See if you can guess the country of origin, the country of destination and the name of the player in the following scenario:
A young footballer grows up in a ‘blue blood’ football nation where the game is a national obsession and where success for the national team, despite the fact it has not won any major trophies for a while, is not so much expected as demanded. By the time he has reached the age of twenty, he is being touted as the hungry nation’s next big hope, having progressed to its top tier of domestic football and taken the competition by storm. A call-up to the full national team in the near future seems a formality. The youngster is feted by the nation’s tabloid print media and TV sports and chat shows.
But while all seems sunshine and optimism, there are a few storm clouds on the player’s horizon. He candidly admits to being interested in such things as literature, philosophy and classical music. This, when allied to the fact that on the field he exhibits a style of play quite unlike most of his countrymen, marks him as being “different” to other footballers.
Then injury temporarily halts his rise and a coaching change at his club brings in a stern, disciplinarian gaffer who does not warm to “different” personalities. The player spends more time on the bench than on the field and becomes
frustrated. His momentum is halted and soon the nation is wondering “what’s happening with so-and-so?” The
coach of the country’s under-age squad sees things differently to the player's club coach and selects his player for an international that he totally dominates to confirm that his talent still burns brightly. But he can get no change from his club coach. His career stalls.
The player, in desperation, eventually transfers to a second tier club and once again displays his prodigious talent, playing a key role in getting the club promoted to the top tier. Once more his star is on the rise. By this stage, however, the player is in his mid-twenties and his off-field interests are blossoming. He has a latent yearning to travel and experience life in another country and he is starting to question whether football should be the all-consuming beast in his life that being a professional footballer in a win-at-all-costs league demands it must be. He is tiring of living in a goldfish bowl in which his every move is analysed and sceptical about the instability caused by
a football culture in which the relentless pressure to win brings about a coaching change every six months, requiring him to prove himself again and again.
In short, he is no longer sure that he wants the life of a professional footballer in his country. Another change of club is followed by a full-blown depression and he feels he cannot continue.
Into this void steps a man he has never met – a football coach from a developing football nation on the other side of the world who is rebuilding his own squad and sees the footballer as someone who can provide the creative spark that his squad needs. He offers the player the opportunity to join his team. Despite the prospect of a sharp drop in
earnings, the opportunity to have a fresh start and to realise his ambition to travel proves too much to resist. The player accepts the offer and boards a plane to arrive in a country that knows nothing about his past and in which he can walk the streets largely unrecognised. He enjoys his football again, plays superbly, and helps the team to win its first-ever championship in the new nation’s top tier.
Have you worked it out yet? Yes, the new nation is Australia - that was probably predictable enough, given the subject matter of the blog site you are visiting. And from that you can tell that one thing is for sure – the player does not hail from England because, if he had, there is no way he could have arrived on our shores unheralded and at a price the A-League could afford. No, the player’s country of origin is Germany – and his name is Thomas Broich. The club he came to play for is, of course, Brisbane Roar and his new coach is Ange Postecoglou.
All of the above is nothing more than a quick and wholly inadequate summary of what can be learned from the documentary “Tom Meets Zizou”, which has recently been released on DVD. The title is a reference to the adolescent Broich’s email address, which in turn is a reference to his desire to one day meet Zinedine Zidane, the footballer he
idolised because he felt that watching Zidane play football was like watching an artist at work – a metaphor for how Broich himself saw and appreciated the game he loved. Not a stereotypically German point of view, you might say.
Director Aljoscha Pause has clearly had extensive access to Broich for almost the last decade of his life – from that point in time when Broich first emerged on the German sporting landscape as their ‘next big thing’ right up until the A-League Grand Final in March 2011. And Pause has used that access well.
The match footage used in the documentary spans Broich’s career to date – from his emergence in the German second division, through stints with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, FC Cologne, FC Nuremberg, and then Brisbane Roar. There is also footage of Broich playing for his national age teams. And let me tell you that the footage leaves you in no doubt as to the player’s immense natural ability on the football field. It suffices to say that, Postecoglou aside, we in Australia had no appreciation whatsoever of just how good a player was about to grace the A-League in 2011. That tells you more about Australia than it does about Germany.
But, as fascinating and revealing as the football footage is, the documentary’s real appeal, and what sets it apart from many others and recommends it to an audience broader that those who simply want a football highlights package, is how it tracks the emergence of a young man with a mind and personality that simply could not fit within the sometimes stifling confines of the profession that he chose to pursue. It shows how, when confronted with the
difficulty of assimilating someone who is ‘different’, the culture of modern football within Germany (and, one suspects, most other major European football powers) tends to either grind him down or squeeze him out. Had it not been for Postecoglou’s willingness to drive for a round trip of twenty hours just for the opportunity to meet with
Broich for one hour over a coffee in an attempt to lure him to Brisbane, it probably would have ground him down.
Insights into how this sad situation can come about are gleaned from interviews with Broich himself, his coaches (including those with whom he fell out of favour - Dick Advocaat and Christoph Daum), and sundry
others outside of football including his former girlfriend, university mates and parents. Through the interviews with
Broich himself, spanning the decade, we can track his journey from aspiring professional footballer with dreams of stardom, to a somewhat reluctant, bemused and uncertain celebrity, to a rebellious and stubbornly non-conformist footballer,to party animal, to confused and angry young man, to a lost, depressed and presumably “at risk” soul and, eventually, to an older and wiser character capable of looking back at his former self and admitting to being vain,
egotistical and “unstable”. What we get is a startlingly original and honest insight into a young man on a journey of
self discovery that seems yet to be completed.
