The Melbourne City Thread

[catempire]

Malik for Mauk apparently .

Not too pleased with this. I know why we want Malik but Mauk is a young gun we should be nurturing and developing for the future.

 

[Blackout]

Not too pleased with this. I know why we want Malik but Mauk is a young gun we should be nurturing and developing for the future.

Except Mauk will be on his way to Europe the first chance he gets. So in this instance I would actually consider Malik (who is still only 25) a much longer term prospect than Mauk.

 

[catempire]

Except Mauk will be on his way to Europe the first chance he gets. So in this instance I would actually consider Malik (who is still only 25) a much longer term prospect than Mauk.

Fair point.

Just doesn't sit well with me.

 

[bungareepremiers06]

Exactly, its not like afl where you nurture your youth to be successful for your ckub goong forward.
Ultimately you nurture your youth to go elsewhere in Europe.

 

[Joker91]

Is Nick Fitzgerald any good? Never heard of him...

 

[CURVE]

Congrats on your first title. The only team I though capable of beating your women's team was Canberra and they were beaten this afternoon by Sydney FC.
Fully expect City to put another half dozen past them.

 

[Knifey Spoony]

Fornaroli has now scored against every A-league team. What a gun

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Good finish by Novillo

 

[GreekLunatic]

Fornaroli has turned out to be a gun player

 

[eth-dog]

Bruno is without a doubt the best striker in the league IMO.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Horrible defending. 3 up

 

[catempire]

Gee depth looks good now.

 

[kangaspurs]

Not too pleased with this. I know why we want Malik but Mauk is a young gun we should be nurturing and developing for the future.

Mauk's contract expires at the end of this season and apparently he was delaying signing a new contract because of interest from Europe. He'll most likely go abroad this year so we've effectively traded a player we weren't going to have next year for a player who was once the best in the league in his position and who plays in a position that we need to strengthen. It's a good deal in my opinion.

 

[Boultzboi]

Another 10,000 last night, i missed the game due to work commitments. If we keep playing like this it's going to be hard to stop us from winning the league, just need to stop conceding goals. Have we had a clean sheet this season?

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[MC Extra Dollop]

Another 10,000 last night, i missed the game due to work commitments. If we keep playing like this it's going to be hard to stop us from winning the league, just need to stop conceding goals. Have we had a clean sheet this season?

Newcastle away.

It was spectacular football at times last night and could have easily been a five goal win. There seemed to be a slight drop in intensity in the later stages, which, hopefully, can be put down to self-preservation, given that we'll be playing for top spot on Friday night and all (fist pump).

It's incredible what some very solid inclusions (Franjic, Caceres, Malik, Fitzgerald to a lesser extent) can do. All of a sudden, guys like Garuccio aren't getting off the bench and others like Trifiro (who hasn't done much wrong when he's had chances) aren't even in the squad. The team that we put on the park last night looked extremely strong and if something resembling that team stays available, but it pisses away what is likely to be Mooy's last season in the A-League for a long time, by going out at the end of the campaign with a whimper, it will be a monumental underachievement.

I can't see a stronger team in the league on paper and with the departure of Koren, there's a visa spot and money available, still. We've got the best forwards, the best goalkeeper, the best midfielder, two <30 Socceroo fullbacks/wingbacks, a centre back that will play for Northern Ireland in Euro 2016, a Manchester City signee in the midfield, more rock solid/Socceroo capped pros at defensive midfield and fullback. We have everything we need and we can still get better.

I view the fact that we're playing top of the table away on Friday as a good thing. If we had Newcastle, or Central Coast, we'd probably find a way to stuff it up. No excuses to go around in a game sleepwalking when top spot is on the line.

City has given up some incredibly cheap goals this season: that wasn't one of them. Just a world class strike by Bonevacia that no keeper in the world would have kept out. Sorensen was barely troubled, apart from that. I'd love to keep a few more clean sheets, but if the trade-off is having Franjic and Zullo sprinting up the wings and causing havoc, I'll take it. We had Ramsay and Hoffman in those spots for the bulk of last year.

Assuming we put in a solid performance on Friday, I think the final test for this team is what we do when the opposition scores first on us. I could be wrong, but I don't think we have even salvaged a point from a game when that has happened. With the pressure we faced in home wins against Victory and Wanderers, I don't think we can be called downhill skiers and I won't complain if we win the rest of our games in identical fashion to last night, but it would say a bit about the backbone of the team if we managed a come from behind win, or even a draw in hostile territory, before the end of the season

 

[Boultzboi]

I did see the Wellington goal and totally agree that no one would've stopped that, that was a world class strike.

Totally agree on next week's game as well, if it was against Newcastle etc, and knowing this club I'd be hoping for a draw but a top of the table clash on a Friday night on top of the 'controvesy' of the last game against WSW, there's no excuses for putting in a sub-par performance.

And as for coming from behind i think our 'best' result was in the first derby this season coming back from 2 down only for that filthy Albanian to score at the death.

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[eth-dog]

What does everyone expect us to line up against the Wanderers? I'm hoping Malik gets a start.

Sorenson
Franjic - Hughes - Kisnorbo - Zullo
Caceres
Malik - Melling
Mooy
Fornaroli - Novillo
​

That midfield is excellent. We should throw cash at Vidic or someone at that ilk as a Centre Half.

 

[Boultzboi]

What does everyone expect us to line up against the Wanderers? I'm hoping Malik gets a start.

Sorenson
Franjic - Hughes - Kisnorbo - Zullo
Caceres
Malik - Melling
Mooy
Fornaroli - Novillo
​

That midfield is excellent. We should throw cash at Vidic or someone at that ilk as a Centre Half.

That's a strong squad on paper.
Clisby has served his suspension, not sure if he'll go straight back into the starting line up though.

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[Flapjacks]

Clisby is a must to come back in.
Can see Caceras making way for Melling in midfield.
Franjic Kisnorbo Hughes Clisby zullo

Paartlu Melling
Mooy
Harry Bruno

 

[TheKanga]

A 10k+ crowd against Wellington is a good result for us.
Great match, very entertaining.

We are playing WSW again? Feels like we just played them lol

 

[sverik25]

A 10k+ crowd against Wellington is a good result for us.
Great match, very entertaining.

We are playing WSW again? Feels like we just played them lol

A-League fixturing is all over the place; we still have to play Wellington twice more too.

 

[Rough_Edges]

Interesting we let Mauk go. He's been good for us this year.

I suppose with Caceres coming in they were more interested in solidifying at the back. Malik was pretty poor as a defender I thought but from the little I've seen of him could be quite good as a holding midfielder.

Fitzgerald looked ok when coming on on Monday. Zullo I also thought has been really good last two weeks.

Fornarolli > Berisha. That first goal on Monday was just brilliant. Novillo I'd say is in the top 10 in the league, he's a class above. Mooy a bit quiet, but still got an assist.

Was good to see us get 10.8k to the game, on a monday night, against Wellington. It would be great if we could get 10k at all of the rest of our home games this season.

Absolutely huge game on Friday night. Away to WSW. Would be great if we could get something from it.

 

[Hinkstuff]

Squad is in for Friday. My attempt:

Novillo - Fornaroli
Zullo - Caceres - Mooy - Paartalu - Franjic
Clisby - Kisnorbo - Hughes
Sorensen

SUB: Dekker, Retre, Garuccio, Bouzanis, Melling, Fitzgerald, Malik
(2 to be Omitted)
​

I'm guessing Dekker gets dropped and possibly Garuccio.

 

[Hinkstuff]

Actual squad:


Dekker and Hughes omitted.

 

[catempire]

Really lucky to only be one down at half time.