Hard to know what they're thinking with the backline at this stage. If Steinmann coming in means a formation change, we could even end up with a back 4 in which case Neville will probably end up on the right. There was talk of Powell being on his way out as well. Interestingly, Brisbane did put an offer to Jason Davidson before he was confirmed for Victory. But he's a left back.

DWH off to WU apparently.So thats our whole front line starters.

Interesting.  Moon has some serious recruitment challenges coming up.  I like DWH, but I don't think he was going to consistently deliver the goals we need for next season.  Hopefully for his sake he can find some consistency at WU if he moves. 

I really only saw DWH as a player coming off the bench late in games next season and filling in where required, which wouldn't be what he wants, so all the best to him. 

We could just sign Andy Pengelly would be pretty much a straight replacement as a squad player, but time to dig deep and get an experienced striker to go with the young kids if he is going.

Yeah, I suspected earlier in the season they always new they were going to have to recruit big across the front after this year. I suspect it's one of the reasons they were prepared to let some players leave rather than get into a bidding war.

It likely means Parsons will probably start a lot more next year, if they can snag Mileusnic and play him on the other flank then were just looking for a solid #9. That would be a pretty handy lineup.

Pengelly struggled to stand out in the Singapore Premier League, so it'd be pointless wasting a spot in your squad on him.

Apparently we have an experienced international striker.Kudo

Leroy Jennings from Wollongong Wolves would be someone that could replace DWH

Swap DWH for Berisha?

Berisha looked to struggle in the later half of this season. Not sure how much more he's got in him.

Also, re Kudo, I don't think he's necessarily staying, just that the club haven't announced anything yet.

It's not a fix for a #9 but interesting to see Brad Inman has departed WU as well.

His loan deal from his Indian Super League side ended. I can't see any of the Aussie ISL players heading back there though, so there'll probably be a few pop up at new AL clubs.

Umm, he played two games in Singapore and scored one goal before returning to Australia because of Covid.

I watched his games in Singapore, and talk daily with players in the Singapore Premier League. He wasn't up to the standard there, and it's no surprise that since he left, they went out and got legitimate foreign signings instead. It's all well and good to point to NPL players and say they've got 'x' goals in 'x' games, but DWH got 40 goals in 29 games for Western Pride, Harry Sawyer got 30 goals in 26 games in his last 2 spells in NPL Queensland, and neither of them are what you would consider 'starting 11' standard for the AL. DWH is a great bench option due to his energy, but certainly not a starter.

Scoring goals at NPL level in Australia is inflated imo, as there are very few defenders in the NPL that are genuinely good defensively. The jump to the AL, where the defenders are typically quite competent and hard-nosed is too big for NPL strikers, as they don't have the time/space they're afforded in the NPL. It's just my opinion, but Pengelly simply isn't up to it. Don't forget he's had multiple trials at various AL clubs, and never been signed.

I do agree with you on your recycling comment, but at the end of the day, there's a reason clubs prefer to sign players like Golgol over guys like Pengelly with their NPL goals.

Young player goes overseas for the first time (at a time when a global pandemic is winding up) and you write him off after two games including scoring in one of them? I wonder what Vidmar saw in him that you didn’t?

If you’re not going to give a chance to young strikers who average a goal a game for three seasons, who do you give a chance to? By the way, he’s played two FFA cup games against ALeague sides - Phoenix and City ... and scored decent goals both times ...but not up to it, right?

If DWH is going to WU,That suggests to me JA will be the new coach.He likes to bring in Aussie strikers.McClaren and Taggart for example.

Same agent that took Vidmar to LCS took Pengelly there too, so I'd guess it was intertwined. Anyway, you clearly rate the guy, and that's fine. I'd suggest you watch the games he played in Singapore, which are available on YouTube, and you'll see how he struggled. He was isolated, unable to hold up the ball, and in the end his teammates started to look elsewhere instead of trying to get the ball to him.

All good, I actually watched him live score those goals against Phoenix and City ... so I rate his finishing. 
I suppose that’s why he still scored even though teammates were looking elsewhere. 😉

Really happy with the signing of Nikola Mileusnic, I always rated him and I think he will do well for us next year.

Is Mileusnic available for national team.
IE Aussie born?

anyone know?

