Entries from August 2008 ↓

Wow. Well that settles that. Three strikers on at a time is a good idea. A very good idea.

The match started lively enough, with both sides looking evenly matched. An injury to Michael Thwaite forced Ernie Merrick to make an early substitution. With no defenders to pick from, Merrick chose the most daring option: Archie Thompson. What a good move that was!

Ney Fabiano and Danny Allsopp led the pack, as Archie roamed around behind them, combining with Billy Celeski and Carlos Hernández to drive the Victory’s attack. Played behind the front two, Archie had the most effective game I’ve seen him have since the Grand Final against Adelaide United. If Merrick was wondering whether a line-up featuring Allsopp, Fabiano and Thompson could work, he has his answer.

Besides Archie, two other players stood out to me: Evan Berger and Billy Celeski. With Thwaite forced to sub off, Berger fell back into defence. Up against the very dangerous Jin-Hyung Song, the 21-year old did the job he had to do, and did it well. Celeski, meanwhile, seemed to shift to a more central role as Jose Luis Lopez also dropped back, and the Olyroo gave a solid performance in the centre of the park.

There is now a one-week break for World Cup qualifiers. Hopefully, it will be long enough for Michael Thwaite to recover from his injury. Besides him, Sebastian Ryall, Nick Ward and Daniel Vasilevski are all set to make their return. Only question is, why would Merrick want to tinker with last night’s line-up?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6oOhpRZ47s[/youtube]

The Melbourne Victory will have its first home game of the season tonight when it hosts the Newcastle Jets at Telstra Dome at 8pm.

Last year’s Grand Finalists are lucky to have two points to their name this season, having scored a late equaliser in both their matches so far. Melbourne’s form, meanwhile, has been much more reminiscent of the latter stages of last year, with a solid 4-2 victory over the Wellington Phoenix and a scoreless draw against Sydney FC giving them the top spot on the ladder after two rounds.

Tonight may see the first appearance of Archie Thompson in A-League season 4. A starting spot is unlikely for the Socceroo-come-Olyroo, but chances are high we’ll see our highest ever goalscorer come on as a substitute in the second half.

Jose Luis Lopez is also available, although he will be leaving Melbourne right after the game for Costa Rican national duty. Carlos Hernandez has not been called up; nor have any of our Aussie players.

My tips for the weekend:

• Melbourne Victory to utterly destroy the Newcastle Jets. Not an inch of bias to that tip, although I would be equally happy with a narrower victory. Just don’t let Newcastle grab one back in the last minute.
• Adelaide United to beat Wellington Phoenix. I had high hopes for Wellington after the Pre-Season Cup, but the New Zealanders have looked a bit short of the mark in their first two games – at home, no less.
• Sydney FC and Perth Glory to finish a draw. Perth Glory, meanwhile, have surprised me. Unlucky to end up with a draw last weekend, I reckon they’ll manage a draw away against a Sydney side missing some key players.
• Queensland Roar to beat the Central Coast Mariners. The Mariners lost to Sydney last week, and I’m tipping they’ll do it again this week, against a Queensland Roar side boasting a strong front line, with Charlier Miller and Sergio van Dijk looking like great imports.

The Melbourne Victory managed to put 4 past the Wellington Phoenix yesterday afternoon, giving it the top position in the ladder after two rounds.

It wasn’t the prettiest football match ever, with heavy rain soaking the pitch and players. But for Melbourne fans, there was plenty to enjoy.

Danny Allsopp had a fine match, netting Melbourne’s first two and coming within inches of a third. He also set up Fabiano’s strike, the Brazilian’s first in the A-League. Kevin Muscat also got on the scoreboard, putting away a penalty to destroy the Phoenix hope of getting anything out of the match.

Perhaps the greatest concern was seeing Roddy Vargas hobble off the pitch in the first half, but he managed to get through the entire game. Fingers crossed that’s the last we hear of it.

The Phoenix didn’t look nearly as composed in the back as they did a few weeks ago in the Pre-Season Cup final. From most reports I’ve heard, they looked poor last week as well, and it’s disappointing to see their crowd numbers drop to the low 6,000 mark. I still think they’ve got potential to finish further up the table, but things just aren’t clicking for them at the moment.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVH3JAxZc6o[/youtube]

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Round 1 only delivered five goals, so it was nice to see this weekend’s matches deliver plenty of action. A 3-3 draw between the Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory – Newcastle again scoring a late goal to win a point – and a 2-3 away win for Sydney FC over the Central Coast Mariners preceded Melbourne’s Sunday afternoon match. Adelaide United only managed a 1-1 draw against the Queensland Roar, putting Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne on equal points. Melbourne claims top spot by virtue of a superior goal difference.

Nick Ward and Archie Thompson will both miss another round, while Michael Theoklitos has also picked up an injury and won’t make an appearance against the Wellington Phoenix.

