Who are you? But who really are they?

Who are you? But who really are they?

Hi Guys

OK we are into the second season now and it would be good to start to know the opposing teams players. Who are they...really?

So can someone who has a lot of time on their hands give us a rundown of Melbourne's potential line up  and who to watch out for.  What areas are they good at and what is their normal tactics (e.g Punt and run, passing?).

For some reason I couldn't see anyone last Sunday with match programs and didn't have a clue that the Rangers leg-end Charlie Miller was playing. If I knew I probably would have thrown a pie at him or something.

Maybe we can make this a weekly thing?

lozenge2008-08-22 16:45:26

11 guys. They play for Melbourne. We hate them all.

Basically summed up in one.

Theres one guy up front with initials AT...I think his name must be something like Anal Tendancies...apparently he can sometime kick a ball in the general direction of the big wooden thing.

The rest of them are no hopers though

They were $3 from the "we have no change" merchandise stand. And pretty rubbish compared to last year.

But they have some resemblance of a squad in them. And some okay articles.

And he isn't playing

That's not really true because it seemed the Yellow Fever hated the Asian right-back who played for Roar more than the other players. :)

No, we hate the tall Brazilian as well... and the soft Blonde haired winger who never played.

Melbourne Victory - aka The Tards.

Likely line-up.

Mitchell Langerak (gk) - Normal keeper (and ex-Football Kingz player) Michael Theoklitos injured.  langerak comes in having had 1 start last season.  Youngster highly rated across the Tasman (why do they produce so many more keepers than us ?)
Kevin Muscat (c) - Captain and slight friend of the Fever years knocking about lesser sides in the UK and kicking the crap out of everything that moves.  Probably the most hated player in the A-League except by us and Melbourne fans.  One of the moments of last season was watching Tim Brown bait him into a Red Card in Melbourne.
Michael Thwaite    - Returned (on loan) from SK Brann in Norway, Socceroo has been bouncing around Eastern Europe for a few years. 
Matthew Kemp - Ex-Adelaide, can be quite good (Pre-Season Cup), or complete rubbish.  Many Melbourne fans remmian to be convinced.
Danny Allsopp - ex- Hull, Notts County and other UK clubs. Had a superb season in the  second A-league season when Melbourne won the title but can be very hit and miss.  Laughed at by Sydney fans as being Melbourne's Zdrillic.
Ney Fabiano - Brazilian who impressed against Aus sides in the Champions League.  Covering the broken Thompson but looked alright last week against Sydney, certainly better than leandro Love who they had in this role last season.
Rodrigo (Roddy) Vargas - Small for a Centre back, ex-NSL player for Melbourne Knights, never takes a backward step and gets stuck in to everything.
Carlos Hernandez - Costa Rican international known as el-Zorro, hailed as the best player in the League when he turned up but hasn't deliverd to quite that standard.  On his game great vision but prone to some KFC love.
Jose Luis 'Pupuy' Lopez    - The second and newer Costa Rican, part of Merricks Campaign to sign more defensive midfielders than Ricki.  yet to impress.
Evan Berger - young striker signed from the New South Wales Premier League.  Reputation of a big heart and some skill.  Not enough time to prove that yet.
Grant Brebner - Melbourne's Charlie Miller, not as fat, but not as skilled.  No one knows quite why Ernie loves him.

Substitutes
Sub Keeper - Where they can find one.     
Sebastian Ryall     - Coached as youngster by the Fever (and the New Zealand Future Footballers) own Smithy.  Right or Centre back.  Good prospect.
Billy Celeski - Back only a day from the Olympics last week so used sparingly off the bench, formerly with Perth Glory
Leigh Broxham    Back only a day from the Olympics last week so used sparingly off the bench.
Tom Pondeljak - Subbed early last week, spent the last three seasons with the Mariners.  Suspect he will come off the bench this week with Grant Brebner back in knowing Ernie Merrick's reputation for loving Defensive Midfielders.

Hard News2008-08-22 17:16:49

So we do we not hate Muscat so much?

Not as much as the other sides do.

oops. That was supposed to be "why"...

Why don't we hate Muscat as much as the other sides do?

...because he chatted with the Fever last year in interviews and was complementary of the Fever and the Phoenix in the press.

We're easily swayed.

Fair and balanced report there, HN.

Thats why HN answered

Muscat has a rep for being overly physical so we should try and get him sent off.  Hernandez impressed the last game we played if I remember rightly. A bit tricky but no match for McKain and Durante.  There is talk about Brebner making a come back so probably not match fit.

I think it would be an easy win for Phoenix.  I am going for 2-0.

Decided someone wanted facts, and I knew you would be policing me.

Top notch work HN, but now you have to do one of these for every game! Should become another excellent Fever tradition ala LF1's league table and OOE's player ratings :)
KTBW2008-08-22 19:50:21

I showed restraint there... at some point that won't happen

Incidentally, Smithy assures me Seb Ryall is away in an Under-20 camp and unavailable, and he'd know.

If you really are interested in the other teams you could try watching all the A-League games over the weekend, they are all shown on Sky.

he has no trouble getting himself sent off
giddyup2008-08-22 21:28:43

Theo-clitoris is in my opinion one of the top 2 keepers in the league. Arguably the best player we had at the Kingz

Him vs Vlahos, hardly much of a fight.

Certainly the best keeper - Harry ?  Wynton ?
Hard News2008-08-22 21:47:38

Gotta admit it, Theoklitos is a pain for our side, seems to be able to stop anything to the extent of pulling off ubelievable saves. I am sure he saves them for our games. Richard Johnson's volley cam un-expected and blind, yet Theoklitos saved it well. It should have been the match winner.

He was very good v Sydney considering. Better in the air compared to Theoklitos but not near him when it comes down to 1on1 shot stopping/reaction saves. valeo2008-08-23 02:07:54

Yeah I said arguably because all those players you mention were good :o)