R4 vs Brisbane Roar | Sat 28th Oct | 7:35pm | RoF

Yellow Fever and crowd performance was good.

For me Kaluderjuvic goal celebration run in front of the crowd was a great moment. He seems a good striker, 3 goals in four games is good rate, hope that continues.

I think the team just found themselves in strange circumstances and panicked a bit. I remember one of our first games in the 2014-15 season (I think) the team was ahead of CCM early and then completely forgot how to play and sat right back. They were extremely shaky and were lucky to come away with the win. But this was after a season where they came 9th and so were obviously pretty nervous to get the win. 

Later in that season the team obviously went on a great run. 

In this game there was also a backline made up of fringe players and players that hadn't even been in the match day squad so far this year.

By a few accounts one of the more disruptive characters has left the team and otherwise there weren't a whole lot of long term players on the pitch.

I think that the problems that we saw yesterday will disapear once they do get a win or two under their belts.

Keegan Smith had a better game than Michael Theo. The kid is going to be very good. He's not going to become very good unless he plays first team football. Especially since neither of the other 2 keepers are good enough for the A-League.

As much as that draw feels like a loss I'm not too disheartened. We're still a work in progress and that's very obvious. However, when we put it together, like that first 20 minutes we can beat anyone in the league, now it is about extending that 20 minutes to 45, then 60 then 90.

We were always going to ship goals missing 3 of our starting backline, they were just unfortunate that they came the way they did. Its another performance to build on - we were good for our 3 goals and I'm still positive going forward.

Kaludjerovic now has 3 in 4, I thought Vidosic and Krishna were both fantastic and I actually thought Abbas did a great job in comparison to his last few games, although he defended the cross for the Roar's first goal poorly. Fox definitely not a right back. Ingham was god awful. 

Shout out to Hamish Watson, when Pastaboy and Keegs were having their tussle I yelled that he should punch someone when he came on and got 2 thumbs up and a massive grin in response, along with a bit of shadow boxing while he kept warming up. Good value from the big lad.

Yeah I thought Smith good do better but he's no worse than most A-League keepers and is on a pretty steep improvement curve which is excited. 

Since before the season started Darje has talked about how it's going to be a slow start as this is still almost an extension of our pre-season. He aims to be in the finals next year but I wonder if they are focussing more on next year than this one.

I wonder if Kaludjerovic had a bit of extra motivation because Aloisi was the one who dropped him. 

Also, about the crowd, I thought it was okay, and it made a lot of noise. Us tragics might be excited about the team but they haven't yet got the results which will start attracting the casual fans. a

Casual fans see 3 games (now 4), zero wins. After last season, it’s gonna take a while to get any decent crowd numbers in regardless of rebranding and whatever else.

Smith did have it covered--- got his hands to it.  Theo never got close.

Not worried about no wins on the board. Adelaide won the Comp losing 5 of their first 8 games, and didn't get their first win until round 9.

The worry is tactically how we got it so wrong in the second half. 3-1 up - at home - and inviting Brisbane to play - I don't get it. There was only going to be one outcome - either drawing it - or losing - which nearly happened.

This is the A League - you can't defend any lead - and Brisbane bullied us really well. 

Presume the extra re-arrangement in defence threw our playing out from the back approach out the window, or trying to play at all -  and no pressing at the other end was weird.        

But a few positives for sure - 3 goals - Krishna was outstanding all over the park - we didn't lose - and we have key defenders coming back.   

I don't think he gets much stick at all. Just the odd comment. He isn't still a Serie A defender, he is now in the A League.

OK so we have lots of promising signs of a Nix revival.....well drilled, well coached some good players...BUT its 2 points out of 12. You try and be optimistic and it is still early season but unless we start picking up points on a regular basis then we will be struggling i the bottom half of the comp for the rest of the season.

Blowing a 3 goal lead is inexcusable at any level of football...especially against the bottom of the table team. Sometimes I think the Nix need a shrink rather than a coach.

On the plus side I like the look of Kaludjerovic...the guy looks like a proper no 9. That first headed goal was as good as it gets for a striker. If you put the ball in the right place this guy will score. Krishna looks the goods this season too. Smith was at fault for the second goal but he will do the job for us this season.....loved the dust up after the penalty.....this kids got caljones.

So if we get our key defenders back and the coach can get every ones head in the right place then we will have an OK season...right????

Melb City also pressured our playing out from the back from about 35minutes into that game.  So that started happening from a bit before Rossi was subbed at half time - leaving us with Doyle at CB with Mullen, and Galloway and Abbas. 

And we fairly quickly reduced how much of the playing out we were doing in that game.  Smith also stopped taking free kicks and goal kicks short.  And the game went from us looking good and dictating much of the play, to a much tougher contest with City coming at us.

I couldn't see the Brisbane game, but it sounds like it rhymes.

So either a work in progress, still, for the less experienced/skilled defensive players and combinations, or they need the leadership and confidence that Rossi, especially, brings.  Either that, or sides are already working out we're vulnerable if they press our D. 

I'll stay hopeful they can sort it out.  And the front three are firing pretty well, despite limited preseason.  

But we're still a thin squad and seem to be carrying Finkler right now.  I think with one of Rossi and Dura back (preferably the former) and Paracki and McG having a pretty injury free season we'll be upper middle table.  But it gets harder with one or more of those guys out. 