Google?
(Yes he is, born in Adelaide. Not sure why you would think he is anywhere close to the national team though).

I am not so sure, i never thought he was setting the league on fire. definitely a speed demon but struggled a bit when he got the ball. hopefully he has improved and i am just remembering his off games. probably a better option than champness though. we still need replacements for Danzaki and DWH

I think Moon can look in the NPL for a DWH replacement (ie someone to come of the bench), but Danzaki was something special for a such a young player.   Maybe a decent foreigner to lead the line.

                  Young
        Neville Aldred Trewin
Hingert                             Brown
                 Steinmann
                    O'Shea
Parsons                        Mileusnic
                         ?


I have no idea how that formation would play, but put a 'goal a game' striker in there and I find that an exciting line up.

The loss of both Gillesphey and JCP exposes our left side again. Powell is decent cover for Brown's position but the left sided CB is a loss.
It might force Moon into the 4 backline instead of his preferred 5 and have Trewin as backup CB. Still no left sided CB but that formation would allow the extra midfield player that we have been missing in many games with Akbari/Daley to fill it and free up O'Shea even more to run where he is most dangerous.

Having a genuine 6 should help tighten up our defence through the middle and let us play out better.

Looking good and still more signings to come I am sure. If we get to keep Danzaki I can see Moon playing something like the above formation with Danzaki, Parsons and Mileusnic rotating through the forward role. Not as good as a genuine striker in the line up, but not a poor squad all the same. Lose Danzaki and we need a replacement so it would make sense to get a proper one up front and not get another multi-role player.

I think a 4-3-3 formation next season is most likely based off the current squad we have, something like

                   Young
Hingert  Neville  Aldred  Brown
           Steinmann Akbari
                   O'Shea
Parsons                        Mileusnic
                New Striker

Trewin would probably end up as cover for the CB's / DM's in that situation which is probably harsh on him after last season when he was excellent but I can't see him displacing any of those 4 players despite being clear second in those positions. Daley is the cover for O'Shea, and if we bring Danzaki back he would step in for Parsons who would be the main front third sub. 
That new striker signing is going to be key though, we are really strong all over the field but if we don't have a striker scoring 15ish goals we are going to end up in the same position we were this season.

If O'Shea got tired or injured I would see Daley as the replacement for Akbari in your formation and Akbari pushing up for O'Shea. I still hold that Akbari is much better going forward than Daley, but suspect at the back. Sort of hoping we don't see both Akbari and Daley on at the same time though - it was a big indicator of where our squad lacked midfield depth and cutting edge quality this season.

Daley has some way to go at the senior level (and he'll get there if he gets his chances). Akbari is further along that path and could start in a side that had quality around him without being the star himself.

Is it possible that a full preseason for  Kudo could see him improve?

I don't think so without significant improvement in our creative forwards.

His fitness did not stop him playing - it was the lack of opportunities that he could capitalise on when he was on the field.

He does not run round like a rabbit or stand strong in tight circumstances. He does not power through defenders. A full pre-season will only show better results if the creative components of the team are up to the challenge of recognising potential and letting him create the opportunity.

Broich would have had Kudo scoring regularly I think. Can't see anyone with the quality of vision and passing for Kudo to achieve the results he is capable of. Wouldn't I love to be proven wrong though!

Kudo didnt play that much and when he did,his service came from crosses from Brown and whoever was on the right wing pr a long ball from JOS.
The goal he scored was class.Could it be that he has learnt his trade expecting balls to be fed to him in certain positions ,with player movement and passing in the box and not hail mary passes for him to construct a goal from nothing.
DWH was the opposite with a shoot on site approach.Once defences new this and  that he doesnt pass the ball much ,he couldnt score.
I guess its up to Moon to tweek things upfront.

Much as you say. I have thought Kudo required a particular kind of service all along - and I still don't think we have the players in midfield to feed him the right way. You do not get to be such a prolific scorer at international level without being quality.

I cannot see a full pre-season improving the players around him enough for him to be able to play to his strengths.

In Melbourne City I could see him scoring - probably also in SFC, Macarthur and WU as they were this season. All capable of putting a clever ball into a timed space consistently. Nix and other teams also may have had him producing better.

Just not a good fit for a team that builds goals with enthusiasm rather than a quality stacked midfield.