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Post by brett on Oct 17, 2007 12:41:19 GMT 10
Looking ahead, there is a bit of a structure to our season and there are some chunks that we could have goals for.
So far we have had 'OUT OF THE BLOCKS' with our first five games, winning based on having almost all our best players out there and having great finishing.
Then we had the 'DERAILMENT' with players out and the loss of Mrdja and Ossie. This has affected our results and we've only got one point from the last 9.
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REBUILDING
October
Sun 21, 5:00 PM Wellington Phoenix FC Westpac Stadium
Sun 28, 3:00 PM Sydney FC Sydney Football Stadium
November
Sun 4, 5:00 PM Melbourne Victory FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
Sat 10, 5:00 PM Adelaide United FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
The Wellington game may well fall into the derailment section, because we're badly understrength again and they will be dead keen. Beyond that we have rebuilding: players returning and re-establishing the make-up of the side, including a new striker and possibly a back three or Wilko at right back.
I think we should aim for 7 points from these four games, with two tough but winnable away games and two very tricky home games.
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THE CONSOLIDATION
Sun 18, 7:00 PM Perth Glory FC Members Equity Stadium
Sun 25, 5:00 PM Newcastle Jets FC EnergyAustralia Stadium
December
Sat 1, 7:00 PM Sydney FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
Sun 9, 6:00 PM Queensland Roar FC Suncorp Stadium
Fri 14, 7:30 PM Adelaide United FC Hindmarsh Stadium
We have four difficult away trips and Sydney visit with the Cove. We should be around the top 1 or 2 spots if we can achieve our goal in REBUILDING and this period will be fighting for results to maintain that.
We should focus on our strength - our defence - and work on consistency. Try to keep the side settled and injury free.
The goal here should be about 7 points as well. If we can pick up 2 wins and the odd draw or eve one win and 4 draws out of that you'd be happy with the tightness of this league.
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THE RUN HOME
Mon 31, 6:00 PM Melbourne Victory FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
January
Sun 6, 7:00 PM Perth Glory FC Members Equity Stadium
Sat 12, 7:00 PM Newcastle Jets FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
Sat 19, 7:00 PM Wellington Phoenix FC Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
Like previous years we have a solid run home. By now we should have everything set up and the foundations built to approach the finals in top form.
With New Years Eve and then two Saturday games at Bluetongue the crowds should be soaring to around the 15k mark on average if we are still at the top or near it and playing good football.
Perth will probably be out of contention by this point but the other three will be fighting for spots in the top four with us and Adelaide slightly ahead at the top.
However if we want to win the finals we need to be able to get past these teams and nothing short of 10 points from these games will be acceptable as we become a mammoth snowball of momentum rolling towards the toilet seat!
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Post by bakery5 on Oct 17, 2007 13:08:42 GMT 10
I dont think we will get an new striker.
Firstly, is there any decent strikers who are free agents, within the budget and keen to move the Central Coast?
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Post by greenpoleffc on Oct 17, 2007 14:06:43 GMT 10
Is that 38 points?? Top 2 form
I can live with that :-)
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marinermick
Moderator 
Coming to Bay 16 Soon
Posts: 8,657
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Post by marinermick on Oct 17, 2007 14:17:30 GMT 10
Is that 38 points?? Top 2 form I can live with that :-) 38 points should be pretty close to a premiership |
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 17, 2007 14:22:49 GMT 10
We're on 14 points right now, you're laying out a target of a further 24 points. 38 points should go very close to winning the league.
41 (Adelaide 05/6) and 44 (Melbourne 06/7) have been the two winning totals so far, but the instructive thing is second place - 36 (Sydney 05/6) and 36 (Adelaide 06/7). If the league winners take less points, that’s more to go around. That means that 2nd place may well be a little higher.
However the number of draws so far has been a little wilder than normal (and every draw means one less point to the chasing pack), and the middle of the pack is pretty chockers with results being traded around.
All the same, 14 points after 8 rounds is not too bad. In 05/6, Adelaide were on the same total. Melbourne were on 21 last season, but they died in the arse at the end of the season, and only really woke up from about the last 10 minutes of the major semi-final second leg.
Both of those teams had awkward runs, but both also kept rolling on. Melbourne were ludicrously lucky with injuries, and Adelaide (a team I think we’re more like) were grittier and more consistent.
The last 3 weeks for us have been tough with injuries, suspensions and ludicrously bad officiating, and I don’t honestly think we’ve played ‘well’ since the first half of the Welly match last time, but even still we’ve been no worse than beaten by a goal and we’re 3 clear at the top.
With the sort of hard work and ‘respect everyone, fear no-one’ attitude that we’ve shown over the last few years we should do fine.
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Post by brett on Oct 17, 2007 15:33:54 GMT 10
We're on 14 points right now, you're laying out a target of a further 24 points. 38 points should go very close to winning the league. 41 (Adelaide 05/6) and 44 (Melbourne 06/7) have been the two winning totals so far, but the instructive thing is second place - 36 (Sydney 05/6) and 36 (Adelaide 06/7). If the league winners take less points, that’s more to go around. That means that 2nd place may well be a little higher. However the number of draws so far has been a little wilder than normal (and every draw means one less point to the chasing pack), and the middle of the pack is pretty chockers with results being traded around. It's the draws and the fact that 7th and 8th places will be a lot closer to 1st that will make 38 a more viable premiership target. Although Perth have no wins yet I see them getting more points than Knights used to. |
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wombat
State League player
Posts: 190
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Post by wombat on Oct 17, 2007 18:52:57 GMT 10
We` need a new RB urgently. Porter is a complete liability in that position.
We also need a new stiker unless lion heart is going to be back immediately.
Simon is not a starting 11 player and Kwas is not a strikers arse.