Oh, and if you are at all curious as to how Brisbane and surrounding areas such as the Gold Coast scrub up on film in which the cinematography is of a high quality, and how our football is portrayed to the predominantly German audience that can be expected to see this documentary, then this is for you! I got the strong impression that what we see of Broich’s new surroundings, and the football that is played here, will look extremely enticing back home. Shots of Broich and a German friend enjoying time out in mid-summer in southeast Queensland (oddly enough, at a time when much of the state was under water) can be expected to do more for tourism among Germans than any marketing campaign could dream of doing. And the highlights we see of the A-League and of the Grand Final (which Broich describes as “the essence of football”) will do no harm whatsoever in terms of promoting Australian football to any further want-away German footballers.
“Tom Meets Zizou” is well worth your investment. At 135 minutes it is quite long, but it scarcely misses a beat. It is compelling and fascinating stuff.
As Molly Meldrum once said (just about every week)....”Do
yourself a favour”!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
A-League Round 15
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar Hindmarsh Stadium 2012-01-07T06:35:00 1 4:35 PM, Sat 07 Jan 2012
Adelaide United 3.10
Draw 3.35
Brisbane Roar 2.15
Stats;
Brisbane have beaten Adelaide at last 3 meetings, 12 goals for and only 2 against. Overall Adelaide have a 3-2 win record against Brisbane at home but have lost 2 of their last 3.
Brisbane has the better Head to Head record Home and away 6 wins compared to 4.
3 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws for Adelaide at home this season but 1/1 with Kosmina.
Brisbane have 2 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws from their 7 away games but
haven't won in their last 4, losing 3 and drawing 1.
Form;
Adelaide are currently riding high and would probably rank as the 2nd best team in the competition right now going on recent performances. You may as well forget their form before Kosmina returned as this is a far more resilient outfit. But the last 3 games will mean zip here if they once again succumb to a Brisbane side that has caused them massive embarassment in their last 2 matches albeit away from home. You can bet Kosmina will be talking about 'exorcising the demons' and his players should respond here with determination.
Brisbane are still not quite firing as they can and that away record is becoming a bit of a concern.
Incredibly too they have conceded the first goal in 7 consecutive games, in 8 of the past 9 matches and 9 times out of 15 this season. They even conceded first in that 7-1 rout of Adelaide back in Round 4. Reportedly fresh legs coming in for todays' game and not sure that is ideal against an Adelaide outfit that is reaping the results of new found stability and a more positive frame of mind.
Prediction:
I really think Adelaide can get away with this one. They have some boisterous home support and now that they are back in form that could well be worth a goal to them, possibly the difference in this game. If you like a bet the odds are very good for a home side that is in form.
Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets AAMI Park 2012-01-07T08:45:00 1 6:45 PM, Sat 07 Jan 2012
Melbourne Victory 1.70
Draw 3.50
Newcastle Jets 4.75
Stats;
Last time these 2 met Jets won at home 3-1 December 3 2011
Newcastle have better head to head record between the 2 but
haven't won in last 4 attempts away to Melbourne.
Newcastle are yet to win away from home in 6 attempts this year.
Victory are unbeaten from 7 at home this year but have only won 2.
Form;
Melbourne have parted company with coach Mehmet Durakovic which is hardly surprising. Yet again in Football we see a club that doesn't have things in order in the boardroom, corresponding to below par efforts on the field. There have been 2 other recent managerial losses to the Victory in the shape of Gary Cole & Francis Awaritife this season, and the appointment of coach Durakovic was always likely to be a risky one given his lack of experience and exposure to coaching at this level.
As yet a new coach hasn't been appointed, but is likely to be announced before the game. I think that is probably too late to use as motivation for the performance today, even with Kevin Muscat taking the reins as caretaker.
They are still struggling to get their best out of an ageing squad and the quick turnaround from Wednesday seems hardly likely to aid their cause. They need to introduce some youngsters into the squad fairly quickly if they hope to get anything out of this season. And there did seem to be a couple of capable prospects on show against LA Galaxy a month or so ago who haven't been given an opportunity, a bit of an inditement on Mehmets' rein in my opinion.
Their home crowd is definitely worth a goal though and their results at Etihad this season bely their overall standing in the League.
Newcastle are still a work in progress but are coming off a positive result at home where they overcame a determined Gold Coast side, who had recovered a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd half. Shortly after the equaliser Newcastle scored again proving they have a bit of belief and resilience. Had they drawn, or, unthinkably lost that match it really could have meant 'curtains'to their season and coach Van Egmont would really have been in the firing line. As it transpired though the result really could be the making of this team, and possibly the turning point in a stuttering season thus far.
Van Egmont returned to his favoured formation there and plans to stick to it for the rest of the season.
Plans are in in place for this match with a few younger and quicker players likely to be employed to combat the attacking menace of Victory. Pressing high in defence and giving Victory no time on the ball are the priorities.
Prediction;
The Newcastle tactics just might work here against a Victory side in a bit of turmoil and with some tired, ageing legs on show. The home crowd is likely to give them a goal boost though and it has to be remembered that Newcastles' away form is very ordinary. If Newcastle can play a 'spoiling' game effectively though they can get at least a point of this encounter, and they do have 2 of the competitions' leading scorers up front in the shape of Ryan Griffiths and Jeremy Brockie ready to pounce on a thus far ineffective Melbourne defence.
From a betting perspective it would be a poor decision to back Victory to win at cramped odds in my opinion.
I reckon a draw is most likely but if I had to pick a winner I would be keener on an upset.
Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory New Zealand 2012-01-08T03:05:00 1 1:05 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Wellington Phoenix 1.65
Draw 3.60
Perth Glory 5.00
Stats;
Wellington have 6 wins and 2 draws overall in this fixture from 8 games played between the 2.
1-0 Wellington in December 2011 the last time these 2 met.
6 wins, 2 losses and a draw for Wellington at home this season and they have won their last 5 at home.
1 win from 7 for Perth away from home this season but that was back in Round 2. 4 losses and 2 draws since.
Form;
As I said before their last game against Sydney this Wellington team have been in good consistent form for some time now. And now they have talismanic striker Paul Ifill to call upon also, possibly for a starting berth. They are faultless at home and are serious finals contenders with the squad and depth they have available.
