WPM R15 vs Melbourne Victory | Fri 3rd Feb | 9:45pm | SS7

theprof

Oli is well ahead of Paulsen as far as being our #1.
On the giving Oli a rocket - you can almost guarantee the entire team will be getting a rocket. Oli will be harder on himself than the coach. This game is a flush the dunny and move on moment - dwelling on it is daft and will only hunder training and the next game. Payne is back so that should stregthen the defence and set us back on track.

That's the issue...

We've had far too many "Flush the dunny" games this season.

Wootton should be back soon too? Really need Sasse or Old to step it up. Kraev needs help he's not like Uli who could carry the creativity by himself and can't see Kosta doing it.

nufc_nz

theprof

Oli is well ahead of Paulsen as far as being our #1.
On the giving Oli a rocket - you can almost guarantee the entire team will be getting a rocket. Oli will be harder on himself than the coach. This game is a flush the dunny and move on moment - dwelling on it is daft and will only hunder training and the next game. Payne is back so that should stregthen the defence and set us back on track.

That's the issue...

We've had far too many "Flush the dunny" games this season.

Exactly, we should be winning the league but we’ve dropped points in games we should’ve won multiple times this season.

Round 1 vs Adelaide
2 dropped points from a 93rd min equaliser

Round 3 vs Jets
3 dropped points, played a terrible game for no reason

Round 6 vs Western
3 dropped points, conceded two soft goals in the last 10 mins

Round 14 vs Perth
2 dropped points, threw away a 2-0 lead

Round 15 vs Victory
3 dropped points, played another terrible game for no reason

13 dropped points from ending the game poorly and a couple terrible overall performances. There were also the draws vs Wanderers and Perth away that we could’ve done better in.

Interesting.. out of Zawada 8 goals, 6 have been in the first half, this and out kneck to concede late goals is a sign we’re not a 90 minute team 

Friar Tuck

nufc_nz

theprof

Oli is well ahead of Paulsen as far as being our #1.
On the giving Oli a rocket - you can almost guarantee the entire team will be getting a rocket. Oli will be harder on himself than the coach. This game is a flush the dunny and move on moment - dwelling on it is daft and will only hunder training and the next game. Payne is back so that should stregthen the defence and set us back on track.

That's the issue...

We've had far too many "Flush the dunny" games this season.

Exactly, we should be winning the league but we’ve dropped points in games we should’ve won multiple times this season.

Round 1 vs Adelaide
2 dropped points from a 93rd min equaliser

Round 3 vs Jets
3 dropped points, played a terrible game for no reason

Round 6 vs Western
3 dropped points, conceded two soft goals in the last 10 mins

Round 14 vs Perth
2 dropped points, threw away a 2-0 lead

Round 15 vs Victory
3 dropped points, played another terrible game for no reason

13 dropped points from ending the game poorly and a couple terrible overall performances. There were also the draws vs Wanderers and Perth away that we could’ve done better in.

Earlier in the season we were scoring second half goals. But we had that mini-run shutting up shop. Time for another re-evaluation.

But yeah we need to look at other guys to take the playmaking responsibilities that Lewis and Wootton had and it can’t be solely Ugarkovic based on yesterday’s evidence. But also the outlets for the passes need to be there too…maybe we’ll see Sutts from the start next game. 

Have to wonder how much came down to Poppovic. He put the pressure on Elliot early on and made it difficult for him to get forward after his yellow. Their pressing was very good.

martinb

Earlier in the season we were scoring second half goals. But we had that mini-run shutting up shop. Time for another re-evaluation.

But yeah we need to look at other guys to take the playmaking responsibilities that Lewis and Wootton had and it can’t be solely Ugarkovic based on yesterday’s evidence. But also the outlets for the passes need to be there too…maybe we’ll see Sutts from the start next game. 

Have to wonder how much came down to Poppovic. He put the pressure on Elliot early on and made it difficult for him to get forward after his yellow. Their pressing was very good.

