Central Coast Mariners v Perth Glory
Central Coast Mariners return to Bluetongue Stadium on Friday following a five-game road trip, but while stacking up plenty of kilometres, they have also been chalking up plenty of points. Just one defeat in their last six outings has seen Lawrie McKinna’s side cement their position in the top four and after last week’s 5-1 mauling of North Queensland, they will approach their clash with Perth Glory in confident mood.
Skipper Alex Wilkinson will be keen to mark his 100th A-League appearance with a victory, while in-form striker Nik Mrdja will be looking to add to his impressive tally of three goals in the last two games by finding the net against one of his former clubs. Fellow-frontman Dylan Macallister should be available after recovering from injury, although defender Chris Doig is still at least a month away from full fitness. Glory were also impressive winners in Round 15, downing Sydney FC at ME Bank Stadium, but the West Australian side have been less successful on their travels, winning just twice so far this season. Influential midfielder Wayne Srhoj will be available once again after missing the Sydney game through suspension, although it remains to be seen whether Dave Mitchell will opt to break up a midfield quartet that performed so well.
Scott Bulloch marked his first start of the season with a goal last weekend, but the luckless attacking midfielder will not make the trip to Gosford after picking up a thigh injury. Bluetongue Stadium has traditionally not been a happy hunting ground for Glory, indeed they have found Central Coast difficult to beat either at home or away and the Mariners will therefore be warm favourites ahead of Friday night’s clash. Another Mariners’ goal-fest is unlikely to materialise, but they should maintain their fine recent run of form with another win.
Prediction: Central Coast Mariners 2-1 Perth Glory
Melbourne Victory v Gold Coast United
The game of the round sees league leaders Melbourne Victory take on third–placed Gold Coast United in front of what should be a bumper crowd at Etihad Stadium. Ernie Merrick’s side secured their fourth win in five games when they edged out Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium last weekend and the good news continued in midweek as midfielder Tom Pondeljak re-signed with the club until the end of next season.
The 33-year-old has been sidelined by a calf injury since the middle of October, but could come into contention for a squad place on Saturday, along with fellow calf-injury victim Steven Pace. Victory had hoped that Costa Rican international Marvin Angulo would be able to make his debut against Gold Coast, but international registration red tape means that the midfielder will not in fact become available until January. Only a last-gasp leveller prevented Gold Coast from picking up all three points at Adelaide last time out and the Queenslanders will be determined to avoid another such lapse as they take on one of their main title rivals.
Their cause, however, will not be helped by the absence of key defenders Steve Pantelidis, Bas Van Den Brink and Kristian Rees, all of whom are suspended, or by the fact that no fewer than six regular first-teamers remain sidelined by injury. Youngsters Ben Waring and Steven Topalovic could be drafted into the squad as replacements, while wing-back Steve Fitzsimmons has been cleared of a suspected hernia and will play.
Victory’s home form has been disappointing this season, with only two wins from eight games and they will certainly have to tighten up defensively if they are to see off a Gold Coast side who themselves look far more comfortable going forward than they do at the back. Even in the wildly unpredictable world of the A-League, it’s hard to see there not being a few goals in this one and Melbourne may just have enough quality to edge what should be a cracker.
Prediction: Melbourne Victory 3-2 Gold Coast United
North Queensland Fury v Adelaide United
Saturday’s showdown between North Queensland Fury and Adelaide United could be billed as the clash of the crisis clubs with both sides coming into the game under something of a cloud. Fury’s well-documented financial problems show no sign of easing and they remain bottom of the pile in the wake of last week’s 5-1 drubbing by Central Coast.
Ian Ferguson’s men have been written off several times already this season, however and could even have beaten the Mariners had they been more clinical in finishing off the numerous chances that they created. None of Fury’s long-term injury absentees will be available for the Adelaide clash, but Ferguson may re-shuffle his existing pack in a bid to remedy the defensive frailties exposed last weekend.
