Australian A-League

[Toinho]

My first game since 2014. Finally saw a live Tim Cahill goal(or 2), but fuck me, we had hope at 4-1 but then...my golly gosh. Madness.

[Danny]

I went to watch Sydney FC vs Melbourne City with Simon, the standard out here is quite low and tbh I feel sorry for Australian fans. There's a strong European/South American Ultras style attitude and they do try to create some noise even if it goes against what I'd deem normal, but the football is utter gash.

Sydney have smashed the League this season and their goals were scramblers and toe pokes. I feel like if the money available was used to sign a higher caliber of team rather than single out retired stars the league would be much better. But then the problem is would it sell as much without the big names when AFL dominates Victoria/WA and NRL dominates NSW/QLD.

I would honestly say the quality is somewhere between Championship and League 1. Just comparing our season in the play offs, there was no quality at Sydney FC like what we had with the likes of Judge, Pritchard, Odubajo etc and we got knocked out of the play-off semi finals.

The fans do try and make a day of it even if they do copy ultras from abroad (Sydney had a "capo" of sorts who stood in a box with a megaphone, whilst someone stood below him with a strap on drum), and the fans sang along to things like "forza Sydney".

I am going to try and do a Sydney FC vs WSW game though, does look a tidy game rivalry considering there is naturally a rivalry between North Shore/Eastern Suburbs/South Sydney vs western Sydney.

[Stan]

a couple of Brisbane Roar's goals as well as the Marinkovic free-kick for Perth today were really good. Far from tap-ins!

I agree about the standard though. It's not the best but far from the worst.

[Toinho]

23 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

That is one of the worst blunders I've ever seen purely for the fact that the whole video is littered with mistakes. Why come out of the area in the first place? Why try to go around an opponent when there's two others waiting to close you down? Why refuse to run back to your line as soon as you've lost the ball? 

What a ding-bat.

Try supporting the purple pricks.

[Stan]

Today's games means that the regular season has now finished.

Sydney absolutely smashed it and their first and only loss came in February I think.

Brisbane Roar vs WS Wanderers
Melbourne City vs Perth Glory

Sydney FC & Melbourne Victory get a week off.

 

 

The way these play-offs work, as @Tanksie alluded to earlier, is fucking weird...

A Western Sydney win will generate just one outcome, and it is a tantalising one.

As the lowest ranked winner they would play Sydney FC for a place in the grand final.

Should Brisbane Roar prevail, they will be the highest ranked winner, so will face Melbourne Victory. 

If Western Sydney win, then either Melbourne City or Perth Glory will be the highest ranked winner and face Melbourne Victory.

So we could have a Sydney derby and Melbourne derby in the semi-finals  

 

[Toinho]

Great end to end finals game in the A-league tonight. Brisbane and Western Sydney drew 1-1 after extra time, and then 9 great penalties followed until WSW's Japanese import had his saved which knocked the wanderers out. 

As usual though, the officiating was terrible. It is one major part that is setting this league back.

[Stan]

54 minutes ago, Anton said:

Great end to end finals game in the A-league tonight. Brisbane and Western Sydney drew 1-1 after extra time, and then 9 great penalties followed until WSW's Japanese import had his saved which knocked the wanderers out. 

As usual though, the officiating was terrible. It is one major part that is setting this league back.

Isn't that ref Gillett (sp?) meant to be one of the better refs in the league?

That missed penalty was terrible. No conviction and just a hit and hope, as opposed to the other great penalties. Cornthwaite's was the best considering he's a centre-back who aren't renowned for taking good penalties!

[Stan]

Melbourne City 0-1 Perth Glory. Diego Castro has time to weigh up a shot, pick his spot and score from inside the box. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

2-0

[Toinho]

Unbelievable. Didn't think we would win that especially with our huge injury list. A clean sheet, that is so fucken rare. 

Semi finals:

Sydney FC v Perth Glory

Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar

[Stan]

@Anton @Tanksie

Who you think will win the finals then?

Currently 0-0 between Sydney and Perth. 

[Stan]

Video Review been used twice now.

First time the linesman got the decision wrong. Linesman thought a player was interfering with play. VAR decision said no significant interference by another Sydney player.

Second time the linesman got the offside decision wrong. VAR and replays showed it was clearly onside.

3-0 Sydney. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Sydney are obvious favorites. Yet obviously in a system like this 1 fuck up can bury them. 70% chance Sydney, 20% chance Melbourne, 10% chance Brisbane.

Edited April 29, 2017 by Tanksie

[Toinho]

Get fucking video referees away from our game. Without it, it would've been 1-0. I thought it was meant to take away controversy not add it? That Sydney second goal was a diabolical decision from the video ref. Absolutely shocking. 

The third is fair enough but how did they not punish Liam Reddy? Mad fucking sport and I'm literally done with it as long as these video refs are about. 

 

Sydnet being looked after again. So they'll win the final. 

Edited April 29, 2017 by Anton

[Toinho]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

Video Review been used twice now.

First time the linesman got the decision wrong. Linesman thought a player was interfering with play. VAR decision said no significant interference by another Sydney player.

Second time the linesman got the offside decision wrong. VAR and replays showed it was clearly onside.

3-0 Sydney. 

Bullshit on the first one. Did you even see it?

[Stan]

7 minutes ago, Anton said:

Bullshit on the first one. Did you even see it?

yeah I did. I thought the linesman was right to disallow it. The Sydney defender blatantly blocked the defender from getting any kind of challenge in.

 

[Toinho]

Just now, Stan said:

yeah I did. I thought the linesman was right to disallow it. The Sydney defender blatantly blocked the defender from getting any kind of challenge in.

 

Oh, your wording made me think you agreed that the linesman got it wrong. He got it spot on! Haha 

[Stan]

Just now, Anton said:

Oh, your wording made me think you agreed that the linesman got it wrong. He got it spot on! Haha 

Yeah I just read it back as well. I meant that the VAR was used cos the ref thought he got it wrong. Was writing it as it happened  

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Melbourne should probably win this game, but Brisbane aren't generally a team who will roll over and take it. This should be a far better game than last night.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Roar are fortunate it's 0-0 at half time

 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Melbourne 1-0

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Melbourne win 1-0. Next up, getting rekt in the final

[Toinho]

Hope both teams lose.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

10 min into the grand final and it's 0-0

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Victory lead!!! Berisha picks up the ball. Runs at the goal, and the 2 Sydney defenders (one of whom is an Australian international) back off, attempting no challenge letting him take it to the edge of the box and slot it home under no pressure.

 

1-0 what a high quality comp this is.