The big story this week, though, is the return of Grant Brebner.

Brebner hasn’t played since December 2007 and looks ready to make his reappearance after a long time out. The Scotsman talked to the press this week, telling them that this last year has been the toughest of his career:

“It’s been probably the hardest part of my career. In 10 or 12 years I have never faced anything like this.

There were times when I thought ‘is it all worth it?’. It was hard. Thankfully now, towards the other side of it, I am getting there.”

Brebner’s return creates another selection headache for Merrick, who must now decide whether to play the revitalised Brebner or young Leigh Broxham in the defensive midfield role alongside Jose Luis Lopez. To make matters even more interesting, last week’s first half performance showed how effectively Melbourne could operate with a sole defensive midfielder. Unless Brebner or Broxham can be utilised in alternative positions, one (or both) of them is going to be warming the bench this season.

My tips for the weekend:

• Perth Glory to lose to Newcastle Jets. Newcastle have only beaten the Glory twice in nine matches, but Perth will struggle this week without David Tarka and a slew of other players including James Robinson, Hayden Foxe and Naum Sekulovski.
• Central Coast Mariners to draw with Sydney FC. I didn’t get a chance to watch the Mariners play last week, but by most accounts, the Central Coast look like a squad short of depth. Alex Brosque, Stuart Musialik and Dez Giraldi are all returning for Sydney, giving them a good chance of securing a draw or narrow win against the Mariners.
• Wellington Phoenix to whimper before the Melbourne Victory. OK, maybe not whimper, but I think Melbourne have the goods to beat Wellington. It’ll be a tight affair without many goals. Fabiano and Allsopp need to step up and start finishing chances.
• Queensland Roar to beat Adelaide United. Queensland Roar were unlucky to come away with a draw against the Phoenix last week. At home, they have a good chance to get one or two past Adelaide, but it’ll be a very tight game.

Just a reminder to anyone that hasn’t joined, you can sign up to play in the MVFC Blog tipping comp (code: 2119-165) and fantasy football comp (code: 11536-1667) on Foxsports.

Sydney FC’s Clint Bolton stopped shots from Ney Fabiano, Danny Allsopp and Jose Luis Lopez to give Sydney a 0-0 scoreline against the Melbourne Victory.

Melbourne were favourites to win the clash, with Sydney missing a host of players including John Aloisi and Alex Brosque. Young Chris Payne made his debút as a lone striker, but struggled to have any real impact.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOrh8InZ3k4[/youtube]

For most of the game, it was Melbourne who were doing the attacking, and they were looking good – bar the final third. Lopez formed a clear bridge between defence and attack, scooping up balls at the back and feeding them forwards. With Lopez leading the way, the Victory attacked with purpose and fluidity, always through the midfield. I was surprised to see Michael Thwaite pushing up and creating width, but he did it to great effect.

While the movement forwards was very encouraging, Melbourne’s inability to finish chances is concerning. In the Pre-Season Cup, the Victory only managed to score three goals. Against Sydney, Fabiano and Allsopp both had excellent chances, as did Lopez, but Clint Bolton was there to stop them every time. Sydney’s keeper had a great night between the sticks.

Meanwhile, the Jets-Mariners clash on Friday night and the Phoenix-Roar game on Sunday both ended in 1-1 draws. Adelaide United has taken the lead at the top of the table with a 1-0 win over the Perth Glory. From memory, this is the first time Adelaide has been at the top of the table since season 1, when it spent almost the entire season up there.

FoxSports are giving away $9,000 in prizes in this season’s A-League Fantasy league.

I signed up yesterday and came up with a team I reckon may be able to do well this season.

I’ve also set up an MVFC Blog league, which you’re all free to join. Go to the leagues page (you’ll need to log in first) and enter this code: 11536-1667.

Fox are also running a tipping competition, so I’ve also set up an MVFC Blog tipping comp. Go here and enter this code: 2119-165.

I’m feeling pretty sketchy on my knowledge of the other teams out there, but I’ve got a feeling this will be a good season for the Mariners, Jets and Adelaide. Sydney are highly rated, but I think they’ll struggle on the edge of the four, while the Phoenix have a stronger squad that should lift them into contention for finals football.

Here’s what I’m tipping this round:

• Newcastle Jets to beat Central Coast Mariners. It’ll be a tight, exciting opening match to kick-start the season, and I think Newcastle will scrape away with a narrow 1-goal victory.
• Sydney FC to collapse before the mighty Victory. Okay, perhaps not collapse… But Sydney have a major selection headache with so many of their top shelf players injured or unavailable. Melbourne to win by a goal or two.
• Wellington Phoenix to beat the Queensland Roar. I have my doubts about the Roar this year; meanwhile, the Phoenix should get a strong home crowd after their pulsating run in the Pre-Season Cup. The home advantage will lift them to a win.
• Adelaide United to down the Perth Glory. Of the four tips, this is the one I’m most confident about. Adelaide have assembled a strong squad, while I’m anticipating a wooden spoon year for the Glory.

