By Tony Tannous
September 17th 2009 @ 4:06am
Related coverage
Analysing Sydney’s performance against Fury
Daniel McBeen of the North Queensland Fury (left) is tackled by Rhyan Grant of Sydney FC during their round six A-League match at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. North Queensland Fury beat Sydney FC 1-0. AAP Image/Sergio Dionisio
In my most recent article on The Roar, I wrote of the influence of Robbie Fowler, and particularly his wonderful ability to see things early and play his first option, be that a pass or shot. It was all about his quickness of mind.
It prompted an array of insightful commentary from Roar readers. But one regular blogger, Vincentin, being a Sydney fan, was at the game not so much for the Liverpool great but to see his own team.
Naturally, he left disappointed, and rightly so. Here is a part of Vincentin’s critique;
“Sydney looked really clueless on Saturday. There were never enough passing options for the player with the ball and most of the players would either have been static with their backs to goal (and with some huge Fury defender behind them) or they were running away from the player in possession and narrowing the angles and reducing the chances of a successful completion of the pass … Although I’m not an advocate of the Holman “run around like a headless chook” school of movement, opportunities just aren’t going to happen if everyone just stands around…. I still have faith but our Czech friend really needs to give them the football 101 lesson again.”
Like Vincentin, I saw much of the impressive Sydney pre-season, and what stood out was Sydney’s movement off the ball and their quick movement of the ball, points I discussed in this Roar piece.
So what, if anything, has changed over the past couple of weeks?
Sydney didn’t do a great deal wrong in an absorbing round five top-of-the-table clash against the Gold Coast, but were ultimately undone by some lax marking at a set piece, a great Smeltz header, and some sloppy work from both Clint Bolton and Karol Kisel.
Otherwise, it was pretty good.
That’s arguably to do with the fact that Gold Coast came at Sydney and allowed them some space the other way.
What was obvious against North Queensland on the weekend was that Sydney weren’t afforded any space in the front third, and their play was deliberate and predictable.
Ian Ferguson’s tactics were spot on. The Fury were organised, in touch and rarely allowed Sydney to use their main weapon, the quick transition.
With the Fury prepared to absorb, I was surprised Sydney couldn’t unlock them with some intricate play around the edge of the box. Not one player offered a point of difference; Brosque, Aloisi, Bridge, Kisel, Corica and Gan.
Danning had his odd moment off the bench, but failed to get in behind.
Afterwards, Viteszlav Lavicka was not only frustrated by the lack of creative spark in the front third, but as much by the lack of hunger and fight from his men, especially after going behind.
That, for me, was the more worrying sign, and little doubt Lavicka felt the same way.
At one point, late in the game, Corica played an aerial diagonal ball out to the left, into the box, hoping someone would be on the end of it. The ball was over-hit, Gan didn’t make the run and Paul Henderson collected.
Corica then berated the youngster for not making the run. In truth, he should have been self-assessing his over-hit ball.
Lavicka responded with some fist-pump gestures in the direction of his skipper.
It was not the reaction he would have wanted from his leader.
Lavicka will no doubt be looking for a more positive mental response against the Jets on Sunday, and will generally be seeking a better mentality, especially from his senior men, and especially when things get tough.
It was a point he touched upon in his analysis of the match;
“The players … must respond. This is a good chance for them to show their character – I still believe they have tough characters but now they must show it.”
While the mental part is one aspect, the other is more technical. Here are a few things I noticed about Sydney on Saturday, and even prior;
1. Aloisi is playing with his back to goal too much. Everyone talks about how well he has started to season, but personally I’ve yet to seem him offer anything that makes Sydney’s front third click. Indeed, for much of Saturday’s game, he only served to offer Sydney a static front third.
While he’s bagged a few goals, generally his play has been pedestrian. Last season I felt the criticism of him was largely unfair, mainly because of his injures and lack of a pre-season, but he can’t use that excuse now.
2. Brosque has been taking too many touches on the ball. It’s exactly the opposite of what I was talking about with Fowler in my most recent piece. In the pre-season Brosque was far more efficient and decisive.
3. The more Saturday’s game went on, the deeper Corica dropped. That looked to be partly tactical, after Bridge came on in the “hole”. Perhaps Lavicka was looking for a string puller in the mould of Talay, but chasing a game, looking to unlock a tight defence, one sensed Corica needed to be higher.
Beyond that, it’s fair to argue Corica no longer looks a 90 minute player. His best moments of late have been as an impact man.
5. Bridge was given a chance to start against Gold Coast and was ineffective, thus forcing him back to the bench against the Fury as Corica came back in. Bridge continues to be an enigma, drifting in and out of games.
