Entries Tagged 'A League' ↓

The Melbourne Victory faltered on the road again, this time going down to a bottom-of-the-table Perth Glory side who kept their season alive with a 3-1 win. The loss, combined with a spectacular 6-1 defeat of the Wellington Phoenix by Adelaide United, forces Victory down to 2nd, trailing Adelaide by a point.

Melbourne’s performance was a cut above the previous week, with the Victory controlling the game for most of the second half. But two first-half goals in quick succession from Perth’s Ivorian striker, Eugene Dadi, gave the home side a strong lead, which they defended tenaciously. The Victory pressed hard and eventually pulled one back with an enterprising (and somewhat lucky) run by Ney Fabiano in the 55th minute; but after enduring all the pressure, Adriano Pellegrino fired in a wonderful goal in the 78th minute to crush the Victory.

Despite the scoreline, it was a tight game. Perth took their chances, while Melbourne didn’t take theirs. Tom Pondeljak missed a sitter, and Rodrigo Vargas narrowly edged the ball over the crossbar with his header. But football doesn’t reward possession or near-misses, only goals.

Archie Thompson had picked up a knock at training the day before, putting him out of action. But why did Merrick decide to put him on the bench if he didn’t intend to play him? Last I heard, Merrick was planning to take Evan Berger with the squad to Perth, so why he wasn’t on the bench instead of Archie is beyond me.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFkfJzDZLSc[/youtube]

The second-third of the A-League season wraps this weekend, with Melbourne meeting last-placed Perth Glory.

It’s another away game for the Victory, who have only had one at home in the last four matches. But Melbourne will have a week’s rest after this, thanks to Adelaide United’s Club World Cup schedule.

Ernie Merrick yesterday tipped that he would start Grant Brebner, whose form (and fitness) has been diminished over the past month. The Scotsman has started the last two matches but been substituted off at half time. Evan Berger, meanwhile, appears to be ready to return from his injury. I for one have missed the youngster, who added grit and determination to the side.

Merrick has also indicated that Carlos Hernández will be played off the bench, amid concerns that the Costa Rican isn’t quite ready to play a full 90 yet. Maybe so, but I hope Ernie gives Hernández more than 15-20 minutes to work his magic. Hernández made a belated appearance last week in which he clearly lifted Melbourne’s game, but it was too late. It would be great to see Hernández given a full 45 minutes.

Last week, I tipped a win for the Glory, but they were robbed of three points by a late equalizer from the boot of Sasho Petrovski. That draw adds to the pressure this week, as Glory coach David Mitchell has already declared that this is a must-win affair for his side. Perth are on 12 points, well clear of the 18 it currently requires to be in the top 4.

But desperate teams are dangerous, something which Melbourne must be wary of. While we can dream of another 4-0 thrashing, we should realistically expect something much more difficult. The key will be scoring early and putting Perth on the backfoot. The Glory are confidence starved and seem to fall apart when they’re a goal or two down.

My tips for the weekend:

• Adelaide United to draw with Wellington Phoenix. A fourth win in a row for the Phoenix would be truly something; Adelaide are looking very fragile at the moment; but I think the home side will dig in and find themselves a goal or two, enough to draw with Wellington.
• Central Coast Mariners to beat Queensland Roar. This is a critical game for both sides, who are fourth and third, separated by a point. Queensland have the edge on the ladder, but I’m tipping the home side will overtake them.
• Perth Glory to be kept on 12 points, as the mighty Melbourne Victory put at least 2 past them. If Melbourne can take the lead early on (and maintain it), they’ll be halfway there.
• Newcastle Jets to beat Sydney FC. Newcastle desperately need a win this weekend, as they are stranded on the bottom with Perth. Sydney’s poor form is starting to catch up with it, as it has sunk to 6th place. I expect that poor form to continue this weekend, with Newcastle getting the three points they need.

Despite the efforts of the dozen Melbourne fans trying to inspire the players to lift their game against the Phoenix, it was the home support that came away cheering.

Wellington looked the livelier side for most of the game, especially after they equalised within a minute of Danny Allsopp’s opener in the first half. With both sides on a goal, the Phoenix always looked the more likely to break the deadlock. And they did, courtesy of Shane Smeltz.