For Perth this will be another backs to the wall type game for them and an agressive attitude against Brisbane really paid off. But once again they have an unsettled line up with the probable big loss of Billy Mehmet due to an injury he picked up against Brisbane. He has been their most influential player of late and will be sorely missed.
Prediction;
Very hard to tip against Wellington here. Possibly the only danger to them is the fact they have played more games than any other team in the league of late. Winning breeds confidence though and should overcome the fatigue factor. They are pretty much unbackable at odds on though so perhaps a 2+ goal margin would be worth an investment.
Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners Sydney Football Stadium 3:05 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Sydney FC 2.80
Draw 3.25
Central Coast Mariners 2.40
Stats;
In 11 fixtures between these 2 Sydney FC have never beaten Central Coast by more than 1 goal.
Last fixture was a 2-3 loss for them. 6 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws in this fixture overall for Sydney FC.
1 win, 3 losses and 1 draw for Sydney at SFS this year.
Central Coast are unbeaten in 11 games and have won their last 5 away games!
Form;
Sydney are really struggling to rise above a description of 'mediocre' this season and their form at the SFS doesn't inspire confidence either. The big bonus for them here is the return of Nick Carle who is yet to play in a losing match for them this season. And he is probably the only reason Sydney aren't propping up the bottom of the ladder due to some crucial late goals earlier in the Comp.
They have conceded 10 goals in their last 3 matches though, so it seems their current problems are more due to defensive frailty, rather than in attack, so it probably matters little they have probably their most potent attacking force to call upon.
Central Coast are the yardstick of the competition right now as indicated by the 6 point lead they have now opened up on the rest of the field. The only real negative I can see is that they now have to fill the void left by their top goalscorer Matt Simon who scored both goals against Victory. And it was probably a good thing he did because CC were certainly profligate elsewhere that night missing quite a few chances to 'put the game to bed' a lot earlier than they did.
Having said that Matt Simon wasn't even on the scoresheet the last time these 2 met when 3 goals were put past the home team. And they have a wide spread of other players on their scoresheet this season, so more than likely the last game was an aberration.
Prediction;
Really expecting a spirited performance from Sydney here with their finals aspirations, or at least a top 4 spot rapidly dwindling away. At the moment though they don't seem quite capable of beating an opposition that are right at the top of their game.
I'm tipping Central Coast to win this but I don't think it will be my more than 1 goal.
Gold Coast United v Melbourne Heart Skilled Park 5:35 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Gold Coast United 2.35
Draw 3.35
Melbourne Heart 2.80
Stats;
4 Games between the 2 and honours even (2 Draws).
Melbourne Heart won this fixture back in November 2-1.
Gold Coast have been quite effective at home this year with only 1 loss from 5 games
and that was the game against Heart.
Heart have won last 3 games away from home. Overall 4 wins, 2 draws and
2 losses for them away from home this year. Only other away match off a home loss this year was a 0-0 draw against Melbourne Victory.
Form;
Gold Coast blotted their copybook last time conceding 3 goals against Newcastle after keeping their goal intact in 4 consecutive appearances before that. They were game in defeat though pegging back a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd half only to succumb a minute later to the eventual 'killer punch'.
You just wonder too whether the unavailability of the impressive youngster James Brown cost them at least a draw in that game. He is back for this one and his midfield/attacking partnership with Ben Halloran & the more experienced Maceo Rigters is quickly becoming one of the most lethal 'triumvirates' in the A-League (Mark Bosnich would like that one!). Ben Halloran in particular is really looking a potential Socceroos player for the near future.
Melbourne Heart probably had an important wake up call against Adelaide on Wednesday. They weren't good enough early in that game which was played in trying conditions. Perhaps they missed a bit of leadership there with the loss of captain Fred and Matt Thompson strangely has been largely anonymous the past 2 matched in an attacking sense. I thought their second half performance against Adelaide was actually quite decent and had young Babalj put away a sitter around the 70 minute mark at 0-2 the game would have unfolded a little differently in all probability.
Their away form is good and with Fred back they are going to be hard to beat, particularly if they can rise to the occasion as they did in their previous 2 victories.
Prediction;
This is a tough call in reality. An improving Gold Coast team up against one of the competition pacesetters who have had a dip in form. Any result is possible here but I have picked Heart to win the competition this year and if they play to their capabilities with the return of their most influential player Fred, then they should have too many guns for the Gold Coast. But the home team can't be underestimated on recent performances, and, if at their best, are going to provide a very stern test.
Heart by 1 goal perhaps, but the odds about an away team actually winning off a home loss in recent times (in this League) aren't good
Adelaide United 3.10
Draw 3.35
Brisbane Roar 2.15
Stats;
Brisbane have beaten Adelaide at last 3 meetings, 12 goals for and only 2 against. Overall Adelaide have a 3-2 win record against Brisbane at home but have lost 2 of their last 3.
Brisbane has the better Head to Head record Home and away 6 wins compared to 4.
3 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws for Adelaide at home this season but 1/1 with Kosmina.
Brisbane have 2 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws from their 7 away games but
haven't won in their last 4, losing 3 and drawing 1.
Form;
Adelaide are currently riding high and would probably rank as the 2nd best team in the competition right now going on recent performances. You may as well forget their form before Kosmina returned as this is a far more resilient outfit. But the last 3 games will mean zip here if they once again succumb to a Brisbane side that has caused them massive embarassment in their last 2 matches albeit away from home. You can bet Kosmina will be talking about 'exorcising the demons' and his players should respond here with determination.
Brisbane are still not quite firing as they can and that away record is becoming a bit of a concern.
Incredibly too they have conceded the first goal in 7 consecutive games, in 8 of the past 9 matches and 9 times out of 15 this season. They even conceded first in that 7-1 rout of Adelaide back in Round 4. Reportedly fresh legs coming in for todays' game and not sure that is ideal against an Adelaide outfit that is reaping the results of new found stability and a more positive frame of mind.
