A-League Mens 24/25 - Round 18

[someguyjc]

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Thursday 6th February 2025​

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Wellington Phoenix vs Brisbane Roar
Thursday 6th February 2025
17:00 (Kiwi Time) / 14:00 (QLD Time) / 15:00 (Eastcoast Time)
Sky Stadium
Paramount+
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Friday 7th February 2025​

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Adelaide United vs Melbourne City FC
Friday 7th February 2025
19:05 (SA time) / 19:35 (Eastcoast Time)
Coopers Stadium
Paramount+
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Perth Glory vs Central Coast Mariners
Friday 7th February 2025
18:45 (WA Time) / 21:45 (Eastcoast Time)
HBF Park
Paramount+
​

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Saturday 8th February 2025​

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Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne Victory
Saturday 8th February 2025
17:00 (Eastcoast Time)
McDonald Jones Stadium
10 Bold / 10 Play / Paramount+
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Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday 8th February 2025
19:35 (Eastcoast Time)
Allianz Stadium
10 Bold / 10 Play / Paramount+
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Sunday 9th February 2025​

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Macarthur FC vs Western United FC
Sunday 9th February 2025
17:00 (Eastcoast Time)
Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Paramount+
​

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BYE​

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Auckland FC
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[someguyjc]

POS​	CLUB​	MP​	W​	D​	L​	GF​	GA​	GD​	PTS​	PPG​	FORM​
1​	Auckland FC	15​	10​	3​	2​	24​	12​	12​	33 / 36​	2.2​
2​	Adelaide United	14​	8​	4​	2​	32​	25​	7​	28 / 34​	2​
3​	Melbourne Victory	15​	7​	4​	4​	24​	17​	7​	25 / 28​	1.67​
4​	Western United	15​	7​	4​	4​	28​	22​	6​	25 / 28​	1.67​
5​	Sydney FC	16​	7​	3​	6​	36​	27​	9​	24​	1.5​
6​	Macarthur FC	16​	7​	3​	6​	30​	22​	8​	24​	1.5​
7​	Melbourne City FC	14​	7​	3​	4​	21​	14​	7​	24 / 30​	1.71​
8​	Western Sydney Wanderers	15​	6​	3​	6​	30​	27​	3​	21 / 24​	1.4​
9​	Central Coast Mariners	16​	4​	8​	4​	19​	26​	-7​	20​	1.25​
10​	Wellington Phoenix	14​	5​	3​	6​	15​	17​	-2​	18 / 24​	1.29​
11​	Newcastle Jets	14​	3​	3​	8​	18​	25​	-7​	12 / 18​	0.86​
12​	Perth Glory	16​	2​	3​	11​	11​	39​	-28​	9​	0.56​
13​	Brisbane Roar	14​	1​	2​	11​	16​	31​	-15​	5 / 11​	0.36​

 

[someguyjc]

Bumping this thread as a reminder it's an early kick-off today (for anyone watching in Aus) (2pm qld time / 3pm eastcoast). It's Waitangi Day (public holiday) in NZ today which is likely the reason for the early game.

 

[RIMB]

Bumping this thread as a reminder it's an early kick-off today (for anyone watching in Aus) (2pm qld time / 3pm eastcoast). It's Waitangi Day (public holiday) in NZ today which is likely the reason for the early game.

Thanks! I had Friday in my head for this game.

 

[NoMates]

Cum"On Nix!!!

 

[RIMB]

A better performance by the Roar for a long period in the game - but again an inability to take what should have been at least one goal early on. It was more than just generally dominating play in the first half but failing to capitalise - we got to the point of getting the ball into the box to players this time.

It is funny, but despite our inability to finish clinically it is still our defence that causes us the greatest problems. We are just not resilient. Some of our stupid mistakes on the back of good play are coach killers. As funny as someone's post was sometime back I don't think Bility's name should be Noah - he deserves Lia because he does some really good things then chucks in an absolute howler. Shour also commits some coach killers on the back of very good defending.

I can understand Ishige's penalty shout being ignored. The contact would have been a foul in my eyes except he flopped and this season you can get punished for flopping and exaggeration. Ishige again showed what is wrong with Asian football when he arched his back and rolled in agony later in the game to get someone carded. Hate the commentators sucking it up and telling me how much that would have hurt to be hit so hard in the lower back - only to see the replays that he got knocked in the legs and the rest was acting up. Shame about the flopping because I have no respect for him despite him being a really good player otherwise.