After Allsopp’s goal, I don’t recall any Victory players managing a shot on target until the final twenty minutes. Thompson had a poor, frustrating game, while the midfield comprised of Celeski, Pondeljak and Brebner failed to control the play. Fred, in his second game for the Phoenix, gave Wellington the spark it needed.

Ernie Merrick’s half-time substitution, Nick Ward for Grant Brebner, failed to give Melbourne the spark it needed. That spark didn’t come until Carlos Hernández was eventually given a run halfway through the second half. Hernández didn’t solve all of Melbourne’s problems, but he had an obvious impact, exercising control and providing stronger support for the attackers.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr-PuzJbmiY[/youtube]

It was a disappointing loss, but the other results on the weekend (three draws) mean that Melbourne has retained its lead, albeit shortened to just two points. Wellington is now in fifth place, tied on points with the Central Coast Mariners. The Perth Glory, next week’s opponent, gave up a lead in the last minute against the Mariners, turning this Saturday’s game into a must-win for the Glory.

I’m here in Wellington looking forward to tomorrow night’s clash between the Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix.

I can’t wait.

Here we have the Victory, with a solid three point lead at the top of the table, playing the Phoenix, who scored back-to-back wins for the first time in their history. Granted, they won the second against a 9-man Newcastle Jets side, but the wins have brought them to 15 points, just two behind fourth-placed Central Coast Mariners. A win tomorrow night and some lucky results in the other fixtures this weekend, and the Phoenix may be in the top 4. Another first?

What’s more, they have Fred to do it with. Fred, the little Brazilian who was so sorely missed after he left the Melbourne for greener pastures in the MLS, has signed on with Wellington for a six-week stint. If he can ignite the Phoenix the way he did the Victory in season 2, a finals spot is well within grasp of the New Zealanders.

Melbourne, meanwhile, has a commanding lead at the top of the table but has three matches away from home, against the current numbers 6, 7 and 8 on the table. The Victory has already proved itself to be a class above two of its upcoming opponents (5-0 against the Newcastle Jets and 4-0 against the Perth Glory), and I believe that if they perform as well as they have been, they will be able to pick up wins against all three.

But tomorrow night is shaping up to be a very interesting match. How much will Fred invigorate his new A-League side? Will the Victory defence be able to contain his threat, as well as the ever-dangerous Shane Smeltz?

My tips for the weekend:

• Melbourne Victory to thump the Wellington Phoenix. I’m tipping a two goal win, but expect goals from both teams.
• Sydney FC to lose to Queensland Roar. Sydney appear to be in all sorts of trouble at the moment, and if Queensland can echo last week’s second half performance against the Glory, they’ll take home three points.
• Perth Glory to beat Central Coast Mariners. Perhaps not the wisest tip, but it’s coming down to the wire for the Glory. They’ve put in a few good games this season, and I’m hoping they have one this weekend again.
• Newcastle Jets to draw with Adelaide United. Last year’s Grand Final winners are propping up the table with Perth and need a win, but I don’t see it happening this weekend.

ps. Any fellow Victory fans in Wellington to see the game, let me know. I’ll buy you a beer.

Melbourne played what was arguably its best game of the season last night, fighting back from a goal behind to beat Adelaide United 3-2 and reclaim first place.

After a series of bad results and without Archie Thompson, Ney Fabiano and Carlos Hernández, the Victory were undoubtedly the underdogs last night. But they produced a great performance and certainly deserved the win.

It looked like it was going to be another bad night when Cristiano dived in the box and won a penalty from Matthew Breeze. Travis Dodd tucked the goal away, putting Adelaide up, against the run of play.

Melbourne had looked the more likely side to break through up until then, and continued to dominate the game after going down a goal. Matthew Kemp was particularly good in the first half, pushing forward with strong runs against his former club.

The Victory came out of the break and were again the dominant side. It paid off after 5 minutes, when Cristiano needlessly (some might stay stupidly) knocked Rodrigo Vargas down in the Adelaide box. Kevin Muscat made no mistake from the spot.

Cassio scored with a brilliant free kick in the 68th minute (brilliant kick, but why didn’t Theo try to save it?). Again, Melbourne down against the run of play. But credit to them, they kept going. Evan Berger in particular played a magnificent game. He doesn’t have silky technique, but I admire his speed and commitment. That paid off last night, when he was brought down by Robert Cornthwaite in the box, giving Melbourne its second penalty. Again, Kevin Muscat made no mistake.

