R15 vs Melbourne Victory | Wed 10th Jan | 7:35pm | RoF | Kids go free

Shark that makes getting up and going to work easier.Reminded this morning why i dont visit the stuff site often.Shark some of the people that write for them are even worse than some of sad sacks on here.

nail hit on the head there. Miserable, uncharitable tossers.

You wonder what the agenda is, Hyslop is a football fan after all.

The other day it was being reported that the Phoenix had given up on the season yet when I listened to the audio of the interview Darje said categorically that they haven't given up.

I know, it was just a general statement on negative spin.

for some of these boofheads football continues to loom large as a serious threat to their rugby religion. Football has always been a bit of a religion to me as well but I wouldn’t feel compelled to express delight through social media in any failings of the Hurricanes or All Blacks. There are a lot of very sad people out there.

As for Hyslop - pathetic. Can’t even get basic facts right. Windy last night? Were you at the game?

Reflecting on the game last night, the team worked tirelessly and I'm pleased we came away with the 3 points. 

Positives: 

- We Won. We really needed 3 points. 

- Burns - our best player on the pitch - not only looked most likely to score, but also brought others into the fold.

- Matija Ljujic - Decent debut. Looked a tad left footed, but his link up play (especially with AK) was good to watch. 

- DK got the tactics right. Setting up to hit a better team on the counter then adjusting with the Red card.

Negatives:  

- Matt Conger / the officials - Thank god for VAR. We should've also had the off-side goal allowed.

-We really should've finished more. This could be a confidence thing, but we had several 1v1's that we chopped. 

- Our defense looked vulnerable for the majority of the game - despite having the numerical advantage. 

- They frequently hit us down the left with Kosta - Doyle was great going forward, but left us exposed at the back. Their goal (as pointed out by djtim3000 earlier in this thread) was the result of Doyle being out of position (Dura closing Berisha, Doyle in no man's land) and then getting skinned by Kosta. Italiano was also poor, but we should have closed that down further up the pitch.

I liked the different corner variations.

I loved see Burns toying with defenders, he delivered what we all hoped.

I enjoyed the positiv attacking attitude of the the new guy, number 8.

I saw a great willing to win work ethic.

I loved all the shots on and off target, frigging 28!

I like how the fans got engaged, most looked in disbelief that we are not up by five, clapping they ass off for the last 10 minutes.

I thought it was great idea bringing Burns after 20min, at this stage we controlled the game and did not need 5 in the back.

I liked Italiano decision let Kosta score. This made whole game more dramatic. There was no moment in the game where I thought we will not win this, I love it!

Bring on Saturday! 

Noticed they didn't again. 5,105

Just on the VAR intervention, I really do not understand what went on there.  Conger sees it and gives a yellow, presumably he felt that the defenders were close enough to mean it wasn't an obvious goal scoring opportunity.  VAR reviews it and says what, we think it's red go and take another look?  

He then runs to the side of the pitch where apparently he sees the same replay we saw, 2 out of the four replays were close ups of the actual tackle.  He knows it's a foul as he has alreayd blown for a free kick so I don't understand what that replay was showing.  None of the replays I thought actually showed enough for the ref to change his mind on the real question which was a wide angle to show how close the other defenders were.  In the end I think he got the decision right but I just struggle with the whole process.

If Ljujic is left footed why did he play on right?..is there precedent for that?;>)

I was tearing my hair out and yelling at Ridenton at all night, but at least he is making himself available and getting on the ball.  I really don't think he is up to standard yet, and would rather see others playing at this point, but I don't think he is a complete write off for the future.

Italiano on the other hand...

Left footer, on the right .... Messi

VAR is pants

Terrible decision to change the call to red card

As for the first half 'offside' the linesman is better positioned than the TV camera. So more than ok it was flagged. Offside will always be the tough one and VAR can't solve that. I also don't believe having such a long stoppage helps anyone. IIRC 8 mins was added on ... Think there was 1 sub and 1 injury 

So yeah Luddite suggests technology is rubbish

I might have missed a more definitive replay at half time but I didn't see one clearly showing he was onside?  But everyone else seemed convinced.

In it's current form VAR is not working and so long as VAR can only chalk off goals it won't improve the game.  I think that's a huge flaw

Why was it a terrible decision? Red card all day long.

Was told at the after match last night the the officials apologise for making an incorrect call on the offside. 

Foal VAR can help with tight calls - let the play go on if it's tight and use VAR to check validity if a goal is scored.

I generally hate discussing the "process" for officials making a decision and generally think if you get the right decision then the process doesn't matter (eg people saying the ref got it right but he couldn't have seen that from where he was standing so still shouldn't have given it).  But this whole VAR thing is all process so how they come to the decision, correctly or incorrectly, does seem to matter if that makes sense.  I thought I wouldn't mind VAR and I am not anti it but it's just not working

Presented without comment.

