R4 vs Melbourne Victory | Mon 31 Oct | 9:50pm | SS2

The morning after the night before - and the highlight for me was going to bed at half time.

As many will know I"m far from a footballing tactical genius (in other words, I'm like everyone else on here - whether some admit it or not), though I can't see what we're trying to do, or how. Our midfield has no shape, nor does our defence - whilst our "star" attackers run around waiting for the ball to land at their feet as if by magic - which it doesn't.

We have fullbacks who aren't good defenders;which is further exposed as  we haven't even close to adequately replaced Albert Riera (even last seasons version which was admittedly a downgrade on what we saw in previous seasons); Roly looks like he doesn't know whether he's coming or going; Dura is yelling a lot and looking frustrated; Vinnie is Vinnie - giving his guts but he isn't what he isn't (and nor will he ever be); WeeMac has vanished without a trace into the mists of the Scottish highlands; and Kosta can't seem to work out how to play football in a yellow (grey, or black) shirt as he does/did in a white or blue one. Roy is showing glimpses, but again he seems to be unsure or unable to play the role that he's being asked to.

It seems to me like Ernie (and I love the bloke) has continually tried to play the way he sees us playing in his head (which we saw a brief glimpse of when Burnsy was on fire); but hasn't recognised that the league has moved on (opponents have us sussed, as they did later in Burnsys golden season) and, we simply don't have the players to play that kind of game efficiently or effectively.

What's the answer? ImfudgeedifIknow - but I do know the definition of insanity, as I'm sure most of you do too.

Something must change, and it must change on Saturday night.

The morning after the night before - and the highlight for me was going to bed at half time.

As many will know I"m far from a footballing tactical genius (in other words, I'm like everyone else on here - whether some admit it or not), though I can't see what we're trying to do, or how. Our midfield has no shape, nor does our defence - whilst our "star" attackers run around waiting for the ball to land at their feet as if by magic - which it doesn't.

We have fullbacks who aren't good defenders;which is further exposed as  we haven't even close to adequately replaced Albert Riera (even last seasons version which was admittedly a downgrade on what we saw in previous seasons); Roly looks like he doesn't know whether he's coming or going; Dura is yelling a lot and looking frustrated; Vinnie is Vinnie - giving his guts but he isn't what he isn't (and nor will he ever be); WeeMac has vanished without a trace into the mists of the Scottish highlands; and Kosta can't seem to work out how to play football in a yellow (grey, or black) shirt as he does/did in a white or blue one. Roy is showing glimpses, but again he seems to be unsure or unable to play the role that he's being asked to.

It seems to me like Ernie (and I love the bloke) has continually tried to play the way he sees us playing in his head (which we saw a brief glimpse of when Burnsy was on fire); but hasn't recognised that the league has moved on (opponents have us sussed, as they did later in Burnsys golden season) and, we simply don't have the players to play that kind of game efficiently or effectively.

What's the answer? ImfudgeedifIknow - but I do know the definition of insanity, as I'm sure most of you do too.

Something must change, and it must change on Saturday night.

It maybe old fashioned, but for me at times like this , it is almost circle the wagons and park a big arse yellow and black bus in the middle of our Penalty Area. Back four of Doyle Rossi Dura and Tratt then two Defensive Midfielders Probably Vinnie and A Rod, A Midfield of Roly, Finkler and Kosta and Roy up top.

We have tried "sexy" football and for a number of reasons, apart from half a season two seasons ago it just ain't working. Start grinding out some results. As it sits now, I would probably be happy with a Nil all draw against the Jets. God knows what will happen when we maybe without 6 against the Salty Dogs

In the press conference Ernie said that he was going to bring on a defender when we went a man down but the team asked him to bring on an attacker and that they wanted to go for it. He said he knew it was the wrong move but what did they have to loose?

I don't think parking the bus is the solution the team isn't as bad as results suggest.

It maybe old fashioned, but for me at times like this , it is almost circle the wagons and park a big arse yellow and black bus in the middle of our Penalty Area. Back four of Doyle Rossi Dura and Tratt then two Defensive Midfielders Probably Vinnie and A Rod, A Midfield of Roly, Finkler and Kosta and Roy up top.

We have tried "sexy" football and for a number of reasons, apart from half a season two seasons ago it just ain't working. Start grinding out some results. As it sits now, I would probably be happy with a Nil all draw against the Jets. God knows what will happen when we maybe without 6 against the Salty Dogs

I agree with the sentiment.  Start from the back, start defending properly and keeping clean sheets then try and add the attacking gloss.  3 clean sheets in 31 games now (over this season and last) indicates that Merrick just can't get the defence right though.

Yeah, we need to stop goals, you pick up points with boring 0-0 draws.

We have had 10 clean sheets in 58 games under Merrick, however 7 of them were from 2014/15 season. Only 3 since and none in last 17 games

In the press conference Ernie said that he was going to bring on a defender when we went a man down but the team asked him to bring on an attacker and that they wanted to go for it. He said he knew it was the wrong move but what did they have to loose?

I don't think parking the bus is the solution the team isn't as bad as results suggest.

In the press conference Ernie said that he was going to bring on a defender when we went a man down but the team asked him to bring on an attacker and that they wanted to go for it. He said he knew it was the wrong move but what did they have to loose?

I don't think parking the bus is the solution the team isn't as bad as results suggest.

In the press conference Ernie said that he was going to bring on a defender when we went a man down but the team asked him to bring on an attacker and that they wanted to go for it. He said he knew it was the wrong move but what did they have to loose?

I don't think parking the bus is the solution the team isn't as bad as results suggest.

I find this quite interesting, in what other way do you measure performance other than the score given the aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposition, something we haven't done now for a long time

I find this quite interesting, in what other way do you measure performance other than the score given the aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposition, something we haven't done now for a long time

I find this quite interesting, in what other way do you measure performance other than the score given the aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposition, something we haven't done now for a long time

If we miss out on a finals spot on goal difference then we can look at this game and say what if, but at that point of the game we were doing ok and a 2-0 loss is the same as a 6-1 loss for the amount of points we get.

His point is fair enough - to an extent.

We have played the top 4 teams in the competition. We have gone to Melbourne where we hardly ever win. In round 1 we lacked our all whites, in round 2 the all whites were just coming back, in round 3 we outplayed Sydney before they struck late and, in round 4, we lose to Melbourne with a score line exacerbated by a red card and refereeing decisions. Parkhouse and Tratt were only signed late in the pre season as well.

The problem with this analysis is that we will have another 4 games this season affected by international windows. We need to gain points in those games. Furthermore, for the most part in the games we have lost we haven't looked to play any differently than we did last season (a style which has been found out). 

The truth is probably somewhere in between. We do have attacking weapons and we should score some goals at some point. I just don't think we will end up in the top 6 and that has to be the minimum requirement.

So you are Dome/Morrison/Welnix board

You don't do over reactions

What do you do after tonights result?

Granted a sending off did not help, Rossi being injured did not help and we largely predicted a loss but its the manner in which we lost is quite worrying.

Even the diehard Fever exec that like to ignore match day angst have to admit that after the 1st couple of rounds, there is no real reason for that performance...

It can't change because the squad is just way too thin. It's screamingly obvious that there's no true competition for 1st team places, and this has been the problem for the last few years - since we made the play-offs. Ernie can only operate with what he has, so he's partly to blame by bringing in below par players. But the fault is mainly in the way the club is set up imo. Not enough ambition. Nobody willing to stump up proper dosh for real class. But hey, we got the licence extension ... and there's no relegation to worry about. So hey, no worries. Except we've turned into a bunch of losers.