October 20, 2007
A-League - week 9
Friday 19th October
Newcastle Jets 1 v Queensland Roar 1
Griffiths (pen) 47′ Kruse 1′
Saturday 20 October 2007
Sydney 0 v Adelaide United 1
Pantelis
Sunday 21 October 2007
Wellington Phoenix 1 v Central Coast Mariners 2
Elrich 24′ Heffernan 16′
Petrovski 91′
Melbourne Victory 2 v Perth Glory 1
Hernandez 25′ Harnwell 43′
Thompson 33′
Guess as i am the only guy who wants to comment on the A.League that you have given up posting the games , figured i would comment anyway !! Jets and Roar game last night was ok , great attacking component , defensively both teams looked poor.How good are Kruse - Zullo and Holland know i said it last week but all three did really well again .
Adelaide will they change from last weeks team and include Burns ? think Wellington will beat Central Coast and Victory to win also despite all the problems with Archie and Lube .
Comment by Oncesackedcoach — October 20, 2007 @ 7:36 pm
Thanks BJ , realise i am the only guy who is an A.League fan on the blog !!! Spoke to smudger this week ,he advised that coach van egmond was told by the boss con Jardel had to play last 20 minimum this week, cost Jets the match hearfield runs all day causes problems wide and cntral , defenders hate him , Jardel just stands and doesn’t deliver !!!. word is 10,000 a game for super mario !!! . Branco must be in trouble after losing to Adelaide , they are very poor squad .
Comment by Oncesackedcoach — October 20, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
Another A.L. fan , ONC A. League players on 10,000 a game , no way, big fan of adelaide all about pace and pressure , don’t allow other teams to play yet create and score great goals !!
Comment by sent off — October 20, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
I’m passionate about the A league too. I’ve been astonished at the lack of interest on this blogsite and have spent more time on other blogsites recently, because of the paucity of posters on HAL topics on this one.
I think the standard of the A league has ameliorated this season. A lack of goals is due to strengthening defences. There are probably only two to five players in Europe who would be selected over and above all the A league defenders, in a first choice Socceroo team.
Consider this. Neill, Beauchamp, Thwaite, Kisnorbo, Leijer and Spiranovic are our top Euro defenders. Neill and Chipperfield are more akin to wingbacks. In the A league we now have specialist defenders Moore, Tiatto, Wilkinson, Vidmar, Boogard, Heffernan, North, Laybutt, Popovic, Milligan, Rudan, Muscat, Vargas, Milicevic (just), Costanzo, Tarka, Topor-Stanley and Foxe, plying their trade here. Ceccoli wants to return to Sydney too. These defenders are probably better than nearly all the Australians playng overseas
In Europe, goalkeepers Schwarzer, Kalaz and Bosnich are our best. Arguably our next best are Bolton, Covic, Vukovic and Theoklitos, who are plying their trade in the HAL.
If one adds defensive cohesion and familiarity with a system, coupled with the increased fitness of midfielders to get back and cover in constituent teams, the A league is becoming a tough place for forwards.
Lower scoring does not equate to an exacerbation of standard. One needs to differentiate between entertainment, and, standard of a league. There may be less entertainment in the form of less goals, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to a fall in playing standard. The attacking thirds of teams probably haven’t improved to the same extent as the defensive thirds and their midfield
support, at this point in time.
Comment by Decentric — October 20, 2007 @ 10:36 pm
BJ , New Zealand game kicks of at 2.00pm aus time !
Comment by sent off — October 20, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
Another A-League fan here, although I agree this season has been disappointing. Apart from Felipe, Juninho and Cassio, the imports have been poor. Jardel is an embarrassment to himself and the club (as was Romario in Adelaide last season), but for my money, the Croatian striker at Perth Glory is even worse, and can’t use fitness as an excuse. And Ron Smith was involved with developing the next generation of Australian youth - god help us.
On the bright side, I’m looking forward to seeing Aloisi and Bridge, who should add some goal scoring power to CCM and Sydney.
Comment by Barninho — October 21, 2007 @ 7:21 am
Enjoyed this weekend’s games , thought Glory deserved at least a draw , comedy of errors in New Zealand , kids could defend better just elementary , not much show of New Zealand going to far in qualifiers beyond Oceania.Culina can he survive the week ???
Comment by Oncesackedcoach — October 22, 2007 @ 2:24 pm