4. Kisel started well, breaking forward in the opening half-hour, but went missing in the second half. While he has generally set a good tempo with his constant movement, more efficiency is required with his final ball.
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(27)
Midfielder said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Tony was at the match just to see Fowler … he did not disappoint ….
Let me say what Flower did to impress me the Choppers did not do… Flower’s movement off the ball and his continual re adjustment of his position was a joy to watch…
The Choppers on the other where stuck in the sand and moved only when a player had the ball… To explain as a pass was made from say a back to a mid… Fowler would be moving into position for the mid when the back passed the ball….. meaning when the mid got the ball Fowler was in position in fact the mid knew because of his movement he had Fowler as an option before he got the ball…. The Choppers especially up front waited until the mid had the ball to move .. meaning a second or so latter and allowing the defense move time to set and less time for the mid to make the pass and forcing less time for mid to make his decision… again allowing the defense more time to close down the mids options.
Tony Fowler’s s movement off the ball was a delight to watch … The Chopper’s strikers seemed to want the mids to create for them and there movement off the ball was late and predictable …
mahony said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:05am | Report comment
So in summary – NSWPL clubs allowed Sydney too much time on the ball, but when A-League opposition fronts up the ‘beautiful game’ goes out the back door in place of the tripe Sydney are serving up at the moment. All that pre-season “form” looks a little shallow now to be frank. Why do Sydney continue to do it to themselves? Just work to your strengths, plan for your oppositions strengths and talk yourself up AFTER you win something.
Vicentin said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Mahony, I don’t think that is fair – certainly in my full comments in the other blog and in other entries I’ve always used that disclaimer – though to be fair one of those games I saw was a nil-all against the Mariners which could easily have been 5 zip for the number of chances Sydney created. Sydney looked sharp enough in their movement off the ball and ball speed that it should still transfer (to a degree) against higher quality opposition. NQF are surprisingly like the Mariners too except that they’ve got a decent striker now and a distributer in Talay – Ferguson was part of the Scottish contingent at CCM of course – one of my strongest memories of season one was people shouting “sit down Ferguson” every time he got off the Mariners bench (and he did it a lot!)…and didn’t he look pissed-off!
I like Corica a lot but agree that he no longer has the legs for 90 minutes, Bridge frankly has to grow some balls – he’s got the skill but just doesn’t look hungry enough to get involved in the play more. Interestingly the pre-season Sydney – without Corica or Bridge, played a much more fluid football and Kisel’s influence (dynamism) was far greater – and further up the park. Brosque tended to play a bit more centrally too. The ball distribution from the back got worse when Keller arrived too – but his dominance in the air (bar the incident that lead to the goal) is undisputed. When McFlynn returns I’d like them play Kisel further forward and given more of a free run as a link/playmaker for the team. Aloisi should be dropped, Brosque should be more central and more (continued) opportunities should be given to Gan, Danning and Grant …and Bridge once he’s been slapped about a bit.
Tony, thanks for the mention and for taking the time to write the article, I always appreciate your tactical observations.
Oh, and it definitely is Vicentin — no additional “n”. As in of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Italy. Home of the peerless Roberto Baggio no less!
cab711 said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:17am | Report comment
The one who missed that penalty too?
Vicentin said | September 17th 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
yep, but Baresi had missed the really crucial one earlier which people tend to overlook. No dissing Baggio!
sledgeross said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
A few quick points if I may.
I think Sydney are missing McFlynns mongrel. He seems to have improved his passing game each season, and the ability to have a box to box midfielder who is willing to stick a foot on the ball when the opposition is in possession is invaluable. With Colosimo is defence, Musialik not fit, and McFlynn is injured. None of the other players can fill that role.
And whats doing with Bridge? DOes he actually have a position? Is he a top of the diamond mid, or a striker? Im sorry, but a striker has to score goals, and the only goal I can recall Bridge scoring was for Newcastle in the GF.
cab711 said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Alot of Sydney players should be asking themselves questions. I saw an average effort from the boys and this hot and cold BS is become annoying. There is so much inconsistency from the players. One day Brosque can get the pass out and make the shot on target, next weekend its like his ugly twin took to the field. I can say roughly the same thing about every other player on the field. What Sydney really need is a leader. I saw Fowler headlock Gan a few times, some type of intimidation tactic, but it worked. He was late to the ball, missed passes etc. The team needs someone to step up and get them in line when the heads start dropping. Beratting your teammates accomplishes nothing. They have a good team but I dont believe the current team has the mental edge, swift intelligence and one touch passing and shooting to play Lavickas game.
