The Melbourne City Thread

[MC Extra Dollop]

Fair turnaround since that shite in Wellington.

Just about cancelled out the terrible goal difference, which was (and probably still is) going to be a serious handicap if we want to push the top four.

Chapman has been great since he started, but holy moly, that was awful.

 

[Ry009]

Stating the obvious, but my old indoor soccer side defended better than these two teams.

 

[eth-dog]

Do we have a 4th CB?

 

[PAdman]

Stating the obvious, but my old indoor soccer side defended better than these two teams.

Thank christ there's only 6 minutes left. I bet well concede in that time too.

 

[The Coup]

Our ability to score will be pretty amazing once we get Kennedy in. Its already pretty damn good with Koren and Duff just warming up.

Melling will be the most hated player in the league by the end of the season. Absolute pest.

Mooy is a gun. Paartalu is very good.

Our defence is shithouse and we will concede a lot of goals this year. Nobody will want to play us in finals just on the chance any of Kennedy, Koren or Duff go spacko.

 

[PAdman]

City 4-0

Mooy double, Duff and Dugandzic one apiece.

 

[kangaspurs]

Our defence is obviously a weak link, as a potential solution do you think when Kennedy gets here and Murdocca's fit would there be any chance we could push Paartalu back to centre-half with a midfield 3 off Murdocca - Mooy - Melling/Koren with a Koren/Williams - Kennedy - Duff front 3? I'm pretty sure Paartalu has played in the centre of defence before and he definitely has the height, strength and tackling ability to play there. Does anyone think that would be feasible or would taking Paartalu out of midfield leave the defence with very little protection from midfield?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Our defence is obviously a weak link, as a potential solution do you think when Kennedy gets here and Murdocca's fit would there be any chance we could push Paartalu back to centre-half with a midfield 3 off Murdocca - Mooy - Melling/Koren with a Koren/Williams - Kennedy - Duff front 3? I'm pretty sure Paartalu has played in the centre of defence before and he definitely has the height, strength and tackling ability to play there. Does anyone think that would be feasible or would taking Paartalu out of midfield leave the defence with very little protection from midfield?

I'd prefer us to cut Miller and use the money (and possibly the visa spot) used by his and Kalmar's absence to sign a left back. That would give us a defensive core of Kisnorbo, Chapman, Hoffman, Garrucio, Wielaert, Archibald and the new signing, which wouldn't be the best in the league, but it looks pretty decent to me. I'd start with Koren, Kennedy and Duff up forward and Brown, Dugandzic and Williams can fight it out for a spot on the bench, until they start making a consistent impact on the game. Mooy, Melling and Paartalu in the middle, with Murdocca and Mauk providing coverage. Germano as a gap-filler if he's healthy (and we should look at chopping him too, if he's not).

 

[eth-dog]

Our defence is obviously a weak link, as a potential solution do you think when Kennedy gets here and Murdocca's fit would there be any chance we could push Paartalu back to centre-half with a midfield 3 off Murdocca - Mooy - Melling/Koren with a Koren/Williams - Kennedy - Duff front 3? I'm pretty sure Paartalu has played in the centre of defence before and he definitely has the height, strength and tackling ability to play there. Does anyone think that would be feasible or would taking Paartalu out of midfield leave the defence with very little protection from midfield?

I think our best side when Kennedy comes is:

Velaphi
Hoffman - Chapman - Kisnorbo - Garruccio
Paartalu - Melling
Duff - Mooy - Koren
Kennedy​

 

[kangaspurs]

I'd prefer us to cut Miller and use the money (and possibly the visa spot) used by his and Kalmar's absence to sign a left back. That would give us a defensive core of Kisnorbo, Chapman, Hoffman, Garrucio, Wielaert, Archibald and the new signing, which wouldn't be the best in the league, but it looks pretty decent to me. I'd start with Koren, Kennedy and Duff up forward and Brown, Dugandzic and Williams can fight it out for a spot on the bench, until they start making a consistent impact on the game. Mooy, Melling and Paartalu in the middle, with Murdocca and Mauk providing coverage. Germano as a gap-filler if he's healthy (and we should look at chopping him too, if he's not).

