Asian Champions League 1 and 2 thread

[Frankly Speaking]

He has a few issues but his inability to score two goals yesterday underline why he can be so frustrating. Maybe a change of position from winger to middle.

I only saw the highlights and the miss included was very poor.

 

[Decentric]

I have always thought that Arzani's failure to score more goals has been his biggest problem.

Now I've seen the entire Burinam game Arzani missed one he should have converted from point blank, but the right foot being closest to the cross was the correct foot to use, but he failed to execute it.

Plus he effected a neat steal in a 1v1 from reading the play well, intercepting, then dribbled into space and with his left foot blazed over the bar from a shot outside the pen box, or on the edge of it.

His finishing is simply woeful for a winger.

After watching Younis with his blistering pace and then Mazzeo's searing pace when he replaced Arazni in the last few minutes, Arzani doesn't seem to need space to beat players, like fast wingers, Younis and Mazzeo. I'm not sure if Arzani has lost pace, or has never had it?

I still think he is a fantastic player though. I think DA's future lies as a twin number Ten in an attacking midfield triangle manifestation in a 4-3-3. Or the single Ten in a 4-3-3 defensive midfield triangle.

Why?

I've had a much better look at the ACL games than I normally do for the AL, because I'm only interested in the payers for one team.

* Arzani and Behich both had the fastest speed of thought for City. They often read how the play was going to unfold ahead of other players.

* Arzani likes operating in little time and space. He can often beat 2 players at once with La Croquetas, outside of his right foot body swerves and Elastics. He often draws 2- 3 defenders, leaving teammates unmarked.

* Arzani has terrific vision. He knows what he is going to do with the ball well before he receives it, having scanned the field of play, often playing killer passes that nearly split defences that need experienced teammates like Kuen reading where they will go.

* Plenty of Burinam players were good at this, but Arzani is a great foul milker. He plays for them and sucks his opponents in. Once again he needs less space than most Aussies to operate effectively. He is also neat fouler of opponents and often gets away with his sly and cunning work in traffic.

* Arzani's awful shooting means he is probably a better provider of goals, than a converter of goals. His awful goal output is waste of an attacking winger, although he aerial crosses well with his right foot on the right wing. Arzani would never have made that fantastic leap and headed, athletic Mazzeo goal.

* I've seen Kuen play a bit, and he seems inconsistent. A very good player on some days, and has off days. Arzani had Zinedine Makach ? to bounce off at Vic. We should see some better structured possession and attacking interplay amongst Arzani, Behich, Kuen and Teague in the imminent future as the two newbies become more familiar.

* Arzani is a better ball winner than he was, but is better creating 1v1 contests in confined time and space than chasing speedy wingers in open space on the flanks.

 

[rebelliousfeminist974]

Vissel Kobe defeated FC Seoul 1-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite round of 16 first leg game, and could possibly face Melbourne City in the semi-finals depending on how results pan out.

 

[Decentric]

City seemed a bit physically underpowered playing against most of the fairly large European and South American lads playing for Burinam.

I think City should have played their biggest and strongest player, Delbridge. Ferreyra is quite a small CB. He uses his body well though.

I wonder if a Popa like 5-2-3, 5-4-1, 3-4-3 would work against Burinam?

Behich was outmuscled a bit by the big Buri right winger.

If City played:

....................................Beach

..............Ferreyra........Delbridge.......Supreyan

Atkinson..............Teague..........Kuen............Behich

..............Younis............Caputo...........Arzani


Alternatively a midfield diamond with the ball:

.......................................Teague
...................Atkinson.......................Behich
........................................Arzani

Put Mazzeo out wide left, or Nabbout when fit.


If Kuen is having a bad game, get him off pronto and replace him with Lopane or Schreiber.

One can also change the flat midfield line to a diamond shape, with Kuen/Arzani as Ten/AM and Teague being the DM.

A few things I saw:

*A lot of aerial crosses played by City were repelled aerially by Buri. I think Caputo is more of a physical presence and better aerially than Memeti? Curtis Good won a lot of heading duels ofr Buri against his old team, City.

* A lot of final City balls lacked quality. Of the chances Buri had, they were more clinical, with Beach making a few great saves.

