A-League Mens 25/26 - Round 16

[RIMB]

He's been adjusting the formation to try to cover for the loss of the 3 players, particularly Herrington, going to a back 3 etc. Thinking about this, I'm suggesting something radical:

.......................Freke
Salas.......Klein.......Valkanis.......B-Gilroy
......................Maleroni
.................Hore........Vrakas
Ruhs..........Daggers/Long.........McGarry

Shaw off the bench. Sacrificing Klein for the team good but I think he might be able to do a job at cb. And we have better cover in midfield than we do at cb, imo. I put Long in there in case Daggers is unfit to play. I'm a bit 50/50 about Bouzanis or Freke but if ever Freke is going to get an opportunity it surely would be now. Obviously, all this a pretty big gamble but if it works Herrington's loss is finally put to bed until reinforcements an arrive.

I am a bit doubtful of Klein's last line stopping dependability. He commits too many fouls to defend as our last line and his speed and enthusiasm serves well going forward but less so as a core defender. Maieroni is similar in my eyes.

Both good players from halfway forwards and to disrupt play coming back but neither would be a solid enough choice of CB or DM for me.

We do need to do something about our backline - that is without doubt.

Ludwik and Bility both alongside Valkanis doesn't work. With three CBs I think we play like we have enough numbers to cover everything and we forget to actually cover anything. Similar to playing against 10 men - so easy to think we outnumber them everywhere so someone else will cover emerging threats.

I still lean towards Ludwik over Bility.

I wonder how Burke-Gilroy would go in DM. He possesses vision and a passing game and has shown himself to be a good defender.

Bouzanis is a tricky one. His long boot is a huge advantage if we use it well. But we don't use it well and he is not accurate enough to rely on that. I am equally 50/50 with Bouzanis and Freke.

Vrakas is looking more like an enthusiastic, hard working weakness as time goes on. Far too much desperation in his play rather than focussed intensity.

I would like to try

Bouzanis/Freke
Salas Ludwik Valkanis McGarry
Burke-Gilroy
Hore Klein
Ruhs
Daggers/Long Long/Vidic

...so basically most of what we have been doing but Burke-Gilroy in DM.

Every one of those players will work hard if they are given instruction to and I can see plenty of avenues to bring the ball forward in that line up. We just have to try and play accurate, passing football instead of what we are doing.

We cannot replace Herrington with our options available - we can only go for decent and try to work on their cohesion and decision making more.

 

[dr. bellows]

I am a bit doubtful of Klein's last line stopping dependability. He commits too many fouls to defend as our last line and his speed and enthusiasm serves well going forward but less so as a core defender. Maieroni is similar in my eyes.

Both good players from halfway forwards and to disrupt play coming back but neither would be a solid enough choice of CB or DM for me.

We do need to do something about our backline - that is without doubt.

Ludwik and Bility both alongside Valkanis doesn't work. With three CBs I think we play like we have enough numbers to cover everything and we forget to actually cover anything. Similar to playing against 10 men - so easy to think we outnumber them everywhere so someone else will cover emerging threats.

I still lean towards Ludwik over Bility.

I wonder how Burke-Gilroy would go in DM. He possesses vision and a passing game and has shown himself to be a good defender.

Bouzanis is a tricky one. His long boot is a huge advantage if we use it well. But we don't use it well and he is not accurate enough to rely on that. I am equally 50/50 with Bouzanis and Freke.

Vrakas is looking more like an enthusiastic, hard working weakness as time goes on. Far too much desperation in his play rather than focussed intensity.

I would like to try

Bouzanis/Freke
Salas Ludwik Valkanis McGarry
Burke-Gilroy
Hore Klein
Ruhs
Daggers/Long Long/Vidic

...so basically most of what we have been doing but Burke-Gilroy in DM.

Every one of those players will work hard if they are given instruction to and I can see plenty of avenues to bring the ball forward in that line up. We just have to try and play accurate, passing football instead of what we are doing.

We cannot replace Herrington with our options available - we can only go for decent and try to work on their cohesion and decision making more.

I am uncomfortable with Maleroni there. I'd prefer to move Salas to dm, B-Gilroy to rb, McGarry to lb, Long to lw. Ruhs on the right and Daggers/Vidic striker options. Still not convinced about Ludwik but maybe he will improve with more game time. I'm more optimistic about Klein's ability to adapt to cb than you but freely admit we would be rolling the dice.

 

[dr. bellows]

I am uncomfortable with Maleroni there. I'd prefer to move Salas to dm, B-Gilroy to rb, McGarry to lb, Long to lw. Ruhs on the right and Daggers/Vidic striker options. Still not convinced about Ludwik but maybe he will improve with more game time. I'm more optimistic about Klein's ability to adapt to cb than you but freely admit we would be rolling the dice.

If we bring in Marius Lode that changes the equation completely.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

Our style of football now is completely different to the football Valkanis had us playing at the start.

Watching throughout pre-season I am not at all surprised by our initial success.

The injuries and transfer have totally broken our confidence and cohesion and Valkanis is having trouble getting the players to do what they did throughout pre-season and into the early games. We have dropped badly rather than teams having us worked out. We can see that when we get a few moments of good passing and supportive play through midfield - we can still play through and around our opposition when we try to.

This is not the football he wants us playing - he has said so very clearly.

His coaching to get the team playing well together again is where the pressure is on him and he has to show that he can correct that. If he can't come through it then he is not an aleague level coach - but for me it is not fair to expect quick results when the absolute spine of the team disappeared from centreback, DM and attacking midfield. Stajic alone was an import because it was such a key role and weakness in our team. We have not been able to replace him effectively with existing players.

Damn Valkanis for not getting a replacement for Herrington lined up properly (if he was allowed to), and for not getting an injury replacement for Stajic in the transfer window (if he was allowed to). Damn him for not getting the team playing his game plan. But I won't damn him for the attractive and positive style of football he actually wants us to play. I liked what I saw when we followed his plan.

His attitude and perspective about the reffing and the ongoing harassment of officials is a totally different issue that he has to change and it does contribute to the poor football form as the team is buying into it and are distracted by it. He has to wake up to the damage he is doing to both his own cause and the team's performances with his siege mentality.

Good defense of Valkanis. But to summarise, the gap between the key players that have left and the ones that have replaced them on the field is big - in effect he is being asked to polish a turd.

 

[RIMB]

Good defense of Valkanis. But to summarise, the gap between the key players that have left and the ones that have replaced them on the field is big - in effect he is being asked to polish a turd.

No part of my team is a turd.

He is being asked to make a lesser team than he planned into a competitive team.

 

[grazorblade]

No part of my team is a turd.

He is being asked to make a lesser team than he planned into a competitive team.

If we were melbourne city sfc or adelaide united there would be an exciting young replacement for every loss

We need to improve our academy

Id like to see us give more oz championship players a go too

 

[Sutherlandbear]

9,839 @ Adelaide