The first and Final Jets Post for the Year!

That's right folks, the Sometimes Football Soapbox is back and this year will really live up to the name of sometimes Football! (but more on that later)

To the first round of the Jets campaign for the year. Unable to make it up to Newcastle, Lee and I watched from the comfort of Quest North Ryde. My memory fails me on the details but I distinctly remember Griffo's brilliant free kick (would've won me a substantial amount of money if Heart hadn't already scored!) and his follow up probably of equal quality but from open play. It was refreshing to see the passing game we love so much finally producing some goals rather than the last few years of playing well with no final product. The second half was more of the same and I honestly believe the Jets deserved their win but agree that the nature of the winner was more than a little fortuitous. I don't think we have a new crowd favourite like Song, in Byun but at least the enthusiasm and excitement is there, not sure whether you can claim that goal though mate...

Overall round 1 was a solid performance and showed the work of a long off season. Which at the risk of inciting some anger can only be credit to Cullina Snr. Regardless of your feelings on the matter the performance in round 1 could of only been his (and the players) doing. Players don't organise themselves that way in 4 days, and there was no way Craig Deans could've developed that understanding off the bat! I am one (of a minority?) that is sad to see Branko go. We most likely will never know the full story but you can reasonably assume that it had something to do with knowledge of Jason's injury. I wish the Cullina's all the best, and Jason in particular a speedy recovery, it would be sad to see such a great career ended on these terms.

If round 1 was solid, round 2 was as a soft as the extra kilos I've piled on since the wedding (no I won't try and convince you they're muscle tone). I don't buy in to the whole a trip to Wellington is hard so it's OK argument. I'm sure if I turned up to work and under performed a comment like "It's a long drive through traffic to Botany" wouldn't go down well with the manager! I will premise this by noting that I'm not a huge Craig Deans fan, but don't for a minute consider it coach bashing. HOWEVER, when you trade in one of your defensive midfielders for an attacking option further up the pitch, leave your back four as exposed as the Jets were, AND not produce any attack of meaning or quality, you've got to admit defeat and reshuffle. Wehrman worked hard and was probably the best player in gold (sorry memory lapse, in blue and red) out there, but what he provides in commitment and strength he unfortunately gives up in pace. He was over run all day and unable to provide adequate cover to the back four. Additionally the more attack minded players up the pitch gave up the ball to easily to compound this problem. I cannot for the life of me figure out how Kantarovski wasn't pulled back to help screen the back line. It wouldn't of helped the attacking stocks, but lets be honest the attack wasn't solid all day anyway, but may of shored up the chances that kept flowing from the Phoenix midfield.

Against the Mariners this weekend another performance like the one across the ditch on Sunday will be crucified by the Jets faithful. A lot has already been written this week about the players not being 'up for it' only they can answer those comments. All I would ad is that if your not up for the F3 Derby, you're going to struggle all season... Good luck this weekend Jets, Round 1 showed what you were capable of, Round 2 showed a performance not to be repeated, I'm sure the challenge of the Mariners will bring out the best in you all!

ASIDE: as alluded to above, the Soapbox will be dedicated to holiday travels for the rest of the 2011 year. I would appreciate somebody posting the Jets results as replies to our travel posts if they don't mind. Starting this weekend as we will be en route to Singapore during the game. Stay tuned...

White, Red and a sprinkling of Gold!

I was honestly expecting to see a headline today "WHITE OUT!" and i suspect that had the much criticised Brett Holman not popped up to seal the result i probably would've. So even though the stereo type is 'a game of too halves' I'm going to write this in terms of colours! I believe it's the artist that I've been hiding under my outer engineer finally getting a run!

WHITE - The all whites dominated, it's the simple truth. Before Bertos was nearly killed (see red below) he was brilliant. Perfectly illustrated by the fact that the two challenges in question happened while he was breaking down the right wing, and then tracking back in the centre of defence. Despite this and the Killen dude popping up to latch on to a good through ball which Craig Moore could of done better with (watch the replay, he ducks under the ball as it comes over as he is not challenging Fallon who flicks it on, he's standing flat footed waiting for the ball to come to him) I honestly don't think NZ were that impressive. Rather i think they just had the calm heads required to take advantage of a dis jointed and unfamiliar Socceroos team. Add to this a seemingly bobbling pitch, which either was remarkably slow (from the coverage) or slowed down the passing so much it was noticeable and it was definitely an ALL WHITE first half. Well done NZ, I think your calm heads will stand you in good shape for SA. Good luck to you.