(Why didn’t Cornthwaite get another yellow? A foul like that in the box certainly deserves it. Adelaide should have been down to ten men.)

Back to 2-2, Melbourne still kept going. Then, in the 84th minute: a mad scramble in the Adelaide box; a shot stopped by an Adelaide defender’s hand (another thing missed by Breeze); a bicycle kick by Tommy Pondeljak, missing the target but landing nicely for Billy Celeski, who nudged it in to get his first goal for the Victory and put Melbourne ahead at long last.

Excellent stuff. Even after going up, Melbourne did not resort to ultra-defensive tactics, as they have been prone to do in the past. If Danny Allsopp had made more of it, he could even have made it 4-2 in the final minute. But alas, 3-2 suffices. A win for Melbourne, back to the top of the league – and they’ll remain so if Sydney FC doesn’t win tonight.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwAEhA7tmIk[/youtube]

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MVFCBlog will be a bit quieter in November, as I’m heading to New Zealand for a four week holiday. You know how it goes. I will be at the Wellington vs Melbourne game on the 28th though. If you’re there, send me an email.

Meanwhile, check out some of the blogs in the sidebar if you’re looking for a blogger’s perspective on the A-League.

The Melbourne Victory have their backs up against the wall as they prepare to play current front-runner Adelaide United in Hindmarsh Stadium tomorrow night.

The last time these two met, Melbourne went to 10 men but still managed to come away with a win. In the five matches after that, however, the Victory’s fortunes have dropped. After teetering at the top of the table for the last few weeks, Melbourne finally dropped from first last week.

In contrast, Adelaide United are riding high after topping the A-League and reaching the final of the Asian Champions League. Despite the extra matches, they’ve only sacrificed two points in the last four rounds.

We already knew Melbourne would miss Archie Thompson and Ney Fabiano tomorrow, but Carlos Hernández’ injury (which could keep him out for a month) further diminishes Ernie Merrick’s attacking options. Now would be a perfect time for Nathan Elasi to make his A-League debut… but he’s away on Young Socceroos duty. Instead, Matthew Theodore has been called up from the youth team to potentially make an appearance off the bench.

Adelaide aren’t without their injury problems, with both Eugene Galekovic and Paul Reid unavailable. But they have a squad with depth which has been tried and tested over the past month. And so far, weariness has not made them skip a beat.

My tips for the weekend:

• Adelaide United to lose to Melbourne Victory. Backs against the wall or not, I still feel obliged to believe we can do it. And we certainly can. Perth Glory almost beat Adelaide last week, but gave it away in the last ten minutes.
• Sydney FC to draw with Central Coast Mariners. Two sides coming off a win, I can’t pick a winner between these two.
• Newcastle Jets to beat Queensland Roar. This is an important game for both sides, with Queensland perched on the edge of the top 4 and Newcastle fighting to stay in the race. Newcastle need the win, and I think they’ll get it.
• Perth Glory to beat Wellington Phoenix. They’re 7th and 8th, both beaten last week, but recent form has seen an improvement for both sides. I’m picking a Perth win.

Melbourne Victory fans at the Melbourne vs Sydney blockbuster. The Eureka Flag is dead centre. Photo: Brett Robson.

The reputation of Football Federation Australia was hurt again over the weekend by another embarrassing debacle. At the Melbourne Victory – Sydney FC match on Saturday night, which drew the season’s largest attendance so far, Victory supporters were told they would be kicked out of the Telstra Dome if they flew the Eureka Flag.

Melbourne fans have been flying the Eureka Flag since the inception of the A-League in 2005. Why the sudden crack-down on a flag that is considered an “object of state heritage” by the Victorian Heritage Register (Wikipedia)?

Fans were told that the flag was considered inappropriate for its political symbolism. This, a flag used by the University of Ballarat in its official logo, banned for political symbolism?

Come off it, FFA.

The FFA apparently decided that the flag should be banned prior to the season. According to Victory spokesman Trent Jacobs:

“We were advised by the FFA earlier this season that it was to be banned and constituted a political flag.”We at the time expressed our concern about that and to our knowledge it hadn’t been looked at.”Source: The Age

So the FFA chose the Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC match, traditionally the biggest game in the A-League season, to crack down on supporters flying a flag they’ve flown since the start of the A-League. Bad move.

