Mega Thread 2022/23 Off-Season Sports Thread

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Geezus how was that Matt Ryan howler this morning.
Obviously very costly, both at the time and in hindsight having conjured a goal and ultimately losing 2-1.

To be fair, our goals against France and Tunisia both came from similar build up play from deep - working the ball across the back 7 players to draw the opposition in, then going long or diagonal to a player in space having stretched the opposition vertically.

It came unstuck against France for the Giroud goal where we played into a basic pressing trap, shortly after conceding the first goal (poor game management IMO), and also against Argentina. We basically threw those two goals in the net.

So 2 goals scored from playing that way, 2 goals directly conceded.

It’s part of the process of learning to play modern, progressive football. Failure is feedback. The biggest lesson is the need to develop the in-game intelligence, tactical flexibility and individual technique to be able to use different methods, as dictated by the match situation.

I do feel we are on the right track in terms of making the shift to a modern football approach. If we can fix the issues with grassroots participation and open some better development pathways, we should be able to continue to compete on the world stage as we did this time.
 
Tbh I’d think the pitch has been prepared as such due to the poor quality of the West Indies side. Cricket Australia knows we’re going to win but it keeps the broadcasters happy if the game lasts longer than three days.

Yeah that certainly was the complaint from administrators and sponsors when test cricket was played at the WACA on its classic fast bouncy pitches - the players loved the challenge though as it was unique in world cricket . I think you’ve hit on one of the key reasons the cricketing public are losing interest - it’s becoming just another sports entertainment product and is managed as such
 
We don’t owe the West Indies anything

But if test cricket in Perth is just a box ticking exercise for officials is it any wonder no one can be bothered going to watch it
Interesting attitude. If I lived in Perth I would have gone along to the match just played. Four or five match Test series are no longer scheduled, outside of India and England. Your Premier knocked back the opportunity to host a Test in the most recent Ashes series.
 
Low drawing opposition, early in the season (with a Wednesday start) and minimal advertising. I'm surprised they got 10k on the first day truth be told. Similar sort of questions used to be brought up against the GABBA under the pre-COVID test structure when it hosted the 1st test of the summer against a Pakistan, West Indies or Sri Lanka.

In reality, you're asking people to take a day off work when we're still ~4 weeks out from Christmas and most of the kids are still at school. There may have been a logistical decision behind it but on the surface it seems ridiculous it wasn't at least a D/N test like Adelaide will be this Thursday. I know test cricket is an institution but having an evening session is not only so much more convenient but also provides such a great opportunity to boost interest in the game outside of the traditional holiday fixtures, before we get saturated with Big Bash.

The decision making at the top level has been questionable for a long time now.
 
Bengals impressive against the Chiefs, starting to roll now. Given they're the Dockers of the NFL, if they go all the way*, watch out!

*yes, I am aware this is unlikely, see previous clause.

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That's a good win for sure. It's a pretty competitive season - my side's lost only one of its last eight and is still coming last in the division!
 
Anyone watch the ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson fight in the ufc today? What a fight, what a performance, let alone for a 40yo.

How good is he in a stand up fight?? Soooo sharp with those kicks. Holland has a great chin and is a legend for fighting like that and agreeing to the "just stand up" hahaha.
 

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Low drawing opposition, early in the season (with a Wednesday start) and minimal advertising. I'm surprised they got 10k on the first day truth be told. Similar sort of questions used to be brought up against the GABBA under the pre-COVID test structure when it hosted the 1st test of the summer against a Pakistan, West Indies or Sri Lanka.

In reality, you're asking people to take a day off work when we're still ~4 weeks out from Christmas and most of the kids are still at school. There may have been a logistical decision behind it but on the surface it seems ridiculous it wasn't at least a D/N test like Adelaide will be this Thursday. I know test cricket is an institution but having an evening session is not only so much more convenient but also provides such a great opportunity to boost interest in the game outside of the traditional holiday fixtures, before we get saturated with Big Bash.

The decision making at the top level has been questionable for a long time now.

