If I am beong honest I saw absolutely no reason to be concerned this season during Sunday's match. However, I didn't actually watch the match so I would seek other opinions on the match before taking mine onboard
"Ive just re-visited this and once again realised that C-Diddy is a genius - a drunk, Newcastle bred disgrace - but a genius." - Hard News, 11:39am 4th June 2009
Ha ha, I just remember that all the talk after our last opening-game result was about a young fella as well - Mr L. Fenton.
Can I just say I'm fudgeing loving having some Nix football to talk about
People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis. You can't trust people.
Interesting that Smith is now being given a grudging passmark when people were yelling about how diabolical he was during the game.
Caught well from distance, seemed to have good positioning.
Spilled the ball a couple of times- but actually came for it and legitimately sent their forwards sprawling and complaining a couple of times, which is more than we've been able to say about our defenders post-Manny!
He was composed on his mistakes- he got to the ball and even when he didn't get it cleanly he took it away from the attackers and grabbed it again quickly.
He probably won't get to have a game like that again, but for me the gamble paid off and he will put pressure on Italiano for sure.
How do Sail's skills compare?
I'm not sure where all this frustration is coming from.
I thought we did pretty well. We didn't bloody lose for a start, which we do *every* *year* in our first game.
Smith didn't c0ck anything up of any significance, and he made a super save to keep the draw for us.
Abbas was quite bad, but that's the only real negative I've got. I thought Roy looked sharp and we looked dangerous in the front third quite often. Our goal was a good one. Parrotski looks like a great acquisition.
When you factor in the player we had away I reckon it's all gravy. A battling point to open the campaign. I'll take it. We definitely didn't look terrible (compare with, for example, Central Coast Mariners).
By some distance the worst performance of the day was the Fever Zone (I was there, partly to blame). Deathly silence from about the 15th minute. Not our best work.
Cheer up everyone.
want to see Roy a little more central or with a bit more license. I thought he was a little restrained. I kept expecting him to cut loose and weave some magic and it to rain goals. But I do expect that every time he touches the ball so
The one thing I thought is that we just looked calm. At no point did it seem like anything was out of control and there was panic, it was people doing their jobs and if it went wrong they dusted off and went back to it. It felt less frantic and I didn't spend the game waiting for it all to go pear-shaped despite Chris Beath's best efforts
Personally I'd have started Singh ahead of Rufer once Finkler went down. That was my thought pre-game and hasn't changed since. Not sure how Singh didn't make the bench unless he is also broken.
Seeing how we have played most of pre-season without WeeMac, Dura and Doyle I do wonder if they will just walk straight back in, particularly knowing we lose them again for a period next month.
Despite not being much of a fan of Rufer (from what I've seen), I actually think he deserves quite a decent amount of praise for that performance. I also thought that I would've preferred Singh at the start of the game, but I don't think he would have fared better.
He was given no service by Ridenton, but still managed to turn his marker on at least 3 occasions with very good bits of skill and create good opportunities - with the one that big K got on target the best of them. Also took a wild swing at a shot, but I don't mind that - showed good intent.
I thought it was easily the best performance he has put in for us.
On the flip side, RIdenton was extremely disappointing. He was good tracking back and covering our roving full-backs, but he was so, so poor with his distribution. It was embarrassing at times. Surprsiing, as he has been very solid every time has gotten a chance.
Apart from making us look like a real threat from set pieces. Should have had an assist.
I was nervous as a virgin in a brothel watching smith playing that game.
For those so called educated football fans, defending him, think for a moment, if that skinny chap turned up at Westpac in the opposition and displayed what you saw yesterday would you utter the two words "dodgy keeper"?
I'd be interested in hearing from someone who knows of Smith's development at Ellerslie/Weenix.
what do you want to know?
well, has he ever played with Kun Aguero?
Despite not being much of a fan of Rufer (from what I've seen), I actually think he deserves quite a decent amount of praise for that performance. I also thought that I would've preferred Singh at the start of the game, but I don't think he would have fared better.