* Impressed with Buri's Squeezing and Pressing to disturb City build ups, but City improved in the second half and had more ball. The game was like an old AL game, or Scottish game, with a lot of Transitional play and Turnovers. City's ball circulation sped up in the second half and Buri struggled to negate it as effectively.

* Once Buri got in front, they tried to slow the game and play for fouls, which frequently sucked the younger, less experienced City players, Younis, Memeti, and to a lesser extent, the rugged ball winning RB, Shillington?, in.

Is the young RB who replaces Atko called Shillington? Like the look of him - a rugged and strong ball winner!

* With the ball the positioning and distancing in the midfield triangle of Teague, Atkinson and Kuen was often poor. They were too far from each other in Ball Possesion. Atkinson was often too far right and Kuen was too far forwards.
Trewin held the shape better than Teague is ATM. It also wasn't compact enough in Ball Possession Opposition.

 

[Decentric]

I only saw the highlights and the miss included was very poor.

Well worth watching the whole game, FS.

I think this City team has the depth to go far in the ACL, even though with injuries they lack experience in some positions, but will be up against it in Bangkok against Buri with the heat and humidity. March is the second hottest month.

They could do with Leckie and Nabbout's experience, not to mention strength.

Arzani, Younis, Teague and Delbridge have added depth.

Trewin has been covered as a CB by Delbridge and DM by Teague.

 

[Decentric]

I have always thought that Arzani's failure to score more goals has been his biggest problem.

Agree.

It is getting worse too.

Thankfully, he has a lot of other qualities though. One I'm recognising of late is terrific insight or game sense. I'm loving DA back in Aus! A lot of entertainment and he is a flashy player.

 

[Decentric]

How good is Younis going at MC!! Still only 20

How good is Younis going at MC!! Still only 20

City have heaps of young talent coming though - and- they've held their own in the ACL too.

Mazzeo's goal was a beauty.

Younis, Shillington, Schreiber, Lopane, Polites ( the Greek FB), Memeti, Caputo, the tall CB, Mazzeo, and the rest - what a production line.

Younis was short of a gallop in the U23 Asian Cup.

 

[Decentric]

A very average game. I can't see any reason as to why Arzani, Behich, Atkinson or Teague should be selected for the NT. Beach I am undecided on but that would depend on Gauci actually hitting his straps. I have no idea what has happend to MC but their pass completion rate is awful - it almost appears that they don't talk to one another on the pitch.

It was an atypical game by City.

Buri were good at disturbing City build ups and forcing a physical game in the transitions.

 

[grazorblade]

Now I've seen the entire Burinam game Arzani missed one he should have converted from point blank, but the right foot being closest to the cross was the correct foot to use, but he failed to execute it.

Plus he effected a neat steal in a 1v1 from reading the play well, intercepting, then dribbled into space and with his left foot blazed over the bar from a shot outside the pen box, or on the edge of it.

His finishing is simply woeful for a winger.

After watching Younis with his blistering pace and then Mazzeo's searing pace when he replaced Arazni in the last few minutes, Arzani doesn't seem to need space to beat players, like fast wingers, Younis and Mazzeo. I'm not sure if Arzani has lost pace, or has never had it?

I still think he is a fantastic player though. I think DA's future lies as a twin number Ten in an attacking midfield triangle manifestation in a 4-3-3. Or the single Ten in a 4-3-3 defensive midfield triangle.

Why?

I've had a much better look at the ACL games than I normally do for the AL, because I'm only interested in the payers for one team.

* Arzani and Behich both had the fastest speed of thought for City. They often read how the play was going to unfold ahead of other players.

* Arzani likes operating in little time and space. He can often beat 2 players at once with La Croquetas, outside of his right foot body swerves and Elastics. He often draws 2- 3 defenders, leaving teammates unmarked.

* Arzani has terrific vision. He knows what he is going to do with the ball well before he receives it, having scanned the field of play, often playing killer passes that nearly split defences that need experienced teammates like Kuen reading where they will go.

* Plenty of Burinam players were good at this, but Arzani is a great foul milker. He plays for them and sucks his opponents in. Once again he needs less space than most Aussies to operate effectively. He is also neat fouler of opponents and often gets away with his sly and cunning work in traffic.

