Strongest XXV

[hourn]

This is my strongest 25 for this season

Backs - David Wirrpunda - Travis Gaspar - Chad Morrison
Half Backs - Michael Prior - Glen Jakovich - Michael Collica
Centre - Michael Braun - Daniel Kerr - Drew Banfield
Half Forwards - Rowan Jones - Andrew MacDougall - Ashley Sampi
Forwards - Phil Matera - Troy Wilson - Mark Merenda
Rucks - Michael Gardiner - Chad Fletcher
Rover - Ben Cousins
Interchange - Darren Glass - Dean Cox - Phil Read - Peter Matera
Emergencies - David Sierakowski - Jeremy Humm - Andrew Williams

Missed out - Andrew Embley - Trent Carroll - Greg Harding - Ashley McIntosh - Kane Munro - Chris Judd - Callum Chambers - Kasey Green - Adam Hunter - David Haynes - Richard Taylor - Josh Wooden - Mark Seaby - Ashley Hansen

Thoughts???

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I can't believe you left out Embley, Haynes, McIntosh, Judd and Carroll, yet the only one i would drop would be McDougall. Great to see the eagles have some depth on their list again.

Maybe finally no player will feel that their place is assured in the starting 22.

 

[hourn]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
I can't believe you left out Embley, Haynes, McIntosh, Judd and Carroll, yet the only one i would drop would be McDougall. Great to see the eagles have some depth on their list again.

Maybe finally no player will feel that their place is assured in the starting 22.

Thats the thing, where to put them in though???

I reckon we should take a punt on MacDougall, see how it goes. At least play him in the Ansett Cup games.

CHF is our big problem position and we need someone there. If Cox can come along as we want him to, i reckon it would be great to see Gardiner take up post at CHF.

 

[Visro]

FB: McIntosh Glass Read
HB: Collica Jakovich Morrison
C: Braun Wirrpunda Pe Matera
HF: Embley Gardiner Haynes
FF: Ph Matera Wilson Merenda
R: Cox Cousins Jones
B: Gaspar Judd Kerr Williams
E: Banfield Read McDougall/Sierrakowski

quite hard to do...

 

[Frodo]

I don't think even Woosha knows the best 25 at present. After the next two games both he and we will be in a better position to know our strengths.

And hourn...you're picking injured players that we don't know will pull up well or not as in the best 25.....that's fortune telling!!!

ps but if you are a teller pls advise Friday nights Gloucester park results asap

 

[jod23]

Its tough....part here we go..

FB Glass McIntosh Read
HB Collica Jakovich Williams*
C Matera Wirrpunda Braun
HF Haynes Gardiner Tuckey
FF Merenda Wilson Matera
R Cox Cousins Jones

Int Kerr Judd Fletcher Banfield...

4 midfielders on the interchange but i couldnt leave any of them out...??

* Morrisons spot and he will have it once back from injury, move Williams to Half Forward for Haynes or Tuckey.

Its tough, depth is a good thing now...something we didnt have last season.

 

[Goldenblue]

FB Glass McIntosh Read

HB Collica Jakovich Taylor

C Wirrpunda Kerr Braun

HF Haynes Tuckey Judd

FF Merenda Wilson Ph. Matera

R Gardiner Jones Cousins

Int Cox Fletcher Banfield Pe.Matera

This is my list, I would have Kerr in the center...

 

[iceman]

Originally posted by Goldenblue
FB Glass McIntosh Read

HB Collica Jakovich Taylor

C Wirrpunda Kerr Braun

HF Haynes Tuckey Judd

FF Merenda Wilson Ph. Matera

R Gardiner Jones Cousins

Int Cox Fletcher Banfield Pe.Matera

This is my list, I would have Kerr in the center...

mines pretty much spot on with that one...

 

[Voice of Reason]

I find this question impossible to answer at this stage. It depends so much on injuries, old injuries, form, team balance, match-ups, tactics. One of the emphases of Woosha's earlier speech was flexibility, which means that Richard Taylor, to pick a medium range example, could get a run at back pocket, half back, half forward or midfield.

At least we are now developing options and depth.

 

[iceman]

Originally posted by Voice of Reason
At least we are now developing options and depth.

Its great to see that for once we have the luxury of choosing players, not being forced to play underachievers due to injuries

 

[thegur]

B: Read Glass Wooden

HB: Collica Jakovich Gaspar

C: Wirrpunda Braun Kerr

HF: Pe. Matera Gardiner Judd

F: Merenda Wilson McIntosh

FOLL: Cox Jones Cousins

I/C: Fletcher, Banfield, Embley, McDougall (hopefully)

emer: Williams, Taylor, Sampi and Haynes

morrison and ph matera to be added when fit.

jury out on Tuckey need to see more.