Prediction:
I really think Adelaide can get away with this one. They have some boisterous home support and now that they are back in form that could well be worth a goal to them, possibly the difference in this game. If you like a bet the odds are very good for a home side that is in form.
Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets AAMI Park 2012-01-07T08:45:00 1 6:45 PM, Sat 07 Jan 2012
Melbourne Victory 1.70
Draw 3.50
Newcastle Jets 4.75
Stats;
Last time these 2 met Jets won at home 3-1 December 3 2011
Newcastle have better head to head record between the 2 but
haven't won in last 4 attempts away to Melbourne.
Newcastle are yet to win away from home in 6 attempts this year.
Victory are unbeaten from 7 at home this year but have only won 2.
Form;
Melbourne have parted company with coach Mehmet Durakovic which is hardly surprising. Yet again in Football we see a club that doesn't have things in order in the boardroom, corresponding to below par efforts on the field. There have been 2 other recent managerial losses to the Victory in the shape of Gary Cole & Francis Awaritife this season, and the appointment of coach Durakovic was always likely to be a risky one given his lack of experience and exposure to coaching at this level.
As yet a new coach hasn't been appointed, but is likely to be announced before the game. I think that is probably too late to use as motivation for the performance today, even with Kevin Muscat taking the reins as caretaker.
They are still struggling to get their best out of an ageing squad and the quick turnaround from Wednesday seems hardly likely to aid their cause. They need to introduce some youngsters into the squad fairly quickly if they hope to get anything out of this season. And there did seem to be a couple of capable prospects on show against LA Galaxy a month or so ago who haven't been given an opportunity, a bit of an inditement on Mehmets' rein in my opinion.
Their home crowd is definitely worth a goal though and their results at Etihad this season bely their overall standing in the League.
Newcastle are still a work in progress but are coming off a positive result at home where they overcame a determined Gold Coast side, who had recovered a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd half. Shortly after the equaliser Newcastle scored again proving they have a bit of belief and resilience. Had they drawn, or, unthinkably lost that match it really could have meant 'curtains'to their season and coach Van Egmont would really have been in the firing line. As it transpired though the result really could be the making of this team, and possibly the turning point in a stuttering season thus far.
Van Egmont returned to his favoured formation there and plans to stick to it for the rest of the season.
Plans are in in place for this match with a few younger and quicker players likely to be employed to combat the attacking menace of Victory. Pressing high in defence and giving Victory no time on the ball are the priorities.
Prediction;
The Newcastle tactics just might work here against a Victory side in a bit of turmoil and with some tired, ageing legs on show. The home crowd is likely to give them a goal boost though and it has to be remembered that Newcastles' away form is very ordinary. If Newcastle can play a 'spoiling' game effectively though they can get at least a point of this encounter, and they do have 2 of the competitions' leading scorers up front in the shape of Ryan Griffiths and Jeremy Brockie ready to pounce on a thus far ineffective Melbourne defence.
From a betting perspective it would be a poor decision to back Victory to win at cramped odds in my opinion.
I reckon a draw is most likely but if I had to pick a winner I would be keener on an upset.
Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory New Zealand 2012-01-08T03:05:00 1 1:05 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Wellington Phoenix 1.65
Draw 3.60
Perth Glory 5.00
Stats;
Wellington have 6 wins and 2 draws overall in this fixture from 8 games played between the 2.
1-0 Wellington in December 2011 the last time these 2 met.
6 wins, 2 losses and a draw for Wellington at home this season and they have won their last 5 at home.
1 win from 7 for Perth away from home this season but that was back in Round 2. 4 losses and 2 draws since.
Form;
As I said before their last game against Sydney this Wellington team have been in good consistent form for some time now. And now they have talismanic striker Paul Ifill to call upon also, possibly for a starting berth. They are faultless at home and are serious finals contenders with the squad and depth they have available.
For Perth this will be another backs to the wall type game for them and an agressive attitude against Brisbane really paid off. But once again they have an unsettled line up with the probable big loss of Billy Mehmet due to an injury he picked up against Brisbane. He has been their most influential player of late and will be sorely missed.
Prediction;
Very hard to tip against Wellington here. Possibly the only danger to them is the fact they have played more games than any other team in the league of late. Winning breeds confidence though and should overcome the fatigue factor. They are pretty much unbackable at odds on though so perhaps a 2+ goal margin would be worth an investment.
Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners Sydney Football Stadium 3:05 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Sydney FC 2.80
Draw 3.25
Central Coast Mariners 2.40
Stats;
In 11 fixtures between these 2 Sydney FC have never beaten Central Coast by more than 1 goal.
Last fixture was a 2-3 loss for them. 6 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws in this fixture overall for Sydney FC.
1 win, 3 losses and 1 draw for Sydney at SFS this year.
Central Coast are unbeaten in 11 games and have won their last 5 away games!
Form;
Sydney are really struggling to rise above a description of 'mediocre' this season and their form at the SFS doesn't inspire confidence either. The big bonus for them here is the return of Nick Carle who is yet to play in a losing match for them this season. And he is probably the only reason Sydney aren't propping up the bottom of the ladder due to some crucial late goals earlier in the Comp.
They have conceded 10 goals in their last 3 matches though, so it seems their current problems are more due to defensive frailty, rather than in attack, so it probably matters little they have probably their most potent attacking force to call upon.
Central Coast are the yardstick of the competition right now as indicated by the 6 point lead they have now opened up on the rest of the field. The only real negative I can see is that they now have to fill the void left by their top goalscorer Matt Simon who scored both goals against Victory. And it was probably a good thing he did because CC were certainly profligate elsewhere that night missing quite a few chances to 'put the game to bed' a lot earlier than they did.
Having said that Matt Simon wasn't even on the scoresheet the last time these 2 met when 3 goals were put past the home team. And they have a wide spread of other players on their scoresheet this season, so more than likely the last game was an aberration.
