Genuinely don't think we've had an unluckier season, or that any other team has either for that matter. The amount of bullshark calls which have completely robbed us early in the season, conceding wonder goals, having 22 consecutive away games because of covid. Then just the normal frustrations of a season compound that - injuries to key players, crucial goals offside by millimetres, etc. The most frustrating thing about it all is we've played some pretty good football the whole way through. We sit in 8th place yet we are 4th in fewest goals conceded, third in most goals scored. Fewest fouls conceded in the league, but 5th most yellow cards... I'm not saying we've been a top side, but we definitely should be in the top six.
Valid points. I think we can only blame ourselves though in losing to that terrible Victory team and the Jets early in the year. That’s 6 or 4 points right there that is the difference . Ultimately it goes in circles. We dropped points to opposition playing with 10 men and won some games we probably were second best at (The first Mariners game). Jazzy Jeff
Genuinely don't think we've had an unluckier season, or that any other team has either for that matter. The amount of bullshark calls which have completely robbed us early in the season, conceding wonder goals, having 22 consecutive away games because of covid. Then just the normal frustrations of a season compound that - injuries to key players, crucial goals offside by millimetres, etc. The most frustrating thing about it all is we've played some pretty good football the whole way through. We sit in 8th place yet we are 4th in fewest goals conceded, third in most goals scored. Fewest fouls conceded in the league, but 5th most yellow cards... I'm not saying we've been a top side, but we definitely should be in the top six.
Genuinely don't think we've had an unluckier season, or that any other team has either for that matter. The amount of bullshark calls which have completely robbed us early in the season, conceding wonder goals, having 22 consecutive away games because of covid. Then just the normal frustrations of a season compound that - injuries to key players, crucial goals offside by millimetres, etc. The most frustrating thing about it all is we've played some pretty good football the whole way through. We sit in 8th place yet we are 4th in fewest goals conceded, third in most goals scored. Fewest fouls conceded in the league, but 5th most yellow cards... I'm not saying we've been a top side, but we definitely should be in the top six.
You can make all the excuses you like but over a season the league table is about right. We won games we should have lost and lost games we should have won. The reality is we are a few players short of being a top side.
Genuinely don't think we've had an unluckier season, or that any other team has either for that matter. The amount of bullshark calls which have completely robbed us early in the season, conceding wonder goals, having 22 consecutive away games because of covid. Then just the normal frustrations of a season compound that - injuries to key players, crucial goals offside by millimetres, etc. The most frustrating thing about it all is we've played some pretty good football the whole way through. We sit in 8th place yet we are 4th in fewest goals conceded, third in most goals scored. Fewest fouls conceded in the league, but 5th most yellow cards... I'm not saying we've been a top side, but we definitely should be in the top six.
You can make all the excuses you like but over a season the league table is about right. We won games we should have lost and lost games we should have won. The reality is we are a few players short of being a top side.
You didn't understand my post whatsoever. I'm not saying if it weren't for the circumstances we have faced that we could have been champions. I agree, we are a few players short of being a top side for sure. But in the A-League you don't even have to be a top side, you can be distinctly average for the whole season and still make the finals. You only have to be better than 50% of the competition. Statistically we should be higher up the table than we are given our attacking and defensive numbers. In the last five seasons of the A-League there has only been one team to finish the season with a positive goal difference to not make the six. I'm not absolving the team of our shark performances which are just as much to blame (Newcastle, victory and Macarthur spring to mind), but it's ridiculous to say that we haven't also been extremely unlucky this season.
Looking at this you would think we should be in the top 6.
GOAL DIFFERENCE Melbourne City +28 Sydney FC +8 Brisbane Roar +7 Central Coast +4 Wellington Phoenix +3 Western Sydney +2 Adelaide United +1 Macarthur and Perth =0 Western United -6 Newcastle Jets -16 Melbourne Victory -31
I think we've now put all the teams below us that should be below us. We'd be better, or on par with the two above except we were sloppy defensively for that period. And struggled to score for a while as well. To be honest we were promising but flawed for much of the season. But now, with all our best on the pitch, even without Davila, we're playing more like top 4.
But there are always cards and injuries.
Which means I think we're where we deserve to be over the season to date, but finishing better. With a couple of places up for grabs if we can continue to play well and keep everybody fit and fizzing.
Trouble is, the two teams below us who can pass us today. Hopefully Sydney sort Wanderers. Not sure what we want out of Macarthur v Glory.
I think we have to be aiming for 3 wins and 40 points. If that's the case, it means we would beat Glory and WSW on the way so it doesn't matter too much if WSW and Glory win the other 3 of their games and also reach 40. Our goal difference should keep us ahead if we all end up on 40. The Bulls/Adelaide/roar losing is definitely on our wishlist first
Best possible table provided we win 9pts, other games go our way and we have a better goal difference than Sydney: 1. City- 51pts 2. Nix - 40pts 3. Sydney - 40pts 4. Brisbane - 38pts 5. CCM - 37pts 6. Adelaide - 37pts 7. Perth - 37pts 8. MacArthur - 36pts 9. WSW - 34pts 10. Western United - 34pts 11. Victory - 24pts 12. Jets - 23pts
I'm a bit concerned, Brisbane play WSW, Glory and Melbourne City. So if they keep choking, it leaves Perth with a chance if they continue racking up points, as they play the Jets as well. I think they're favourite for 6th spot at this point.
Crazy to think we could go almost half a season unbeaten and still finish 9th. Or if things go our way we could still finish 4th.
