I was at the game. Always a decent crowd on New year’s Eve. Well done Mariners! Smallest region by population for an A-league team but a true footballing region that puts others to shame. If anyone complains about the mariners crowds, consider the population: what other teams draw crowds like this per population? I support Sydney FC (go to most of their matches), but my son the Mariners. We moved and now live on the Central Coast. I can genuinely say this area is a football region first and foremost, and maybe one of the only few in Australia where football by and large dominates other sports. My two sons say that at school, everyone talks about football, and not just euro leagues. The Mariners has respect here. 
The APL and previously the FFA have shot themselves in the feet with Mariners matches. You simply cannot put on Mariners matches in mid summer at 3pm and 5pm and expect people to turn up. Everyone is at the beach, fishing or a BBQ. Most of  the stadium is open and the heat is searing, almost unbearable. I sometimes wonder if these guys running the show have any idea about scheduling, irrespective of any TV contract obligations. 

On the pen issue, I'm just wondering how that could have not been a penalty? The ref gives it and yet again the VAR farce interferes. It was NOT a clear and obvious error. It may have been contentious, and any two people could argue about it, but that's beside the point, it was not obviously wrong, so the match should have just continued on. When oh when are the VAR gods going to stick to their own rules – for what the VAR was actually meant for?!

Will just add we sat behind the victory bench. Was $87 for 2 tickets which includes the booking fee.. Seems high. $45 was the top price.

$30 should be the max but what do I know.

On the pen. The player took the touch away from the keeper. Keeper then got his hand to it first then took the player out.

At the game I couldn't understand why it was overturned but I've seen the replays and it was the correct call.

I can't see that in the laws of the game. Nizz puts in a soft touch which Acton should have controlled - he didn't. He parried it - again softly. Nisbet would have gotten the ball but was tripped by Acton.  To my mind a penalty - but at the very least there is no clear and obvious error. VAR should never have been involved.

However, with referee Tony Popovic overruling everyone (he must have been an official he was constantly out of his box and many times on the field) the VAR chose to involve themselves. Once again trying to ruin a great occasion just like his elbow to Recoba that should have led to a red  and another fours years in the wilderness.    

The mariners are what a broad-based football club looks like.

On  the pen I think its irrelevant who got the ball first.  The keepers follow through took the opponent out of the contest. Gets called a foul outside the box all the time, should be a penalty if it happens inside the box.

That's high. 
I paid just over $200 for a 1 adult - 2 kids season pass. Also, central coast kids can get a season pass for some ridiculously low price, like $20 or something if they play for a local club. Compared to my Sydney FC membership, Mariners is very good value for a season ticket holder.

So when will Rodwell breakdown today in his second start for the season? 

Not true about the foul otherwise every slide tackle where you win the ball first and bring the player down after would be a foul. Which it isn't.

Sounds like a very good deal. As a one off attendee though it cost more than I thought it would/should.

CCM are an excellent football club looking in from an outsider. 

2-0 SFC at half time.

Well said TSF.
The club was a shambles not so long ago but credit to the club for turning it around.
They now have a brilliant mix of youngsters who are getting transfers O/S and some solid imports.
CCM are playing really exciting stuff, something their fans should be extremely proud of.

MV need to figure out what they want to be, as they signed Popa in to turn things around but are still a long way from developing players that will sustain them as a club. If you want a coach that develops players, he really wouldn’t be on my list to achieve that. 

Silvera got a yellow for getting the ball first and then being brought down by Broxham.

Yeah saw that. Clearly an error by the ref.

Sydney winning and wanderers are up 

Pretty entertaining game so far and a great goal by oli

Why are all these games starting early ?

How much diving does Arzani do?
Clearly, learning off Davila

Wanderers playing some good football. Great lead up play to Borrello's goal - he's been an excellent signing. Yengi's best game in WSW shirt. Nieuwenhof solid as usual. Holman played well in a losing team. 
I've been team Arzani since 2018, but he's just your average a league winger now, not the potential saviour of Australian football he was in 2018 pre ACL. Jed Drew was more of an attacking threat. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see him getting back to where he was 

Saw SFC V Newcastle Jets on TV today.