Now, back to the Fantasy League… Here’s who I’m going with:

• Goal: Glen Moss (WP) may not be the best goalkeeper in the league, but he’s got a strong defence in front of him.
• Defence: As above, I’m counting on the Phoenix keeping opposition goals at a minimum. Karl Dodd and Jon McKain (WP) make up one half of my defence, while Rodrigo Vargas and Michael Thwaite (MV) making up the other half. Both are certain starters, and Melbourne have the quality this year to shore up the back.
• Midfield: Jose Luis Lopez (MV) may be the best buy at the moment, at only 6.00. He’s a certain starter and looks like he could steal a few assists here and there. Alongside him, I have Kaz Patafta and Jin-Hyung Song from the Newcastle Jets, and Stuart Musialik from Sydney FC. Musialik will be spending this week on my Fantasy Bench.
• Attack: Going with a Brazilian triad up front with Cristiano Cristiano (AU), Ney Fabiano de Oliveira (MV) and half-Dutch, half-Brazilian Sergio van Dijk (QR). Fabiano may need replacing if Merrick decides to bench him once Archie returns, but for now he looks like pretty good value.

Okay, so your turn. Head over to FoxSports, get signed up, and let us know what you’re tipping and who you’re picking.

The Melbourne Victory beat the Wellington Phoenix last night, securing their first ever Pre-Season Cup.

After neither side failed to churn out a goal in regular playing time, it was left up to a penalty shoot-out to determine the victor. After both Shane Smeltz and Nick Ward lobbed their penalties over the bar, it wasn’t until the 18th penalty that Michael Theoklitos stopped Karl Dodd’s attempt, giving Melbourne its third piece of silverware.

It was en enjoyable, free-flowing match, with Melbourne and Wellington quite evenly matched. Both sides attacked with verve, but it was two strong defences that triumphed in the end.

Ernie Merrick started with a back four of Vargas and Thwaite in the centre, while Ryall and Kemp played as fullbacks. Kemp struggled with the pace of Leo Bertos early on, but emerged as one of Melbourne’s strongest players after Merrick swapped him to the right side of the pitch.

There was little width to the Melbourne midfield, with Luis Lopez, Hernandez, Ward and Berger all moving in the centre of the park. Berger and Kemp brought width to the formation at times, but it’s plain to see that the main thrust of Victory’s attack will come down the central channel this season.

Up front, Fabiano and Allsopp combined well, but were thwarted by solid defensive performances from Jon McKain, Karl Dodd and Manny Muscat. Still, I was impressed by Fabiano’s touch and vision.

Ultimately, it was Theoklitos that won the game for Melbourne. Some fine saves in the second half kept Melbourne in the game when Wellington were bearing down hard.

The victory means that Melbourne are now the most successful A-League team in terms of silverware amassed. Not only that, but Ernie Merrick is the most successful A-League coach.

Which is all well and good, but most of us know that the Pre-Season Cup means very little. What was most encouraging about last night was the team’s solid performance.

Does Melbourne have the talent and depth to claim more silverware this year? Me thinks so.

Well, after yesterday’s report, it looks like the forces of good have conspired to bring the Pre-Season Cup Final to FoxSports.

The match will be shown live at 5:30 PM on FoxSports 3.

Sky NZ is considering televising the Pre-Season Cup Final between the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory on Wednesday night.

It’s the biggest game in the history of the Phoenix, who finished bottom of the table last year. Wellington officials are expecting a strong home crowd of up to 10,000. Not bad for a Wednesday night football game in the middle of winter.

If Sky NZ should decide to televise the match, it’s possible that FoxSports will show the game in Australia as well. Fingers crossed!

A goal from Tom Pondeljak in the 82nd minute was enough to give Melbourne a 1-0 victory over the Newcastle Jets yesterday, setting the Victory up for its first Pre-Season Cup final.

It’s been a promising pre-season for Melbourne. After narrowly losing to Adelaide United two weeks ago, the Victory scored a 1-0 win over the Perth Glory last week. Compare that with last year’s pre-season, when Melbourne lost four in a row.

It’s also encouraging to see Melbourne’s new recruits creating problems for the opposition. Melbourne’s goals in its past three matches have come from Ney Fabiano, Michael Thwaite and Pondeljak, suggesting that this year, Melbourne’s squad doesn’t just look good on paper: it also looks good on the field.

Melbourne faces the Wellington Phoenix on Wednesday night in Wellington, after the New Zealand side beat Sydney FC 3-2.