Not sure. I don't think he would have signed if he wasn't going to be playing in the next two weeks. Off the bench next week.

No way will he not be starting ASAP, surely...
Off the bench in his first game and starting in his second is my guess

He may be down on fitness but the season is drawing to a close, no better way to get fit than playing and your team has hit a rough patch and needs new ideas

I don't gamble but if I did I'd put money on him not making the match day squad tomorrow v Wanderers and at best being on the bench v Victory. Aloisi is not a gambler.

Dunno if its a huge gamble to play (at least off the bench) a player who is better, more experienced and getting paid more than most of the squad even if lacking match fitness and can come on and make a difference if goals and energy are needed?

However, I guess it means either dropping Borello (who i like but seems toothless lately?) or moving Broich central which I guess are the gambles you refer to?

Mate, I'm with you on this - I'd at least have him on the bench. Aloisi's style though is very conservative and he'll most likely wait

It's the Italian football way ;)

They've already said he won't be playing tomorrow. Next week, I'd expect him to come off the bench.

They have - and Aloisi said today not to expect to see DeVere this season either;

All I see nowadays is where is Devere, How long until Devere etc :lol: The thing is our defence was one of the best early on but now it has just collapsed.

Our defence really wasn't that good tbh, it was more of a case of Young making a tonne of top saves and hiding our faults, I know a couple of games he made 8 or 9 saves (I think it was against City & Perth).

Youre back?!
DeVere is off contract as well no? Surely he get peanuts this offseason.
Donachie not being re-signed is a worry.
North Id like to see move into more of an ambassadorial role. Dont think hes up to it anymore.
Bowles has been exposed as the season has progressed.
LDV-Donachie needs to be our firdt choicd pairing.

Ideally with Oar coming in, if we do switch to a 4231 we will get to see more of Clut off the bench replacing Broich at 10 (more likely to be Dimi but). Broich last season next year. 1 more year of learning and then 2017 Clut would be our creative lynchpin with Caletti in at #6. Jizz. Hard sell to Clut but.

Maclaren will be off to Europe after this season surely? Club should start scouting for potential replacements.

Not ready. Has played half a season as a starter. He will stay around another year at least imo.

Would somebody explain why you wouldn't replace Hervas with Oar?

Hervas is so left sided that Oar is comparatively dexterous. He offers nothing off the bench.

If Hervas was relegated to simply passing out water bottles on the sideline, he would throw a bunch of short fast tosses to the bench, send a few teasingly short efforts behind to the crowd and anything thrown toward the field would go directly to the opposition.

Agreed. The only thing that could change that is an offer too good to refuse for both club and player, but any move would still be too soon. Thankfully Maclaren seems to have his head screwed on the right way and is in provisional negotiations for a 2 year extension to his current contract with a view to taking him through to the next World Cup before looking at Europe then

agree Hervas it tripe.

no one called it because it pretty obvious and I don't think anyone sees him as a first 11 player. he is already only a fringe reserve. oar coming in is likely to displace a starter (dimmi or Borrello) and they should displace Hervas from the bench, surely?

Spot on. Although JA does seem to have a soft spot for Hervas - keeps giving him a go

frustrating . surely Clut has more to offer and more upside.

frustrating . surely Clut has more to offer and more upside. [/quotes out would think on Clut right, not sure what JA sees in Hervas ?

Daniel Bowles signs a 2 year extension today and Zullo is on Aloisi's radar too :)

Zullo good. Bowles bad.

He is such a unintelligent player.

Lets not quickly forget how well he played early on in the season, he is a good backup. Be great if we can get Zullo.

Zullo's not entirely happy at MC apparently but I've always thought he'd try Europe next?

Bowles - good enough for the squad, CB or LB or RB so a rate defensive utility player. Still young too.

Zullo is injury prone and is not exactly a good defender.He can get forward though and it would be a Socceroos left side.If a midget one.

If he can't get on the park for melbourne i don't like his odds in europe

Agreed. But that never stops them wanting to try right ...

It's going to look bad on JA's part if Hervas turns out to be a dud (fast appearing that way), so I guess he's playing him continuously in an attempt to save face.

Yes, the correlation between Bowles in starting line-up and lack of goals conceded is reasonably good.

It already looks bad that 3/5 of our Visa players rarely play. Compared with teh other tops sides, it's a flaming wonder we are where we are.

Yeah 100%. If we utilised them a bit better who knows where we'd be. It's lucky our home grown players are performing really well. If Hervas, Solorzano and Polenz all depart in the off season, could leave us room to build a very good squad.