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on Oct 17, 2007 19:13:46 GMT 10
We` need a new RB urgently. Porter is a complete liability in that position. We also need a new stiker unless lion heart is going to be back immediately. Simon is not a starting 11 player and Kwas is not a strikers arse. *yawn* you know how we've got this weird thing called a salary cap, right? we're always going to be compromised. frankly, i'm not at all convinced that gumps is the still player every other bugger seems to think he is, top bloke though he may be. kwas on the other hand always works his arse off and is still developing into a good player. his finishing (when he doesn't think about it and instead just tucks it away) is fine. his pace and movement create opportunities that we otherwise don't get. *and* he's on the park. a player on the park is better by default than one apparently permanently injured. simon's also coming along, but i certainly wouldn't have him leading the line yet. needs time to develop. i reckon we're also a lot less likely to be signing a right back than another striker. it's not like we're leaking goals here there and everywhere, we're just not scoring at the other end. |
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Post by northernspirit on Oct 17, 2007 19:21:18 GMT 10
yeah lawrie just needs his players back, and with mrdja injured AGAIN (feeling really frustrated about it!) you cant blame him for looking for a striker overseas, to me that suggests mrdja's contract wont be renewed and he will be released as he has too many injury problems - he is the a-league's very own Harry Kewell  |
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Post by midfielder on Oct 17, 2007 19:52:52 GMT 10
We` need a new RB urgently. Porter is a complete liability in that position. We also need a new stiker unless lion heart is going to be back immediately. Simon is not a starting 11 player and Kwas is not a strikers arse. Agree, lion heart comment ;D |
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Post by midfielder on Oct 17, 2007 19:54:46 GMT 10
yeah lawrie just needs his players back, and with mrdja injured AGAIN (feeling really frustrated about it!) you cant blame him for looking for a striker overseas, to me that suggests mrdja's contract wont be renewed and he will be released as he has too many injury problems - he is the a-league's very own Harry Kewell Don't pick on Harry |
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Post by Bearinator on Oct 17, 2007 20:01:05 GMT 10
yeah lawrie just needs his players back, and with mrdja injured AGAIN (feeling really frustrated about it!) you cant blame him for looking for a striker overseas, to me that suggests mrdja's contract wont be renewed and he will be released as he has too many injury problems - he is the a-league's very own Harry Kewell Don't pick on Harry Harry who  |
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Post by northernspirit on Oct 17, 2007 20:05:52 GMT 10
you know that guy who used to play for....
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Post by midfielder on Oct 17, 2007 20:21:06 GMT 10
Harry who Not happy Bearinator |
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Post by DJ on Oct 17, 2007 20:49:18 GMT 10
We` need a new RB urgently. Porter is a complete liability in that position. We also need a new stiker unless lion heart is going to be back immediately. Simon is not a starting 11 player and Kwas is not a strikers arse. with Boogaard's form and Vidmar's experience I would not be surprised to see Wilko move to RB (when fit).......then have Clark or O'Grady on the bench. IMO you can't drop Boogs or Viddie after their season starts, we won't need a new RB then! Striker thou I agree with, we can't rely on Sasho to score all our goals |
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Post by northernspirit on Oct 17, 2007 20:53:40 GMT 10
thats it, i would hope we could get a mobile striker - someone who can make dangerous runs and get into scoring positions... sasho is a poacher, so to have both types would cover all bases imo
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Post by greenpoleffc on Oct 17, 2007 20:57:16 GMT 10
Step forward..................Tommy P
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Post by mustapha_beer on Oct 18, 2007 15:27:47 GMT 10
We` need a new RB urgently. Porter is a complete liability in that position. We also need a new stiker unless lion heart is going to be back immediately. Simon is not a starting 11 player and Kwas is not a strikers arse. with Boogaard's form and Vidmar's experience I would not be surprised to see Wilko move to RB (when fit).......then have Clark or O'Grady on the bench. IMO you can't drop Boogs or Viddie after their season starts, we won't need a new RB then! Striker thou I agree with, we can't rely on Sasho to score all our goals When both Boogs & Wilko are both available for selection, I'd have them as the CB pairing. Provided they both play to the same level they have been, I'm not sure there's any need for Vidmar in that defence. As far as leadership is concerned, I think Wilko provides as much of that as the defence needs. I'd also say it's way too early to write off Porter. He's only had....what, 1 start this season? And yes, he got sent off, but we all know the red card was a stuff-up from the ref. Also, considering how many chances certain other players get from people on this forum, I think we owe it to Porter to get behind him and let him have a run before passing judgement. |
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Post by DJ on Oct 18, 2007 15:30:50 GMT 10
with Boogaard's form and Vidmar's experience I would not be surprised to see Wilko move to RB (when fit).......then have Clark or O'Grady on the bench. IMO you can't drop Boogs or Viddie after their season starts, we won't need a new RB then! Striker thou I agree with, we can't rely on Sasho to score all our goals Also, considering how many chances certain other players get from people on this forum, I think we owe it to Porter to get behind him and let him have a run before passing judgement. play him in his best position thou....CM...he's not a RB or CB which are the only positions he played for us. |
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Post by brett on Oct 18, 2007 15:48:04 GMT 10
Yeah but we don't have a right back in the squad and the most natural fit is now out for the season.
Looking around the teams it's probably only Adelaide that have natural, quality fullbacks on both sides, everyone else has centre backs or midfielders out there eg Zadkovich and Fyfe for Sydney.
Porter WOULD be better at CM but in the A-League that is a highly volatile area, I wouldn't mind persisting with him at right back to bring him along a little bit.
It's a moot point to an extent because when Wilko, Viddie and Boogs are all fit it's either Wilko at right back or a back three with Heff left wingback and probably Owens as right wingback.
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