Probably a lot easier to score second half goals when you’ve got Waineo coming on at 60 mins too 

When you look back over those games we let go,one of the major reasons was the experience depth we lack.It was discussed at the start of the seasons that having a crop of top tier players would be great.But by numbers we now always have more younger players on the pitch at any one point in time and who ,relative to the older guys are yet to experience and learn to dig deep to bring about a change in the situations we get into.
It all takes time.
I'm sure behind the scenes Uffie and his team are working on this.They had better. be.

Gdog

When you look back over those games we let go,one of the major reasons was the experience depth we lack.It was discussed at the start of the seasons that having a crop of top tier players would be great.But by numbers we now always have more younger players on the pitch at any one point in time and who ,relative to the older guys are yet to experience and learn to dig deep to bring about a change in the situations we get into.
It all takes time.
I'm sure behind the scenes Uffie and his team are working on this.They had better. be.

Thats not really true though,yes there is inexperience on the bench. But 8 of those who started against Melbourne cant be said to be inexperienced. Of the 3 inexperienced players only Finn cant really be said to be lacking in A league game time the other two have had a number of starts this season and last. Even our bench while mostly inexperienced has a couple of young player in Old and Van Hatten who have been around the top team for a couple of years and really arnt as inexperienced as is claimed. For me thats not really a valid excuse for our continual poor efforts in the 2nd half.

I’d also say Mauragis and Rufer were in need of a refresh, having put in a lot over the last few games and a case could have been made for Sutton and Pennington to come on at half time. Both with quite a bit of professional experience. Possibly, outside Sasse the most experienced on our bench.

Perhaps short of experience in CB and RB cover, but also perhaps the abilities of our squad weren’t used to their fullest potential. 

Perhaps Popovic, a former A league winner and some time best young Aussie coach, out coached Uffie on this occasion? 

Also if the free kick was through the wall as said, surely some of that is on Oli and training ground preparation? And opposition specific preparation for Brimmer? There experience hasn’t translated to useful leadership or composure at a key moment. 

I'm almost dead certain that the reason we seem to fall apart in the second is because of the continued tactic of playing negative defensive football when we get ahead. Even in games when Talay doesn't perhaps even want them to play that way it still happens because they've been doing it for most of the season so it becomes habitual. 

Anyway that's just my theory. On paper out players shouldn't play this bad in the second, we have quality there.

The Nix consistently flatter to deceive.. We seem to have ticked a lot of boxes, academy, stable ownership, good management.... As much as i want the Nix to succeed I have the nagging feeling that we will never win anything with the current manager and core of players. 

I haven't read through the whole match thread, any reason as to why Kraev was hooked at half time?

Bullion

I haven't read through the whole match thread, any reason as to why Kraev was hooked at half time?

Third game in a row that Kraev has been taken off for Old, was around 70-80mins in the previous two games though

Friar Tuck

Bullion

I haven't read through the whole match thread, any reason as to why Kraev was hooked at half time?

Third game in a row that Kraev has been taken off for Old, was around 70-80mins in the previous two games though

I personally didn't think BK was the worse performing of our 10s and was a bit surprised he was pulled at halftime.

Bullion

Friar Tuck

Bullion

I haven't read through the whole match thread, any reason as to why Kraev was hooked at half time?

Third game in a row that Kraev has been taken off for Old, was around 70-80mins in the previous two games though

I personally didn't think BK was the worse performing of our 10s and was a bit surprised he was pulled at halftime.

Has not scored much lately, I wonder if there was a tactical shift that sees Zawada getting more opportunities and Kraev more of a assist guy role, perhaps like Dave Ball??

Mainland FC

Bullion

Friar Tuck

Bullion

I haven't read through the whole match thread, any reason as to why Kraev was hooked at half time?

Third game in a row that Kraev has been taken off for Old, was around 70-80mins in the previous two games though

I personally didn't think BK was the worse performing of our 10s and was a bit surprised he was pulled at halftime.

Has not scored much lately, I wonder if there was a tactical shift that sees Zawada getting more opportunities and Kraev more of a assist guy role, perhaps like Dave Ball??

Kraev is actually yet to notch an assist for us, which surprised me.