CC Mariners v Adelaide United Semi-Final Second Leg 2023 Match Day Jamboree!!!©

[Jumbinho]

Pretty thoroughly outclassed across those two legs. Fair play to the Mariners

[otto62]

CCM worthy winners tonight, over the two legs, and over the full season.
Hope they now go on to win it.

Disappointing as the result was, I think our season was killed by injuries about a month before the end of the regular season.

[red wombat]

At least we lost to the better team. Could be a cracker of a grand final.

[Interloper]

Another promising season ends wasted with a failed 12-dimensional chess move.

2022's "Keeping Ibusuki on the bench for the full 90 vs City" or 2023's "starting a defensive formation while down 1 on aggregate then not changing it all for 15 minutes after it became a 3 goal deficit"

[otto62]

Another promising season ends wasted with a failed 12-dimensional chess move.

2022's "Keeping Ibusuki on the bench for the full 90 vs City" or 2023's "starting a defensive formation while down 1 on aggregate then not changing it all for 15 minutes after it became a 3 goal deficit"

Not exactly a defensive formation or team that we played tonight though was it? Maybe on paper, but it looked to me like (after we got ripped apart for the first 5 minutes) we reverted to our usual formation, which I was much happier with.

[Interloper]

Not exactly a defensive formation or team that we played tonight though was it? Maybe on paper, but it looked to me like (after we got ripped apart for the first 5 minutes) we reverted to our usual formation, which I was much happier with.

Sacrificed a striker for a general midfielder over last weeks team.

Alagich looked better after the goals because he was entirely in attack mode. He didn't play terribly beforehand but seemed to be umming and ahhing about what his exact role was.

[mcjules]

Apart from the first goal where I think we were beaten a bit too easily in a couple of movements it was an ok performance.

Probably not the time for a full retrospective but proud of our boys again this season. IMO we outperformed all things considered.

[red wombat]

Apart from the first goal where I think we were beaten a bit too easily in a couple of movements it was an ok performance.

Probably not the time for a full retrospective but proud of our boys again this season. IMO we outperformed all things considered.

It's been a journey alright - out of the six and finishing in a semi-final. I guess that's the price of having a young team, results can vary.

Irankunda? I hope he doesn't chase the money overseas. He was a revelation 6 months ago but the opposition have worked him out and responded to suit. He needs to stay in the A-league and work out how to combat the defenders. If he dashed off to Europe or to one of the glamour clubs interstate, he could find himself cast aside when the results don't come. He's better off staying with AU, who are a proven club for developing juniors, and learning his trade for a couple more seasons.

[ChillyPhilly]

Irankunda has apparently signed with Bayern Munich but will be loaned back to AUFC for next season.

Our performance last night was okay on the balance but should have been so much better. Veart did not respond to any issues CCM have caused us throughout the year, including last week. This is both subjectively and objectively disappointing, and quite a coaching failure.

It's probably time to refresh the team, with D'Arrigo to be permanently preferenced over Isaias and Madanha over Lopez. An experienced CB for Warland and Popovic to learn and continue developing from would be great. Halloran has been disappointing this year so he needs to lift as well because we know what he's capable of.

Overall, quite a journey, but it unravelled very quickly. Goal next year is to win the semifinal.

[mcjules]

Apart from the first goal where I think we were beaten a bit too easily in a couple of movements it was an ok performance.

Probably not the time for a full retrospective but proud of our boys again this season. IMO we outperformed all things considered.

It's been a journey alright - out of the six and finishing in a semi-final. I guess that's the price of having a young team, results can vary.

Irankunda? I hope he doesn't chase the money overseas. He was a revelation 6 months ago but the opposition have worked him out and responded to suit. He needs to stay in the A-league and work out how to combat the defenders. If he dashed off to Europe or to one of the glamour clubs interstate, he could find himself cast aside when the results don't come. He's better off staying with AU, who are a proven club for developing juniors, and learning his trade for a couple more seasons.

A young team absolutely but also a very injured one. We haven't even been close to our best 11 for months and do not have the squad depth of the big clubs.
This table says a lot in my opinion:

What this doesn't show is the number of players that have been nursing injuries or back from long term ones and unable to run out 90 minutes like Blackwood.

There's no way we were planning to have Javi play so many full games this season. From many accounts, Halloran has been nursing a pretty uncomfortable injury. Ansell has been decent when he's played but his body is failing him. The list goes on.

Matters at anytime but at the pointy end of the season it means a lot, Mariners had their best playing and firing. We didn't. Like I said, to finish 3rd was a very good performance.

I'm sure our opinions on squads will get a good work out this pre-season in the signing thread. Definitely need to change a few players and strengthen some positions.

[EdDog]

Disappointing result but a pretty good season all told.

CCM just too good. 14-2 across all meeting this season. We only managed a goal from the penalty spot and a late consolation goal in 4 games against them. Officially our bogey side.

Hopefully we see a bit of a refresh in the off-season.

Isa is a club legend and always will be, but it's time to hang up the boots. So too for Lopez.

When fit, Barnett can play Isa's role and Harry VDS RB.

Would love to see us recruit a couple of quality visa players on the right side of 30 but I doubt we will.

Let the off-season begin!

[Bptiger25]

I said this weeks ago , we always get this far then fall like a ton of bricks , unless the owners get us three class players we will never get another grand final win , as all the others sides are doing it , bring quality players in .
We need a class midfielder, a class number 10 and a fast and classy sticker

[EdDog]

I said this weeks ago , we always get this far then fall like a ton of bricks , unless the owners get us three class players we will never get another grand final win , as all the others sides are doing it , bring quality players in .
We need a class midfielder, a class number 10 and a fast and classy sticker

For this to happen we need new owners.

[otto62]

Semi-finals 3 years in a row is a pretty good achievement IMO.
Of course we want another title, we just can’t expect it or demand it.

We can’t draw bigger crowds.
We can’t draw the big sponsorship dollars.
A ‘City Group’ type buyer would probably go for a club in a bigger market.
It is what it is.

[ChillyPhilly]

Semi-finals 3 years in a row is a pretty good achievement IMO.
Of course we want another title, we just can’t expect it or demand it.

We can’t draw bigger crowds.
We can’t draw the big sponsorship dollars.
A ‘City Group’ type buyer would probably go for a club in a bigger market.
It is what it is.

We can demand success, and not accept mediocrity.

As members and fans, our money is invested back into the Club.

We have a right to say what it is used for.