MVFC Blog

5 responses so far ↓

• 1 new tactix // Mar 31, 2008 at 6:34 pm

  Kemp, unfortunately has had un uphill battle to gain respect from the victory fans who now - and I include myself in this category - expect nothing short of benchmark performances in the a-league. This heavy criticism that Kemp has been under since the earlier stages of this season is the product of an inadequate coaching strategy and ‘unimaginative’ tactics. Kemp, is not the best defender going around but he is very competent, which is now beginning to show through in the ACL. Although, the same problem exists for Kemp now that it did during the regular season but all that Kemp has done differently is alter his approach to compensate for a poor coaching strategy and equally dismal formations. Kemp can now be found higher up the park, beginning to provide some width, although he is defending superbly, and attempting to attack he is coming undone for two reasons:

  1) played out of position on the left so if he does penetrate the flanks he is not on his natural side and then has to cut back (and we lose our attacking rhythm) or cross with his left, which realistically, is hit or miss, but usually the latter;

  2) As we have no wingers and as he is not a natural wing-bank rather a full back, by the time he gets up the flanks he is generally out of steam and we usually witness an unpenetrative cross or he is stumbling into the penalty box, which against the dragons created a penealty. But the question I ask is how many times will this actually happen. If the great teams of the main leagues around the world play relatively simple formations which usually includes wingers ON THEIR NATURAL SIDES why can’t MVFC do the same??

  Kemp, thanks for the efforts in the ACL, the victory fans are beginning to understand the handicap that Merrick’s tactics has you playing under. The earlier criticism (in the season) should not really have all been directed at you, its time Merrick write more than one page in his ‘idiots guide to coaching in the a-league’. Kemp like many other players are regularly playing out of position, which makes victory look pedestrian and hardly a benchmark of the a-league. A club with over 22,000 members deserves better than the lame styles that Merrick dishes up. All I can say is Keep it up Kempy, some of us understand your doing your best. On that note, and without archie against Gamba, all we can hope for is that Danny trips over in the penalty box as he takes a wild spray at another sitter and the ref views it as a foul from a defender, then Muscat takes a penalty. That’s about our only hope!

• 2 Astri // Apr 1, 2008 at 11:26 am

  Ouch! Tell us what you really think.

• 3 new tactix // Apr 1, 2008 at 5:55 pm

  Hey Astri, my intention was not to be too harsh… but after a season like the one we had and the same problems resurfacing in the ACL (where a-league teams need to show their merits for a number of reasons) I had to put it out on the table. No point sugar coating the reality for ‘Merrick’s Men’…

• 4 Brenton // Apr 1, 2008 at 7:22 pm

  i could not agree with you more, i feel merricks time is running out, he needs to pull something massive out of his arse against gamba. as for kemp, i like him, he’s becomming more consistant but like you have said as tactix, and like i have been thinking for a long time now, the problem lies not in the players(even danny) but in the way they are being coached.

• 5 Save Merrick // Apr 2, 2008 at 1:38 pm

  Ok guys, Merrick is not the one on the pitch serving up the rubbish that we have to watch. That man is a tactical genius who unfortunatley doesnt have the players who are able to play his visonary style.

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