving your mates a bit of an elbow and going, ‘watch me get this fella going by acting as a complete idiot whilst actually knowing better’?

Hang on. Wait.

You’re a King eh? So a bit inbred with an IQ struggling to get out of the 80s? /twg

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252

Que? Graham Arnold is a King, something I’d have thought most posters on this forum could agree on.

Anyway, I’m sure it was very humid on Friday night - but while that might go some way to explaining the performance, it certainly doesn’t excuse it.

As I said, the players should enjoy their private lives, but I would hope for a slightly better public response than “it was hot; we’ll go again next week” after losing like that.

253

It’s almost like post game comments from players are a complete waste of time?

2 Likes
254

Also I’ll post this up in the thread again on @Rowdy’s behalf - vote for the man of the match here:

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255

No it isn’t a complete excuse the performance was poor. But the humidity did play a factor, Sydney pushed/pressed for the first goal (wasting plenty of chances) and by the last 15 Sydney looked like dead dogs out there.

256

I think we’ve played much worse this season and gotten 3 points. Any other match and we are 2-3 0 up at half time. Second half was less dominate, but it still look some shocking goal keeping from Redmayne and a long range bullet from from Wenzel-Halls to beat us. Aside from that, I don’t really remember Brisbane getting into our half. Redmayne may as well have stayed in the sheds at half time if he was going to leave his near post so wide open.

There was some clever interchanges between Ninko, De Silva and the front two. But I cant help but think that it was all very narrow and that it will struggle to break teams down who defend much more organised than Brisbane. Ivanovic changes the dynamic of the team and gives us an extra option. I hope he comes back in this weekend. I’m not really sure where De Jong fits into this team. Its ridiculous of Corica to have so many central options who occupy the same areas of the pitch.

Id say the Premiership is gone, but 2nd place is very much up for grabs. Especially with our game against Victory at home. I’m still not entirely convinced by Perth. I don’t think a home Grand Final is out of the questions, even with a 2nd place finish.

3 Likes
257

I’ve taken a while to stew on it but agree with Bell. The performance wasn’t AS bad as made out after the loss, we have played worse and won, though there were definitely some pedestrian moments while going forward. That’s the most frustrating thing, Brisbane are hot trash and managed to field a backline worse than Golec, Busch, Prentice & Middleby. We didn’t ask nearly enough questions.

ALF & Reza the biggest positive, they had some really good combinations in the first half. Reza unlucky not to score, though he predictably faded in the second half.

Milos just had a stinker. It was pointed out mid-game how reluctant he is to pull the trigger. There were a few times he was running at them and they were backing off, angle seemed to be there to have a crack from the top of the box, but instead he either tried to wriggle though ala his Newy goal, forced a through ball that wasn’t on, or simply shuffled it wide for someone else to cross / create. In those situations, at least shoot once, then every time after one of their defenders will HAVE to come to and shut you down… this will in turn leave more space for those little balls through or to the man out wide. He just phoned it in. :worried:

DDS is incredibly frustrating and too often holds the ball too long. His own highlight reel maybe got a few new stepovers added to it, but man he can just kill our momentum going forward. He’s got the skill set to unlock a packed defence but needs to know when to move it on quicker. He also showed fuck all urgency to win it back after coughing it up a few times, given he’s only a loanee I’d never start him over Ivanovic again tbh.

Brillante… ugh, anything positive wiped out by the same old shitty turnovers that cost us. This game was unfortunately also not one of Branners best, so when the momentum swung against us we got overrun in the middle of the park.

Not enough contribution from the FB’s. Grant especially after ripping it the week before, was up against a 16 year old kid on debut and should’ve taken him to the cleaners. Instead he was allowed to settle in and had a rather comfortable evening.

Wilko just keeps on being Wilko. Warland kinda got crucified for the winner, he probably should’ve hoofed that ball anywhere else but it’s still incredibly unlucky to sit up perfectly on the half volley like that. People here were actually praising him a bit earlier for the goal line clearance where he denied Taggart a tap in… for mine that was his worst moment due to the sheer ease with which he was rolled in the build up. It’s not the first time he’s been done like that higher up the pitch either, definitely needs to work on his positioning to ensure he’s not “too close” when he can’t win the ball there.

Redders, I think Bell was maybe a little harsh. Yeah he got done on his near post for the first one but it was absolutely smashed. The view from behind also showed some wicked movement, either Mikkelson cut across it and made it swerve like a motherfucker, or it may have taken a deflection off the covering defender. Either way, the issue for that goal was the cheap cheap turnover while we were incredibly exposed with Zullo having pushed on.

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258

Basically they were all shit.