Preseason Matches & Lineup Speculation

[Irish]

Thoughts at half time:

- Malik can't play this style.
- Ferreira is one of the fastest running with a ball I've seen.
- Djite a bit rusty but playing well.
-Watson in the midfield has been flawless at dictating tempo. He played in Portugal in his younger days? Might do ok.
- Our new #17 looks good.
- Elrich rusty and/or not good enough. I hope he gets better.

1-1

We must have been watching different games. ^_^

1. What makes you say that? His short passing is fantastic and his covering the back 2 is normally pretty flawless. He's the only defensive player we have that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt can play this system.

2. Agreed. However seeing as running with the ball don't a huge part of this system will it be wasted. Are you sure you're not mistaking his "running with the ball" for his abilities to beat a defender 1 on 1 and get in between lines? As a wide player that's where his real strength will be in this system.

3. Disagree. He's shite under pressure, always has been. Happy to be proved wrong. He's the type of player possession based football should suit but the fact remains he's not good enough to play it at a-league level.

5. Looked okay to me, and has looked good a training.

[supsup]

Did I number my points? OK, whatever.

1. Tonight he was out of position often and failed to mesh with those around him, wasn't linking up well, and got pushed off the ball a bunch. I didn't see any evidence of fantastic short passing nor did I see him complete much in the way of the passing, possession based football we are supposed to be doing. Sure he might do well in the DM role, a couple of seasons ago come to mind, but I'm talking about tonight and it was Watto in front of our defense tonight so I don't know what you're talking about.

2. Read my words. I said "running with the ball". I was commenting merely on the man's power and pace, not in the context of our new system at all. But, if you want to talk about that, I think you'll find that wide play will indeed be a big part of it this year.

3. Djite was rusty in the first half, as I said. "Shite under pressure" he wasn't because we are playing Croydon. Perhaps you missed his play in the 2nd half where he linked up with just about everyone in the attacking third inc Jeronimo, Carrusca, Daish, Sanchez, held up the ball brilliantly, passed well, and also started and finished a sublime passing move where he ended up walking it into the net.

5. If you're agreeing with me about Cirio, then cool. If you're talking about Elrich, all I saw was him find himself with the ball against the sideline, turn and play it back to our CB. When he attempted to pass it forward he turned it over more often than not.

You seem to know a lot about Gombau's system, professor . Are you Gombau?

[Irish]

Everything the bloke coaches is Barca 101; shape, movement, passages of play, etc. That's something I do know an aweful lot about as I've spent considerable time studying it and coaching possession based football.

[CoolenCleanser]

Elrich went off injured and saw Sanchez with his hammy iced prior to kick off, hopefully nothing serious.

Had a good time revving up a Croydon fan in front of me. He thought Croydon were killed by the ref (despite been given 2 dodgy penalties), went from saying "Croydon making them look stupid" to "7-1 against the 10th side in the Premier League proves AU are rubbish". I kept making little comments such as "gee Croydon look average" "is this Croydon's reserves?" "apparently the money raised from tonight is going straight to Barbiero's wages" to my mate loud enough for him to hear. The bloke couldn't help but bite, despite his wife telling him off

[RedRis]

I'm not sure if Elrich is a left side full back, I will wait to see how he goes at right back before passing judgement.
I'm guessing he was played there because Cassio and Golec weren't available.
Although there is still a lot of shuffling going on and a few players still missing, I think last night was the best indication yet of how the team will set up.
The goals came when we piled the pressure on Croyden, bringing on an extra attacking midfielder in place of a defensive midfielder (Jake for Osama). Also Jeronimo looked better when shifted to the left wing with Bruce central.

[EdDog]

CC I'm sure Sanchez will be going through the same adjustment to playing on hard pitches that most foreigners go through when they arrive.

Sounds like we are doing well. Despite the level of opposition, I don't remember us scoring this many goals last preseason!

And it's only game 3 with Gombau having been here, what, 3 weeks??

Bit worrying about the reports from Elrich - however, it is only his first hit out with the new team mates. Hopefully not another season of "we need a proper RB!"

Did Barbs play??

[mcjules]

Everything the bloke coaches is Barca 101; shape, movement, passages of play, etc. That's something I do know an aweful lot about as I've spent considerable time studying it and coaching possession based football.

Obviously you think Bruce needs a fair bit of work to make the team. Val reckons this will be our best XI

The Advertiser thinks Eugene Galekovic, Tarek Elrich, Jon McKain, Antony Golec, Cassio, Dario Vidosic, Isaias Sanchez, Marcelo Carrusca, Fabio Ferreira, Jeronimo Neumann and Sergio Cirio will be Adelaide's five-star XI.

What are your thoughts on Cassio? I have a question mark over him playing this system to be honest mainly due to how one sided he is.

[shinAUFC]

I think cassio will thrive, but even if he does not we dont have many LB options , possibly Golec but i think he will be a CB starter

[RedsUnited]

Guys, I'm pretty sure Isaias wasn't playing last night...

[mcjules]

I think cassio will thrive, but even if he does not we dont have many LB options , possibly Golec but i think he will be a CB starter

I hope he does. I love Cassio and even though everyone in the A-league knows what he's going to do, he still manages to be effective so there's a chance.

Would much rather Golec at CB, really if we are going to replace Fyfe it should be with a left sided player, preferably a LB.

[ChillyPhilly]

I like how Jero is simply 'JERONIMO' on the sheet, with his surname excluded.

[supsup]

Interesting... Pisconeri?

Youth player? Did OK.

[shinAUFC]

And toure?

[ChillyPhilly]

Panozzo and Pisconeri were both triallists from Campbelltown I believe. Didn't know about Toure.

[RedsUnited]

Ture is from Campbelltown, Panozzo is from Enfield.