He was given no service by Ridenton, but still managed to turn his marker on at least 3 occasions with very good bits of skill and create good opportunities - with the one that big K got on target the best of them. Also took a wild swing at a shot, but I don't mind that - showed good intent.
I thought it was easily the best performance he has put in for us.
On the flip side, RIdenton was extremely disappointing. He was good tracking back and covering our roving full-backs, but he was so, so poor with his distribution. It was embarrassing at times. Surprsiing, as he has been very solid every time has gotten a chance.
I'm pretty convinced Ridenton was targeted by Adelaide. But as you and someone else has pointed out he also got dragged back a lot to cover others, and I don't believe he got a lot of help from his FBs or Rufer when he had two or three men on him while trying to play forward. It was just an overly compressed mess.
So I'm thinking we've got some work to do in how we manage the midfield as a team, because Paracki is deep, Finkler/Rufer both play high (Sunday and v ACFC) and neither of those CAMs have a particularly high work rate from what I've seen; and I think Ridenton/McG are going to be vulnerable to being isolated in that linking midfield role.
I agree Ridenton had a 'mare. But I'm interested to see, with the experience of this game and some coaching thought, and adjustments, if we handle that sort of pressure better next time, particularly whenever Ridenton's in that role again. You'd hope McG's experience would have him calling some shots a bit more and forcing some switches and for some play to go away from him. Plus he probably has a better turn to get out of trouble.
I wonder if Rufer needed to work back more to provide another option for Paracki - and didn't. And that we needed to do the obvious to switch play away from the congestion more.
If we fix that we'd look a lot more fluent. And we need to.
But I agree Rufer did look good with a number of touches, though I thought I also saw that problem with work rate and fading out of games.
So overall I don't know that we should put the midfield problems entirely at Ridentons feet. If your mate is getting buried, staying high and not showing as a second option is just as big an issue. It's just that Ridenton cops the heat because he is the guy getting mugged. Not to say that it's all Rufer's fault either, but I think we had a number of issues that two relatively young inexperienced players and two new FBs playing their first A League game with this team and with a new DM didn't get to grips with. In some ways, Ridenton did his bit covering others, but he got less help from those around him when he was clearly in trouble.
Just what I think I was seeing (and also at the ACFC game, but less obviously). Interested in others thoughts on that.
Great result though, particularly with four starters out and a limited pre-season. And we avoided that 89th minute killer.
Best opening game result in five seasons.
I remember it looked like 2 on 6 at some points for Ridenton and Paracki.
Also- I actually wasn't afraid with Smith in goal going into the end of that. His confident catch with the distance shot and quick release to Galloway IIRC was one. We went from back foot to front foot in seconds. They can't attack if the ball isn't in our half.
I actually didn't mind him coming out to punch. He didn't always connect cleanly, but the strikers didn't get it all their own way and the ball didn't pin ball around. His impact wasn't perfect, but fortunately resulted in better outcomes than if he had stayed on his line.
I saw this from Spoonley just to provide some insight...
I saw this from Spoonley just to provide some insight...
Perhaps people are looking in the wrong direction in criticising Smith. Spoonley might be on to something. We need to look at the performance of the commentators!
Piney, Fred and Raf need to up their game.
The injury rules need to change, in football and other sport. Cramp is not an injury!!!
If you go down with cramp, play on! Why should the game stop because a player is unfit?
Sure, the ref may not know what has caused a player to go down at first, but Regan went down three times before he was subbed and each time the game was stopped.
Needs sorting.
It is sorted. The ref doesn't have to stop the play unless it's a head injury. This was just a show of a shark Australian ref.
The one I remember ref stopping play for when we were in an ok position was for an ankle injury, not cramp. Still shouldn't have stopped play.
Regan went down twice before he went off, both for cramp
The one thing I thought is that we just looked calm. At no point did it seem like anything was out of control and there was panic, it was people doing their jobs and if it went wrong they dusted off and went back to it. It felt less frantic and I didn't spend the game waiting for it all to go pear-shaped despite Chris Beath's best efforts
Personally I'd have started Singh ahead of Rufer once Finkler went down. That was my thought pre-game and hasn't changed since. Not sure how Singh didn't make the bench unless he is also broken.