The offside goal was a lot closer than it appeared on the first replay. I don't understand why Shour was so determined to try and get him onside when I think he should have had the awareness of being the last man and just kept his opponent safely goal side.

Nix were pinned back most of the game (75% is my gut feel regardless of the possession stats) but like many teams this season they are able to combine with quality and speed and make you pay for not taking your own chances. Barbarouses had his own gimmes that he stuffed.

A long way to go for the Roar. I don't care about close scorelines - we are not playing 90 minutes of decent full pitch football so the score is irrelevant. Herrington's absence was noteable in how simply our backline was put under pressure requiring desperate last ditch efforts. Halloran was lazy and ineffectual for Wellington's goal - taken very well by Hughes off a good ball in.

Brazete is starting to think more than play on his runs. His head down run to the goal line in the blink of an eye is what makes his direct opponent commit one way or the other and allows him the freedom to then run inside as well. Today he tended to stop and wait for his opponent to make a mistake while still producing more creativity than most.

An almost off the post for O'Shea. A fine opportunity seized by Hore for his goal. We played better football without being a hugely improved team today.

Zimarino confuses me. I do not think we are seeing what he can really bring to the team with some skill and pace but often no great impact on the game. Amanatidis looked like he can bring something but will have to settle into the team dynamic that we are still working on creating.

Jelacic's impact was clearly greater than Zimarino's in my eyes. I don't think Zadkovich has worked out who our best starting side are by a long way yet and here we are with 15 games under our belts. A big drop in threat and defensive capability when Hingert came on for Burke-Gilroy. Zabala made a very good last ditch tackle as he did the previous game - getting stood up easily off the mark but coming back with comittment to make the difference. Would be nice to have a player that could keep the pressure on runners because that is a feature of this league - speedy forwards getting played onto a ball behind their opponent.

Something to be taken from the game for us with some very effective pressing and playing forward until we stopped doing it. I am calling it an improvement and looking forward to that trend continuing without wanting to sound like I am really positive about us.

Nix, despite being under the pump very badly, will have to feel robbed by the penalty shout and the draw.

 

[melbcityguy]

Hore goal was very good

 

[Keeper66]

A better performance by the Roar for a long period in the game - but again an inability to take what should have been at least one goal early on. It was more than just generally dominating play in the first half but failing to capitalise - we got to the point of getting the ball into the box to players this time.

It is funny, but despite our inability to finish clinically it is still our defence that causes us the greatest problems. We are just not resilient. Some of our stupid mistakes on the back of good play are coach killers. As funny as someone's post was sometime back I don't think Bility's name should be Noah - he deserves Lia because he does some really good things then chucks in an absolute howler. Shour also commits some coach killers on the back of very good defending.

I can understand Ishige's penalty shout being ignored. The contact would have been a foul in my eyes except he flopped and this season you can get punished for flopping and exaggeration. Ishige again showed what is wrong with Asian football when he arched his back and rolled in agony later in the game to get someone carded. Hate the commentators sucking it up and telling me how much that would have hurt to be hit so hard in the lower back - only to see the replays that he got knocked in the legs and the rest was acting up. Shame about the flopping because I have no respect for him despite him being a really good player otherwise.

The offside goal was a lot closer than it appeared on the first replay. I don't understand why Shour was so determined to try and get him onside when I think he should have had the awareness of being the last man and just kept his opponent safely goal side.

Nix were pinned back most of the game (75% is my gut feel regardless of the possession stats) but like many teams this season they are able to combine with quality and speed and make you pay for not taking your own chances. Barbarouses had his own gimmes that he stuffed.

A long way to go for the Roar. I don't care about close scorelines - we are not playing 90 minutes of decent full pitch football so the score is irrelevant. Herrington's absence was noteable in how simply our backline was put under pressure requiring desperate last ditch efforts. Halloran was lazy and ineffectual for Wellington's goal - taken very well by Hughes off a good ball in.