Prediction;
Really expecting a spirited performance from Sydney here with their finals aspirations, or at least a top 4 spot rapidly dwindling away. At the moment though they don't seem quite capable of beating an opposition that are right at the top of their game.
I'm tipping Central Coast to win this but I don't think it will be my more than 1 goal.
Gold Coast United v Melbourne Heart Skilled Park 5:35 PM, Sun 08 Jan 2012
Gold Coast United 2.35
Draw 3.35
Melbourne Heart 2.80
Stats;
4 Games between the 2 and honours even (2 Draws).
Melbourne Heart won this fixture back in November 2-1.
Gold Coast have been quite effective at home this year with only 1 loss from 5 games
and that was the game against Heart.
Heart have won last 3 games away from home. Overall 4 wins, 2 draws and
2 losses for them away from home this year. Only other away match off a home loss this year was a 0-0 draw against Melbourne Victory.
Form;
Gold Coast blotted their copybook last time conceding 3 goals against Newcastle after keeping their goal intact in 4 consecutive appearances before that. They were game in defeat though pegging back a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd half only to succumb a minute later to the eventual 'killer punch'.
You just wonder too whether the unavailability of the impressive youngster James Brown cost them at least a draw in that game. He is back for this one and his midfield/attacking partnership with Ben Halloran & the more experienced Maceo Rigters is quickly becoming one of the most lethal 'triumvirates' in the A-League (Mark Bosnich would like that one!). Ben Halloran in particular is really looking a potential Socceroos player for the near future.
Melbourne Heart probably had an important wake up call against Adelaide on Wednesday. They weren't good enough early in that game which was played in trying conditions. Perhaps they missed a bit of leadership there with the loss of captain Fred and Matt Thompson strangely has been largely anonymous the past 2 matched in an attacking sense. I thought their second half performance against Adelaide was actually quite decent and had young Babalj put away a sitter around the 70 minute mark at 0-2 the game would have unfolded a little differently in all probability.
Their away form is good and with Fred back they are going to be hard to beat, particularly if they can rise to the occasion as they did in their previous 2 victories.
Prediction;
This is a tough call in reality. An improving Gold Coast team up against one of the competition pacesetters who have had a dip in form. Any result is possible here but I have picked Heart to win the competition this year and if they play to their capabilities with the return of their most influential player Fred, then they should have too many guns for the Gold Coast. But the home team can't be underestimated on recent performances, and, if at their best, are going to provide a very stern test.
Heart by 1 goal perhaps, but the odds about an away team actually winning off a home loss in recent times (in this League) aren't good
Monday, January 2, 2012
A-League Round 14
Non stop Football Wednesday January 4!;
Opening Betting Markets and times of matches
Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC 12:00 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Wellington Phoenix 2.15
Draw 3.35
Sydney FC 3.15
Stats;
A hard game to predict with Wellington a much better team at home and Sydney are adequate away and possibly won't mind getting away from the SFS where they haven't been too effective. Not sure they would relish the trip over the Tasman though as they have already been here this season and lost 2-1. That was their only defeat on the road this season.
The last 5 matches between the 2 have gone to the home side and strangely there has only been 1 draw between them from 14 matches and that was 13 games ago!
Sydney have the better head to head record with 8 wins to 5.
Form;
Wellington have been perfoming well for some time now and they were very unfortunate not to at least score a goal against Adelaide in their last match. In fact they barely deserved to lose it, almost sharing possession & having more of that in the opponents half.
They have won their last 4 games at home scoring 10 goals and only conceding 3.
Sydney conversely have been consistently inconsistent. They weren't as bad as the 4-0 scoreline suggests in their last match against Melbourne Heart but they were clinically taken apart at the back on nearly every occasion Heart threatened. There wasn't a lot of sustained pressure on them yet they were found wanting and there might well be sustained pressure in this match.
They are reasonably well placed on the table to push for a finals berth but a few of their earlier results were flattering due to scoring late goals. As the season has continued though they have lost that advantage (Fitness) and haven't run over the top of teams anymore. Nick Carle had been largely responsible for that happening and Sydney have gone backwards since his absence. He should be back for this one which is a big bonus but he is probably going to be a bit rusty and surely can't see out a full game. They will also be boosted by the return of their captain Terry McFlynn though.
Prediction: Wellington to win by 1 goal as I think they are going too well (overall) to tip against back at home.
Melbourne Heart v Adelaide United 2:15 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Melbourne Heart 1.65
Draw 3.65
Adelaide United 5.00
Stats;
Not a lot between the 2 in the 4 matches they have played thus far. Adelaide won the first 2 (which you would kind of expect) but Heart won the next. The last time they met in early November a 1-1 draw ensued at Aami Park.
Form;
Melbourne Heart are absolutely flying having won their last 5 matches and averaged 2.5 goals in the process. They have been exceptional to watch in their past 2 matches especially in the ruthless and techincally efficient way they have disposed of their opponents. Coach Van't Schipp has laid claim to being the best coach in the League with his tactical prowess against Sydney last week. Sydney were running the show in midfield so he changed to 3 at the back and pushed another player into the engine room. That was a gutsy call that could have left them further exposed in defence but it paid off handsomely. In fact that was 'the end of the section' as they say.
Adelaide have drawn their last 3 matches and only lost 2 of their 6 away matches this year. One was a thrashing at the hands of Brisbane and the other was a narrow defeat in Perth, the graveyard of many a team. And now they are a more formidable outfit with the return of Messiah Kosmina.
Problem is this is a far sterner test of their resolve and in reality they were more than a bit fortunate last week not to concede on a couple of occasions. Had they been playing this opposition there is just no way they would have ended up victorious.
Funny what confidence can do though and Heart don't need to get complacent here against a side that now has it's tail up. Captain Fred is also going to be missing and he is possibly their most influential player.
Prediction- Heart to win but not by as much as current odds suggest. Odds on look on!