Don't get the Ingham hate. I think some people have formulated an opinion based on not wanting him picked for the national squad and see what they want to see. It wasn't a coincidence that it was 3 - 0 when he came on (and we all know how it ended). With Jade North at LB, Krishna was having a field day. 

Ingham ended up with a 100% tackle completion rate and better stats for passing accuracy, duels won, interceptions and clearances than both the Nix FB's who were on the park for longer.

Much better energy from the fever than in week 1, despite the disappointing 2nd half 

You must be dreaming if you think that Ingham was the game changer. He might be quicker than North but on that performance how he ever got picked as an AW is astounding. 

I thought he was crap.

Thanks for illustrating my point perfectly.

Definitely not all white quality yet but in the second half he was no worse than anyone else.

I don't object to Ingham's play, but his thuggish bullying attitude.

;)

Talking about thuggish attitude did they show on TV what caused Khalfalla to have a go at Smith?

I believe Smith was blowing kisses and smooching. No need for that shark.

That result last night is unacceptable for me. To be up 3-0 @ home and let 3 points slip against a team that is near the bottom of the A-league...I'm disappointed in the players. They need to stand-up and own this result and let us (supporters) know that this result is unacceptable and that it won't happen again @ home this season! 

I think what concerned me was a apparent lack of desire to finish off the opposition. The first half was brilliant, but it feels like the players felt they had done enough rather than continue on with the game plan. Either that or they became scared of risking losing and became more defensive. It wasnt the attitude of a championship winning team that would want to crush an opposition. Paraki gives the impression of being a fairly tough nut on the field, and he has  been a captain before. I wonder, whilst Dura is out/away Paraki might not be a better bet as captain. Its seems from the coach's interview that it wasnt his change it tactics but the players, which goes to onfield leadership.

Anyway pleased with the first half and disappointed in the second. Top six is possible.

I think it was fear. I wonder if the game was harder if the Nix would have won it.

Why not? Paul Ifill pointed out on Twitter that he did far worse than that as an 18 year old. I heard of a keeper once in Wellington women's football who wore a Velcro bow tie on the field just to troll the opposition.

Anything goes at Millwall though

Highlights were definitely McGlinchey and Krishna. Absolutely class. Abbas is a hell of a lot better than I though after the first game.

I'd love to take set pieces against Smith in goal.

I think the second half should have been called the Gillett show, it appeared it was all about him and how many free kicks and decisions he could give the Roar. Once again, the A League officiating standards show no improvement from day one of the very first A League game.

A very disappointing second half. yes, we did sit too deep and sat back on the lead but FFS, the Roar players were going down quicker than a $2 hooker and getting rewarded for it. Krishna's tumble was not a penalty at all but it was a free kick that was never given.

Agree, Mullen is a bit of a donkey

I hope Smith knows enough to stay away from stuff and social media, it's brutal and completely disproportionate to his performance.

There is a lot of ageism going on.

Some detailed stat comparisons of Keegan vs Theo. He also copped alot of flak from the Melbourne City game because of wall and a wicked strike that hit the post yet his performance was top notch - https://phoenixwatch.wordpress.com/

Anyone saying Mullen is better than Rossi has no clue. Sorry. Rossi on one leg is still the best CB we have.

If he was out there, far less likely that we concede 3 so easily.

Thankfully results went our way over the weekend with lots of drawn games. Still in 7th and not far off the Glory in 6th. There's still a long way to go in season 17/18.  The finals aren't made in October....

I purposely didn't comment on the game until today as I wanted to make sense of what happened on Saturday night first.

My thoughts are, in brief:

1. We deserved to draw the game in the end. Amazing start but after the fourth (and correctly disallowed) goal, we did not string more than two passes together and completely switched off. You do that for about 60' in the professional game, are you are toast.

2. I am not sure Kalezic is doing Smith any favors by keeping him as no.1. The kid has talent, from what I've seen he has exceptional reflexes and will no doubt make a good keeper very soon, but he needs to develop, both mentally and physically. The Nix should support him through this process, extra sessions at the gym to work on his explosive diving force and regular mentoring to ensure his mental game is up to scratch too.

3. I wasn't happy with the referee at all, no consistency (big surprise in the A-League!). First you don't award Krishna a clear foul on the edge of the box, then you give a foul leading to their second goal where there was hardly any contact?! Hard to call the penalty, but to be it appears the player had already lost his balance before he clashed with Riddenton.

4. Wow, this team has potential! I like the way we play (when we actually make the effort!) - high up the pitch, constant pressure, patient possession of the ball and nice diagonal passes to open up the opposition defenses. This team can make the play offs if it can find some consistency and, excuse my french, some balls as well.

Yes, but that was against Brisbane. I will wait with my opinion till after we play our true yardstick, the CCM.

Strike rate is good, reflecting that he appears to be quality in the box, but I don't think he works hard enough to make himself an outlet when we're trying to play out.  Even when we were going 3-0 up they were dominating possession because we were turning it over so often.

I would agree with that, except maybe he is not familiar enough with the team as yet to do certain things instinctively depending on who the ball is with.   However, if this persists, then I would argue that we are just a shop window for his real A-League career in the following seasons.