2018/19 A-League Grand Final Thread - Perth Glory V SydneyFC

[Scotland]

Fox Sports predictably sucking Sydney off.

Perth simply not good enough to get through the wall. Created maybe 3 great chances with two missed and one good save. Needed Keogh on earlier and more balls into the box. Wide triangles did not work. Sydney created 0 shots on target in 120 minutes. Awesome.

Great to see a big crowd for the final but that is the kind of game that puts neutrals off.

 

[purplearmy]

Went to the game. Not a soccer fan but thought I’d give it a go. Boring game with nothing happening for over 100 minutes, and then a piss poor penalty shootout. Won’t be attending another match. Not my thing.

 

[The_Eagles]

You could hear Simon Hill a few times say with earnest “this game needs a goal” knowing how many afl-anglos from Perth would be watching who wouldn’t have a bar of the 0-0

 

[Scotland]

You could hear Simon Hill a few times say with earnest “this game needs a goal” knowing how many afl-anglos from Perth would be watching who wouldn’t have a bar of the 0-0

He was probably as bored as everyone else.

0-0 can be exciting. This wasn't.

 

[Colonial]

Fox Sports predictably sucking Sydney off.

Perth simply not good enough to get through the wall. Created maybe 3 great chances with two missed and one good save. Needed Keogh on earlier and more balls into the box. Wide triangles did not work. Sydney created 0 shots on target in 120 minutes. Awesome.

Great to see a big crowd for the final but that is the kind of game that puts neutrals off.

Oh please. Sydney should of had it won in the 1st half.
Robbed.
Then won it on penalties.
Perth had their chances and failed.

Skyblues are the Champions!

 

[purplearmy]

I basically agree. Even if that was offside they still hit the net one more time than we ever did. The penalty performance from Glory was pitiful. Chokers.

 

[Freight Train]

Congratulations to Sydney.

Pretty f**king devastated but they were the better team all game, and should have been champions after 90 minutes.

Ball didn’t lie in the penalties.

 

[Coasters7]

Hard to say what counts for more really. League or champions. Sydney win the granny but they knew they couldn’t go head to head with Perth and came here with the sole focus of getting through the 90 without conceding and hoping to jag a goal or try their luck from the spot. Perth were shocking tonight but Sydney had no intention of trying to open the game up and score.

Think it’s hard to have finals in football (especially the way the A-League has theirs set out) as it’s too easy to have an off game or grind out results like Sydney have done today. Compared to AFL for example where the better side will eventually pull through in a final. Just in a low scoring sport it’s difficult to make one game the be all and end all.. Yes I’m partly saying this because we lost but I’d still be feeling similar if it was other teams. Little bit like the BBL in that you can be the best team by a fair bit but get knocked out by someone going berserk in the semis once off..

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Hard to say what counts for more really. League or champions. Sydney win the granny but they knew they couldn’t go head to head with Perth and came here with the sole focus of getting through the 90 without conceding and hoping to jag a goal or try their luck from the spot. Perth were shocking tonight but Sydney had no intention of trying to open the game up and score.

Think it’s hard to have finals in football (especially the way the A-League has theirs set out) as it’s too easy to have an off game or grind out results like Sydney have done today. Compared to AFL for example where the better side will eventually pull through in a final. Just in a low scoring sport it’s difficult to make one game the be all and end all.. Yes I’m partly saying this because we lost but I’d still be feeling similar if it was other teams. Little bit like the BBL in that you can be the best team by a fair bit but get knocked out by someone going berserk in the semis once off..

What a BS post.

Couldn’t go head to head, yet we have a 3-1 record over them this season and were the only team to put the ball in the back of the net outside of penalties in the final.

Clear winners.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Greenstar5]

Well done Sydney in the end, but disappointing Perth couldn't get it done.

As a neutral hoping for Glory to take the chocolates really just because it feels always like Sydney and Victory just dominate.

Well done to the crowd, it looked awesome on TV and sounded great. Not the best game to watch, especially after those semi finals.

Great season by Perth, picked up your first bit of silverware in the Premiers Plate and a ACL spot. Should also help build on members and fans next season. Keep ya heads up.

 

[Greenstar5]

Penalties were a bit weird. Reddy was able to pick the side but just couldn't stop them. Redmayne with his dancing around worked. I wasnt sure if this allowed. (Must of been), he did pull off an awesome save. The Santalab pen was awful, just hit it hard to a corner.

 

[craigos]

Awesome turn out and the crowd were loud all game, which considering what was happening on the pitch is fantastic. Even the Sydney fans were in good voice.

Whether the game itself will bring neutral fans back to another A League game in the future, I'd be surprised.

 

[Aucklander]

Thank heavens for the shoot out I guess as it saved a pretty dire game. Right team won. Great crowd.

 

[perthblue]

Whether the game itself will bring neutral fans back to another A League game in the future, I'd be surprised.

Even if it was a belter with Glory winning I doubt there'd be many more fans at future games. You just can't trust the whims of the theatregoers. That said it was a really fun night, the crowd was loud and getting behind the team and was it was very cool. Should we have another great run next season and host another GF then I'd expect a similar crowd.

 

[apollo_creed]

To be honest I think Popovic was too cautious and willing to leave it to chance. Yes, Sydney defended with numbers behind the ball but Perth were never willing to commit numbers forward and there was never any urgency. Risks weren’t taken and unfortunately for Perth fans Sydney were better when it mattered. Definitely would question Popovic’s tactics though - 57k there behind his team and there was never enough willingness to attack, fear of conceding on the counter governed his gameplan for 120 minutes.

 

[FreoRicci]

Finals, or GRAND finals here in Australia, are never a fun affair in the round ball game. World Cup final for example, hardly ever open up. Teams tend to go in defensive stance and scared to concede.
This was the case last night. Sydney defended well, tried to counter attack. Nearly worked. But Perth just didn’t do themselves any favours. Went predictably wide, no risky through ball. The midfield hardly got going.
In the end it was a tense 0-0 stand off. No one wanted to be the hero, for the risk of turning it over

 

[craigos]

I have no idea how Sydney weren't running at Dino, seriously is there a slower player in professional sport.

Lack of actual tactics by both coaches was surprising. Seemed that Davidson and Grant were just happy to go toe to toe but outside of that everyone else was way too cautious.

 

[Scotland]

Even if it was a belter with Glory winning I doubt there'd be many more fans at future games. You just can't trust the whims of the theatregoers. That said it was a really fun night, the crowd was loud and getting behind the team and was it was very cool. Should we have another great run next season and host another GF then I'd expect a similar crowd.

Yes and no. 98/99 really captured the imagination of the general public in Perth for the first time, then 99/00 amplified that. Losing the GF on penalties after being 3 up burst that bubble and it has never been the the same since.

If the first and only game you've ever been to was last week vs Adelaide, you'd be excited about the sport whether you go for Perth or Adelaide. If the first and only game youv'e ever been to was the GF, why would you make it a regular thing?

 

[giggler99]

Not bad not bad at all! Considering the season as a whole!

 

[Silent Alarm]

It was a fun evening for sure, great vibe around the crowd, but jesus christ that was probably the worst Perth Glory game I've been to.

What was with starting Keogh on the bench? Ludicrous.

One of the flattest performances the Glory have had. Is that Popovic's MO? To make the game dour and to hope for a 1-0 win?

Optus Stadium is such a good ground though, amazing really. It's fun just going there. I forgot how much it looks like Emirates Stadium from the outside.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Hard to say what counts for more really. League or champions.

It really isn't. Sydney are the champions.