Miller? I'm pretty sure he was only signed for one game as cover for Mooy wasn't he? As good as Garrucio's been in the last few games I agree that a full-back wouldn't go astray but I'd actually prefer to look at signing a goalkeeper. Tando's been resonable but you always feel a howlers around the corner with him and Redmayne's just not good enough in my opinion.

I think our best side when Kennedy comes is:

Velaphi
Hoffman - Chapman - Kisnorbo - Garruccio
Paartalu - Melling
Duff - Mooy - Koren
Kennedy​

Yeah I like the look of this side as well. My only query is that Koren may be wasted in a wide role. He could have far more impact centrally in my opinion but to move him centrally you would probably have to drop Melling for a winger and Melling doesn't deserve to be dropped at the rate he's going. It will be tough for the coaching staff to find the best combination but it's a very good problem to have.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Miller? I'm pretty sure he was only signed for one game as cover for Mooy wasn't he? As good as Garrucio's been in the last few games I agree that a full-back wouldn't go astray but I'd actually prefer to look at signing a goalkeeper. Tando's been resonable but you always feel a howlers around the corner with him and Redmayne's just not good enough in my opinion.

He's still in the squad (he was in the named 18 this week and played NYL last week). He was initially a replacement for Mooy (as ridiculous as that was) and became an injury replacement for Germano and now - I believe - Murdocca. And, typical of this side, he played one and a half games before hobbling off himself with an injury.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

http://www.a-league.com.au/article/...-14---ins-and-outs/137znwdxru09a1g8sq4ek2ue5t

Sunday, 4 January 2015
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City FC
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford

Kick-Off: 5:00 PM (Local) (5:00 PM AEDT)
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referee 1: Allyson Flynn
Assistant Referee 2: Jonathan Barreiro
Fourth Official: Adam Gehrig

TV Broadcast: Live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 5.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 92.5 ABC Central Coast, 774 ABC Melbourne, Local Radio VIC, Grandstand Digital, Online/ABC Radio Mobile phone app

Central Coast Mariners Squad: 1.Matt NASH (gk), 2.Storm ROUX, 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5.Zac ANDERSON, 7.John HUTCHINSON (c), 8.Nick MONTGOMERY, 9.Mitchell DUKE, 10.Anthony CACERES, 11.Nick FITZGERALD, 12.Liam REDDY (gk), 15.Matt SIM, 16.Liam ROSE, 17.Richard VERNES, 18.Glen TRIFIRO, 19.Matt SIMON, 23.Isaka CERNAK, 25.Eddy BOSNAR
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 8.Nick MONTGOMERY (returns from injury), 16.Liam ROSE (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 6.Brent GRIFFITHS (injury – indefinite), 21.Michael Neill (injury – indefinite)

Melbourne City FC Squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3.Robbie WIELAERT, 4.Connor CHAPMAN, 5.Erik PAARTALU, 6.Aaron MOOY, 7.Iain RAMSAY, 10.Robert KOREN, 11.Damien DUFF, 13.Jonatan GERMANO, 14.James BROWN, 15.David WILLIAMS, 18.Paulo RETRE, 19.Benjamin GARUCCIO, 20.Tando VELAPHI (GK), 23.Mate DUGANDZIC, 24.Patrick KISNORBO (C), 27, Ross ARCHBALD
***one to be omitted***
Ins: 13.Jonatan GERMANO (returns from injury), 18.Paulo RETRE (promoted)
Outs: 25.Jacob MELLING (suspended, accumulation - 1 week)
Unavailable: 8.Massimo MURDOCCA (ankle – 1 week), 17.Jason HOFFMAN (back strain – 1-2 weeks)

Read more at http://www.a-league.com.au/article/...37znwdxru09a1g8sq4ek2ue5t#b5y6qllJZChObHGk.99

From my perspective, I'd say that the inclusion of Germano means that he's likely to play (whether that's starting or off the bench), though it will be interesting to see where he lines up. Will he be a straight swap for Wielaert at right back? Will he go to right back, but Wielaert take over from Kisnorbo at centre back, given it's the club's fourth game in fifteen days? Is Germano a straight swap for Melling? Does Koren drop into the midfield, with Dugandzic or Williams starting up forward and Germano as a substitute?