* Arzani's awful shooting means he is probably a better provider of goals, than a converter of goals. His awful goal output is waste of an attacking winger, although he aerial crosses well with his right foot on the right wing. Arzani would never have made that fantastic leap and headed, athletic Mazzeo goal.

* I've seen Kuen play a bit, and he seems inconsistent. A very good player on some days, and has off days. Arzani had Zinedine Makach ? to bounce off at Vic. We should see some better structured possession and attacking interplay amongst Arzani, Behich, Kuen and Teague in the imminent future as the two newbies become more familiar.

* Arzani is a better ball winner than he was, but is better creating 1v1 contests in confined time and space than chasing speedy wingers in open space on the flanks.

My crackpot idea is to try arzani as a wingback where his lack of finishing doesn't matter as much haha

 

[rebelliousfeminist974]

Johor Darul Ta'zim defeated 10-man Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-1 in their AFC Champions League Elite round of 16 first leg game, with Melbourne City facing the winner of this tie in the quarterfinals should they get the job done against Buriram United in the return leg next week.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

City have heaps of young talent coming though - and- they've held their own in the ACL too.

Mazzeo's goal was a beauty.

Younis, Shillington, Schreiber, Lopane, Polites ( the Greek FB), Memeti, Caputo, the tall CB, Mazzeo, and the rest - what a production line.

Younis was short of a gallop in the U23 Asian Cup.

Polites was not given a contract and is now at Macquarie.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

City seemed a bit physically underpowered playing against most of the fairly large European and South American lads playing for Burinam.

I think City should have played their biggest and strongest player, Delbridge. Ferreyra is quite a small CB. He uses his body well though.

I wonder if a Popa like 5-2-3, 5-4-1, 3-4-3 would work against Burinam?

Behich was outmuscled a bit by the big Buri right winger.

If City played:

....................................Beach

..............Ferreyra........Delbridge.......Supreyan

Atkinson..............Teague..........Kuen............Behich

..............Younis............Caputo...........Arzani


Alternatively a midfield diamond with the ball:

.......................................Teague
...................Atkinson.......................Behich
........................................Arzani

Put Mazzeo out wide left, or Nabbout when fit.


If Kuen is having a bad game, get him off pronto and replace him with Lopane or Schreiber.

One can also change the flat midfield line to a diamond shape, with Kuen/Arzani as Ten/AM and Teague being the DM.

A few things I saw:

*A lot of aerial crosses played by City were repelled aerially by Buri. I think Caputo is more of a physical presence and better aerially than Memeti? Curtis Good won a lot of heading duels ofr Buri against his old team, City.

* A lot of final City balls lacked quality. Of the chances Buri had, they were more clinical, with Beach making a few great saves.

* Impressed with Buri's Squeezing and Pressing to disturb City build ups, but City improved in the second half and had more ball. The game was like an old AL game, or Scottish game, with a lot of Transitional play and Turnovers. City's ball circulation sped up in the second half and Buri struggled to negate it as effectively.

* Once Buri got in front, they tried to slow the game and play for fouls, which frequently sucked the younger, less experienced City players, Younis, Memeti, and to a lesser extent, the rugged ball winning RB, Shillington?, in.

Is the young RB who replaces Atko called Shillington? Like the look of him - a rugged and strong ball winner!

* With the ball the positioning and distancing in the midfield triangle of Teague, Atkinson and Kuen was often poor. They were too far from each other in Ball Possesion. Atkinson was often too far right and Kuen was too far forwards.
Trewin held the shape better than Teague is ATM. It also wasn't compact enough in Ball Possession Opposition.

Ferreyra is MC's hit man. Leave him on the pitch.

I don't think Schreiber has progressed enough to replace Kuen but Lopane has improved this season so that would be OK. Kuen was looking knackered and just found out he is only 30.

Caputo is a bigger physical presence but I don't think he has scored at all this year. He seems to be out of form. Ideally, I would grab Memeti's ball control and positioning and join it with Caputo's physical presence.

It was Shillington who replaced Atkinson and he has also taken a big leap this season. Atkinson on the other hand is having a poor 2026 compared to his 2025 form.

And Teague is not jelling very well with the MC players. He needs to have Valadon beside him (and likewise Valadon needs Teague).

