Attack vs defence drill ends in defeat

Macarthur FC 1 Sydney FC 0

An unbelievable evening at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday night saw Sydney FC serve up the biggest pile of dogsh*t in memory, labouring to a 1-0 loss playing against ten and then nine men for a large part of the match. It was like a throw-back to the Steve Corica era of passing the ball around the penalty area until someone made a bad decision or blazed the ball over, and it tested the patience of every single Sydney FC fan present. ‘From the highest highs to the lowest lows’ went the chant, and this was on par with the Sydney FC women’s recent performance in Canberra for ineptitude in attack. We’re probably back here in a couple of weeks time for an elimination final; let’s see how we go against eleven.

This was a tricky one to fit in. After a day of refereeing in the local league and then a full-blooded Over 45s game at 3pm, the post-match beers were curtailed to make it in time to pick up Michelle and make it to Lidcombe to pick up Shane en route. We passed the away gate that hadn’t yet opened but was already busy and, snagging a surprise car spot in the main car park, we headed in for a quick beer at Wests, the venue and patrons not interested in a Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar match, the club instead, predictably, showing the rugby league to an enthralled clientele.

The short walk through the club and the car park took us to the gate and once through, we took up a position in the Eastern Stand, partaking in some outrageously-priced food from the remarkably efficient gozleme stand and some drinks from the snaking line of the tiny bar area.

Pre-match was amazing. The players were welcomed onto the field by veterans. It was an early Anzac Day service and we had the works, the last post, a moving service and the national anthem. There was a bit of Benny Hill-style comedy as one of the mascots went walkabouts; his player tried to coax him back into the line-up, but his helper intervened and led him off the field to smiles and cheers from the crowd. Macarthur were in a changed black and red Barcelona-style strip which looked pretty good from our lofty position, and the game kicked off to a crowd that wasn’t really concentrating on the game, the countdown barely noticed.

The first half was drifting along, Rodrigues having gone off injured after a tumble, and the Macarthur fans had screamed when pin-up star Lachie Rose had to change his shirt, and Sydney FC looked comfortable if not a little casual, stroking the ball around and finding good positions down each of the flanks. It all changed when an inoccuous challenge left Joe Lolley on the floor on the far side. Clayton Lewis was also down holding his head and that looked like the challenge in question. The ref consulted his assistant and brandished a yellow to Ivan Vujica as the bemused fans watched a rerun on the low-quality small screen at the away end. After an age, the referee returned and brandished a red card, much to the amusement of the away fans. Even on the replay we couldn’t see anythiong wrong with it; a bit of Paddy Wood payback maybe, and we’d take it!

Just as we got used to playing against ten, serial moaner Valere Germain played in the sprightly Jed Drew, who cut in and drilled a shot straight at Andrew Redmayne. The save was unconvincing, the two-handed low punch a bit of a feature of his game these days, and it fell straight back to the striker who smashed the ball home. Half time came soon after and the mood in the stands was one of shrugged shoulders at both the mystery sending-off and at the 1-0 scoreline – we’d surely turn it around after the break.

Sydney were all over their opponents in the second half, but we still let Macarthur in for a couple of easy chances to make it two, Redders punching away in similar fashion from close range and a shot from the lively M’Mombwa going just wide. The game changed complexion once more when Sydney broke up the far side and Fabio Gomes was left on the floor in a collision. When play went dead for a corner, the referee came over and consulted with his assistant on the near side, Germain moaning in his ear as always, and it seemed to be a tactic to stall for time as the VAR bunker decided what to do. The yellow card was brandished to Kiwi defender Tommy Smith, but the VAR wanted more and after consultation, the yellow was replaced by a red, Germain having sprinted over to join the ref at the small screen. What a joke. This game had gone down the toilet now as a spectacle.

Joe Lolley had the ball in the net ten minutes later as the pressure piled on, but it was offside and the ball was removed from the centre spot and the free kick taken. By now Macarthur were the kings of gamesmanship, and who could blame them. Sydney FC were truly awful at this attack versus defence drill, Lolley trying and failing to work the ball onto his left foot, Brattan shooting aimlessly over, even Lacerda trying one from distance. Gomes headed harmlessly over. The lack of a presence in the penalty area was stark. All that intricate football outside the area couldn’t be converted into intricate footwork inside the area. Macarthur just camped in the area and watched as their clueless opponents worked the ball left to right, right to left and then lobbed an aimless ball into the area.

Goalkeeper Filip Kurto was winding down the clock beautifully. The Sydney subs behind the goal were playing as extra ball crew as the balls were kicked away, Kurto bundled into the back of the net and tried to upend the whole goal, pretending to be stuck in the net. It was classic time-wasting and Sydney fell for it in every tackle, a stray arm in the back sending the player to the ground to waste more time. Maxi Burgess had been sacrificed for some reason. If there’s one player who could unlock a stubborn defence with some unpredictable wizardry, it’s our fan favourite. The Bulls actually fashioned a chance or two themselves, somehow the far side of the field left completely unmanned, and every time they got the ball upfield, it bought them a few more seconds respite.

By now the defiant Cove had accepted defeat and were singing songs of defiance. Additional time must have been more than ten minutes, and the final whistle was met with nothing but ambivalence. The Sydney fans applauded half-heartedly as a handful of players came across. Rhyan Grant, Anthony Caceres, Hayden Matthews and Gabriel Lacerda had the presence of mind to jump the advertising hoardings and thank the fans for their unrivalled patience on such a horror night on the field.

One unruly home fan was intent on taking on the whole of the Cove, gesturing them over for a fight. Unfortunately for him, the Cove were immune to pain by now and the bulk of the fans headed for the exits, followed by the police, who were very obvious in their observing of certain members of the public. We hung around until the players left, Caceres begrudgingly heading back to the changing rooms to face the music and no doubt a dressing down froma mystified Ufuk Talay. This had been in no way acceptable.

We headed out via the home end to make the walk to the car that bit shorter. The big black bull with red eyes was noticeable in its absence. The Macarthur players were still doing the rounds, Arthur the Bull was showing the love, and we jagged some cans of red bull on the way out from the promo guys. That would perk us up on the drive back. The car park took a while to get moving, but as soon as we were on the road, we were at full speed, and our journey back via Lidcombe had us back home after 11pm.

What a disaster. Our trips to Macarthur in the past have generally been fun affairs. This one was no fun at all, and all it did was expose the fact that we still haven’t found the correct formula in attack. We need a proven goalscorer who can be that fox in the box and make things happen, and the return to Corica-ball was unpleasant to the extreme.

The VAR nonsense that ended up with two pointless red cards underlined the fact that VAR is losing the battle to be credible. The fans in the stadium have no idea what is going on when these moments happen, and for key stakeholders in the game, the fans who actually go to the games, the enjoyment of the spectacle is definitely made poorer every tme we get a VAR call. Put it in the bin.

The finals await, but it could be fleeting. The highest highs and the lowest lows. That sums it up.