Really annoyed about some of the negativity. FFS we just won our first game. It was a fun evening, lots of action, YF were in good voice and the crowd really got into it. Does anyone who thinks Sydney were shit actually take time to think that our play made them look shit. We closed them down in midfield and pressed them well. They couldn't get their game going. They were coming off 4 wins and we beat them. This is the A-league....there will ALWAYS be crap passes and poor shooting. Just celebrate and enjoy your team winning!!!!
Yep, we have disrupted Brisbane, Wanderers, Sydney, CCM. The three player midfield is working for us, Riera is doing a great job, sitting deeper, 92% pass completion, who beeping cares if a few are lateral, and wider we have enough pace to handle most teams, apart from the odd occasion like Perth's Sidnei who cut up a still learning Louis. Manny, Louis and help from Kenny generally has been enough. And the front third are also pressing fairly high and pretty well, so the ball into the midfield is often one we can break up.
As someone else said, it is the very quick sides that cause us most problems. And our own shooting. Plus those forward players are still not instinctively anticipating each others play, though its improving slowly.
Very enjoyable evening at the Ring, a couple more goals would have been nice, we were playing Sydney short of two key players, but we'll take it.
Definitely better with Ifill on, but sorry fellas, even before the injury he was past his best and likely to take injuries. But he will take some replacing. To get up to sixth we still have things to fix, but it's still on and it will be interesting who we bring in to replace Ifill and how that changes the mix.
"Phoenix till they lose"