Sceptical about Prior and Siera. How many recovering knee reco players can you immediately play in one team? Especially Siera who has the turning circle of a 767.

i forgot to mention, but you'd all know, geez Fletch was very impressive last weekend.

I think we have perpared ourselves well for the future given that football is heading towards running multiple players through your midfield. Given we have Jones, Cuz, Fletcher, Braun, Wirrpunda, Kerr, Taylor, banfield and even Roo, with Judd now, and WOoden who I think could still make a brilliant RUN-WITH player. I feel comfortable in our future, the spine still worries me a little, hence the hopeful next to McDougall.

rant over

Adam

 

[Geonet]

One of the emphases of Woosha's earlier speech was flexibility, which means that Richard Taylor, to pick a medium range example, could get a run at back pocket, half back, half forward or midfield. At least we are now developing options and
depth.

Voice of Reason that's very true. I am a footy fan who also likes soccer and in this sport flexibility is one of the main strengths of a team. When Ajax of Amsterdam in the early 70's invented "total football", basically nobody could beat them and they were european champions three times and also world champions. Until then players specialized in attack, midfield, etc. In Ajax they drastically changed everything. All players attacked and all players defended. That was Total Football. Now though our game is different the same principle may apply. Most players should be able to deffend and attack. The more flexible the players the better a team can go thorough an entire season without too many lows.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Originally posted by Geonet
Voice of Reason that's very true. I am a footy fan who also likes soccer and in this sport flexibility is one of the main strengths of a team. When Ajax of Amsterdam in the early 70's invented "total football", basically nobody could beat them and they were european champions three times and also world champions. Until then players specialized in attack, midfield, etc. In Ajax they drastically changed everything. All players attacked and all players defended. That was Total Football. Now though our game is different the same principle may apply. Most players should be able to deffend and attack. The more flexible the players the better a team can go thorough an entire season without too many lows.

Actually, Branco Cullina(i think thats his name), who coaches an NSL team (or used to) takes a trip to europe every NSL off-season so he can learn more about soccer. One of the things he says he has noticed is how european teams are going back to specialised positions, that is they no longer play strikers in midfield, or midfielders in defence, or whatever.

Seemed strange to me at the time, but I suppose with the high level of skill these players possess nowadays it would be risky to play a player out of position.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
Actually, Branco Cullina(i think thats his name), who coaches an NSL team (or used to) takes a trip to europe every NSL off-season so he can learn more about soccer. One of the things he says he has noticed is how european teams are going back to specialised positions, that is they no longer play strikers in midfield, or midfielders in defence, or whatever.

Seemed strange to me at the time, but I suppose with the high level of skill these players possess nowadays it would be risky to play a player out of position.

Interesting discussion Geonet & D4E. Culina coaches Sydney United now I think. His son's a good player too.

I was brought up on soccer in England and still follow it. I remember Ajax and their great players, Cruyff of course, but also Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan (could score from 45 metres out), that short fat brilliant midfield dynamo whose name I can't remember. Total football. I'm still not sure whether it was the tactical flexibility or whether they were just so much better than everyone else that caused their success!

I think footy - and it's always been one of the great attractions - is traditionally a one on one game. Alan Jeans' motto was that if you all played one on one and most of you beat your direct opponent, your team would win. I think that's changing and this usually causes uglier football (eg Sydney, the Middlesborough of the AFL).

With relatively small lists and the speed, injuries, evenness of competition and physical punishment of today's AFL, I think you have to be flexible for purely practical purposes. You have to have a Plan B in case so-and-so doesn't work out at CHF, and often a Plan C, D & E too. Apart from perhaps FF and FB (and even there, I'm not convinced), I think most players nowadays can and have to play multiple positions.

 

[Geonet]

D4Eyes and VOR, it's possible that the best european soccer teams are now returning to specialised positions. After all, they spend millions on players and can probably afford to have specialists for each position, but there are still versatiles players and one of them is Luiz Figo from Real Madrid, voted the best player in the world last year. He usually plays in the midfield but never in a fixed position and you can often see him play full forward and in moments of necessity he even helps the defense. About Ajax of the 70's it was probably a mix of great players and "total football" that made them the best soccer team in the world at the time.

About the Eagles perhaps a little bit of "total footy" might give us the edge over other teams. If most players were versatile enough to play in different positions, the team could better sustain an high level of football for the whole season. On the other hand, maybe not! Who knows.