Seeing how we have played most of pre-season without WeeMac, Dura and Doyle I do wonder if they will just walk straight back in, particularly knowing we lose them again for a period next month.
Despite not being much of a fan of Rufer (from what I've seen), I actually think he deserves quite a decent amount of praise for that performance. I also thought that I would've preferred Singh at the start of the game, but I don't think he would have fared better.
He was given no service by Ridenton, but still managed to turn his marker on at least 3 occasions with very good bits of skill and create good opportunities - with the one that big K got on target the best of them. Also took a wild swing at a shot, but I don't mind that - showed good intent.
I thought it was easily the best performance he has put in for us.
On the flip side, RIdenton was extremely disappointing. He was good tracking back and covering our roving full-backs, but he was so, so poor with his distribution. It was embarrassing at times. Surprsiing, as he has been very solid every time has gotten a chance.
Apart from making us look like a real threat from set pieces. Should have had an assist.
Yep, i'll give him that. Thought some of the corners he whipped in were beautiful.
On the comment that he was getting mugged because of the lack of support - I remember 5 or 6 occassions at least where he had the ball at his feet and time to pass it, but he took 1 or 2 seconds too long and got caught, or played a poor ball out of play. That is where I was really disappointed. I don't think you can blame that one on Rufer. He just seemed a lot slower, in terms of speed of thought, than everyone else.
a.haak
I wonder quite how much difference Gui, Mikey, Doyle and Dura will really make to this side.
We can't have been that bad or else Steve-o would have shown up by now
Aww you're missing me!
Summary: game was pretty crap, we didn't create nearly enough. Ridenton and Rufer not gonna cut it in midfield. Thought Smith did ok actually. Did Vidosic touch the ball after he scored? I'll let him off as I had him for first goal scorer. I worry about us this weekend in Sydney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone
Abbas will do better in the next game. Bring it on.
Im a bit concerned that our back line is going to Galloway, Durante, Rossi, and Doyle for this weekend, when three of those 4 were involved in the backline that leaked so many goals last year. Yes, last years back line didnt have cover that Paraksi will now provide , but this weekend i think
Smith
Galloway Mullen Rossi Doyle
Paraski Abbas
Krishna Finkler McGlinchey
Vid
I think Abbas is better suited to the above role than Left back based on what we saw on Sunday.
If Finkler is unavailable Id put Ridenton in his place.Whilst a crtical position I think its a position that suits him better than Rufer.
AK appears to need to get a bit fitter and whilst game time would help him, against Sydney this weekend i think we want to be more threatening up front to relieve some of the pressure that will be on the back 4.
Im a bit concerned that our back line is going to Galloway, Durante, Rossi, and Doyle for this weekend, when three of those 4 were involved in the backline that leaked so many goals last year. Yes, last years back line didnt have cover that Paraksi will now provide , but this weekend i think
Smith
Galloway Mullen Rossi Doyle
Paraski Abbas
Krishna Finkler McGlinchey
Vid
I think Abbas is better suited to the above role than Left back based on what we saw on Sunday.
If Finkler is unavailable Id put Ridenton in his place.Whilst a crtical position I think its a position that suits him better than Rufer.
AK appears to need to get a bit fitter and whilst game time would help him, against Sydney this weekend i think we want to be more threatening up front to relieve some of the pressure that will be on the back 4.
Surely if that was the case you'd have Krishna centrally?
Italiano
Galloway Mullen Rossi Doyle
Paraski McGlinchey
Krishna Finkler Vid
Kaluderovic
a.haak
If I am beong honest I saw absolutely no reason to be concerned this season during Sunday's match. However, I didn't actually watch the match so I would seek other opinions on the match before taking mine onboard
Id Leave Krishna out on Right wide. I like his speed out there, and the problems he causes defenders out wide, and the cross's hes doing
creates opportunities for a speeder striker which Vid could do.
