Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Sign Up Now!

Official South Melbourne Hellas thread 🔵⚪

southmelb said:
As for OFC we need to win 2 of the 3 remaining games for a pass mark.

The Hume game was such a killer because as i said last week Auckland is not the team we need to beat in the group stage. We actually need Auckland to keep winning now.
Click to expand...
We need to finish top 3 in the OFC Pro League in order to avoid the playoff between 4th and 5th. That's an extra match we cannot afford to play due to NPL Victoria competition.

Win the semi final and we'll likely face Auckland in the grand final.


southmelb said:
The npl priority is minimum mid table. I know it may seem crazy with our current team who are no way bottom 3 material but fatigue + a Pasquali or Yuki going down injured and things can get hairy for us very quickly.
Click to expand...
This is why I think we are about 2-3 quality signings short to better handle both competitions. This would have avoided the Hume City debacle.
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
Yeah mate I get it, the prize money is great, if we win, but I still see this as some foreign tournament, albeit with 3 (and due to rain delayed match, fortuitously a 4th) home matches....

I'ts NOT for Hellas fans its for the players and the board and maybe picking up some recognition from the world ourside of our bubble.... For Melbournians we may as well be Eurosnobs watching some random EPL team play overseas and pretend we belong to it if thats the case..

I love the week in week out battle of the league, the cup and even the Dockerty cup... The Australian Championship was just grouse, especially having an away day to Sydney... more of that please.... but this tournament seems like an unnecessary allocation of resources to me. Great if we win and make money but I dont know if its worth the cost to our season here and the disrespect the week in week out, ride or die fans will feel if we are constantly neglected.... just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
I feel you and agree to a vast extent... my onlu qualm is its different putting a case forward as the team not let in the AL depsite outperforming on an international scale.... bragging rights and a new prestige unavailable to others.. this is why i think all.focus is here alomg with the money... anothrr dockerty is anothrr texta adjustnent on our hall of fame!

For it all to be worthwhile we need to win it and utilize it from a transfer perspective also leading to that next chanpionship run and beyond...
 
Big 2 weeks ahead. We have the following matches:

24th Feb - OFC - against Tahiti United
27th Feb - OFC - against South Island United
28th Feb - NPL - against Altona Magic
4th March - OFC - against Solomon Kings
7th March - NPL - against Bentleigh Greens
 
After the Bentleigh match, the players need a break. That’s too many matches !

If we start the same starting XI that we had against Hume for the Altona and Bentleigh matches, then they will be certain defeats. We can’t make more than 3-4 changes to our best starting XI.
 
Hellenic_blue&white said:
M8ght actually be a blessing!
Click to expand...

Yes and no, what if those games are added to the next hub?

I dont know what lineup we will use tomorrow but if the forecast is as bad as what it says we cant hurt them with long throws. I was expecting a set piece bombardment from us tomorroe but those conditions will be very tricky. HOTM is also a hybrid playing surface, in the wet the ball just flies.
 
southmelb said:
Yes and no, what if those games are added to the next hub?
Click to expand...
If more games are postponed and added to the next hub then the fixture congestion will inevitably add up with the players returning from Honiara fatigued, and all of a sudden Sinisa will end up having an injury crisis on his hands which will no doubt be more detrimental for us given how little depth there is in the squad.
 
A really difficult situation to navigate for Sinisa and staff...

Given the opposition and the weather do we start strong and sub early allowing room for Friday or play lighter side?

If we get full points this hub it opens gap to rest of 2nd spot contenders and then management of results is achieveable, or do we balanace game time (likely lose points) with 1 eye against Altona for the points there??

Its a fckn chess game at this stage and depending on todays weather conditions last thing needed is loss of key players.
 
Hellenic_blue&white said:
A really difficult situation to navigate for Sinisa and staff...

Given the opposition and the weather do we start strong and sub early allowing room for Friday or play lighter side?

If we get full points this hub it opens gap to rest of 2nd spot contenders and then management of results is achieveable, or do we balanace game time (likely lose points) with 1 eye against Altona for the points there??

Its a fckn chess game at this stage and depending on todays weather conditions last thing needed is loss of key players.
Click to expand...
Im worried about tonight. slick pitch, heavy rain, tired players and a fast Tahiti group.... Just hope we pull up ok after the game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top