*Jets dominated possession and territory today. There was also plenty of decent structured possession from the Jets in particular.  The better attacking interplay, was probably SFC's.

*The  decisive factor though was how well SFC defended resolutely, compactly and desperately and well- organised  in the last line of defence when Jets had the ball. Very rarely did Jets manage to have SFC defending and running towards their own goal, which is a lot harder to defend than facing the play. 

In  the less scoring opportunities that SFC had, they often launched accelerated attacks from deeper in the pitch, and managed to have Jets turning and defending whilst running towards their own goal. The left footed cross from (?) for Le Fondre to score  a clinical far post  for the first SFC goal was brilliant!

* Jets lacked the finishing composure  from the many half chances they created.

*A few players were notable for different reasons from a prospective Socceroo perspective.

Piscopo (Jets) - when he has the ball at his feet he is terrific when running  with the ball, even dribbling at times, whilst simultaneously keeping his head up so he can scan the field of play. This is really hard to do. He has impressive close ball control and a decent first touch in taking the ball away from his markers. I didn't really observe his defensive play when SFC had the ball, but he is a class act with  the ball at his feet.

Burgess (SFC) -  at a much lower level than Argentina's Di Maria in the WC Final, he is pretty decent  at taking defenders on 1v1 in wide areas. Like Di Maria ( but nowhere near as good) he uses the flashier  inside and outside step overs judiciously, whilst executing the simpler and safer shoulder feints, standard cuts and changes of pace more often  to beat his marker. He also defended well, tracking back and winning some excellent tackles.

Brattan (SFC) - I'm not sure if he is covering sufficient ground? However, he made plenty of well -timed tackles, and made intercepts from quality defensive  positioning and reading of play. Quite some time ago, he looked like he was going  to be a Socceroo. He still has good vision and is a deep lying playmaker who passes well over  range. Brattan played a  number of killer passes that broke defensive lines. Also, a decent rapid-fire passer and mover in confined spaces.

Grant (SFC) - good RB, despite his perceived lack of speed over the turf. Was part of that cohesive and decisive  SFC last line of defence.

Caceres (SFC) - still continues to impress both on the ball and off it.  

Don't think I've seen you post, mate.

Welcome to the forum.

Terrific to hear from  fans  attending the game  live!

Wellington women's team play western Sydney wanderers at 10:20 am if anyone wants morning football 

Ha thanks mate. I've posted before, but not on this thread. A few over the years. It's pretty rare though!
I actually enjoy going to the Mariners games more these days than Sydney FC. Mariners have something special going on. New owner, great NPL youth teams and a region that is so football focused. I've posted in youth development about the wasted youth talent on the central coast, just 2 NPL teams, but could easily have 4 decent teams in my view. 
Happy to add input now and again from someone who goes to both Mariners and Sydney fc. 

Fwiw, Arzani has been playing with shoulder injury last few games, hence not starting/playing many minutes or having much impact. But he sure isn’t playing like he did back in 2018 which is disappointing 😐
apart from Toure and Noone both hitting the woodwork Bulls were really disorganised and just had a terrible game 

Melbourne city a pleasure to watch

Match of the round so far, looking for a second team to support with the bakries running the roar to the ground

macarthur, city, wsw, au and ccm are all great at playing some young exciting talent and some exciting senior players.
haven’t decided yet but any team is more fun to watch than the roar right now

that australian kid playing fullback for the nix is threatening to fly under the radar like devlin

Zadkovich's best attacking weapon at Glory is Khelifi, he does not know how to structure his team and where to fit him in. The bonehead keeps picking 5 4 1 formations and Khelifi plays far too deep. Negative defensive tactics from a former CDM, fits the bill.

With such evidence of APL Greed, they are sweating to keep the money as a donation by the public.

2-0 to Adelaide