For 4th we need (I think) us to win v MAC and... WUNvMAC - Draw or WUN BRIvPER - Draw (or PER win if they lose/draw in NEWvPER) BRIvSYD - Syd ADLvWSW - WSW
Crazy to think we could go almost half a season unbeaten and still finish 9th. Or if things go our way we could still finish 4th.
For 4th we need (I think) us to win v MAC and... WUNvMAC - Draw or WUN BRIvPER - Draw (or PER win if they lose/draw in NEWvPER) BRIvSYD - Syd ADLvWSW - WSW
We could draw every game but that would only result in 26 points, right near the bottom.
We would have been better off dropping the occasional game and converting more draws into wins.
8 draws = 8 points, if we'd managed to win 3 of those 8 games becomes 17 points. which puts us 3rd and challenging for second on goal difference with one game to play.
With the result last night, to make the 5 we need to win our game and have two of the following to happen: Adelaide - lose to wsw Perth - drop points to Brisbane or Jets Brisbane - only get a draw out of their games against Perth and Sydney. Brisbane and Perth play tomorrow and Adelaide on Thursday so we should know by the time we play whether we have a chance.
8 draws = 8 points, if we'd managed to win 3 of those 8 games becomes 17 points. which puts us 3rd and challenging for second on goal difference with one game to play.
3 wins + 5 draws = 14 points not 17.
Can't just change prior results anyway. But yes, certainly aren't far away on points to being a lot higher up the table.
shoot sorry, bad math day. Point still stands though, some of our draws should have been wins (Perth game being on major one). I dont mind a draw - often its the fair result, but when we've dominated or controlled a game a draw stings mad hurts the table position.
What hurts more looking back was the losses to Melbourne Victory who would struggle against NZ club sides and the Jets... 6 points right there or even 2 or 4 points would have put us in top 6.. ah well
What hurts more looking back was the losses to Melbourne Victory who would struggle against NZ club sides and the Jets... 6 points right there or even 2 or 4 points would have put us in top 6.. ah well
A few fine margins this season, Duke's goal is called for the foul it should have, Rufer doesn't get a red against Mac, pen miss against Perth and the bizarre no more pens despite handballs and/or fouls against Perth etc.
Good news is with the bulk of the squad consistent, everyone playing from a proper home base without flying from all over the world and quarantining, and with a lot of momentum coming into the end of the season, we can expect that the team will start strong next season.
Bloody FFA and their anti nix agenda. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if they unleashed Covid last season as the nix had a title winning team and form!! Gah!! Bullion
alon222
What hurts more looking back was the losses to Melbourne Victory who would struggle against NZ club sides and the Jets... 6 points right there or even 2 or 4 points would have put us in top 6.. ah well
A few fine margins this season, Duke's goal is called for the foul it should have, Rufer doesn't get a red against Mac, pen miss against Perth and the bizarre no more pens despite handballs and/or fouls against Perth etc.
Good news is with the bulk of the squad consistent, everyone playing from a proper home base without flying from all over the world and quarantining, and with a lot of momentum coming into the end of the season, we can expect that the team will start strong next season.
Our form in NZ under Talay is really good.
13 games, currently 11 unbeaten in NZ. 2.23 pts/game, 1.85 goals for/game and 0.85 goals against/game.
14 home games in AUS (currently 2 unbeaten), 1.14 pts/game, 1.5 goals for, 1.43 goals against.
25 away games (currently 6 unbeaten), 1.24 pts/game, 1.36 goals for, 1.48 goals against.
Bloody FFA and their anti nix agenda. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if they unleashed Covid last season as the nix had a title winning team and form!! Gah!! Bullion
alon222
What hurts more looking back was the losses to Melbourne Victory who would struggle against NZ club sides and the Jets... 6 points right there or even 2 or 4 points would have put us in top 6.. ah well
A few fine margins this season, Duke's goal is called for the foul it should have, Rufer doesn't get a red against Mac, pen miss against Perth and the bizarre no more pens despite handballs and/or fouls against Perth etc.
Another issue to remember, is that with the regular season this time out being only 26 games long, with 12 teams that meant an uneven draw.
Nix will have played these teams 3 times by season end - Perth Western United Macarthur WSW
These teams only twice - Adelaide Melb City Victory Sydney CCM Newcastle Brisbane
I presume CCM for example would have benefited by playing Newcastle 3 times (3 derbies)?
Melb City & Western United I presume both played Victory 3 times?
Hopefully next season will be even draw of 33 regular season games? Though uneven draws ain't uncommon in Aussie sport (ARL & NRL have them).
8 draws = 8 points, if we'd managed to win 3 of those 8 games becomes 17 points. which puts us 3rd and challenging for second on goal difference with one game to play.
Well that's our season done and dusted thanks to yesterday's draw. Shame we left our run so late. Had we kicked on after 5-6 games (similar to last season) we would have easily made the 6. It's been a tough season, what with all the logistics issues, some dodgy calls and our fair share of the woodwork (as well as silly mistakes at the back and up front)... Glad to see Uffie will stay on, hopefully we lock in Devlin, Taylor and bring in a top striker and creative midfielder to replace Uli and likely Hemed
Think what I find frustrating that even though we might have sneaked into the 6, I reckon we could have done some damage. In form, based in Australia so limited travel issues, and a number of teams missing key players. Based on where teams are at right now, I reckon we are easily top 4.
Without a doubt. I'd argue we have been playing the among best football in the league this year (and last) though we've lacked consistency and have done so only in patches. But looking at our current form and what players we have available... I'd say we would have held our own in the finals
