R14 v Perth Glory | Thurs 5th Jan | 11pm | SS3

Can confirm. Went to a coaching seminar with Ernie at the beginning of last season. He basically went over how he divided the pitch in terms of tactics, he said those who shoot outside the box are wasting their time because it goes in once every blue moon. Golden area for him was central and inside the box. 

I give you...

He isn't playing in midfield, he is playing on the wing.

Well we seem to concede alot of goals from outside the box

thought as much, not sure I totally agree with restricting shots from anywhere, if a player thinks he's got a chance then he should take it for mine. It certainly hasnt worked for us over the years, it's translated into too many touches in the box with no shot.

We had 3 shots from outside the box that half, they had 4.

not sure I'd call those shots

I think it is becoming apparent that while Ernie talked a good game in reality his ideas just were not effective 

Smeltz and Krishna have been very good, I think. 

Kosta's touch needs some work, but has done some good stuff.

Remain unconvinced by Parkhouse; but the decision to go to a 4-4-2 was a smart one by Des and Greenie.

A-Rod is a strange player. After 56 appearances I think he's horrible one moment and great the next.

This feels weird to type, but even if we do end up losing this game. this is the type of loss I like to see. We've created chances, we've played nice football, we've defended well, Moss hasn't been busy (except for being unable to stop that bullet from Griffiths). This is so much better than watching a flat, uninspiring, uncreative team we've seen come out a couple of times this season. 

As long as he remembers he has to pass to our guys, not theirs.

excluding those three miss passes he had a good half, better than what Lia/Finkler has offered this season.

Smeltz has really made a huge difference - much larger than I thought. Made easier by the fact that the formation was set up for him so that that Krishna could do the hard work tracking back.

He's really still a classy player, even if he doesn't score many for us - he gets rid of the ball in one or two touches and always has a plan when on the ball.

Compared to Watto who I like, but is more like a steam train that only has one speed setting.

What?

Football's a game of a thousand opinions I guess.

It's been good, yes, but frankly Perth have been absolutely woeful and are making us look a lot better than we are. Let's see how the 2nd half pans out. I think Perth will be revved up to finish us off now.

At least one of them got blocked.

Statistically in football, 3.5% of shots from outside the box go in so isn't generally a good percentage play. Not sure if that figure is different in the A-League but wouldn't expect it to be much different. The one Perth got there, we probably would've taken that shot if in same position, he was left with so much time.

I wonder though, if our management aren't fans of shooting outside the box, are we maybe not making enough effort on closing down opposition players outside the box?

I've just realised I misread this tweet RR posted. Congrats Krishna for scoring the 4000th goal.  

Other observations, this game is a million times better than our last home game.

A-Rod is great at moving into space and freeing himself ip to receive a pass, something that Finkler didn't seem able to do. Just wish he would ne more creative and nack himself more

my general opinion of Lia is not hgh - im probably a little biased against him. Finkler has not really wowed me yet and I think in general ARod has not really been given a decent chance to develop into the player he promised to be.

great call from the asst ref.

thank fark for that. that was horrific from dura. nice little touches and then stuffed it as he didnt get rid of the ball and then we get caught out. poor play

Fudge caught out on the break twice in 5 mins

terrible defending

rubbish. again a break caused by our inability to keep the ball. there is not point in playing possession football if everytime we try to, we lose it and put ourselves under pressue. terrible start to the half. 

Why doesnt Moss come out to claim the ball instead of tracking across the line??

And just like that we are fudgeed. 

So many attack coming down Tratt's flank. Not just in this game either.

FFS we should have taken our chances in the first half,  game would have been over by now

Shocking defending

Undone all of the good work of the first half, fudgeing shocking. Keogh's should've been a goal too.

Love the bloke but Dura is past it.

I'm going off The Fratellis pretty fast.

fixed

As said earlier, we lose position rapidly and our wing backs are caught out of position.

playing like it's past midnight.. Hard to fight against biology.

Tratt always get caught out. Someone needs to tell him to just be a fullback

They;ve been in Perth for 2 days, time enough to get used to the time difference - travel is not an excuse, the players know how to deal with time differences.

Where the fudge is Tratt?!?!?

Yet another one of Merrick's tactical preferences - Buckingacre have kept the wide backs as wing backs. The big problem is the man in front of Tratt losing position so easily.

Getting completely done because Parkhouse and Kosta aren't covering full-backs properly - Glory cottoned onto this and have changed this half.