Newcastle Jets v Gold Coast United 4:30 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Newcastle Jets 2.60
Draw 3.20
Gold Coast United 2.60
The home team are struggling whilst the Visitors are in really good form which means this could be a very even contest.
Stats;
Not much between these 2 on a historical basis. Gold Coast lead 4 games to 3 with only the 1 draw in 8 matches. Gold Coast have won the last 2 clashes between these 2 and pretty handsomely too 3-1 & 5-1. But they are yet to beat Newcastle at Ausgrid stadium from 3 attempts with Newcastle victors on each occasions.
Form;
Newcastle are really in the doldrums and their home form, so often their strongest asset, now appears to have deserted them with only one win from 4. I didn't see a great deal of their last match but from all reports they were very disappointing conceding early to an ordinary Perth outfit and then failing to take advantage of a man advantage with Mehmet sent off for Perth in the first half. They found an equaliser early in the 62nd minute which came well and truly early enough for them to go on and win but they failed pretty miserably. At a time that they need to show steady improvement they are instead in freefall.
Gold Coast on the other hand have been the big improvers of late.
Since Captain Michael Thwaite has been given free role in defence they have gone from whipping boys to not conceding a goal against tough opposition in 4 games, which is really quite staggering. And I might add a masterstroke by coach Miron Bleiberg who was enduring his fair share of criticism not too long ago. Their last 2 away games have been excellent with an M1 Derby win (little home advantage) over Brisbane Roar.
They really should be a decent team on the road as home attendances hardly offer a lot of inspiration not withstanding the loyal 'Beach' supporters squad who do their utmost and deserve better.
Their squad will be strengthened by the return of midfielder Beekmans and defender Rees, as if the defensive side of their game even needs a bonus right now!
Prediction: I think the Queenslanders can win this as they are meeting a very vulnerable Newcastle side who don't seem to have enough quality to dig themselves out of a widening hole. Probably only 1 goal in this one though and it might not be a high scoring game.
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory 6:45 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Central Coast Mariners 1.70
Draw 3.40
Melbourne Victory 5.00
Central Coast are a team in the true sense of the word and the most consistent team in the competition. They are up against the what can only be descriibed as the most shambolic one in Melbourne Victory.
Stats;
This fixture has thrown up possibly the weirdest results I have ever seen. Quite obviously there is little point in following the form book when these 2 meet because in their last 7 clashes the favoured team has failed to win on any of those occasions. And when there is a large disparity in the odds the heavily favoured team most often fails spectacularly by 2 goals or more. There is quite a disparity here so surely it can't happen again?
Melbourne Victory have slightly the better record with 8 wins to 6 but these two have also drawn on 5 occasions.
Noticeable too that these encounters are normally of the high scoring variety with more than twice as many matches eventuating in more than 2.25 goals rather than less.
Form;
The last time these 2 met it was in Gosford in Round 6 which ended in a 0-0 draw. Central Coast have now gone 10 matches without defeat but couldn't breach the Gold Coast defence last Saturday, a match I didn't witness. They have 3 wins and 3 draws from 6 games at home this season. Leading goalscorer Matt Simon has left for the Korean League and that definitely isn't a positive for them, but they have enough time to find a strike partner for their impressive youngster Bernie Abini, and it isn't as though they are a one trick pony. Far from it with 9 separate goalscorers so far this season.
Melbourne Victory were just awful in Brisbane on New Years Eve.
They got the perfect start scoring early through Harry Kewell and that was the filip they badly needed after being on the end of a resounding defeat against their arch rival the week before. From thereon though they were hugely disappointing, surrendering possession time after time to an equally profligate Roar midfield who eventually took control of the match at about the 30 minute mark. It took them another 13 minutes to make that advantage pay but by the time it transpired Victory looked 'as shot as a duck' possibly could. A goal very close to half time is quite often a killer blow but it was quite obvious to me that only a massacre could ensue. And that was pretty much the case until after Brisbane scored their 3rd whereby Victory suddenly decided they had better try and rescue some respectability. And they did to a certain extent. It is possible that the arrival of Grant Brebner off the bench was the catalyst. Just not sure because the midfield of Victory have gone missing most of the season regardless of who has been present.
And the most disappointing thing about the washup to this effort was coach Durakovic stating that he it was a decent performance by his team. Beggers belief really!
I'd hate to see them put in a bad one then and wouldn't advist them to do so in this match.
Prediction: Hard to tip against Central Coast here but the historical aspect between these 2 really has me intrigued. Apparently the field at Bluetongue is a bit bumpy too and that isn't exactly conducive to the home team who play a pretty attractive brand of Football, but probably suitable for the visitors if they are hungry enough to battle hard. Could a massive upset be looming again?
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar 9:00 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Perth Glory 3.40
Draw 3.35
Brisbane Roar 2.05
A very unsettled home side up against a back in form team, who in the main are very settled.
Stats;
Since the 2009-2010 season these 2 sides have played 3 times in Perth with all 3 possible results ensuing. Brisbane won the last 1 though 2-1 and also decimated Perth at home quite recently with a 4-0 scoreline which gave them that fabulous 36 game record.
Form;
That defeat against Brisbane was embarassing for Perth and particularly their coach Ian Ferguson who seemingly forgot to tell his players that you simply can't hand over 90 minutes of possession to the other team and hope to get some sort of positive result. By half time it was 4-0 and only then did he introduce an attacking player with the ability to stem the tide. It bore some fruit but the result stayed the same.
Since then they have tightened up quite a bit but still only won 1 of their past 5 matches (at home against a generous Gold Coast) and that was their only win in their past 10 games also.
They have been beset by injury in recent times and it would certainly help if they could keep 11 men on the field, albeit Billy Mehmet should not have been ejected last night week, in what can only be described as an apalling decision by the officials. Staying disciplined in this game will be even more crucial to their chances.
