Sydney FC:Please No Poppa!
Sydney FC won a game!
Last week they beat the Roar 1-0. Their first win. Not pretty but the defence held out with a little help from Clint Bolton.
No Juninho or Tony Popovic. Tonight they are both expected to be fit, but should they play?
Branko, I know you love yer man Poppa, and maybe you were behind his signing. But big Mark Rudan and Socceroo Mark Milligan would walk into any A-League defence in the league.
Everybody knows it. And of course Millsy can play elsewhere, but that's the problem.
Rudan and Poppa are too old, too slow together. And personally I'd take Rudan every time.
He is Sydney FC. He's won the Grand Final, he's won in Asia, and played well.
Poppa came back and you made him captain. For what? What has he achieved? Played with the Palace, big deal, played in Qatar, instead of coming home, we noticed that, we the fans.
And he nearly got sent-off in the first thirty for the Socceroos against Uruguay. Why does that matter?
Because we fans see the guy as a man under pressure. Under pressure to be the calm aggressive skillful leader Sydney need.
He didn't show it when your old mate Petrovski scuffed a shot past him in the game against the Mariners. And he certainly didn't show much against Adelaide even before his injury.
So bench the captain. Your team didn't concede last week. Build on your strengths and proven strengths.
Rudan and Milligan will keep the defence tight. Keep Ruben Zadkovich away from full-back. Just do it.
And let Juninho play. Maybe even bring him on. He will create we've seen that, and maybe in Patrick, Adam Casey, Alex Brosque an energetic Adam Biddle and dare I say it David Zdrillic there is enough of something to win at home, and with a bit of energy.
For me it's not about style. It's about energy. The team has enough skillful players but if they play with the energy of a David Carney they will break teams down.
Now how you do that Branko is up to you, and I'm not sure you know what your best formation is.
But the signs of Juninho, Corica and Brosque against Adelaide were good and if it wasn't for Ruben you would have won, and had something more concrete to build on.
Tonight might be the night, but leave Poppa on the bench.
He has to earn the right to play for Sydney FC. To dislodge Rudan or Milligan and on his performances he hasn't.
It's time to value the players who have done it for Sydney FC, and I suspect for less money than Poppa needed.
Prove me wrong Poppa, but I'll be surprised if you can!
2 comments:
Sydney won a match at home! The faithful few (well, I'm considering 13000 to be few) should be happy.
A brilliant ball passed into space from Juninho to Brosque. It's something that's not seen too often in the A-League and needs to be more readily incorporated into play for a variety of reason - the attack isn't slowed down, and the football is prettier. Might help with making the commentary more bearable to listen to. But there should be a "mute" button on the remote. Works wonders for Harper/Cockeril matches.
Then Brosque's finishing made it look easy. One touch with his left to control the ball. Another touch with his right to put the ball on his favoured left foot and putting the ball behind the first defender (the defender closest to him). A third and final touch with his left foot between the first and second defender and to the far post (where the keeper should theoretically not get it as he should be looking after the closer target - the near post).
Which reminds me. If you're going to the near post, WHY AREN'T YOU THERE ALREADY!!! Hee hee - doesn't quite work for goalkeepers, I keep meaning to tell you... now I have!
you know I've never thought about goalkeepers....ever...only when the ball goes near them, they need to save it and the game goes on.
I know they are important..but I've just never thought about them...coz I'm all about goals, not saving them
time for a rethink..nahh going to the nearpost..get their first unless your a goalie...doesn't work for me
but
Juninho does and Brosque..well wow..that's two goals from Brosque via Juninho..something is happening in this league again
and I like it.
Also intrigued by Troy Hearfield fromlast night' game.
An I agree with Cockerill/Harper, doesn't quite work for me. FoxSports commentators seem to be highlighting the negative when last nights game didn't really need to be criticised
let the game go, criticise it when th efull 90 is up if you must...
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