They're going to name a strong lineup for sure - if they lose this there is every chance they could finish 3rd, facing an elimination final of their own.
I feel it is going to be us resting players up ahead of our own finals clash (whoever it may end up against) Ball, Gael, Piscopo to make way for a few youngsters? I would say Hooper too, but he needs some minutes in his legs.
They're going to name a strong lineup for sure - if they lose this there is every chance they could finish 3rd, facing an elimination final of their own.
I feel it is going to be us resting players up ahead of our own finals clash (whoever it may end up against) Ball, Gael, Piscopo to make way for a few youngsters? I would say Hooper too, but he needs some minutes in his legs.
I would suggest there is no chance Ball plays, give his foot more time to rest & he is 1 yellow card away from a ban.
They're going to name a strong lineup for sure - if they lose this there is every chance they could finish 3rd, facing an elimination final of their own.
I feel it is going to be us resting players up ahead of our own finals clash (whoever it may end up against) Ball, Gael, Piscopo to make way for a few youngsters? I would say Hooper too, but he needs some minutes in his legs.
I would suggest there is no chance Ball plays, give his foot more time to rest & he is 1 yellow card away from a ban.
Yeah he definitely needs a rest. I was unsure what his yellow card count was at, so that makes perfect sense. Class player, we'll need him as close to 100% as we can get if we're to make a run at these finals games.
Gael looked like he was icing his knee after last night, so maybe he gets a week off. Piscopo as usual had the shark kicked out of him, and after battling injuries all campaign we just need him firing and ready to go. Give those three a week off and I'd be relatively happy.
If the other results go our way and we can get 4th place would Talay still want to rest players? Ball I understand would be a different case.
Will be interesting to see what the mentality is like, compared to say a few years back (under Rudan) when we'd already qualified and we sent the kids out against the Glory and got spanked 5-0. Results from tomorrow and Sunday will surely dictate how we approach it.
Also, any word on how far away Lewis is from returning? If at all this season.
Its good that we will know exactly where we stand before this game and if 4th place is still a possibility. But I'd be surprised if 4th will still be up for grabs. So wouldn't mind seeing a few players rested. Some of the academy kids given a run. I'd like to see Van Hattum and Bidois get some longer game time. Also am hoping that at least some on our injured list will get minutes to give them some game fitness before the finals. particularly Lewis and Laws. And hopefully Sotirio and Elliot are not far off also. Thought Waine played well as a makeshift RWB and can see him spending a bit more time there these next few games.
Certainly close to, unless someone is carrying a niggling injury. If Western United don't win in Adelaide, City can do no worse than 2nd.
That guarantees the first week off, and final in Melbourne if they make it through. Sure they'd love to win Premiers Plate as well, but it's the GF winners that people remember.
The Glory have won the Premiers Plate, but losing the GF to SFC in Perth that season, is the abiding memory.
So if Western don't win in Adelaide (and Adelaide are going to be fired up to get a home playoff ie a win to finish 4th), Kisnorbo could still be tempted to rest anyone carrying a niggle against the Nix. See AU have had a nice week long break, whilst WU played midweek.
Realistically City should still be too good anyway, especially if as expected Talay now rests Ball and a few others.
City sent out a code for free tickets for their members, naturally Victory fans have been using it to buy up tickets. Gonna a few extra fans cheering us on.
Certainly close to, unless someone is carrying a niggling injury. If Western United don't win in Adelaide, City can do no worse than 2nd.
That guarantees the first week off, and final in Melbourne if they make it through. Sure they'd love to win Premiers Plate as well, but it's the GF winners that people remember.
The Glory have won the Premiers Plate, but losing the GF to SFC in Perth that season, is the abiding memory.
So if Western don't win in Adelaide (and Adelaide are going to be fired up to get a home playoff ie a win to finish 4th), Kisnorbo could still be tempted to rest anyone carrying a niggle against the Nix. See AU have had a nice week long break, whilst WU played midweek.
Realistically City should still be too good anyway, especially if as expected Talay now rests Ball and a few others.
they're going to want to win everything, we're the team with nothing to play for, not them.
Awesome news re Clayton being available again! Let's hope they didn't rush him back in too soon.
Is there a reason why this game is a Monday night kick off? Pretty anti climatic to have the game that decides the championship at 7pm (local time) on a Monday night, no?
Awesome news re Clayton being available again! Let's hope they didn't rush him back in too soon.
Is there a reason why this game is a Monday night kick off? Pretty anti climatic to have the game that decides the championship at 7pm (local time) on a Monday night, no?
