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R16 vs Wanderers | Sunday 8th Feb | 7:00pm | SS2

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Posted February 08, 2015 21:11 · last edited February 08, 2015 21:12

I don't see the doom and gloom that others do in this loss but I do see two trends that other teams look like they have figured out and we need to make adjustments on.

I think Ernie woke up quickly at the half to change Lia then Fenton. I'm not going to scapegoat them but they were changes that needed to be made and it made a difference. I think its pretty obvious that based on performance of the last 2 weeks, Rodriguez needs to start for Lia next week. 

Trend 1:

I consistently see us scrambling as teams have figured out to counter us once the FBs get high, pressed and turn over the ball (Fenton and Muscat).

As much as Fenton has been improving and giving us forward impetus, I would like to see our fullbacks be a bit more full back and less wing back and use our midfielders to get forward/wider if it is needed. They get isolated in the corner, force the turnover and then pressed hard in the gap behind them. That leaves Muscat and Fenton scrambling a lot more than I would like and while Lia had been the one covering in behind before the break, he is not doing that now. I know that's not what's going to happen and from where I sit as a keyboard warrior, Ernie is a far far far better coach than all of us but teams are picking on Fenton and we are getting punished up that flank. Polenz was shyte last week to really ram it to Muscat but its happening a lot and we are not adjusting. That then puts pressure on Sigmund and Durante to move at pace (and they are ok but not lightening). Do they stay or go to the on-ball man? Who is going to pick up the late runner near or far? The last goal, Sigmund went near for the intercept and left the late runner at the back an easy one. You don't want to expose your CBs like that and to a large degree, we are doing it to ourselves. We need to make that adjustment I think.

Trend 2:

I saw a team that scored against us and the run of play 1st. Then they parked the bus. The put a red and black wall on the edge of the 18 and jammed the box. No amount of 2nd/late runners was going to make a difference because they did to us what the Phoenix of old have done to others. 

The key is how to fix that and break it down and in cases like that, when you become a team that only scores inside the 18 (and think Brisbane from 2 years ago) you need some variety. We have been told that the guys operate under a 'no shots from distance' policy but once you start putting a couple on target, make the keeper sweat (and perhaps score) you then force the defence to come out to you because they wont like leaving potential threats unmarked at about 25y out. This then leaves the space in behind again for more runners and you can get into the box. I liken it to cricket. If the inner ring is jammed with fielders to stop the singles, hit over the top and force them to have to adjust the field for that. That then frees up the inner ring again to get singles and tick the strike over. Teams know we are not going to shoot so they just stay in the box and wait.

Am I concerned? No. We finished very strongly and dominated the 2nd half, in the heat which was a stark contrast to last week where we succumbed to it. They just parked the bus and most teams do not come out winners against that. Again, its football and it happened to us again. If they had dominated us and won by 3 (and lets not forget the last goal blew the score out to an unrealistic reflection) then I would be worried.

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Jeff Vader edited February 08, 2015 21:12

I don't see the doom and gloom that others do in this loss but I do see two trends that other teams must look like they have figured out and we need to make adjustments on.

I think Ernie woke up quickly at the half to change Lia then Fenton. I'm not going to scapegoat them but they were changes that needed to be made and it made a difference. I think its pretty obvious that based on performance of the last 2 weeks, Rodriguez needs to start for Lia next week. 

Trend 1:

I consistently see us scrambling as teams have figured out to counter us once the FBs get high, pressed and turn over the ball (Fenton and Muscat).

As much as Fenton has been improving and giving us forward impetus, I would like to see our fullbacks be a bit more full back and less wing back and use our midfielders to get forward/wider if it is needed. They get isolated in the corner, force the turnover and then pressed hard in the gap behind them. That leaves Muscat and Fenton scrambling a lot more than I would like and while Lia had been the one covering in behind before the break, he is not doing that now. I know that's not what's going to happen and from where I sit as a keyboard warrior, Ernie is a far far far better coach than all of us but teams are picking on Fenton and we are getting punished up that flank. Polenz was shyte last week to really ram it to Muscat but its happening a lot and we are not adjusting. That then puts pressure on Sigmund and Durante to move at pace (and they are ok but not lightening). Do they stay or go to the on-ball man? Who is going to pick up the late runner near or far? The last goal, Sigmund went near for the intercept and left the late runner at the back an easy one. You don't want to expose your CBs like that and to a large degree, we are doing it to ourselves. We need to make that adjustment I think.

Trend 2:

I saw a team that scored against us and the run of play 1st. Then they parked the bus. The put a red and black wall on the edge of the 18 and jammed the box. No amount of 2nd/late runners was going to make a difference because they did to us what the Phoenix of old have done to others. 

The key is how to fix that and break it down and in cases like that, when you become a team that only scores inside the 18 (and think Brisbane from 2 years ago) you need some variety. We have been told that the guys operate under a 'no shots from distance' policy but once you start putting a couple on target, make the keeper sweat (and perhaps score) you then force the defence to come out to you because they wont like leaving potential threats unmarked at about 25y out. This then leaves the space in behind again for more runners and you can get into the box. I liken it to cricket. If the inner ring is jammed with fielders to stop the singles, hit over the top and force them to have to adjust the field for that. That then frees up the inner ring again to get singles and tick the strike over. Teams know we are not going to shoot so they just stay in the box and wait.

Am I concerned? No. We finished very strongly and dominated the 2nd half, in the heat which was a stark contrast to last week where we succumbed to it. They just parked the bus and most teams do not come out winners against that. Again, its football and it happened to us again. If they had dominated us and won by 3 (and lets not forget the last goal blew the score out to an unrealistic reflection) then I would be worried.