I am surprised about the kudos to Younis. There were quite a few times he was caught flat footed. Granted that the cross to Mazzeo was a pearler. May need to rewatch the game focusing on Younis.

 

[Frankly Speaking]

Agree.

It is getting worse too.

Thankfully, he has a lot of other qualities though. One I'm recognising of late is terrific insight or game sense. I'm loving DA back in Aus! A lot of entertainment and he is a flashy player.

Agree. Technically he is in a class of his own in the A League. If he had Salah's sense for goal, he would be playing in the EPL now.

 

[Frankly Speaking]

My crackpot idea is to try arzani as a wingback where his lack of finishing doesn't matter as much haha

Man, it would be a brave coach to try that one!

 

[Decentric]

My crackpot idea is to try arzani as a wingback where his lack of finishing doesn't matter as much haha

Lacks the engine to get up and down the pitch. Otherwise would be good.

Not a bad idea, G! It isn't crackpot.

Looks like DA evolving to a twin Ten, or single Ten.

 

[Decentric]

Agree. Technically he is in a class of his own in the A League. If he had Salah's sense for goal, he would be playing in the EPL now.

Agree. Technically he is in a class of his own in the A League. If he had Salah's sense for goal, he would be playing in the EPL now.

Roderick Miranda says DA is the most natural footballer Aus has.

 

[Decentric]

Ferreyra is MC's hit man. Leave him on the pitch.

I don't think Schreiber has progressed enough to replace Kuen but Lopane has improved this season so that would be OK. Kuen was looking knackered and just found out he is only 30.

Caputo is a bigger physical presence but I don't think he has scored at all this year. He seems to be out of form. Ideally, I would grab Memeti's ball control and positioning and join it with Caputo's physical presence.

It was Shillington who replaced Atkinson and he has also taken a big leap this season. Atkinson on the other hand is having a poor 2026 compared to his 2025 form.

And Teague is not jelling very well with the MC players. He needs to have Valadon beside him (and likewise Valadon needs Teague).

I am surprised about the kudos to Younis. There were quite a few times he was caught flat footed. Granted that the cross to Mazzeo was a pearler. May need to rewatch the game focusing on Younis.

Younis and Memeti were out-thought by some very experienced Buri senior pros. Younis' pace caused them some issues though.

You are bang on the money about Schreiber and Lopane. The former hasn't progressed a lot from last season, as I expected he would. Lopane has made big recent strides.

Also, I agree re Teague and Valadon. Although Teague is improving in fitting into the City team unit.

Don't agree re Atkinson though. I don't think he has kicked on as I would have hoped though. Not sure whether Trewin communicated to him take up better position in midfield, than Teague is ATM? In a good team, the lines behind help position the players in front of them.

 

[Frankly Speaking]

Roderick Miranda says DA is the most natural footballer Aus has.

Certainly from what I have seen, I would agree with that. But he is a forward who doesn't score goals and that makes him, unfortunately, a luxury player. Which is exactly what Salah has become at Liverpool, and consequently I would be surprised if Salah does not move to the Saudi league at the end of the season. There simply isn't space in a modern elite football team for wingers who don't score goals.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

Younis and Memeti were out-thought by some very experienced Buri senior pros. Younis' pace caused them some issues though.

You are bang on the money about Schreiber and Lopane. The former hasn't progressed a lot from last season, as I expected he would. Lopane has made big recent strides.

Also, I agree re Teague and Valadon. Although Teague is improving in fitting into the City team unit.

Don't agree re Atkinson though. I don't think he has kicked on as I would have hoped though. Not sure whether Trewin communicated to him take up better position in midfield, than Teague is ATM? In a good team, the lines behind help position the players in front of them.

With Atkinson at the beginning of the season he was playing much better. I don't know whether that was because Trewin was in the team or not but these days his passing completion facing forward is nowhere as good as it was when Trewin was playing. Atkinson's forward forays at the start of teh season tended to cause more problems for the opposition than they do now for MC.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

Certainly from what I have seen, I would agree with that. But he is a forward who doesn't score goals and that makes him, unfortunately, a luxury player. Which is exactly what Salah has become at Liverpool, and consequently I would be surprised if Salah does not move to the Saudi league at the end of the season. There simply isn't space in a modern elite football team for wingers who don't score goals.

Or at the very least have a weekly goal assist.