Asunto: Australia Cup

For a while there I thought things might be going my way. Unfortunately, you scored the goal to level the score, that triggered my tactical change. Happy with the performance of Petkaris, 2nd string GK filling in for injured van Hese. Shame Cucciardi couldn't put the pen in... he's usually good from spot-kicks.

On balance though, your team was the better on the day. There were some parts of your tactic I really liked. It was quite defensive, but that's fitting against my offensive tactic. You controlled the 1st half but didn't create too much. Then as the game progressed, it opened up and both teams had good chances.

Well done. Good luck for the final.

I thought of giving a WO before the game...
Should have done really, a red card and Drum is injured.
That leaves me with 10 players for sunday...
There's not a game this season without a red or an injury, heavy...

I cant believe we only lost by 2 after playing 80mn with one CB missing?!

For a while there I thought things might be going my way. Unfortunately, you scored the goal to level the score, that triggered my tactical change. Happy with the performance of Petkaris, 2nd string GK filling in for injured van Hese. Shame Cucciardi couldn't put the pen in... he's usually good from spot-kicks.

I had a similar thought, though once I changed my tactics and players executed as expected and you switched your tactic I just felt from then on I'd win it as that tactic has genuinely beaten you so long as I defend the side with the winger appropriately. I was actually a little disappointed conceding that 1st goal because the shot was going wide until my keeper decided to spill it back into the net. In saying that there were things in the 2nd half that went my way to level that back out and yeah I got a little fortunate with tactical changes and what not.

I'm actually wondering whether I actually needed the switch as I'd just gotten back level using the 1 tactic and apart from the odd chance, was holding the fort rather well.

On balance though, your team was the better on the day. There were some parts of your tactic I really liked. It was quite defensive, but that's fitting against my offensive tactic. You controlled the 1st half but didn't create too much. Then as the game progressed, it opened up and both teams had good chances.

I find cup games are somewhat different to the league in that a draw is good enough to put you in a position to take the game. Therefore when I line up against your side I somewhat back my ability to create something with Kolos/Erdogan and the remainder of my midfield, so instead try to focus on shutting you out of the game from scoring yourself. If that means I get half a dozen shots then I'm happy so long as I keep you to 2-3.

I'm normally defense orientated but league matches require targeting the result because there is no extra time.

Sokker must know I'm playing the comets. 3 red cards, 3 SIs (unsure how many will be fit by the game), and 1 longer term injury.

I'm thinking the better match may have been played last week against TMP now

Fortunately for you, Madaschi and Witheycombe don't make your 1st XI atm from what I can tell. Garotinho is unfortunate, as is your injury list (though you've got 3 daily updates that might heal a few of them).

You'll find a way I'm sure to be competitive :).

I've got O'Toole and O'Donoghue out myself so it's not exactly one sided this time (unlike many previous situations). O'Toole isn't 1st XI either, but would be the first midfielder in line at present given O'Donoghues absence.

Yeah Madaschi doesn't make my normal top XI but he is only 2 spots off, and with all the injures and cards, could possibly make it if he werent injured and the SI players don't come through.

Witheycombe however makes my team depending on form with me selling my two big guns earlier in the season.

I'm sure it'll be a cracking final. Look forward to a good tactical battle.

When it's all said and done, and one of you has walked away with the Cup, everyone's invited to a post-Cup party in Vivski's Friendly League:
Sign up here: http://online.sokker.org/league.php?leagueID=23114&action=join

Will kick off next week.

Thanks for reminding me, I actually had forgotten.

This should be interesting, most of my bench is injured...so any injuries, will just allow another injured player to come on the park. Actually, I'm not playing with a fully fit team in my starting XI haha

Well the result went as expected. Missing 6 players, all who would have played today had any one of them not been injured (1 in which did play), really meant I never stood a chance.

Added to the fact my players didn't want to pass to my wide striker on the occasions he was free, really never stood a chance of winning the match, before, and ultimately, after the match.

I must say, Sokker is getting quite boring tactical wise, especially when every top NT team, and as follows, managed team, needs to play with 5 at the back with 2-3 DM's just to be in with a shot of beating equally matched teams. Unfortunately, I'm probably suffering from naph-syndrome, in that I won't lower myself to such defensive football just to win, and will continue to lose or get lucky against those that do play the formation (It's not wrong to play it, just quite boring, even moreso than wing tactics, which are pretty boring themselves)...and those who don't know what I'm talking about dragging naph in to this, is was all about the not using 4 at the back, which then became not using 5 just to win.

