Pre-Season 2018/19 - vs Victory

You serious? It's a preseason hit out. Frankly given how little time the squad has had together I would have been shocked if we'd won.

Probably stating the bleeding obvious, but anyone got any details on how we lined up? Found nothing on twitter or social media, but I guess that was to be expected.

More interested in how Rudan set our lineup than the result to be honest.

Based on the photos, Krishna, Burns and Rufer played some part of the game. 

https://www.brisbaneroar.com.au/news/match-report-...

Anyone know how Bentleigh has been going lately?

2015 and 2017 National Premier League Victoria champions. (Finals Series competition) and 2016 Premiers (Regular season winners).

FFA Cup record (Never beat an A-League team)

2014 - Semi Finals - (lost 3-0 to Glory)

2015 - Round 5 

2016 - Quarter finalist (lost 2-0 to Victory)

2017 - Round of 16 (lost 4-0 to WSW)

Current season they are second in the NPLV behind Heidelberg United though their run in the competition since June has seen 4 Wins, 2 draws and 3 losses including two of those losses in July.

Maybe Rudan gave the new players and even moreso the trialists a good run and rested the established 'certs'. Winning not a priority.

Could have been quite a weak team.

For example:

              Kurto

Tratt  Lowry Taylor  Cacace

     Kopczynski Wallen(?)

           Rufer / De Jong

Fenton                   Skapetis

             Wooding

Krishna and Burns did get on.

If Burns managed to score without getting on the pitch, then that answers the questions of his form. 

What an odd post. 

Nothing assumed. We also know Rufer and Krishna played, and all 7 triallists got a run in the second half. As above. 

Good to hear Rudan was "content" with the first half.  Better chances and no save required.  Makes you wonder how the possesion went, but maybe shouldn't read anything into what he didn't comment on.

Not so big a deal giving up two goals to Brisbane playing all of these trialists, plus one other, in the second half.

Andre DE JONG, Alex RUFER, Peter SKAPETIS, Jacob TRATT, Josh WALLEN, Liam WOODING

I AM NOT WORRIED 

Glass half full I guess.....have heard spinmeisters before.

Looking forward to the game against the Bentleleigh Greens. 

It still feels like we are behind the 8 ball, despite the recent positive moves... I still remember last year though where we looked a million dollars at the start of the season and preseason, despite not getting the result and played some of our best football.

The NIX is the difinition of a enigma in recent years.

Obvious errors? The Nix used one of those formations this year, more or less,  and had a rare win. Play the ball not the man. 

Here's how I would set the team out based on who we have right now. 

Kurto

Lowry - Fox - Taylor - Doyle

Kopczynski - Singh

Burns - Nicholls - Krishna

Williams

Of course more players will arrive, and if we sign an imported DM, then Singh would move further forward.

And before anyone says Singh is an AM, he has played more than enough footy at CM and the combo of Singh moving forward and Nicholls starting high but working back would work just fine.

What Rudan does up front is going to be fascinating

Any streams? 

Last year it was live on YouTube. Hoping it will be again.

I'd like to see

             Kurto

Fox Durante Taylor Doyle

   Kopczynski Cacace

      Nichols Singh

Williams            Krishna

No striker, but Nichols looking to get forward. 

Yep this is about what I want/expect too. Not a bad looking team, really.

So what's the bench then?

Burns, Lowry, Sail and ?

Is Cacace a starting top 4 a league player in central midfield? 

Hey does anyone know if there are any Pre-Season friendlies planned for either Palmy or Napier?

Fenton - who has experience in just about every position but goal. Handy sub.

Cacace looks stronger and more aggressive than Singh, so could be better equipped physically for DM. Will be interesting to see which position he settles in as his career progresses. Taylor and Durante might work well together, maybe some chemistry there.

Maybe, maybe not - but we have no choice at the moment.

I see what you've done there ;-)

There has been a fair bit of call in these forums for a Fox/Taylor central defence partnership.  

While I personally agree that is the correct call if going with a standard back four, I believe that it is more likely that  Durante/Taylor will be Rudan's first call, especially on Tuesday.  The big issue there could be lack of pace but two very experienced players with high game reading skills could be a great combination.  Judging by Instagram posts, they are forming quite a friendship too.

Personally I have grown to like the three centre back system that was favoured by the All Whites version of Ricky circa 2010 WC time (Nelsen, Smith, Reid) also used by England during the just past WC.  We like playing our full backs high and adding Fox into the mix would work well IMHO.  It would (again IMHO) also mean the need for just one holding midfielder and if Kopa is a ball winner as well as distributor, would work very well.  The full backs then give us good width deep going forward but covered more by the centre backs if caught high up when we lose the ball and space in behind them.

Fox is one of our best 11 players, imo

Kidding aside, I think Rudan will start with Dura/Taylor to begin with as well.

Honestly don't care so much about the FFA cup, but the season is enormously important 

Be nice to get some football, but it's a pre season run out 

Is it really sill 2 months away... it was beginning to feel so close.

I'm going to watch it in the (likely to be) freezing cold, so yes, it does matter :) 

Haha, for a moment there I thought you meant Rudan will start...