DiCanio said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
It seems Czeck mate is doing the best with a ordinary squad. Lets face it some of the driftwood at Sydney are spoilt and overated atheletes who when challenged to play real football can’t neccessarily step up to the plate.
That said, its humourous to see the earnest critism so many come forward with for a team coming second. Despite their loss to GC this is the only time they have actually performed badly.
Sure they havent been as brilliant as some might hope, but when you your options up front are an overhyped lazy has-been and his shorter, lazier, never will be, you are always going to struggle.
Couple this with a centre mid who is actually a right mid, a left mid who is actually a forward, and a playmaker with grey hair and its not the most inspiring squad available.
That said, I really hope the boys up top keep Larry around for a while. Sydney’s biggest mistake since the aleague inception is the failure to keep a consistent and worthy squad and management team together, instead going for short term and overhyped prima donnas.
Wilba said | September 17th 2009 @ 11:32am | Report comment
DiCano, you summary of the make up of SFC reminds me of the Johnny Cash song, ‘the one on the right is on the left’, where a talented band’s ‘political incompatibility’ led to there down fall. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnnycash/theoneontherightisontheleft.html
I see this as an extension of the Kossie lost the dressing room theory, where players start telling the coach the way to fix the problems and just get themselves in a tangle. SFC does have form in this regard and bad habits die hard (and can be covered up in pre-season). With five coaches in five years some of the players would probably believe that they have a better idea of how SFC ticks then the five minute local that is now the coach. I am not trying to say that SFC are disfunctional, like they were last season, but I am saying that without a strong coach the problems that Tony has raised could lead to a few more losses, more pressure, and possibly disfunction by season’s end.
It does sound like Lavicka is trying to get a few of them to pull their heads in and go back to what was working early in the season/pre-season. This is what SFC needs, a coach to keep them on track. With MV looking rubbish at the moment I do want SFC to get their form back.
David V. said | September 17th 2009 @ 7:30pm | Report comment
“Lets face it some of the driftwood at Sydney are spoilt and overated atheletes who when challenged to play real football can’t neccessarily step up to the plate.”
That’s been the story of Sydney FC their whole history. That’s why they lose to rubbish teams because they have this misplaced arrogance about them.
Koala Bear said | September 17th 2009 @ 11:50am | Report comment
Firstly I am SFC supporter living on the Gold Coast and watched the SFC struggle against GCU without Culina… My opinion of SFC is that, they are a team that was overly over rated during the preseason build up… I believed the hype written about them during the preseason as I did not see any of their games, and so trusted the good reports written about them… But I started to worry when I saw them in action for the first time against CCM and so my fears were realised against GCU…
What is alarming they have not been able to find a midfielder as good as Corica… In Kisel I read some impressive reviews of him, but yet to get excited about him… Keller was suppose to be the rock but after reading an alarming piece in the press of his love of using the long ball (did anyone else read it?).. From that moment on I have come to the conclusion that our midfield is failing because of an out dated system… I think it’s a 4-4-2 and it’s not working; where is the build up from the back we were promised…?
We are not as good as we allowed ourselves to believe during the preseason… I think our problems start in the midfield with no real playmaker until Corica comes on off the bench, only then the midfield starts to take back some control from the opposition… I have never liked Broskie and he and Aloisi struggle to impress as a partnership … unlike McBeen and Fowler last Saturday who are starting to click beautifully… I can’t put any blame on Aloisi (well maybe some) as he is not getting the service from his midfielders… Until we find a genuine play maker and play a 2-4-2-2 system that the GCU employ, we are always going to look pedestrian against good opposition…
~~~~~~
KB
Art Sapphire said | September 17th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
You think Sydney has problems. I will gladly take some of their problems and swap them for Melbourne’s.
Sorry to intrude on his Sydney thread but it does highlight that Sydney FC’s problems at the moment are fixable.
Melbourne’s might be terminal.
Some bright spark poured the records and came up with these stats.
21 October 2007 – The last time Melbourne won a game with Brebner and Broxham starting in midfield.
Broxham and Brebner have only ever won 2 games together where they both started, 8 draws and 3 losses.
What an indictment on Ernie Merrick and the football department. With Celeski injured we have reverted to playing 2 players that were an utter disaster when paired together in Season 3. In Season 4 Broxham did not start a single game and we ended up with a championship.
Talk around Melbourne is that Victory is after Viduka for a guest stint.
It might put back the bums on seats that have deserted MV due to their insipid displays.