Visitors Adelaide, meanwhile, were booed from the field despite grabbing a late equaliser against Gold Coast in their most recent outing and coach Aurelio Vidmar then found himself copping a fine and a two-match ban following some ill-advised post-match comments. The Reds have won only one of their last seven games, slipping out of the top six in the process and speculation is growing that Vidmar’s days at the helm could be numbered. One man definitely heading for pastures new is midfielder Kristian Sarkies who has confirmed that he will be joining the new Melbourne franchise at the end of the season.
Paul Reid may hand Vidmar some welcome good news if he manages to make his long-awaited return from a calf injury and Michael Marrone could also come into contention for a place in the squad after shaking off a knee problem. Adelaide’s problems seems to be more serious and deeper-rooted than those of Fury, at least as far as on-field matters are concerned and they may not be relishing the prospect of a long trip to sticky Townsville. The home side’s defence should have an easier time against Adelaide’s misfiring attack than they did against Central Coast last week and look a good bet to bounce back with a win.
Prediction: North Queensland Fury 1-0 Adelaide United
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Sydney FC will be delighted to be back on home turf this week after another disappointing away performance last Sunday. Vitezslav Lavicka’s side have won six of the their seven games at the SFS so far this term, with one of those victories coming over Sunday’s opponents Newcastle Jets in Round 7.
Much of Sydney’s build up to the game has been dominated by questions regarding Simon Colosimo’s future, with the club eventually being forced to issue a statement denying that the former Perth Glory man has agreed to join the new Melbourne franchise for next season. Contract-issues aside, Colosimo has been outstanding for the Sky Blues this term and is set to take his regular place at the heart of the defence on Sunday.
He could be joined in the starting eleven by evergreen midfielder Steve Corica who is close to recovering from his hamstring problem and fellow-midfielder Terry McFlynn should also be fit despite picking up a knock against Perth. The Jets remain just one point and one place off the foot of the ladder and coach Branko Culina has clearly been feeling the pressure, incurring the wrath of the FFA following comments he made in the wake of last week’s defeat at the hands of Wellington.
His mood will not have been helped by news this week that unlike Colosimo, Jets skipper Matt Thompson has confirmed his end of season defection to the new Melbourne club and rumours that influential defender Ljubo Milicevic may be set to follow suit. Michael Bridges, Sasho Petrovski Ben Kantarovski and Neil Young, meanwhile, have only trained lightly this week due to niggling injuries and all four are regarded as doubtful for the short trip south. Sydney’s home form combined with Newcastle’s poor recent run and injury problems makes it hard to go past this one ending in a comfortable victory for the men from the Harbour City.
Prediction: Sydney FC 2-0 Newcastle Jets
Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix
Brisbane Roar may boast one of the strongest playing rosters in the A-League, but their run of just one win in their last seven games means that they are nevertheless in serious danger of slipping out of finals contention. An appalling disciplinary record is certainly not helping their cause and they will again lose a player through suspension this week, with Brazilian midfielder Henrique ruled out following his dismissal in the defeat at the hands of Melbourne.
Fortunately for the Queenslanders, their injury crisis finally looks to be behind them and Ange Postecoglou has an almost full-strength squad from which to make his final selection. The club’s new boss may face an off-field headache in the not-too-distant future, however, as leading marksman Sergio van Dijk is yet another player to be strongly linked with the new Melbourne franchise, as is young Roar defender Luke DeVere. No such problems for Wellington Phoenix who come into the game buoyed by their first away victory of the campaign last time out.
That win over Newcastle meant that the Kiwi side have now lost just one of their last eleven games and although that record does include no fewer than seven draws, Ricki Herbert’s men are playing with real confidence and are creating plenty of chances. Vince Lia will be available once again for the visitors after serving his suspension, but John McKain and Michael Ferrante are unlikely to recover from their respective quad and ankle injuries in time to feature.
A tight tussle is on the cards at Suncorp Stadium and although Wellington have more momentum behind them, Brisbane should be able to match them and claim a point.
Prediction: Brisbane Roar 1-1 Wellington Phoenix