Brazete is starting to think more than play on his runs. His head down run to the goal line in the blink of an eye is what makes his direct opponent commit one way or the other and allows him the freedom to then run inside as well. Today he tended to stop and wait for his opponent to make a mistake while still producing more creativity than most.

An almost off the post for O'Shea. A fine opportunity seized by Hore for his goal. We played better football without being a hugely improved team today.

Zimarino confuses me. I do not think we are seeing what he can really bring to the team with some skill and pace but often no great impact on the game. Amanatidis looked like he can bring something but will have to settle into the team dynamic that we are still working on creating.

Jelacic's impact was clearly greater than Zimarino's in my eyes. I don't think Zadkovich has worked out who our best starting side are by a long way yet and here we are with 15 games under our belts. A big drop in threat and defensive capability when Hingert came on for Burke-Gilroy. Zabala made a very good last ditch tackle as he did the previous game - getting stood up easily off the mark but coming back with comittment to make the difference. Would be nice to have a player that could keep the pressure on runners because that is a feature of this league - speedy forwards getting played onto a ball behind their opponent.

Something to be taken from the game for us with some very effective pressing and playing forward until we stopped doing it. I am calling it an improvement and looking forward to that trend continuing without wanting to sound like I am really positive about us.

Nix, despite being under the pump very badly, will have to feel robbed by the penalty shout and the draw.

Agree with most of this. Roar always look likely to do something stupid defensively, and often do. Defending off set pieces is diabolical, it says a lot about the coaching because set piece defending should be the easiest thing to coach. I would like to see shots taken more quickly when in attack, too often there is an extra touch taken that allows a defender to get close and prevent a shot being taken.

I have to disagree with you regarding the Ishege penalty call though. Clear pen for me, he got to the ball before Shour and Shour missed the ball and collected him late. Albeit not hard but Shour did collect and impede him. These are given as fouls anywhere else on the field, and the Laws of the Game do not allow for a different interpretation of foul play inside versus outside the penalty area.

 

[grazorblade]

A better performance by the Roar for a long period in the game - but again an inability to take what should have been at least one goal early on. It was more than just generally dominating play in the first half but failing to capitalise - we got to the point of getting the ball into the box to players this time.

It is funny, but despite our inability to finish clinically it is still our defence that causes us the greatest problems. We are just not resilient. Some of our stupid mistakes on the back of good play are coach killers. As funny as someone's post was sometime back I don't think Bility's name should be Noah - he deserves Lia because he does some really good things then chucks in an absolute howler. Shour also commits some coach killers on the back of very good defending.

I can understand Ishige's penalty shout being ignored. The contact would have been a foul in my eyes except he flopped and this season you can get punished for flopping and exaggeration. Ishige again showed what is wrong with Asian football when he arched his back and rolled in agony later in the game to get someone carded. Hate the commentators sucking it up and telling me how much that would have hurt to be hit so hard in the lower back - only to see the replays that he got knocked in the legs and the rest was acting up. Shame about the flopping because I have no respect for him despite him being a really good player otherwise.

The offside goal was a lot closer than it appeared on the first replay. I don't understand why Shour was so determined to try and get him onside when I think he should have had the awareness of being the last man and just kept his opponent safely goal side.

Nix were pinned back most of the game (75% is my gut feel regardless of the possession stats) but like many teams this season they are able to combine with quality and speed and make you pay for not taking your own chances. Barbarouses had his own gimmes that he stuffed.

A long way to go for the Roar. I don't care about close scorelines - we are not playing 90 minutes of decent full pitch football so the score is irrelevant. Herrington's absence was noteable in how simply our backline was put under pressure requiring desperate last ditch efforts. Halloran was lazy and ineffectual for Wellington's goal - taken very well by Hughes off a good ball in.

Brazete is starting to think more than play on his runs. His head down run to the goal line in the blink of an eye is what makes his direct opponent commit one way or the other and allows him the freedom to then run inside as well. Today he tended to stop and wait for his opponent to make a mistake while still producing more creativity than most.

An almost off the post for O'Shea. A fine opportunity seized by Hore for his goal. We played better football without being a hugely improved team today.

Zimarino confuses me. I do not think we are seeing what he can really bring to the team with some skill and pace but often no great impact on the game. Amanatidis looked like he can bring something but will have to settle into the team dynamic that we are still working on creating.

