Western Sydney Wanderers vs Auckland FC 26/01/2025 5:00PM

[WHACKO]

14 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

My $0.02

Head says Staj should probably get to the end of the season to prove himself. A pass mark is top 4 or top 6 but winning a game in the finals.

 This is still totally achievable. I hope he succeeds and turns out to be the right guy to build something.

The pessimist in me says this is Rudan again first season scrape to the club's pass mark of top 6 and a first game crash our the semis. get another season for 0 improvement, sack and waste 2 seasons not one.

Which reminds me on the subject of our problem is we swap managers all the time Rudan got two years

Another part of me thinks Staj should be sacked for the idiotic starting line ups against the Bulls and CCM at home 

 

Your more optimistic than me. You've got us scraping into the six. I don't.

[StringerBellend]

12 minutes ago, WHACKO said:

Your more optimistic than me. You've got us scraping into the six. I don't.

See I'm not the naysayer

[GunnerWanderer]

21 hours ago, William said:

give Staj another season and build players like Gersbach to be here over the next few years ,we do have good base to the future

 Never happens, we change players and coaches for 7/8 years there is zero patience and vision at this club Simmons and sapsford came from esfc and even scuilana came from, for a club we 200 training pitches not much has ever come through. Bonetig seems maybe we finally unearthed a single player but he’s got a long way to go. Preistman will be in npl in 2 years  

So what is this good base you are talking about?

[GunnerWanderer]

21 hours ago, William said:

give Staj another season and build players like Gersbach to be here over the next few years ,we do have good base to the future

 Never happens, we change players and coaches for 7/8 years there is zero patience and vision at this club Simmons and sapsford came from esfc and even scuilana came from, for a club we 200 training pitches not much has ever come through. Bonetig seems maybe we finally unearthed a single player but he’s got a long way to go. Preistman will be in npl in 2 years  

So what is this good base you are talking about?

[Sithslayer1991]

1 minute ago, StringerBellend said:

See I'm not the naysayer

I know its Staj aura.

He is just so hard to like and we had Rudan before which annoys me because I really didn't like Rudan. Probably tells you how much Rudan talked to win fans over even when he was clearly tactically limited. Where as Staj is more I do it my way and I am not telling you why, with baffling team selections and clear weaknesses on the back end.

We are on the precipice. Its 50/50 whether we make it just like last year. Last year we imploded because Rudan went crazy. We are still on the edge of making it this time because its a personnel issue in defence and it hinges on getting the right reinforcements. If we don't I just can't see our offence getting us out of jail every time.

[Paul01]

Just saw that Auckland are playing their Round 14 game on Wednesday night in Adelaide against the p1ssants!

[William]

10 hours ago, GunnerWanderer said:

 Never happens, we change players and coaches for 7/8 years there is zero patience and vision at this club Simmons and sapsford came from esfc and even scuilana came from, for a club we 200 training pitches not much has ever come through. Bonetig seems maybe we finally unearthed a single player but he’s got a long way to go. Preistman will be in npl in 2 years  

So what is this good base you are talking about?

I respect your view but it is a view that disagrees with mine so I will continue to try and support what we have and obviously Staj is making all attempts to fix the defence with Gersbach already on board and the club doing everything possible to get a quality centre back and I do have hope when Wookie returns we will see a better player in my view not we not us my view at this stage support stability for the this season and next and see if we can build a good team out of it.

the alternative is what we suffered the last 8 or so years so what do we have to lose same old same old or something different 

 

[andypk]

I'm not anti Staj just yet because I think coaches should be given time to implement their system and for players to adjust to it, but he's making it hard to believe he's the right man for the job.  His team selections for the last few home matches frustrate the hell out of me.  I've always believed that you try to win your home games and get a point away.  Make your home a fortress and before visiting teams step on the pitch, it's like you are 1-0 up without kicking a ball. You put the fear of god in your opponents, and get fans to turn up.  The last few games I swear he hasnt given us a chance due to his team selections.  Not once, but twice.  It seems Staj is set in his ways and won't learn or change.  Maybe the fitness coaches have too much influence over team selection with their stats on who is fit, recovery levels and the like?  It's hard enough to get fans through the door but with these teams selections, even less will come to games.

Staj is set on his 4-4-2. Any coach worth their salt will play a system that get's the best out of their players and not just the only formation they understand.  His lack of inflexibility with regard to formations is astounding and really shows a lack of tactical awareness.  How we can go half a season and not even give Mata a fair crack at playing as a 10, with 2 central midfielders behind him is remarkable. It's as clear as day we are getting overrun in midfield in almost every game. Our 2 CM's against the opponents 3 CM's.  Even with the vastly improving Scicluna we struggled.  If Mata is there, regardless of his lack of pace, he'll worry opponents with his creativity.  We have a World Cup winner in our squad who has won things throughout his career and he's warming our bench.  If it doesnt work, fine, go back to your old ways but surely its worth a go.

I'm sure every coach at a decent level has some sort of reflection on how they can improve personally on their previous season.  Having conceded 69 goals at Perth last season I would hope that his focus this season would be making us solid at the back.  The reality is we are a shambles.  How Staj could think our defenders are good enough as a unit at this level is beyond me.  We haven't replaced Mrcela, let alone Marcelo.  I'm hopeful that this transfer window can see us bring in a centre back or two and a CDM and we can be a force in this league.  I'm still not convinced that any team in this league is dominant, so I live in hope.  Mind you. we've all been living in hope for about 10 years.

Gersbach is a great pickup, so maybe.... just maybe.

[MartinTyler]

On 20/01/2025 at 10:54 AM, GunnerWanderer said:

 Never happens, we change players and coaches for 7/8 years there is zero patience and vision at this club Simmons and sapsford came from esfc and even scuilana came from, for a club we 200 training pitches not much has ever come through. Bonetig seems maybe we finally unearthed a single player but he’s got a long way to go. Preistman will be in npl in 2 years  

So what is this good base you are talking about?

We do produce players (Younis for example), but they have a habit of leaving before they are established.

[SBW]

Max Mata vs Juan Mata

[William]

On 20/1/2025 at 10:48 AM, StringerBellend said:

See I'm not the naysayer

A leopard does not change its spots 

by the way do you have issues sleeping 🤭

[Davo]

56 minutes ago, SBW said:

Max Mata vs Juan Mata

In Parra Mata

[Paul01]

Weasel (Corica) alert!!!

 

[StringerBellend]

1 hour ago, Paul01 said:

Weasel (Corica) alert!!!

 

He looks like he does the compare the market ads