Nooooo-vember! November. What the hell?
Well, firstly, obviously lips weren't the only things getting hairier in November. Let's start in the 72nd minute.
It seems that since leaving Sydney, Sasho has being hanging out with the rugby league players and property developers of Newcastle, at the local haus of yeah yeah. He's err... grown I suppose, a full helmet of lustrous hair but not only that, it's arrived in the most luminescent shade of purple black that is known only as Grecian 2000.
So the last 20 minutes of Sunday's match featured a world first: the only two men in world football with advancing hairlines, playing mano-a-mano. And at least Stephan didn't let Sasho score, because it was nice to have one ex-Sydney player not on the scoresheet.
Rhyan Grant must be wishing his hair was advancing as fast as Sasho's. He seems to have suffered a Samson-like fate since taking the shears to his locks this season. The lighting fast speedster who ran at players and blistered past them last year looked slow, confused and unsure of his role in Lavicka's system. He missed at point blank, gave away a penalty and generally had a nightmare of a game, until he was yanked at half time.
But it would be harsh to pin Sydney's performance on Rhyan, because frankly we were hopeless. We failed to adapt to Newcastle's pressing game and resorted to more longballs than we would have liked, which were precisely as effective as they usually are for us. Out-muscled, out-thought and even out-coached.
Like Perth and Gold Coast before them and Adelaide a couple of weeks prior, Newcastle needed to win and the team was packed with people who desperately wanted to beat Sydney FC for quite personal reasons. Rooney, Sasho, Branko, even the excellent and well loved Michael Bridges all wanted to prove a point to the club and their ex team-mates. We had no response.
It used to be an accepted part of being Sydney FC that every team turned up to beat us. But opponents had to earn wins against Sydney the hard way and an off moment lost them the game. Everything else aside, we were intensity and desire even if sometimes we were not much more. Unfortunately it seems that our lower volume, nicer profile has resulted in our players at least believing that occasionally they are just another team. That's not how playing for Sydney FC works.
But, we are still second and redemption is only a game away. A game against Robbie Fowler and another team filled with ex-Sydney players. Ufuk, Robbie and Brockey will bring the same intensity as Newcastle, for exactly the same reasons, with the confidence that having beaten us last time here brings.
Hopefully the real Sydney turns up to this match.
+++++
Finally, for those who believe in such things, here's a pattern for you:
August - 3 wins and 1 draw.
September - 3 losses and 1 win
October - 3 wins and 1 loss
November - 3 losses and 1 win
Roll on December.
Well, firstly, obviously lips weren't the only things getting hairier in November. Let's start in the 72nd minute.
It seems that since leaving Sydney, Sasho has being hanging out with the rugby league players and property developers of Newcastle, at the local haus of yeah yeah. He's err... grown I suppose, a full helmet of lustrous hair but not only that, it's arrived in the most luminescent shade of purple black that is known only as Grecian 2000.
So the last 20 minutes of Sunday's match featured a world first: the only two men in world football with advancing hairlines, playing mano-a-mano. And at least Stephan didn't let Sasho score, because it was nice to have one ex-Sydney player not on the scoresheet.
Rhyan Grant must be wishing his hair was advancing as fast as Sasho's. He seems to have suffered a Samson-like fate since taking the shears to his locks this season. The lighting fast speedster who ran at players and blistered past them last year looked slow, confused and unsure of his role in Lavicka's system. He missed at point blank, gave away a penalty and generally had a nightmare of a game, until he was yanked at half time.
But it would be harsh to pin Sydney's performance on Rhyan, because frankly we were hopeless. We failed to adapt to Newcastle's pressing game and resorted to more longballs than we would have liked, which were precisely as effective as they usually are for us. Out-muscled, out-thought and even out-coached.
Like Perth and Gold Coast before them and Adelaide a couple of weeks prior, Newcastle needed to win and the team was packed with people who desperately wanted to beat Sydney FC for quite personal reasons. Rooney, Sasho, Branko, even the excellent and well loved Michael Bridges all wanted to prove a point to the club and their ex team-mates. We had no response.
It used to be an accepted part of being Sydney FC that every team turned up to beat us. But opponents had to earn wins against Sydney the hard way and an off moment lost them the game. Everything else aside, we were intensity and desire even if sometimes we were not much more. Unfortunately it seems that our lower volume, nicer profile has resulted in our players at least believing that occasionally they are just another team. That's not how playing for Sydney FC works.
But, we are still second and redemption is only a game away. A game against Robbie Fowler and another team filled with ex-Sydney players. Ufuk, Robbie and Brockey will bring the same intensity as Newcastle, for exactly the same reasons, with the confidence that having beaten us last time here brings.
Hopefully the real Sydney turns up to this match.
+++++
Finally, for those who believe in such things, here's a pattern for you:
August - 3 wins and 1 draw.
September - 3 losses and 1 win
October - 3 wins and 1 loss
November - 3 losses and 1 win
Roll on December.
