MOM v Sydney

Agree back four kept their shape really well and helped on occasions by Paston coming out to claim crosses. Also thought Gao and Kwasnik tracked back well to help the full backs.

Great game from Siggy, Dodd not far behind. Although Sydney paniced at the end a bit and resorted to long balls, I felt the way they dealt with the last quarter of an hour was a huge improvement from last season. Brown was inspirational, especially coming back on after the knock to the head, Jonno was almost unrecognisable from previous weeks. On tonights performance I also think we'll be seeing a bit more of Paston than we did last season.

Leeds_Chris2008-09-28 21:21:49

I voted for Gao purely because after the Bling got their goal it was him who stood up and said "give me the ball" (he probably said it in chinese but had the same effect)... while Dodd and Sigmund were superb and Brown grew in stature as the game went on, I really thought the added urgency that Gao gave rubbed off on Smeltz and the other attacking players... Must agree with other on Coveny, apart from a few flick ons he really doesn't offer much as does not run the lines that Shae, Alosi and Corica do .. grnated he is more of a target man but only really an aerial target man.. (but that's me being really picky).. congrats Nix, that's why I watch football.... 

Dodd... in as much as he was representative of the team in a lot of ways...

Had been played (clearly) out of position in the first few games, tried hard but was poor... lost confidence, lacked direction, seemed to lose heart also... got dropped...

Comes back, in the position he's clearly comfortable playing... was under pressure in the first 20-30... soaked it up and gradually grew in confidence to the point of (relative) dominance and an almost total transformation...

Then again... Brown was immense (saw some glimpses of what I've been reading on here for the last 12 months) and Sigmund likewise... Kwasnik similar to Dodd but perhaps not to the same extent - looked confident in where he was on the park and the role he was there to fill...

Good to see the team (and specifically Ricki at the end) acknowledge the crowd... so well done us too!!!


Anyway, who cares what I think. We won - and THAT is what it's about!

Brown looked great in midfield- hopefully he can keep it up...

I got the feeling that the way that Gao took it to them after we were one down seemed to inspire the whole team. It was if he was saying, look we can get around them, lets go and we took off from then

So he gets it, 2nd Brown, never seen him play like that, a large pack after that

Frankly, the whole, XI played with so much heart today it is hard to choose a MoM.  The opposite of the Adelaide game, where we fely nobody deserved it.

I voted for Brown.  But Smeltz, Kwasnik, Gao, Lockhead, Sigmund and Paston could easily feel disappointed. 

And you could see how much the win meant to the club at fulltime.  Terriffic Stuff.

I want to vote for Ricki, big call on replacing more than half the squad, and it paid off in dividends.

Voted for Brown though, for all the reasons that have already been mentioned in this thread, although the whole back four were also contenders.

Dodd for me although it was a close run thing with Siigy.  Solid in central defence which made a pleasant change.......

Dodd was very good today, as was Brown, but Leilei was very active on attack and gets my vote.

sigmund, dodd (played in his position finally) and kwasnik played well. Brown's got plenty of heart and gets stuck in but he was too slow to knock it wide at times and some of his short passing made others around him look silly.sydney were terrible. motm- Dodd

It will be interesting to see our formation next game.

I had Gao for his work rate, and attitude on attack- which was the stand out difference this week I thought. We wanted the ball and we ran it foward from the get go.

I thought Brown played excellently, but the goal perhaps masked that overall he can still go up a notch I reckon- but what a great winner and it couldn't have been timed better.

Brown. Most gutsy performance ever. Siggy close 2nd and Gao 3rd.

Voted for Gao for the same reason. His attacking threat got us back into it in the first half, when things could easily have gone the other way.

Agree with your comments on Dodd, Sigmund and Brown too.

Not in the 2-1 win v syd last year!

I voted Dodd. Played solid and focused! but Gao I think inspired as said above! and great performance from Paston. Think he was just short of saving Sydneys goal.

Much improved heart from the whole team!

 

Voted for Dodd, but Siggy a close second for me. Leilei was excellent in the first half, faded in the second.

Daisy the Cow for me

The �Phone-Nix� player of the day - as voted by the fans at Westpac Stadium Sunday 28 September.

Shane Smeltz received 25% of the vote for his fantastic effort up front! Well done Smeltzy!

Brown's performance yesterday was Aloisi-esque.

Running around with a bandage on his head kicking people, exactly what was needed! Nice goal too.

ambitious post

Brown with ease, linked well with wings and forwards, defended gallantly. Plus of course he scored the winner.

good olf fever peer pressure

Haha, I just laugh and move on. I ate my words so thats that. Funny how people only read one post...

I'll throw in a vote for Gao for being the step-over king

That could be your next comp now your finished with freestyle most step overs in a minute

While dressed as a cow.

Hard News2008-09-29 16:37:37