vs Jets

Me too, but unfortuantely, Drapes isnt in the squad for Sunday....

Thankfully you are not his agent then....

Ricki said its a week early but siggy's rearing to go

"DO YOU LIKE TO FIGHT ON TRAINS
DO YOU LIKE TO FIGHT-ON-TRAINS

If was his agent i'd have the boy in the USA by now. Ricki and Tony P must have promised a lot! Ah the joys of knowing what goes on behind closed doors

Fair enough but just because they won a game or two against them doesn't mean they are equal in terms of ability or have the same potential to step up to the A-League.


valeo2008-12-31 16:33:17

Ricki's normally a conservative sort of selector. So don't expect too many surprises. As has been pointed out Siggy for Durante definite. Plodder or Johnson for DM. Plodder has been coming off the bench regularly...but Johnson has heaps of experiance. We will miss mcCains height and prescence.

and that won't cut it this weekend - after the Mariners win last night we must win on Sunday or our Top 4 aspirations are over - unless you think we can take 3 points off Adelaide !!

The Jets won't be easy - they have nothing to loose as far as their Top 4 chances are concerned - they will be playing for pride. I suspect a few up and comers will get a run and they will be out to make a name for themselves.

Johnson and Christie aren't the players I would be playing in a must win game - we should have 2 strikers and 3 attacking midfielders - Kwasnik, Daniel and Hearfield. We will also need attacking options (Costa) on the bench.

Do or die this weekend - take the game to the Jets from the start - don't let them settle.

There is some merit to your thinking but the issue I have is once we lose possession, whom do you expect to man the midfield, shut down their guys and win possession back. Tim Brown....all by his lonesome....after his sub par performance last week?

I personally would like to see them play two holding midfielders, two central attacking midfielders, two strikers and use Muscat and Lockhead as wingbacks. Get them up and down the flanks. Wasn't that fitness guy saying Lockhead would be one of the fittest in the EPL. Utilise that. If they get caught out, drop Brown and Johnson/Christie in behind to cover and regain composure. Allow the two attacking midfielders to drop in if that situation happens.

              |---------------------------Lockhead----------------------------------|

              Dodd         Johnson/Christie   (Ferrante/Kwasnik             Bertos
Moss                                                          2 of the 4
              Sigmund            Brown              Hearfeild/Daniel)             Smeltz

              |--------------------------- Muscat------------------------------------|

my team for sunday

Bertos on the bench?
Expain

he is good to come on when everyone else is tired

who is captaining this week if durante and mckain cant play

my bet would be on tim

Brown and Bertos on the bench is really stupid.

Blunt but true...

my team for sunday johnson

I can't wait to get back over there...

WHO AM I? WHO AM I?

He called my kid a slut....SHE'S ONLY NINE!!!

hahahahahahahahaha farken gypsies!

Come on guys, be realistic. I know we'd all love the team to play like Barcelona and thump teams 3/4-0 regularly, but that's not where our strengths lie.

I think we'll see pretty much the formation we saw against CCM, with the necessary changes in personnel due to suspenions, and the same kind of result too. I know it's tempting ti suggest we play 2 strikers and 3 attacking mids, but what do we do if we get 2-0 behind in the first 20 by doing so? No, we need to stick with what's worked so far, keep it tight at the back, show patience and wait for mistakes (but preferably keep the possession a bit longer than we did in the last two games...). That's much more likely to bring us a result than putting out a new and very attacking formation.

Agreed El G and Zinidane

Playing 3 attacking midfielders is a silly ploy so Whitby you really are pushing a steam roller up hill with that one. You can't play Ferrante in a holding role because thats not his game. Its like asking Smeltz to play in goal....

Last week we had a massive hole 25 out in front of goal where McKain and Brown were supposed to be but in the case of Brown, he was 'defending too far up field'. Everyone thought we defended too deep but in fact, Brown played too far up field (not his normal holding role). That left that hole in front of goal where we conceded freekicks and let them shoot with free will and you want Brown to hold on his own in front of goal?????

We need to keep possession and need two solid ball winning holding midfielders to get us there.

Very true - there was a massive gap between McKain as the defensive screen and the rest of the midfield, particularly noticable in that 25-30 yard zone. Queensland mids were drifting into that space at will and this was causing us massive amount of trouble.

Yeah I'm a tad worried for this week with Johnson not having game time and Christie not much more. Johnson plays well when he gets a run, but its a game where he needs to be firing from opening whistle

----------Paston
Muscat--Dodd--Sigumund--Lochhead
-----Christie-Brown
---------Ferrante
----------Bertos
-------Daniel-Smeltz

I bit of a mix up... but honostly get some attackers up there. Daniel can finish so put him up front and go for it.

I wish it coulld be like this

Only five defenders? What are you thinking!

Hmm a 4-3-3 would also be good. Except all 3 strikers are central not wingers.

kwasnik?

I'm keen to see him in the starting line up

I think we should get back to simplicity, specialists and attack.  Ricki is too obsessed with getting midfielders who track back.  If they do their fricken job with the ball in the first place and the guys who are there to defend do just that then you don't need 9 guys who get back!

You put a good argument energy24

It's amazing how suddenly everyone wants Kwassy back in the team when before no one could stand the sound of that name.  He has done nothing for everyone to start wanting to recall him.

But in saying that I wouldn't begrudge Ricki for giving him another go...it just makes me laugh thats all.
caseym2009-01-02 12:03:23

Fair enough. For me i just want to see him get another chance, a decent chance!

I've always said we should give him a chance to fire. :l I got slogged for it.