If you slow the play down, pass safely backwards when you have options forward, and clog up your opponents when they get in your half you can hide a lot of weakness with a low score line.
I do not believe we are the banana skin for anyone as we are at the moment. It is not a matter of bad luck - although a clearance on the goal line in the opening minutes may give that appearance.
We are simply refusing to put any fast attack on goal and allowing our opponents to both apply a high press and still have time to get back and defend in a block. Bloody mindless strategy.
Quinn MacNicol was lively when he came on. He is listed as a midfielder but he plays more like a striker who works hard to be in position and is always looking for something. Give him the position to learn and grow in. He provides a target - not as the big hold up central striker but as the nippy bugger who runs into space and in behind.
Zimarino was a lifeless hulk most of the game. Summed him up nicely when the commentator said 'and there is Zimarino lumbering into the attack' - but he actually contributed well late in the second half around the time MacNicol came on and he (Zimarino) moved wide right. Provided some very good passing links to the forward line.
Jelacic has me totally confused. I watched him pre-season and he was lively, enthusiastic and dangerous. I have not seen any of that in the season proper really. He is sluggish and looks to me like he may have been doing too many weights and lost his mobility. I am struggling to see anything he does that any other player wouldn't do. I am sure he has more to offer but why are we not seeing it on the pitch?
Glad to see Neville back. I would like to see Herrington and Neville as our two central defenders as soon as Neville has the legs for 60 minutes.
Brazete continues to be a threat and forces two players to defend him all game. He can turn and hold under close attention of multiple players. How the fuck can it not be a card when your opponent rips the front of your shirt open? How can the ref not say 'hmm - maybe that was a professional foul'.
I did not mind Zabala again in the midfield - although as soon as City took the ball deep into our defence his slow pace off the mark showed him up again. He seems to fit into a central midfield role a lot more effectively than a defensive role but in being like that he is half a really good central midfielder and that is fine for a bench or squad player.
Klein was lively and effective again. I like what he brings.
City were probably the unlucky ones to only score one. They had a few good chances that could easily have been goals and like most sides they are able to bring the ball forward from deep in a smooth, cohesive movement that results in some sort of pressure on goal.
We are able to string passes together under pressure and play through a press - but it is a pointless exercise. At some point we go backwards again rather than maintaining the attack and Freke is involved in far too much of our play. We are basically using him as our number 6 starting to bring the ball out - and that is a pretty damning thing for a team to use their goal keeper as the start of everything. It ties in with slowing the play down to limit opportunities for our opponents I think and it is clearly Zadkovich's idea to bring the 90 minutes as low as he can while in safe possession. I feel Graham Arnold's DNA in our methods.
I reiterate what I said after last game - if we put our best young players and our best performing players in positions they are good at, and drop the players who aren't performing, we have a good team capable of winning games.
Halloran, Jelacic or Zimarino, Berenguer, and Bility all out (I still like Hingert despite his wayward passing and being beaten too easily at times). I would think somethignlike this line-up and stick with it until someone else proves themselves worth taking a spot:
--------------------------Freke
Hingert Herrington Neville Burke-Gilroy
--------------------------Shour
---------------O'Shea
Jelacic/Zimarino/? Klein Brazete
-----------------------MacNicol
aleagues.com.au