Jelacic's impact was clearly greater than Zimarino's in my eyes. I don't think Zadkovich has worked out who our best starting side are by a long way yet and here we are with 15 games under our belts. A big drop in threat and defensive capability when Hingert came on for Burke-Gilroy. Zabala made a very good last ditch tackle as he did the previous game - getting stood up easily off the mark but coming back with comittment to make the difference. Would be nice to have a player that could keep the pressure on runners because that is a feature of this league - speedy forwards getting played onto a ball behind their opponent.

Something to be taken from the game for us with some very effective pressing and playing forward until we stopped doing it. I am calling it an improvement and looking forward to that trend continuing without wanting to sound like I am really positive about us.

Nix, despite being under the pump very badly, will have to feel robbed by the penalty shout and the draw.

thanks for the summary

4am in my timezone so had to miss this one

 

[grazorblade]

just saw the highlights

jelacic's pass and hores finish! Exquisite!


klein missed a free header early - our kids don't learn heading till 13 right? I vaguely remember the justification being something about worries about long term health impact

 

[RIMB]

Agree with most of this. Roar always look likely to do something stupid defensively, and often do. Defending off set pieces is diabolical, it says a lot about the coaching because set piece defending should be the easiest thing to coach. I would like to see shots taken more quickly when in attack, too often there is an extra touch taken that allows a defender to get close and prevent a shot being taken.

I have to disagree with you regarding the Ishege penalty call though. Clear pen for me, he got to the ball before Shour and Shour missed the ball and collected him late. Albeit not hard but Shour did collect and impede him. These are given as fouls anywhere else on the field, and the Laws of the Game do not allow for a different interpretation of foul play inside versus outside the penalty area.

I do not dispute the foul that should have been a penalty - but I praise a ref who ignores it due to the unsporting behaviour of exaggeration in the process. We heard at the start of the season (or so I thought) that refs were instructed to take more of the actual impact on play than simply there being contact. Had Ishige stumbled a little and failed to regather I would have expected a penalty from VAR for the contact. His action is what wrote it off for me - not the fact it was in the box.

Anywhere on the field that a player anticipates contact and starts to drop I am happy for a ref to call play on - it is a choice by the player to take that action not a result of foul play. I do not think there are laws to cover that other than loosely naming it unsporting behaviour, but I love to see it happen.

I expect I am not in the majority on that.

 

[melbcityguy]

Ins & Outs: Juan Mata IN for Sydney Derby as a Grand Final hero pushes for injury return

Ins & Outs: Juan Mata IN for Sydney Derby as a Grand Final hero pushes for injury return

Catch up with all the team news ahead of Round 18 of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.

aleagues.com.au

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

I do not dispute the foul that should have been a penalty - but I praise a ref who ignores it due to the unsporting behaviour of exaggeration in the process. We heard at the start of the season (or so I thought) that refs were instructed to take more of the actual impact on play than simply there being contact. Had Ishige stumbled a little and failed to regather I would have expected a penalty from VAR for the contact. His action is what wrote it off for me - not the fact it was in the box.

Anywhere on the field that a player anticipates contact and starts to drop I am happy for a ref to call play on - it is a choice by the player to take that action not a result of foul play. I do not think there are laws to cover that other than loosely naming it unsporting behaviour, but I love to see it happen.

I expect I am not in the majority on that.

Penalty all day every day ..... you are beeing far to forgiving, high boot is a high boot...

also HENRY HORE!!!!!!! I know you would have jumped off the coach for that one bud...... very nice.....

 

[SocceroosFan]

Great to see Tatu finally make the bench for Adelaide!!

 

[grazorblade]

wong and caputo really catching the eye

 

[booney52]

Glory lead Mariners 1-0 at half time.Even game but good finish by Taggart after excellent assist from Wales.

 

[JS96]

Mariners level. Sail howler.

 

[grazorblade]

don't worry Oli Sail, Zeljko Kalac said that mistake wasnt that bad

 

[Sutherlandbear]

don't worry Oli Sail, Zeljko Kalac said that mistake wasnt that bad

Did Zeljko have money on it ?

 

[mikes27091]

at the game tonight , It was horrific error and really was a momentum killer as Crowd was very alive tonight