They seem to have realised it too. Today the FFA denied that it ever meant to ban the flag. Ben Buckley, the FFA chief executive, said:

“It had been caught up in a wider review undertaken prior to the start of the A-League to ensure that national or political flags are not brought into games inappropriately.”In this instance, I believe it’s a case of the interpretation of `political’ going too far and the ban has been an unintended consequence of our spectator code of behaviour.”

And yet, the statement from the Victory indicates that the FFA made a clear decision regarding the flag, and had ignored the club’s concern about the banning. Today’s statement by Ben Buckley appears to be nothing more than a quick band-aid designed to avoid further embarrassment for the FFA, which already alienated fans earlier this season by announcing a restrictive seating policy.

The Melbourne Victory have dropped to third after losing 2-0 at home to Sydney FC on Saturday night. Adelaide United scored a 2-1 win over the Perth Glory to take the lead at the top of the table, two points above Sydney and three above Melbourne.

It was another poor performance from Melbourne. The short passes weren’t coming off, while the long balls were too predictable and seldom gave rise to genuine opportunities. In one word: stale.

The absence of Archie Thompson certainly played a part. Archie and Carlos Hernández combine effectively up front, helping to solidify the connection between midfield and attack. With Archie suspended and Hernández shifted into a striking role, that link in the chain was broken. Merrick has been keen to use the 4-3-3 this season, but in this case a 4-4-2 – with Hernández sitting behind Tom Pondeljak and Danny Allsopp – may have been more effective.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76ZOb50PaEU[/youtube]

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On Friday night, the Central Coast Mariners pulled off a 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets, while the Queensland Roar picked up a 1-0 win on the road over the Wellington Phoenix.

Two out-of-form sides meet each other tomorrow night at the Telstra Dome, in what is a key match for both of them.

Both the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC have won one, lost two and drawn one of their last four games. And both will be missing key players tomorrow night. Melbourne are without Archie Thompson and Ney Fabiano (suspended), and will likely miss Nick Ward due to injury. Sydney’s problems are in defence, with Iain Fyfe suspended and Tony Popovic, Simon Colosimo and Jacob Timpano all injured. Alex Brosque is also injured.

So we have a side missing key strikers facing a side missing key defenders. Did I hear someone say a nil-nil draw?

Don’t laugh, it’s quite likely. The last three clashes between these sides have ended in a draw – twice a goal-less draw. Incidentally, all three of those games were during John Kosmina’s reign.

My tips for the weekend:

• Central Coast Mariners to lose to Newcastle Jets. If Newcastle can maintain the form they produced against Melbourne last week, they can certainly beat a Central Coast side that lost at home to the Wellington Phoenix last week.
• Melbourne Victory to finish with 11 men and beat Sydney FC. A draw may be likely, statistically speaking, but if Melbourne can hang on to their 11 men for the duration of the match, I think we can bring this run of draws to an end.
• Adelaide United to beat Perth Glory. Perth produced a good game last week to beat Sydney, but Adelaide are on an incredible roll at the moment. Perth stand a chance if they can take advantage of tired United legs.
• Wellington Phoenix to beat Queensland Roar. This is a critical game for both sides, as they’re perched just below the top four. With home crowd advantage and some good recent form, I think the Phoenix can steal the show.

An impressive Newcastle Jets side scored a 1-0 victory over Melbourne on Saturday night.

The Victory finished the game with ten men after Archie Thompson was shown a straight red for swearing at the ref. Again, Melbourne played its best football when it was down a man; until that point, Newcastle looked to be well in control of the game.

In the end, it was a well deserved win for the Jets, and a well deserved goal for nineteen-year old Marko Jesic, who was pulled up from the Newcastle youth team for the occasion. With Joel Griffiths warming the bench for most of the game, young Jesic looked like the Jets’ most dangerous player.

Luckily, Melbourne retains top spot after Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix both won their matches. But next week, Melbourne has to face Sydney FC without Archie Thompson, as it did in round 1. Without Thompson and Fabiano, Ernie Merrick’s attacking stocks are looking depleted.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAO3MePyEpo[/youtube]

Sydney FC missed its golden opportunity to overtake Melbourne at the top, losing 2-1 to Perth Glory (their second win of the season). Wellington also got their second win, beating the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford by a solitary goal. Adelaide United continued their great form with a win on the road against Queensland Roar, putting them on level points with Melbourne.