Dire.
Passionless.
Pedestrian.
Mundane.
Plain shite.
Take your pick from the above sample descriptions to describe Marconi's less than even tepid performance tonight at Shark Park (I have only just returned from the game).
I have to say that it is only since the current board assumed power that I have went meekly but loyally to Marconi games *expecting* my team to get humped, whereas before I would saunter in jauntily, expecting that we would win, but even if we didn't, that we would put up a brave fight and most certainly be competitive.
No fight tonight I am afraid, and we meekly surrendered.
I knew Angelo Costanzo was out injured before I left for Shark Park, but I wasn't aware that Dominic Longo was also MIA, and when I saw him sitting in the stands next to Angelo I knew that my initial prediction of a 4-0 loss would not be far from the truth.
I also believe that the players who actually took the field in a white Marconi strip also approached the game with similar feelings of trepidation.
That knowledgable supporters of a once proud club like Marconi should even contemplate such a stuffing just because two players were injured is something that I have great difficulty in coming to terms with.
Marconi it must be said did have the better of the very early exchanges, and appeared to me at the time to be playing a 4-2-4 formation.
I asked one of the non playing squad if this was Raul Blanco's favoured formation, only to be told that what was actually supposed to be the formation was 5-3-2!
After 10 minutes one could be excused for wondering just what formation we were in fact playing..as there was no shape whatsoever to the side!
Well that is not quite true,it was easy to identify that Marconi were playing with 2 front men and a goalkeeper..
However, for the remainder of the game it appeared that the tactics were to ensue that there was a 30 or 40 yard gap between these two front men.... and the rest of the side!!
It was incredible that this was not corrected at any point of the game, and as much as I like him as a bloke , Raul Blanco must shoulder responsibility for not taking action to fix this.
If I (and several others) could see it, then why the eff couldn't he?
Not only was there this huge hole/'gap between the front two and the rest of the pack, but the rest of the pack displayed no mobility whatsoever and appeared to have lead feet, when the front men were crying out for support players to come forward.
One has to wonder too, as to what instructions Darren McDonald was playing under, as he hardly put in a tackle all night.
Now Darren is a fine footballer, but his game is based on aggression.
If he is not getting involved physically, well, he may as well not be there.
I do not for one minute say that this was the worst Marconi performance I have seen, because it was not.
I have followed the team for over 20 years, and yes I have seen worse, but this certainly ranked in the top 5, or more to the point the worst 5.
I'm disappointed and angry that such a display should be considered by some as 'acceptable'...in days past much chest beating would have been done.
It could have been a lot more than 3-0, and but for a coat of paint would have been at least my predicted 4-0.
I mentioned a few posts back that the Marconi magazine talked about how Raul Blanco had in the past had teams that 'lost with flair"
Well, we lost all right, but there was no flair displayed tonight, and it will be interesting to see what spin is put on this horrendous performance.
I'm only glad that I no longer have to try and make positives out of such a negative performance for the match magazine.
Raul Blanco was the first person down the tunnel at the final whistle, and one doesn't have to be a genius to work out that if it had been a wonderful performance and we had won, he would still be on the park 10 minutes later.
I think its going to be a long hard season....and after this weekend's performances what money Marconi and Spirit battling it out at the foot of the table
Certainly, Marconi can take no positives whatsoever from this performance, and to suggest otherwise after being outplayed so comprehensively would be totally dishonest.
There has long been a problem at Marconi that the people in charge do not take too kindly to critisicm, so yes, that is why I have cc'd the club...they need to know that this is NOT acceptable!
A very pissed off Forza Fred