Ernie deserves a big nod for last night's setup. Tough selection issues defensively, but the newies all did well. With the AW's out Ernie was freed of his biggest problem to date - how to fit Kosta, Roy, Finkler, Roly and McGlinchy all into the same side.
Watson created problems for CCM from the start, and made a huge difference at the top, taking some of the intense marking pressure off Krishna. Yes it was only CCM, but Watson gave us the option of playing more directly, and faster in transition, when we needed to be.
We aren't going to beat the Victory, or any of the top 4 sides by attempting pretty football for 90 mins. Kosta has to come in, but at least we have a Plan B option tactically now.
Problem? If anything, having game changing players on the bench is a luxury most teams do not have and great recruitment. A good man manager then earns his keep, ensuring benched stars remain happy. Depth across the park is something the Nix have never really had before.
Look at the difference between the squads for Sydney and Adelaide for example, Sydney can bring fantastic players off the bench week in week out. It makes a obvious difference when compared with Adelaide, who through failing to adequately replace players have a handful of injuries and then a team that barely functions.
Seeing as Ernie doesn't seem to think A-Rod is a DM, who is behind Lia? Where is our depth there? Across both fullback positions we have one guy who is both a genuine fullback and who has professional experience- Doyle. Parkhouse is okay going forward but poor on defensive positioning. Tratt looks like he could be alright, Fenton and Ridenton aren't fullbacks. We could have upgraded our starting DM or one or both FBs before worrying about having quality on the bench
When you've only got a squad of 23, foreign player and salary cap restrictions; some compromises will need to be made. Looking at the squad performance when we're depleted due to injuries and an international window, it looks as though the coach may have the balance right - or at least a lot better than the past. Not many other A-league teams have a strong bench.
I think Rossi was a great buy and makes our whole defense much better, but I still think that the salary/foreign spot that Finkler took would have been better spent on a RB or a DM. What you see as squad depth I see as a lost opportunity to address a weakness in our first XI. It's especially acute with Finkler because he's not versatile - he's a pure no 10 and that's it. He doesn't have the mobility or defensive nous to play deeper or the pace to play wider or up front. I'd be happier if we'd signed an import mid who was more versatile at least. Not bagging Finkler because I think he's class, I just don't think he's what we needed most in our recruitment this year. It's also meant that Rufer and Ridenton who were both progressing nicely are now further down the pecking order or being played out of position.
So far we're the only team that has looked like beating run-away leaders Sydney this season. We didn't win, but the perfomance must count for something. A pure creative number 10 is a luxury position no doubt, but where is the issue with RB or DM right now? The only spanking the Nix have recieved was from Victory with an already makeshift backline (no Rossi) and only after we were down to 10. We already have the versatile import mid - I know you're a fan of A-Rod and you must admit that since he has been back, he has been playing positively starting from deep, tracking and defending well all over the park.
Of course as you've said the wins have only been against Newcastle and CCM who are objectively weaker than other teams, but they are also teams we struggled against last season and dispatched without trouble this season.
I wonder how comparable the cost of the two squads were. We were missing a three or four of our most expensive players, but we have two marquees, home grown player, and presumably mature age rookie so should be over the cap. The Mariners on the other hand have said that they are at 80% of the cap, so both squads might have been on equivalent salaries all up.