Koala Bear said | September 17th 2009 @ 7:09pm | Report comment
Art,
Too bad you said you are jumping ship for the Hearts now that the V bomber is coming to town…
~~~~~~
KB
Wilba said | September 17th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
KB, my two cents in on your contribution;
1. Fair go, it is hard for SFC not to be over-rated, even when they say ‘Bling FC is over we are going under the radar, working hard as a team’ it is reported everywhere. This is to be expected when you are the big dog in the Sydney market. At State of Origin time, the Sydney media do half of QLD’s work, I love it. They have to learn to live with these expectations.
2. Agree, the mid-field is not looking as good as I would have expected, but I think this is a symptom of their lack of movement and width. I think they can turn this around if they get back to quick short passes, better transition and a bit more intensity.
3. Comparing SFC formation to GCU, they will always look more pedestrian but I can see some weaknesses in the GCU approach. As teams are starting to attack the space behind their wing-backs on the counter the GCU centre backs are starting to come under more pressure and are leaking a couple of goals. GCU are going to win a pissing contest with most teams; I am not sure if SFC has the same fire power.
4. I think your right to ask, ‘where is the build up form the back we were promised’. SFC have to go back to what they said they were going to do and trust the front third to put it in the back of the net.
5. SFC are only second on the table, maybe we are just getting a bit excited. I think they can turn it around.
Koala Bear said | September 17th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Wilba,
yep no need to panic yet… cheers
~~~~~~~~~
KB
cab711 said | September 17th 2009 @ 7:59pm | Report comment
How are they going to penetrate the final third?
(LEFT) Its typically Byun who is attacking down the left and his service has been pretty poor and he likes to cross from the halfway mark, and those crosses are so high and predictable.
(RIGHT) Kofi is a talented kid but playing in a mans game. If its Jamieson he is up against, he is ok but when he faces the big boys he is very shy and afraid to go 1-on-1. Cole is too slow to do any damage and worse he leaves his flank exposed alot, add that to Kofis poor tracking and we have an exposed flank.
(CENTER) Without McFlynn we dont even bother taking it through the center, it comes from the back on the ground to Kisel with noone there for him to deliver it to so he passes back. By then the oppositions attack has started to press so we end up lobbing it and concede possession.
Three more things to note:
1) I will slap Bolton if he doesnt get that ball out faster!
2) Even if we do penetrate from the sides or straight through the middle we dont take our chances.
3) Musialik is terrible, if you watched the SFC youth team prior to the Fury game you would have seen why Stu is not playing first team. It was embarressing to watch the AIS kids dispossesing him so easily.
It is depressing to think I will have to AGAIN watch ten Adelaide or Nix fans jumping around singing and rejoicing when I leave the SFS while my skyblue kit has 1 star and is soaked wet with my tears. I hate loosing!
dan said | September 17th 2009 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
Musialik. full stop. we are missing him dearly and poor lavicka doesn’t even know it…….
if he doesn’t pick him now after two losses in a row, and a really bad performace in the last game at home, he never will……
here’s hoping for sydney’s sake…….
mcflynn’s scrapping and winning those 50/50 balls in the middle is also being sorely missed……
Realfootball said | September 17th 2009 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
If Lavicka hasn’t got the players moving and passing by now, then I doubt that they are up for it. There are no doubt real questionmarks over the quality of the squad and Lavicka needs to be able rebuild but that will take more than one season. Brosque and Bridge are both players who have fallen short so far of realising exceptional potential. Both looked better at their previous clubs. Brosque, in particular, was a much better player under Bleiberg. He seems to have lost his confidence to go for goal. The fact that McFlynn, who for much of his time at the club has been a marginal player, is now seen as a midfield saviour is indicative of just how threadbare Sydney’s midfield is. The future is players like Grant, who had an excellent game against Gold Coast.
I wonder about the extent to which having a non performing 1.4 million dollar marquee is destabilising the team. It certainly won’t be helping. I feel for John Aloisi. His time as a top line player (and a very fine player who I loved watching in action) has passed, but there he is with that massive dollar price on his head setting him up a lightning rod for team and supporter discontent. I don’t know who the idiot was who actually decided to sign him at 32 on 1.4 million for two years, but that person has crippled Sydney FC. Aloisi simply isn’t worth his place in the team, but dropping is so problematic that it must hang like a millstone around Lavicka’s neck.
David V. said | September 17th 2009 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
Yes but Sydney made that same goof before by signing “Zdonkey” David Zdrilic on a ridiculous amount of money for someone who was never that good at all, and who had the good luck of being in the right team at the right time when he was at Sydney United.