The VAR is still new and officials are still getting to grips with it. On the offside call, I have a degree of sympathy for the Nix [on this occasion] but really think we need to let the officials rule on what they 'see' in the moment and then adjust the process accordingly if that is possible. I honestly don't think we can afford to have officials second guessing themselves just in case they are wrong and have it overturned by the VAR. The lino in this case, saw offside and flagged it, ref whistles and we score. End of the day, bad call from the linesman but its only an error and everyone in the pitch makes those - its part of the game.

While many have been mentioned here, I really think Mullen put in a great shift. Loved his barnstorming runs. Very quick also. Seems to play with alot of heart, despite not being amazing. Reminds me of a certain mr Sigmund. 

I don't think telling linesmen not to flag 'close' offsides is a good answer.  It still effects the game.  What if he is offside, the linesman knows it, but it's 'close' (what offside isn't?) so doesn't flag and the play goes on and shortly the defense concedes a corner/gives away a dangerous free kick. Do we review then? No, of course not that would be silly, there would be way to many reviews.  So then they score from the free kick/corner.  Do you go all the way back to the original off side now (maybe 3-5 minutes ago at this point!)?  I don't think you would - it would be farcical.

The whole VAR concept is farcical.  Goal line technology and that's it thanks.

Yep, I get that same vibe in regard to Mullen too. Technically, not brilliant, but always seems to give it a good solid go.

Great game all in all.

I was worried when MVC went down to 10 as we have played poorly against 10 in the past and I expected them to do exactly as they did - park the bus and hit us on the counter.

One thing must be said, even before the sending off, we seemed to come out of the sheds with a different attitude and put MVC under the pump from the start. Sure, the red card changed the game, but I like to think that DK is getting through to his players.

Even if we'd lost yesterday, we certainly wouldn't have looked like a team that's not trying or that's against the coach, just a team that squanders chances and makes the wrong decisions in the final third.

Thought Paracki had a blinder, good game by Mullen. Doyle not so good, but he did face Kosta who was MVC best player on the night. Riddenton needs to get a few goals under his belt and grow his confidence. For his age he has huge potential. He's not as classy or promising as a young Marco or Kosta, but I don't think we ever used a Kiwi player so young as much as we've used him, right? So with more time he'll develop nicely.

Great performance by Dura and Fox as well. Krishna is just Roy - a beast who never gives up. AK unfortunate not to bag another and Burns changed the game ultimately although his decision making was poor going forward sometimes.

Finally, DK has balls. Taking Rossi off and keeping Fox on, taking WeeMac off after 45' for the new guy (who didn't impress, but it's too early to call), were not easy decisions to make. As time goes on, my appreciation for DK grows. He seems to know what he wants and not stop at anything to achieve it. I love this attitude in football. He's also shown remarkable flexibility for a coach, trying new tactics and combinations out of this rout. Really hope we can turn our season around now.

1- yes, but only after having his ear chewed off by Darije in the halftime break - his first half was very pedestrian

2 - yes, including the "not being amazing" bit

3 - No.  But once Mullen scores a winner, in the last minute, with a header, with a bleeding and bandaged head, I'll agree on that.

Because the Ref had a good look at it and decided it was a foul (yellow)

I certainly don't need 4 minutes pissing around changing it with a crowd getting up him

Next time he won't make a call at all just hope VAR does it. 

If he went straight to a Red (no Var) then that would of been the best call

The offside , still believe a trained lines person has a better look than the TV Camera I was watching. VAR won't change that. 

Finally a better article from Hyslop, plus outlines the coach's decision-making process on the Burns/Rossi swap. Here

It still seems to be opinion though

Yes I understand and grasp "Goal Line Technology" 

VAR this morning Ch v Arse, Moses gets ANM , penalty... I mean Hazard got the same thing last week right?

Um no, someone decided the contact wasn't penalty worthy in this case

I'd sooner have immediate ref random calls than breaking up the game with VAR stoppages to still have random ref calls. 

Fox is a very good central defender. Always rated him ever since I first saw him play. In my opinion his determination, ability to win challenges and his aerial skills are close to being up there with the best defenders in the league. He lacks a little bit in the technical department and positioning but he is still young and I am excited to watch him progress in the future.

The procedure should be, very close, NOT called it offside, linesmen calls the ref and VAR that it's a close call and let them play and score and then the VAR should make the call. This would be perfect and it would be very fast to decide.

I read somewhere Conger apparently changed the card from a yellow to a red after seeing the reply that showed Rhys Williams getting no ball in the tackle. So the sideline replay did show him something different.