Whichever way they go, it looks like a reasonably solid team, considering Kennedy and Melling will be available to come straight in for the following game in February against West Sydney.

 

[eth-dog]

I think Chapman is more likely to be rested, Kisnorbo is more mature and Chapman's young body might need a break, altough we have a very long break straight after. With that in mind I hope we'll see:

Velaphi
Wielart - Kisnorbo - Chapman - Garruccio
Mooy - Paartalu - Koren
Duff - Williams - Dugandzic​

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I think Chapman is more likely to be rested, Kisnorbo is more mature and Chapman's young body might need a break, altough we have a very long break straight after. With that in mind I hope we'll see:

Velaphi
Wielart - Kisnorbo - Chapman - Garruccio
Mooy - Paartalu - Koren
Duff - Williams - Dugandzic​

Perhaps. I'd like to see Chapman get another go, to be honest. Thought he had his worst game by far against Newcastle (Jeronimo's goal came about because he fresh aired a pretty routine opportunity to hoof a ball into the stands for a throw in in the lead-up and he was also the closest defender to Montano when he got a clear header for the Jets first). He even copped some pretty full on (and funny) abuse from Duff that was audible on the microphones for a pretty dodgy pass to the feisty Irishman...not a great day at the office. Fortunately, he chose to have a bad one when it didn't really matter.

You could argue that his mistakes in that game are grounds for him to be demoted, but he was so impressive in his first few games in defence that I'd like to give him a chance to rectify his bad day against his old side and go into the break on a high.

I'd be interested to see if Matt Simon gets up for this one. Looked to cop some sort of leg injury late yesterday against the Wanderers and with such a short turnaround, my guess is he'd be 50/50 at best.

 

[eth-dog]

So what are everyone's predictions? I reckon it'll be 4-0 City. Our team:

Velaphi
Archibald - Wielart - Kisnorbo - Garruccio
Paartalu - Mooy - Koren
Duff - Williams - Dugandzic

Redmayne - Ramsay - Germano - Brown - Retre​

 

[Vdubs]

So what are everyone's predictions? I reckon it'll be 4-0 City. Our team:

Velaphi
Archibald - Wielart - Kisnorbo - Garruccio
Paartalu - Mooy - Koren
Duff - Williams - Dugandzic

Redmayne - Ramsay - Germano - Brown - Retre​

If we could get our goal difference to zero or +ve, all the better.

It's been a gruelling 2 weeks for the boys.

 

[kangaspurs]

Would be content with a 1-0 to be fair. This is our last game before the break if I'm not mistaken? Would be good to go into it with winning form and on our way up the table.

 

[eth-dog]

A 2 goal win puts us into 5th with a game in hand over Sydney, and only 4 points behind Adelaide and 6 points behind the Victory

 

[pantskyle]

Must win at a ground we haven't won at.

Mariners desperate for a win as well.

 

[eth-dog]

Why is Archibald playing centre half?

 

[eth-dog]

Kisnorbo is really out of touch.

 

[eth-dog]

What were Kisnorbo and Archibald doing?

 

[pantskyle]

Playing like shit. Can see Mariners scoring a second soon. Will be lucky to get a result.

 

[eth-dog]

Need to get Duff on the ball more

 

[pantskyle]

Ref should have penalized the Mariners player for dropping like a sack of shit in the box.

But no instead they score. Thought they wanted to get rid of diving.