I have seen by now pages and pages of people (myself included) agonising over a performance of an 18-year old newbie keeper that our coaches had faith in enough to play in a season opener. So when would you like the coaches to "blood" him? In the finals, when one keeper is for example injured and another for example unavailable 'for personal reasons'? Talk about putting pressure on a young kid. Yes it was nervy to watch but the first game of the season is not a matter of life and death and I am happy to cut him some slack.
However, this was also first game for Kadlujerovic who is surely more pricey than Smith and is expected to deliver goals for us this season. I have not seen much from him apart from maybe one good shot on the goal or another one or two deft touches. Yet nobody has so far said a word about his largely MIA performance. We could calculate his weekly wages and then compare it to Smith's wages. So is it OK to cut him this much slack based on this game compared to how little slack are people ready to give Smith based on this game?
I am not saying Smith should be our first choice keeper. He is still very much in a development stage and I hope this experience will have helped him. Also, I would like to think that Kadjulerovic will deliver as season unfolds. So all I would like to see here is some sense of balance and perspective in analysing our first outing. Yes playing Smith was a potential banana skin, but he did not turn out to be the worst one on the park.
Actually, getting outplayed quite a bit these days
Id Leave Krishna out on Right wide. I like his speed out there, and the problems he causes defenders out wide, and the cross's hes doing
creates opportunities for a speeder striker which Vid could do.
nah get Krishna at 9 and weemac out wide. Niggly how we prob need weemac in mid though
Founder
Dura in for Mullen to organise the defence, Doyle for Abbas, Mikey for Ridenton.
Vidosic needs to be subbed earlier if he is making no impact.
Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet
Dura in for Mullen to organise the defence, Doyle for Abbas, Mikey for Ridenton.
Vidosic needs to be subbed earlier if he is making no impact.
People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis. You can't trust people.
We can't have been that bad or else Steve-o would have shown up by now
Aww you're missing me!
Summary: game was pretty crap, we didn't create nearly enough. Ridenton and Rufer not gonna cut it in midfield. Thought Smith did ok actually. Did Vidosic touch the ball after he scored? I'll let him off as I had him for first goal scorer. I worry about us this weekend in Sydney.
Grumpy old bastard alert
that's some impressive stalking.
He only had them for a christmas holiday period as wasn't allowed them at school.
it was hard watching smith struggle his way through, but i expect him to improve dramatically with that game out of the way
at that age stage of your career, you just need minutes, a couple of early mistakes (that go unpunished) and a couple of moments to show your class. he had all of these and if he is as good as the coaching staff believe he is we will have a very good keeper on our hands
i remember watching paul izzo have a very similar start to his a-league career and he already looks a very competent a-league keeper
We can't have been that bad or else Steve-o would have shown up by now
Aww you're missing me!
Summary: game was pretty crap, we didn't create nearly enough. Ridenton and Rufer not gonna cut it in midfield. Thought Smith did ok actually. Did Vidosic touch the ball after he scored? I'll let him off as I had him for first goal scorer. I worry about us this weekend in Sydney.
Hello pot, meet kettle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone
We can't have been that bad or else Steve-o would have shown up by now
Aww you're missing me!
Summary: game was pretty crap, we didn't create nearly enough. Ridenton and Rufer not gonna cut it in midfield. Thought Smith did ok actually. Did Vidosic touch the ball after he scored? I'll let him off as I had him for first goal scorer. I worry about us this weekend in Sydney.
See you have taken your happy pills. Did you find enough negatives to keep you happy?
Hello pot, meet kettle
it was hard watching smith struggle his way through, but i expect him to improve dramatically with that game out of the way
at that age stage of your career, you just need minutes, a couple of early mistakes (that go unpunished) and a couple of moments to show your class. he had all of these and if he is as good as the coaching staff believe he is we will have a very good keeper on our hands
i remember watching paul izzo have a very similar start to his a-league career and he already looks a very competent a-league keeper
We've been hopeless at bringing young players through so I generally back the regime to do the right thing for these young guys, the last thing to come is consistency with young players so got to hope that his mistakes are too costly. Italiano must be pretty happy right about now...and who made the call to re-sign him and announce him as number one?