RED - Much covered in the media today already so i won't Andy Harper on it, but Grella's challenge had intent and was a straight red, and Cahill's had no intent but was still a straight red. I wish Pim had of done what he said post game and substituted them immediately to make it clear to the world that it's just not on! Once again i will congratulate Bertos as if someone had of nearly put me out of a world cup i wouldn't of been as calm as he has been reported to be today!

GOLD - There wasn't much of it really. Let's be honest. I'd forgotten Jason Cullina was even on the park until the second half, Grella i only noticed because of the challenge (see above), apart from one good knock down and blocked shot from Cahill it was pretty terrible. The second half was a world ahead of the first but not a world beating 45 minutes of football. No surprises Macdonald got dropped, if that 65 odd minutes were his last chance it wasn't really good enough, although it does beg the question why there weren't any other strikers in the provisional squad (brosque, Griffiths x2, that south american/australian young guy etc). Vidosic did well to be quickest to react to a deflection from a Cullina pass and did what he should have hammering his shot into the ground and across the keeper (did anyone else have flash backs to a Kewell goal against Croatia?? Or was that just me?). Hollman did well when he came on, and i won't join the numerous critics accept to say i think their are better options available, and scoring a goal at international level should not be sneezed at! My biggest concern was Neil and Moore, I'd be interested in watching a replay and running the numbers, but i would guess that they won less than 10% of the balls in the air, for a CB pairing, that's not good enough. I hope they were just having an off night, but I'm not convinced Moore is ready to go at this stage. Add to this the removal of Jade North already and another defender (at least by my count) to get the chop and defence could be our biggest issue in SA.

So it was a bit of a ramble, but i think it expresses my views on the subject at least. And it's not like anyone reads this anyway! Good luck Socceroos, I will echo Pim's comments that if the world cup was in 3 days I'd be worried, but with 3 weeks to prepare i think there was enough in the second half to suggest we'll be competitive!



See you at the art convention...

B!

Turning Chinese - I really think so??

Well. Its been a while but i just didn't really feel up to commenting on the grand final. Mathew Breeze is an idiot, has made terrible decisions all year and even though both his decisions were overruled, we will be subject to more of his shit next season.

ACL Opener. After an absolutely torrid opening 30 minutes in which Toper-Stanley conceded a goal, that's right, Toper-Stanley, not the Jets, the boys really did turn it around. They weren't great by any stretch of the imagination but they learnt from their mistakes and tightened up through midfield and started passing the ball around almost like our championship winning team that seems so long ago! Sasho was unlucky not to equalise, you can't help but think if he had of been playing against us he would've slotted both those chances. As his tendency was to do so often in the past!

I'm going to name drop and give a little shout out to Ryan Griffiths. I have some vague long forgotten connection with him (who could forget that great surf rock band The Grift Experience, i heard the bass player was amazing!). His goal was very well taken, he should of had another 10 minutes later which went a bee's penis wide of the back stick. Quite frankly he was a league above Joel. It was great to see him run around again, just a shame he had to inflict a defeat on my team!

Positives for the Jets. Ljubo (spelling?) was solid in central defence. De Groot and Vinegarette dressing were great and you can really see that technically they are well above the a-league standard. Passing in the last 10 minutes of the first half was spot on. There was enough out there to make us think that there is a good team somewhere in that squad.

Back to T-S i'd just like to point out it wasn't merely his poor decision making all night, his obvious lack of mental strength to put up with the heckling from the crowd, but his utter lack of heart once he had turn the ball over was horrible. He dawdled around the park like it was Sunday afternoon kicks with mates. It was a disgrace to the shirt.

So on to Tuesday. I'm going to make every attempt to make it up the road. GVE, bench or drop TS and put george costanza into central defence with Ljubo (something that nearly gives me an erection). I'd also like to see Jono get on the bench so i can admire his locks! There is definitely enough talent there to make a game of it and have a shot at progressing past the group stage. Good luck boys, despite the result you've definitely restored my faith in the shirt!

See you at Marathon on Tuesday!