17/18 HAL Round 02 | Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory | Sun 15th Oct 2017 5:00pm

[Bremsstrahlung]

Thought Nabbout was poor yesterday. Bloke needs to get back to basics and focus on the simple stuff again. Yeh, we offered him a lifeline last year and he did well for us. But our team has improved and he looks the same. I’d like to see more composure going forward. He had a few half chances where a better shot or a pass could have lead to a goal. Lost his personal battle to a guy on debut.

As has been said Vargas looked to be bossing the game at half pace. If he can get himself up to 90 minutes quickly we will be better for it. Just need to cover his defensive effort.

Duncan doing what a keeper should do. He could go the same way as Birraz. Imagine he will get a few save of the weeks this year.

Loving the intent from O’Donovan and Georgievski. Both full of mongrel. Something we have severely lacked. My fear is Georgievski may miss a few games if he keeps up his weekly yellow card.


Some finishes from Taggart though. Consistency in both of his shots. Always liked him as a player. Would like to see him lift again and get another opportunity overseas or in the national set up if he continues to improve.

[Couscous]

I'm unworried. Nabbout, Sugar and Dimi were sub-par. They'll improve.

Taggart's goals were preventable but they were also good goals.

My only worry is Brown. What's going on?

[Macca]

Ugar and Kanta fairly anonymous for most of the match. A few times Ugar did dribble the ball and did well, not a side I'd seen of him before. Not sure if its a directive that we play around the middle of the field and focus on wings or just a result of our CM's not hunting for the ball - I suspect both. Vargas looks something special. Nabbout and Dimi's crossing looks quite good and Roy is a good goal scorer.

Nabbout had a few good chances or half chances that he needs to do better with. Some lacklustre shots and indecision around the edge of the box from him.

We looked really good the first half hour of the second half, pressing them into their half and dealt with most long balls quite comfortably. Once we started trying to cruise it home and ceded ground to them and let their attackers run at our fullbacks again it was a nervous end, and wasn't a big surprise to see them get a goal.

Good game to watch though, should be plenty of entertainment this season

[lil_masi]

Got to give Vujica a shout out. Thought he was great yesterday, particularly in the 1st half. Linked up with the forwards well, some good crosses and intercepts.

[The Dunster]

This team is as good as we are likely to get - and much better than we have had for a long time. Why is everyone still complaining?
The game was entertaining, we scored goals and played in a positive manner.

[Jeterpool]

This team is as good as we are likely to get - and much better than we have had for a long time. Why is everyone still complaining?
The game was entertaining, we scored goals and played in a positive manner.

Absolutely.

If I was told we'd have scored 7 goals, be undefeated and have 4 points on the board after 2 games I'd have snapped your hand off.

It was an interesting feel with the team yesterday because after we went behind heads didn't go down. We actually responded and took the ascendancy. Teams of the last few seasons would have gone 2 or 3 down in a similar situation.

Vargas played 60 minutes last week, 70-odd this week. He's building. A very soild home debut.

Get our defence sorted and we will be better. We need a clean sheet because we've only kept 2 in the last 12 months.

There's a lot to feel good about at this stage in the season.

[idontwannaplaywithhowey]

I'm unworried. Nabbout, Sugar and Dimi were sub-par. They'll improve.

Taggart's goals were preventable but they were also good goals.

My only worry is Brown. What's going on?

Being punished for turning up late for pre season

[leftrightout]

So many more positives than negatives. We aren't going to win the comp but we are going to be entertaining to watch.
If we have a good run without injuries we should make the top 6 (is that too brave to say?)

Petratos was quiet but we still had plenty of attack in us. O'Donovan looks like he could be the buy of the year. Once Vargas settles in more he could blitz this league. Although disappointed to not keep the 3 points, that was the happiest I have walked away from a draw in a while.

We actually have some potential!
We will lose games but I feel like we may be that team that no one really wants to play because when we click we will hurt anyone.

[The Dunster]

O'Donavan is possibly the hardest working striker in the A-league. Not only does he score goals and assist others in attack he's also happy to get his hands dirty and do more than his share of defensive work as well.

Not too mention he also has genuine pace and the fitness to be still running hard in the last ten mins of a game.

If he was Australian he'd be a Socceroo.

[plague]

Hold up hold up.

So we are scoring goals, mounting fight backs, remain undefeated, moderately entertained the crowd, and have at least a few players in the team who aren’t complete mongs.

Can someone please reassure me we still stink I’m not comfortable in this new found place.

[plague]

If he was Australian he'd be a Socceroo.

They said the same of Griff.

[q-money]

Hold up hold up.

So we are scoring goals, mounting fight backs, remain undefeated, moderately entertained the crowd, and have at least a few players in the team who aren’t complete mongs.

Can someone please reassure me we still stink I’m not comfortable in this new found place.

you can roll the turd in glitter but it's still a turd. throwing away points in the most jets way imaginable with two lumpen fullbacks that couldn't run a bath. jackson's clearance had the stench of the old jets pouring off it. stink lines and all. we will not make the six this year.

acceptable?

[q-money]

we'll defo miss the 6 by 2 points and you can look back at this game and say that i was right

[The Dunster]

Hoffman off the bench would have got us the three points yesterday. Jackson was definitely a target for Perth..

[plague]

Why did Vujica go off the park?

Injury or tackticks?

[The Dunster]

Why did Vujica go off the park?

Injury or tackticks?

Tired / spent. He did a mountain of work and pretty much had Castro running at him for a good part of the game. I'm guessing Ernie wanted some fresh legs to deal with the pressure. Castro pretty much avoided Georgevski as often as he could - switching sides a lot to target the youngsters. As far as I could tell anyway - I don't see too well at the games given the play was a long way away from the Eastern stand in the 2nd half

[Jeterpool]

Hoffman off the bench would have got us the three points yesterday. Jackson was definitely a target for Perth..

I thought Jackson did his best to offer the same output as Vujica, but I can't disagree with what you say about Hoffman.

[Jeterpool]

Tired / spent. He did a mountain of work and pretty much had Castro running at him for a good part of the game. I'm guessing Ernie wanted some fresh legs to deal with the pressure. Castro pretty much avoided Georgevski as often as he could - switching sides a lot to target the youngsters. As far as I could tell anyway - I don't see too well at the games given the play was a long way away from the Eastern stand in the 2nd half

I noticed that too.

[Macca]

I thought Jackson did his best to offer the same output as Vujica, but I can't disagree with what you say about Hoffman.

I think he just lacks the agility and speed off the mark or reactions to really get up in the face of the tricky customers, so he was giving a fair bit of respect and distance to the attackers when he came on. He definitely looks and moves like a centre back rather than a fullback.

[pv4]

I claim that Castro was offside for Perth's opener. Anyone else see that too?