Normo's coming home
I see what you did there.....
There is a number of us old-timers hoping they keep a lid on it.
E's Flat Ah's Flat Too
I see what you did there.....
There is a number of us old-timers hoping they keep a lid on it.
Nothing wrong with letting off steam online.
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
it was hard watching smith struggle his way through, but i expect him to improve dramatically with that game out of the way
at that age stage of your career, you just need minutes, a couple of early mistakes (that go unpunished) and a couple of moments to show your class. he had all of these and if he is as good as the coaching staff believe he is we will have a very good keeper on our hands
i remember watching paul izzo have a very similar start to his a-league career and he already looks a very competent a-league keeper
We've been hopeless at bringing young players through so I generally back the regime to do the right thing for these young guys, the last thing to come is consistency with young players so got to hope that his mistakes are too costly. Italiano must be pretty happy right about now...and who made the call to re-sign him and announce him as number one?
It's fine to sign a player as the number one based on what you know of him and what's available in the market and then to have a young player force him out of the starting lineup. In fact having competition for positions is healthy.
Goal keeps often have it too easy in this competition.
it was hard watching smith struggle his way through, but i expect him to improve dramatically with that game out of the way
at that age stage of your career, you just need minutes, a couple of early mistakes (that go unpunished) and a couple of moments to show your class. he had all of these and if he is as good as the coaching staff believe he is we will have a very good keeper on our hands
i remember watching paul izzo have a very similar start to his a-league career and he already looks a very competent a-league keeper
We've been hopeless at bringing young players through so I generally back the regime to do the right thing for these young guys, the last thing to come is consistency with young players so got to hope that his mistakes are too costly. Italiano must be pretty happy right about now...and who made the call to re-sign him and announce him as number one?
It's fine to sign a player as the number one based on what you know of him and what's available in the market and then to have a young player force him out of the starting lineup. In fact having competition for positions is healthy.
Goal keeps often have it too easy in this competition.
Yes but it's very odd to announce that he will be the number one for the season when clearly that decision was not made by the coaching staff!
Normo's coming home
I see Keegan had cornrows before the shaved look. Maybe a shaved head wasn't too bad of an idea?
Looks like Keegan wont have any problem with the pessimism on here looks like he is surrounded by it. Do not know who the other bloke in the picture is, but braces and a belt?? Is that the ultimate pessimist?
it was hard watching smith struggle his way through, but i expect him to improve dramatically with that game out of the way
at that age stage of your career, you just need minutes, a couple of early mistakes (that go unpunished) and a couple of moments to show your class. he had all of these and if he is as good as the coaching staff believe he is we will have a very good keeper on our hands
i remember watching paul izzo have a very similar start to his a-league career and he already looks a very competent a-league keeper
We've been hopeless at bringing young players through so I generally back the regime to do the right thing for these young guys, the last thing to come is consistency with young players so got to hope that his mistakes are too costly. Italiano must be pretty happy right about now...and who made the call to re-sign him and announce him as number one?
It's fine to sign a player as the number one based on what you know of him and what's available in the market and then to have a young player force him out of the starting lineup. In fact having competition for positions is healthy.
Goal keeps often have it too easy in this competition.
Yes but it's very odd to announce that he will be the number one for the season when clearly that decision was not made by the coaching staff!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/93...
It says that Darije thought he deserved a chance at being a first choice keeper, obviously nothing is ever set in stone.
Obviously when they signed him they thought he'd be number one but things change. I think it's great that we finally have coaching staff who can take a critical look at things and change them when they think it would help rather than persisting with the same players and same formations.
I agree 100% - just note that the club released his re-signing under the headline "Wellington Phoenix confirm their No. 1 for season 2017/2018", and he himself says he's looking forward to playing first team football...
Normo's coming home