AndyRoo said | September 17th 2009 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t go as far as dropping Aloisi, I doubt they have anyone in the squad who could do as well but there definitely not getting the value out of there Marquee that Gold Coast and Fury are.
Time for Corica as capatain to stand up and be counted.
Realfootball said | September 17th 2009 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
The problem with Corica is that what’s really counting in his case is years.
And you may well be right. The striking cupboard may well be bare. After Bridge, it’s down the youth team.
Gazing at the enduring navel that is Sydney FC. The club is like a problem child. You always hope that it will do well at school, but in your heart you know it won’t.
Tony Tannous said | September 17th 2009 @ 5:53pm | Report comment
Very insightful thoughts again gents, thankyou..
Vicentin, minus the “n”, sorry about the misspell.
Koala Bear said | September 17th 2009 @ 7:14pm | Report comment
Tony,
looking forward to your next piece… I checked out your link on the tactics article you wrote … I liked it very much .. do one for the ROAR
~~~~~~~
KB
Tony Tannous said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:51pm | Report comment
Cheers KB…
Fascinated to see how Lavicka responds tactically this week. I sense great frustration, especially towards the team leaders in the front third. Little doubt he’s fired a rocket. It should esp have been directed at Kisel, Corica and Aloisi.
Agree with sentiment echoed by a few that McFlynn is a big miss. I’ve noted a few times that he and Brosque were the really stars of the pre-season, ready to become the team leaders, which is why Brosque’s over-elaborate play has been disappointing – it has contributed to Sydney’s lack of quick ball movement.
Vicentin said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:17pm | Report comment
Tony, sort of agree with your comments on Brosque but a) a lot of the ball that he is getting out wide is not to his feet which therefore means more effort in controlling it and b) I don’t think there has been any decent movement around him which has resulted in him taking the extra touches.
Brosque can use his speed much better if it is played to his feet and released to him earlier. Do you remember the Adelaide game where the theme seemed to be Keller (eventually) playing a ball out wide to the chest of a marked Brosque? It was just a waste of time.
Agree re McFlynn – he was looking positively Brazilian in pre season! Regarding Realfootball’s comments on him I think he really has grown over those five seasons. Neither Sydney (or I) would be particularly missing the season 1 or 2 McFlynn, but I think he’s developed into a decent player whose influence on the team is palpable. Can’t disagree with you about Aloisi – I always thought it was a bad (mad) bit of business but I’ve been hoping he’d come good …though to be honest I haven’t rated him for years (six at least) despite being very appreciative of him scoring “that” penalty.
I read that Jurman is going away with the young Socceroos team – I would have thought if he was available that Lavicka could have slotted him next to Keller and pushed Colosimo into the DM role…. Looks like he’s going to play Musialik this weekend so let’s see if he’s rubbish or not – been so long since I’ve seen him I’m keen to form an opinion.
Tony Tannous said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:55pm | Report comment
Vicentin, I saw a fair chunk of the second half of the youth game, and can’t say Musialik did anything outstanding, but he saw out the game..
Interestingly though, when Corica dropped to the holding (quarterback) role towards the end of the game, he was essentially playing the exact same sitting role that is Musialik’s speciality.
It was easy to see Lavicka didn’t favour that style from early in the pre-season, and I vividly remember how static FC’s midfield looked against Sydney Olympic with Musialik and Prentice in the middle. No doubt that game sealed Musialik’s fate in Lavicka’s mind.
He much prefers to have two dynamic buzzers, moving constantly.
Now, by circumstance, he gets his chance, and must try and own the game. I sense he might work ok with Kisel.
For the record, you may be interested with the youth team shape, a very handy starting 11…or at least this is how it was when I turned up….
—————-Necevski—————
———————————————
Ryall——-Cairncross—-Gallagher——-Golec
——————————————————-
————–Munro—-Musialik——————-
——————————————————
Casey————Payne——————-Ramsey
——————————————————–
——————-Bulut——————————-
It ended something like this….
———————-Vekic—————————-
——————————————————-
Austin———–Ryall—-Gallagher———Golec
——————————————————–
——————Munro—–Musialik—————–
——————————————————–
Akil——————-Payne——————Petratos
———————————————————
————————Bulut—————————-
cab711 said | September 17th 2009 @ 11:55pm | Report comment
Akil looks very exciting on the ball and loves to attack, same as Petratos and Bulut. Very skillful and fast attackers. Looks like Akil has a lil problem defensively and lets his man get away from him a few times. Otherwise a real exciting group of youngsters Sydney are coaching for the new A-League team(s) next season.
I hope to see some of the younger lads get a hitout with the mens team as impact players though I doubt that will happen soon.