The Melbourne City Thread

[kangaspurs]

Will be interesting to see how we go without Mooy. He has been our best player in the majority of our games.

Agree. We really need Koren to stand up in this game and produce a performance worthy of a marquee player.

 

[DaVillaBlues]

Lovely result to get the chocolates tonight, how good has Kew Jaliens been ? We're one decent striker and maybe another winger/mid away from being toilet seat contenders.

There is a niche and a solid foundation at our club now, grinding out wins when we haven't played well for 90 mins (like tonight) makes for a refreshing change.

Don't think any table leaders want to meet us in the finals

 

[pantskyle]

Certainly nice to have a few points on seventh.

 

[dascman03]

Laboured through last night's game... Brisbane dominated possession but didn't really threaten. Brattan was easily MOTM, very Mooy-esque performance, just controlled the game. His teammates, Clut and Borrello aside, just aren't that good.

Novillo is certainly a talent, just doesn't pick the right option at times. Still, hope he sticks around.

Kisnorbo has also been immense in the past two months. He's just perfect for this league. Also, Velaphi now has 7 clean sheets from 13 starts this season... I don't rate him that highly but there's no doubt he's been an enormous upgrade on Redmayne... that said, I'd still try and sign a true no. 1 next season.

 

[eth-dog]

So, this Perth Glory stuff, does it help our cause? If we win tomorrow night we're all but guaranteed the last finals spot, but potentially going up to 5th spot might make a difference.

 

[pantskyle]

So, this Perth Glory stuff, does it help our cause? If we win tomorrow night we're all but guaranteed the last finals spot, but potentially going up to 5th spot might make a difference.

If guilty then loss of points is a real possibility.

 

[eth-dog]

If guilty then loss of points is a real possibility.

How many? Surely wouldn't be as harsh as the Storm penalties.

 

[pantskyle]

How many? Surely wouldn't be as harsh as the Storm penalties.

Well no as its not nearly as bad. I would say around 10.

 

[Vdubs]

Kisnorbo was obviously great but Jaliens and Velaphi were really good too.

Anyone know what happened to Safuwan? Far better player than Retre and Clisby.

Playing some home games, I heard,
? Singapore.
Back soon along with Chapman, & Mooy.

 

[Vdubs]

Good result.
Not the best performance but getting a point away against them is meritorious.
Still going to be cut-throat for the 6th spot, unless Glory is zapped.
Roar is the sort of team that can upset MV, 2x in one week??
IF we can beat Wellington...
I think we'll know our fate in 15 days.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Brisbane has six games in sixteen days before the end of the regular season (with an additional ACL game to come). I'm confident that three points will be enough to sew up sixth from here, but we should be aiming for 5-6. I can't see the Roar getting nine points, especially given how much is on the line for their opponents in three of their four A-League games.

 

[Vdubs]

Brisbane has six games in sixteen days before the end of the regular season (with an additional ACL game to come). I'm confident that three points will be enough to sew up sixth from here, but we should be aiming for 5-6. I can't see the Roar getting nine points, especially given how much is on the line for their opponents in three of their four A-League games.

Pity we keep losing players for operations etc. Brown looked very involved just before his injury.
Garuccio
Duff
Brown
Wielaert

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Pity we keep losing players for operations etc. Brown looked very involved just before his injury.
Garuccio
Duff
Brown
Wielaert

We've got Jaliens and Novillo as cover for Wielaert and Duff (a more than even return, as far as I'm concerned). The availability of players like Baharudin, Germano, Chapman and (hopefully) Melling would have been likely to relegate Garuccio and Brown to bit-parts at best.

The big concern for me is the team figuring out how to use Kennedy effectively. I don't remember seeing the team giving him a decent opportunity all game. I think that's where Duff is actually being missed (as good as Novillo - his replacement - has been): firing in high crosses across the goal face for Kennedy to get on to would have been Duff's bread and butter. So I think it falls on to Koren to set Kennedy up, but Koren doesn't seem to be getting enough of the ball to do that.

 

[eth-dog]

I think with no Duff we should be playing Dugandzic most of the game. He's the best crosser of the ball a the club.

 

[Vdubs]

I think with no Duff we should be playing Dugandzic most of the game. He's the best crosser of the ball a the club.

Next Sunday, a fresher Mooy, maybe Chapman, Melling, and Safuwan back in, close to our best available.
Dugandzic may struggle to get in.

 

[eth-dog]

Next Sunday, a fresher Mooy, maybe Chapman, Melling, and Safuwan back in, close to our best available.
Dugandzic may struggle to get in.

Melling struggled to run out games when he wasn't coming back from injury. He'd be a sub first up. The XI I'd put on the park is:

Velaphi
Jaliens - Chapman - Kisnorbo - Baharudin
Koren - Paartalu - Mooy
Dugandzic - Kennedy - Novillo​

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Melling struggled to run out games when he wasn't coming back from injury. He'd be a sub first up. The XI I'd put on the park is:

Velaphi
Jaliens - Chapman - Kisnorbo - Baharudin
Koren - Paartalu - Mooy
Dugandzic - Kennedy - Novillo​

I actually am starting to despise Dugandzic. He's had so many chances to just do something in the past two years and the sum total is maybe a handful of good performances and three times as many games where he's essentially invisible. I think it's a sign of the development of our team that players like him, Williams (always does his best work off the bench), Murdocca (handy to provide a 15-20 minutes of energy at the end of a game), Hoffman and Ramsay are looking like bench players for this team at best. Germano to stay in that side, Koren to push up to Dugandzic's spot and Melling seriously threatening Paartalu, who's been average for a while now.

 

[treegreen]

One of the funniest things Craig Foster has ever said was last night when he claimed Mate Dugandzic was the future of the national team. 25 year old who struggles to get a game for a bottom half of the table A-league club and quite possibly the worst finisher in the league. Brilliant stuff.

 

[Horts]

Guess it's set in stone then, we're playing finals!

Hoping for Sydney first round.. Away days Friday night at SFS then Swans v Bulldogs Saturday night at the SCG!

 

[Vdubs]

Guess it's set in stone then, we're playing finals!

Hoping for Sydney first round.. Away days Friday night at SFS then Swans v Bulldogs Saturday night at the SCG!

Better hoping for a final v MV, at least it's in Melbourne

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Better hoping for a final v MV, at least it's in Melbourne

I take it you haven't gone to an Etihad derby recently.

 

[Horts]

Victory @ Etihad is probably the worst thing we could hope for.

 

[Vdubs]

I take it you haven't gone to an Etihad derby recently.

All of them since the inception of the rivalry. And your point? There is no greater atmosphere. Win or lose.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

All of them since the inception of the rivalry. And your point? There is no greater atmosphere. Win or lose.

My point is that it's a final we're talking about and I'd rather it be played in an empty stadium if it gives my team a better chance of winning. Plus, of course, the atmosphere at this year's AAMI derby blew either of the Etihad games away. Not because City was on the right end of that one, but because the game was not well and truly decided with half an hour left, unlike the two Etihad games.

 

[Horts]

All of them since the inception of the rivalry. And your point? There is no greater atmosphere. Win or lose.

Much prefer the AAMI Derby over Etihad.. such a great venue for football.

Under City we've conceded 8 goals in 2 matches Etihad, I don't think I've seen us perform so badly as I have there, ironically..