Covid and/or ACL pushbacks possibly. Normally (at least elsewhere) you’d have all the final round games played simultaneously, but with the need for tv viewing more than crowds that might not be high priority
Ahahahah it's been a while since someone pulled me up on my grammar. Fair enough, keeps me honest. Yes, English is my second language (Italian being the mother tongue), though after 18 years in NZ I have the dubious honor of speaking two languages well but not as a native speaker of either!
Don’t worry, as a non native English speaker myself the silly rules of English can “vaffanculo” newzealandpower
Ahahahah it's been a while since someone pulled me up on my grammar. Fair enough, keeps me honest. Yes, English is my second language (Italian being the mother tongue), though after 18 years in NZ I have the dubious honor of speaking two languages well but not as a native speaker of either!
newzealandpower
Ahahahah it's been a while since someone pulled me up on my grammar. Fair enough, keeps me honest. Yes, English is my second language (Italian being the mother tongue), though after 18 years in NZ I have the dubious honor of speaking two languages well but not as a native speaker of either!
I thought it was a joke? Don’t think he’s having a serious pop or nothing… And after all the cancelled games I’m somewhat anti-climatic meself, though more anti some of the crap pitches we’ve had to play on.
How adaptable is Italian compared to French? Has a whole lot of dialects right? I’ve been told, though I don’t know how true it is that French is big into the purity of its language.
Ufuk said in the press conference that he's going to take the opportunity to get game time for some players, and rest others, so its definitely a game that's being used to prepare for the finals and not one we'll risk players to win.
It would be good for Clayton Lewis to get 30 minutes into the legs and warm him up for the final against the Snakes.
What's the real story with Laws? There's been no real communication around how long he's out for and why?
Was recovering from his first injury (knee?) then injured his ankle. Something like that
Other way around I believe. Talay hasn't really updated us on when he'll be back so I feel like he won't be back this season unless we progress past the first playoff
I thought it was a joke? Don’t think he’s having a serious pop or nothing… And after all the cancelled games I’m somewhat anti-climatic meself, though more anti some of the crap pitches we’ve had to play on.
How adaptable is Italian compared to French? Has a whole lot of dialects right? I’ve been told, though I don’t know how true it is that French is big into the purity of its language.
Absolutely, it was all tongue in cheek. I just wanted to make the joke that I speak two languages well but neither too well 😂 Unfortunately I get my words mixed up in Italia and I just forgot lots of words. I can still speak to my folks etc but I just feel like I'm translating from English when I do.. Edit: French and Italian are very similar. Their grammar is fairly complicated (compared to English) as are the verbs' tenses and 'moods' (read: I eat v I ate v I could have eaten). There's dialects in both languages that different significantly from the 'pure' form of the spoken language. I went to Sardinia and Sicily and people there could have a whole conversation about me without me understanding what they're saying if they chose to speak their own dialect.
About tonight, well I think Adelaide losing yesterday sealed it. We're likely just going to give Ball and some of the others a break and hopefully Hoops and Lewis some minutes but it would be foolish to go out all guns blazing to try and win a game that realistically, has nothing going for us.
Best to rest key players and improve the fitness of those retuning from injury in preparation for the play off game. Serious question, if we win that game, do we get another match in NZ??
lineup (20).png130.55 KB I wonder if Talay will do something like this and go all out with the youths or still play the main 11 while resting a few key players like Ball, Sandoval and Piscopo.
lineup (20).png130.55 KB I wonder if Talay will do something like this and go all out with the youths or still play the main 11 while resting a few key players like Ball, Sandoval and Piscopo.
Would be an ugly result I fear, if they run out that side. Well unless until HT, when Melb City may invoke the mercey rule and sub 4-5 of their starters!
Someone mentioned the 5-0 loss in Perth, in last regular season game of 2018/19, when Rudan rested a few players pre playoff game only 5 days later away to the Victory.
Very similar as the Glory where Premiers that season (how the mighty have fallen!) and Nix were 6th again.
I honestly can't remember back then if the 5-0 loss dented the Nix's confidence ahead of going to Melbourne or not. I do remember though a pretty feisty 3-1 loss to the VUC in the playoff (Muscat was in charge), complaints about the ref, controversy with one of their goals or something - and a general feeling Nix were a bit unlucky. So maybe the prior 5-0 shellacking had little effect.
Also Fenton was on fire that season, and his injury absence was a massive blow for the final few games. Again how times change!
Hasnt Talay indicated that some key players will be rested also hope that if anyone picks up a yellow they are taken off before they can get a 2nd. Last thing we need is someone picking up a suspension
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