Billy Mehmet has apparently gained a reprieve from last week, Shane Smeltz might return and young defender Josh Mitchell is also available. Surely some sort of boost for the confidence.
Brisbane had been horribly out of form but they just might have got the monkey off their back last Saturday with a resounding win against, it has to be said, a deplorable opposition. Coach Postecoglou made a decisive tactical change before the match moving Ivan Franjic to a right midfield spot and playing with a back 3. Maybe he watched the Heart game the other night??
Whatever, it worked a treat and Brisbane looked back to their best. The changes were also rung with Nakajima-Farran on the bench, Brattan getting his first start (I think) & Rocky Visconte given another chance. He took that chance with both hands (and one excellent left foot!) and it could be the turning point in this young blokes career. He has looked good at the start of games but gone missing a little bit, and he still needs to be a bit more positive in regard to his 'directness' on the ball, and with his passing. If he can rectify that, and increase in confidence, there is little doubt he is going to cause opposition defences a lot of problems.
Prediction: Brisbane should win this providing they follow up on what they achieved the other night, with said players continuing to step up to the plate.
Perth just don't have the arsenal to trouble Brisbane and must not fall into the trap of surrendering possession like they did in the last meeting between these 2. They have to try and pressure Brisbane otherwise this could be another rout. A draw would be a good result for them, but they will have to play out of their skin to acheive that in all probability.
Opening Betting Markets and times of matches
Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC 12:00 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Wellington Phoenix 2.15
Draw 3.35
Sydney FC 3.15
Stats;
A hard game to predict with Wellington a much better team at home and Sydney are adequate away and possibly won't mind getting away from the SFS where they haven't been too effective. Not sure they would relish the trip over the Tasman though as they have already been here this season and lost 2-1. That was their only defeat on the road this season.
The last 5 matches between the 2 have gone to the home side and strangely there has only been 1 draw between them from 14 matches and that was 13 games ago!
Sydney have the better head to head record with 8 wins to 5.
Form;
Wellington have been perfoming well for some time now and they were very unfortunate not to at least score a goal against Adelaide in their last match. In fact they barely deserved to lose it, almost sharing possession & having more of that in the opponents half.
They have won their last 4 games at home scoring 10 goals and only conceding 3.
Sydney conversely have been consistently inconsistent. They weren't as bad as the 4-0 scoreline suggests in their last match against Melbourne Heart but they were clinically taken apart at the back on nearly every occasion Heart threatened. There wasn't a lot of sustained pressure on them yet they were found wanting and there might well be sustained pressure in this match.
They are reasonably well placed on the table to push for a finals berth but a few of their earlier results were flattering due to scoring late goals. As the season has continued though they have lost that advantage (Fitness) and haven't run over the top of teams anymore. Nick Carle had been largely responsible for that happening and Sydney have gone backwards since his absence. He should be back for this one which is a big bonus but he is probably going to be a bit rusty and surely can't see out a full game. They will also be boosted by the return of their captain Terry McFlynn though.
Prediction: Wellington to win by 1 goal as I think they are going too well (overall) to tip against back at home.
Melbourne Heart v Adelaide United 2:15 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Melbourne Heart 1.65
Draw 3.65
Adelaide United 5.00
Stats;
Not a lot between the 2 in the 4 matches they have played thus far. Adelaide won the first 2 (which you would kind of expect) but Heart won the next. The last time they met in early November a 1-1 draw ensued at Aami Park.
Form;
Melbourne Heart are absolutely flying having won their last 5 matches and averaged 2.5 goals in the process. They have been exceptional to watch in their past 2 matches especially in the ruthless and techincally efficient way they have disposed of their opponents. Coach Van't Schipp has laid claim to being the best coach in the League with his tactical prowess against Sydney last week. Sydney were running the show in midfield so he changed to 3 at the back and pushed another player into the engine room. That was a gutsy call that could have left them further exposed in defence but it paid off handsomely. In fact that was 'the end of the section' as they say.
Adelaide have drawn their last 3 matches and only lost 2 of their 6 away matches this year. One was a thrashing at the hands of Brisbane and the other was a narrow defeat in Perth, the graveyard of many a team. And now they are a more formidable outfit with the return of Messiah Kosmina.
Problem is this is a far sterner test of their resolve and in reality they were more than a bit fortunate last week not to concede on a couple of occasions. Had they been playing this opposition there is just no way they would have ended up victorious.
Funny what confidence can do though and Heart don't need to get complacent here against a side that now has it's tail up. Captain Fred is also going to be missing and he is possibly their most influential player.
Prediction- Heart to win but not by as much as current odds suggest. Odds on look on!
Newcastle Jets v Gold Coast United 4:30 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Newcastle Jets 2.60
Draw 3.20
Gold Coast United 2.60
The home team are struggling whilst the Visitors are in really good form which means this could be a very even contest.
Stats;
Not much between these 2 on a historical basis. Gold Coast lead 4 games to 3 with only the 1 draw in 8 matches. Gold Coast have won the last 2 clashes between these 2 and pretty handsomely too 3-1 & 5-1. But they are yet to beat Newcastle at Ausgrid stadium from 3 attempts with Newcastle victors on each occasions.
Form;
Newcastle are really in the doldrums and their home form, so often their strongest asset, now appears to have deserted them with only one win from 4. I didn't see a great deal of their last match but from all reports they were very disappointing conceding early to an ordinary Perth outfit and then failing to take advantage of a man advantage with Mehmet sent off for Perth in the first half. They found an equaliser early in the 62nd minute which came well and truly early enough for them to go on and win but they failed pretty miserably. At a time that they need to show steady improvement they are instead in freefall.
Gold Coast on the other hand have been the big improvers of late.
Since Captain Michael Thwaite has been given free role in defence they have gone from whipping boys to not conceding a goal against tough opposition in 4 games, which is really quite staggering. And I might add a masterstroke by coach Miron Bleiberg who was enduring his fair share of criticism not too long ago. Their last 2 away games have been excellent with an M1 Derby win (little home advantage) over Brisbane Roar.
