Yeah the AL always slows down this time of year. There are always some slow games in Dec-Feb. The players also haven't been playing for a few weeks, so they wouldn't be at the same fitness that comes from playing competitive games every week.
There are also the difference is stakes. Whether it's conscious or sub-conscious, players are always going to lift their performances for the opportunity to be crowned best in the world compared to a regular season match.

Looking back to last years season, there does seem to be a trend where afternoon games have less passed per 90 (sometimes a couple of hundred less) than night games

i wonder if it is possible for all games to be scheduled for the evening if we keep with summer football

Outside of the handlball, he made some brilliant saves today. Let down massively by Bos for the first goal. WTF was he thinking?

It was infinitely more watchable than the garbage served up friday night.
I've never understood why United play the occasion so often.

Give us a good crowd in a good ground and we look incredible.

Put us against a team of plonkers in some far north Qld shit hole and we play ponderous laborious uninspiring football

Saturday night at the SFS at the new stadium was great.  Looks like the break did Sydney good, they played very well.   

Always enjoy the Melbourne derby. Aiden O'Neill is another who wouldn't look out of place in the national team squad but we're just so stacked in midfield. It's a blessing and a curse because there are so many combination questions. Secretly hoping the older guard make way pretty soon.

Fans about to leave?

Absolutely disgraceful.

Scenes!

What a disgrace! Their faces are on TV. Seriously?!! I've seen fans around the world run on and taunt but to actually hit someone or throw, was it a bucket? is a crime. 

Scumbags, that lot of them who entered the field and attacked the players.

It’s really hard to believe these morons. We have by far the worst fans of any sport in Australia.

Absolutely idiotic from the victory fans 

I've missed it what happened?

What.

Just why? 

Yikes what were they thinking?

apart from threatening players this makes it impossible for the apl to reverse their decision

Well done Victory fans.

In 5 minutes have managed to set the game back 20 years.

No excuse for pitch invasion and VIOLENCE but At the end of the day NONE of that shit would have happened if it wasn’t for APL decision?!

I would expect strong action to be taken.  Many life bans.  Police charges for assault.  Victory to be fined etc.

At least 20 years.

Just wow. Nice work from that pack of tossers.

Oh how I'd love to see the bodies of all pro sports and various other groups ban such idiots from events Australia wide.

Glover was hit with something during a pitch invasion. He was bleeding. 

So you assault the referee and the opposition goalkeeper?  There is no justification for that.

Disgusting.

As an inaugural Victory member I'm ashamed. Identify and ban the hooligans that entered the pitch for life! And ban the North terrace for the remainder of the season.

Apply a closed door home game penalty to Victory for 3 matches and even a points deduction.

anti football media is going to be all over this like a fat kid on a cake

This is a shameful comment. You should have stopped after the first sentence. 

Oh for crying out loud.

Why give the anti-football lot ammunition like that? 

At least Bourbon Beccy didn't live long enough to see this

You confirm everything I have ever said about you. 

Right because there has ALWAYS been pitch invasions and violence at ALL previous Melbourne derby games. Nothing to do with a stupid APL decision recently 🤔