Anyway as I said before, result was as expected given the whole missing 6 fit players going in to the game, and having such a tactic forced upon me (only had 5 fit def, 3 fit mids, 2 fit strikers). Congrats on another title, despite how close you came to missing out getting this far in the earlier rounds.

Well the result went as expected. Missing 6 players, all who would have played today had any one of them not been injured (1 in which did play), really meant I never stood a chance.

Would have been different if you had all players available for selection. I had a few out but not as many as you did and so long as I went in with a reasonably solid tactic, you were always going to find it tough being at such a disadvantage before the game kicked off.

Added to the fact my players didn't want to pass to my wide striker on the occasions he was free, really never stood a chance of winning the match, before, and ultimately, after the match.


Was a little strange to notice that myself, a number of times I thought you would fire one through the gap and I'd be scrambling as my defenders hadn't quite repositioned fast enough. Maybe it's something to do with your midfielder thinking where my defender was suppose to be rather than where they were. Either way it's a little surprising.

I must say, Sokker is getting quite boring tactical wise, especially when every top NT team, and as follows, managed team, needs to play with 5 at the back with 2-3 DM's just to be in with a shot of beating equally matched teams. Unfortunately, I'm probably suffering from naph-syndrome, in that I won't lower myself to such defensive football just to win, and will continue to lose or get lucky against those that do play the formation (It's not wrong to play it, just quite boring, even moreso than wing tactics, which are pretty boring themselves)...and those who don't know what I'm talking about dragging naph in to this, is was all about the not using 4 at the back, which then became not using 5 just to win.

I'm sure there is a way to win with 4, I just don't know how and I don't have what I'd consider strong enough defenders to be able to do so. I have beaten vivski a few times with 4 when I've guessed the correct side of the winger.

I feel the same but the problem is now that the high skills play too well and everyone has strengths in almost all areas, it's not like the old days where you might have an awesome midfield to split defenses apart but you don't have the defense or strikeforce to take full advantage of it. The games become a bit of a blur and it's not really an easy thing to fix. You'd need to remove the pinpoint crosses and through balls from 80-90yrds or else have defenders react smarter to cut the passes out and disrupt the header.

Anyway as I said before, result was as expected given the whole missing 6 fit players going in to the game, and having such a tactic forced upon me (only had 5 fit def, 3 fit mids, 2 fit strikers). Congrats on another title, despite how close you came to missing out getting this far in the earlier rounds.

Thanks, I'm happy to bank that and move on. Had a few scares along the way but felt comfortable once Erdogan smashed one in the back of the net (Don't really know how it succeded but I'll happily take it). I'm sure you'll be back challenging the A League title soon enough.

I'm not sure whether the A-League title will really be a challenge either. Given how little time I've had for the game (and not likely to increase), and my lack of interest within the game now, I think my aging team is getting pretty close to the end.
For a long time there I was one of the top A-League teams despite being the youngest or 2nd youngest, however that has all changed.

Also not really too disappointed if I don't win it now, as I've achieved everything in the game that I wanted too (A-League title, Aus cup title, entered the champions league, and been the number 1 team in Aus for longer than a few weeks), everything from here on in is just a bonus.

Congrats cometer. May've been fortuitous to come up against a battle-weary AS, but deserved the title this season. I put all my eggs in the Cup basket this season and came up short against you.

The 3 of us are pretty even at full strength and Uber's not too far away either. Makes for interesting battles.

To win the cup this season I had to beat 4 of the 7 A League teams, including the top 2 of those 7 so I had a bit of a tough run but was able to survive without too many injuries or suspensions.

I definitely think if you beat the other 2 top teams, whether luck in game or fortune beforehand plays a part or not, that you deserve the title.

However I don't think things are actually even between us top 3 anymore. I think things were much even when Tribe was around, as my general thoughts were;

I could be tribe, a chance vs TMP and not often cometer
Tribe could beat you two more often then not
Cometer had it over me and was even with TMP
TMP even with cometer, beat me more often, and lost to tribe.

And this is all based on tactic design/player skills.

Now despite winning last season, and being in with a shot this season, I really think the A-League is between you two as I don't feel my team is really set up to beat either of you two.

Who knows, with uber charging his way up the ranks, he may become the new tribe

and i'm just a more competitive krayzee :P

Phew, made it through Round 0.