They really should be a decent team on the road as home attendances hardly offer a lot of inspiration not withstanding the loyal 'Beach' supporters squad who do their utmost and deserve better.
Their squad will be strengthened by the return of midfielder Beekmans and defender Rees, as if the defensive side of their game even needs a bonus right now!
Prediction: I think the Queenslanders can win this as they are meeting a very vulnerable Newcastle side who don't seem to have enough quality to dig themselves out of a widening hole. Probably only 1 goal in this one though and it might not be a high scoring game.
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory 6:45 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Central Coast Mariners 1.70
Draw 3.40
Melbourne Victory 5.00
Central Coast are a team in the true sense of the word and the most consistent team in the competition. They are up against the what can only be descriibed as the most shambolic one in Melbourne Victory.
Stats;
This fixture has thrown up possibly the weirdest results I have ever seen. Quite obviously there is little point in following the form book when these 2 meet because in their last 7 clashes the favoured team has failed to win on any of those occasions. And when there is a large disparity in the odds the heavily favoured team most often fails spectacularly by 2 goals or more. There is quite a disparity here so surely it can't happen again?
Melbourne Victory have slightly the better record with 8 wins to 6 but these two have also drawn on 5 occasions.
Noticeable too that these encounters are normally of the high scoring variety with more than twice as many matches eventuating in more than 2.25 goals rather than less.
Form;
The last time these 2 met it was in Gosford in Round 6 which ended in a 0-0 draw. Central Coast have now gone 10 matches without defeat but couldn't breach the Gold Coast defence last Saturday, a match I didn't witness. They have 3 wins and 3 draws from 6 games at home this season. Leading goalscorer Matt Simon has left for the Korean League and that definitely isn't a positive for them, but they have enough time to find a strike partner for their impressive youngster Bernie Abini, and it isn't as though they are a one trick pony. Far from it with 9 separate goalscorers so far this season.
Melbourne Victory were just awful in Brisbane on New Years Eve.
They got the perfect start scoring early through Harry Kewell and that was the filip they badly needed after being on the end of a resounding defeat against their arch rival the week before. From thereon though they were hugely disappointing, surrendering possession time after time to an equally profligate Roar midfield who eventually took control of the match at about the 30 minute mark. It took them another 13 minutes to make that advantage pay but by the time it transpired Victory looked 'as shot as a duck' possibly could. A goal very close to half time is quite often a killer blow but it was quite obvious to me that only a massacre could ensue. And that was pretty much the case until after Brisbane scored their 3rd whereby Victory suddenly decided they had better try and rescue some respectability. And they did to a certain extent. It is possible that the arrival of Grant Brebner off the bench was the catalyst. Just not sure because the midfield of Victory have gone missing most of the season regardless of who has been present.
And the most disappointing thing about the washup to this effort was coach Durakovic stating that he it was a decent performance by his team. Beggers belief really!
I'd hate to see them put in a bad one then and wouldn't advist them to do so in this match.
Prediction: Hard to tip against Central Coast here but the historical aspect between these 2 really has me intrigued. Apparently the field at Bluetongue is a bit bumpy too and that isn't exactly conducive to the home team who play a pretty attractive brand of Football, but probably suitable for the visitors if they are hungry enough to battle hard. Could a massive upset be looming again?
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar 9:00 PM, Wed 04 Jan 2012
Perth Glory 3.40
Draw 3.35
Brisbane Roar 2.05
A very unsettled home side up against a back in form team, who in the main are very settled.
Stats;
Since the 2009-2010 season these 2 sides have played 3 times in Perth with all 3 possible results ensuing. Brisbane won the last 1 though 2-1 and also decimated Perth at home quite recently with a 4-0 scoreline which gave them that fabulous 36 game record.
Form;
That defeat against Brisbane was embarassing for Perth and particularly their coach Ian Ferguson who seemingly forgot to tell his players that you simply can't hand over 90 minutes of possession to the other team and hope to get some sort of positive result. By half time it was 4-0 and only then did he introduce an attacking player with the ability to stem the tide. It bore some fruit but the result stayed the same.
Since then they have tightened up quite a bit but still only won 1 of their past 5 matches (at home against a generous Gold Coast) and that was their only win in their past 10 games also.
They have been beset by injury in recent times and it would certainly help if they could keep 11 men on the field, albeit Billy Mehmet should not have been ejected last night week, in what can only be described as an apalling decision by the officials. Staying disciplined in this game will be even more crucial to their chances.
Billy Mehmet has apparently gained a reprieve from last week, Shane Smeltz might return and young defender Josh Mitchell is also available. Surely some sort of boost for the confidence.
Brisbane had been horribly out of form but they just might have got the monkey off their back last Saturday with a resounding win against, it has to be said, a deplorable opposition. Coach Postecoglou made a decisive tactical change before the match moving Ivan Franjic to a right midfield spot and playing with a back 3. Maybe he watched the Heart game the other night??
Whatever, it worked a treat and Brisbane looked back to their best. The changes were also rung with Nakajima-Farran on the bench, Brattan getting his first start (I think) & Rocky Visconte given another chance. He took that chance with both hands (and one excellent left foot!) and it could be the turning point in this young blokes career. He has looked good at the start of games but gone missing a little bit, and he still needs to be a bit more positive in regard to his 'directness' on the ball, and with his passing. If he can rectify that, and increase in confidence, there is little doubt he is going to cause opposition defences a lot of problems.
Prediction: Brisbane should win this providing they follow up on what they achieved the other night, with said players continuing to step up to the plate.
Perth just don't have the arsenal to trouble Brisbane and must not fall into the trap of surrendering possession like they did in the last meeting between these 2. They have to try and pressure Brisbane otherwise this could be another rout. A draw would be a good result for them, but they will have to play out of their skin to acheive that in all probability.
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