Agreed. If crowd numbers were the priority you’d do it differently. The G on Boxing Day and SCG new year test will sell out their first days regardless of the oppo so if you really want to maximise bums on seats you schedule the Windies in those 2 tests and play SA in Perth because there’s lots of SA support in WA, starting Friday or Saturday or day/night (if you really have to)
 
Interesting attitude. If I lived in Perth I would have gone along to the match just played. Four or five match Test series are no longer scheduled, outside of India and England. Your Premier knocked back the opportunity to host a Test in the most recent Ashes series.

I went along as I’m a big test cricket fan and wouldn’t miss it. If you lived in Perth you’d know it’s a pretty cricket savvy public and know when they’re being shafted. McGowan knocked back an ashes test. Interesting attitude. he just said cricket players have to follow the same COVID rules as normal people and the English didn’t want to do the quarantine. Had the first test been scheduled in Perth the next tests could have been played unaffected.

Definitely annoyed CA wasn’t able to schedule a 5 test series against India tho, no reason not to other than India not wanting to. One of a number of fails of CA( and WACA too tbh)
 
Anyone watch the ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson fight in the ufc today? What a fight, what a performance, let alone for a 40yo.
WB vs Holland was FOTY contender material. Those 1st 3 rounds were sensational. It was a real shame Holland broke his hand early - his output was almost non-existent in the 4th round and it was obvious it was bothering him when he started shooting for takedowns. Glad they called it in between rounds at that point.

I felt terrible for Tai, watching him get murked like that - it was like the MMA community being made to watch bambi get shot.
 
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Obviously very costly, both at the time and in hindsight having conjured a goal and ultimately losing 2-1.

To be fair, our goals against France and Tunisia both came from similar build up play from deep - working the ball across the back 7 players to draw the opposition in, then going long or diagonal to a player in space having stretched the opposition vertically.

It came unstuck against France for the Giroud goal where we played into a basic pressing trap, shortly after conceding the first goal (poor game management IMO), and also against Argentina. We basically threw those two goals in the net.

So 2 goals scored from playing that way, 2 goals directly conceded.

It’s part of the process of learning to play modern, progressive football. Failure is feedback. The biggest lesson is the need to develop the in-game intelligence, tactical flexibility and individual technique to be able to use different methods, as dictated by the match situation.

I do feel we are on the right track in terms of making the shift to a modern football approach. If we can fix the issues with grassroots participation and open some better development pathways, we should be able to continue to compete on the world stage as we did this time.
Absolutely, completely outperformed expectations.

Hopefully it can be built on over the coming years into the future.
 
WB vs Holland was FOTY contender material. Those 1st 3 rounds were sensational. It was a real shame Holland broke his hand early - his output was almost non-existent in the 4th round and it was obvious it was bothering him when he started shooting for takedowns. Glad they called it in between rounds at that point.

I felt terrible for Tai, watching him get murked like that - it was like the MMA community being made to watch bambi get shot.
Yeah for the first 3 rounds I thought Holland would get him at some point, but that broken hand ended the possibility for him. So good when they just stay upright rather than some of those boring ground wrestling bouts.

Yeah that Russian dude is a monster, Tai had no chance.
 
Low drawing opposition, early in the season (with a Wednesday start) and minimal advertising. I'm surprised they got 10k on the first day truth be told. Similar sort of questions used to be brought up against the GABBA under the pre-COVID test structure when it hosted the 1st test of the summer against a Pakistan, West Indies or Sri Lanka.

In reality, you're asking people to take a day off work when we're still ~4 weeks out from Christmas and most of the kids are still at school. There may have been a logistical decision behind it but on the surface it seems ridiculous it wasn't at least a D/N test like Adelaide will be this Thursday. I know test cricket is an institution but having an evening session is not only so much more convenient but also provides such a great opportunity to boost interest in the game outside of the traditional holiday fixtures, before we get saturated with Big Bash.

The decision making at the top level has been questionable for a long time now.
also more proof imo that once the renovation has been done of the WACA, that games like these (and frankly most tests held here) should be there instead of Optus.

and yeah, if CA is surprised scheduling a test during school term, starting on a Wednesday for the sake of more prime time TV slots in the eastern states, against low drawing opposition, with no buzz about it, after already having the T20 world cup on leads to a poor crowd, they are dumber then I thought.
 
Yeah Japan was the best chance to get a non-European/Sth American quarter finalist, but they bottled it.
Over to you Morocco
 

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