sidelined

The business end of the season is on us and the battle for the top four starts to mean more than just a hype gimmick. Adelaide have taken top perch off the Mariners with help from their old boss, the cellar dwellers battle for respect and a mathmatical shot at finals glory, while the teams in orange and sky-blue try to get some consistency off their higher-placed foes.

Now with updates.

AUFC 3 0 – QRFC 1

Adelaide are the form team of the competition and the ladder finally reflects that. Roar need a win to forestall a certain team in sky-blue leapfrogging them. Though they are light at the back, Adelaide are solid in attack and will have midfield enforcer Salley back, while Roar lose Tiatto to a groin tear. Good as they are wide and frontally QLD really needed a fit Tiatto to clamp down on Burns and co. — Craig Moore was thoroughly owned by same last time.

Update: You win some, you lose some. In this case Adelaide lost. The Promising Young Nathan Burns was pretty innocuous in a low-scoring, rain-affected, defense-dominated match. While Queensland were generous with posession, half of the team in red were MIA, and so the goal came to Reinaldo who on his third identical run from the right of midfield was rewarded with a thunderbolt. While Adelaide were arguably the tightest team on the park, going forward they were as threatening as a Valium-addled toddler while Queensland’s central defense was much improved and they played with much more intent — after halftime you couldn’t see them not scoring.

PGFC 0 – WPFC 0 1

Glory have to, should, and will win this battle of the crappy defenders as their crappy defenders can also score goals (Coyne, Harnwell, Colosimo).

H/T: wow. These teams are in the cellar for a reason. Glory have been dangerous in attack the last few weeks. So far they’re dross. Wellington in desperation are playing wingback Ahmad Elrich as a striker. What wir you thunkung, Rucky? Whoever wins this, your season’s over regardless.
FT: Wellington by one. Wouldn’t want to be in Ron Smith’s shoes.

NUJ 1 0 - SFC 3 1

Jets without Musialik and Thompson are gonna have a devil of a time handling Brosque-Bridges-Corica-Juninho. Sydneys back half is up for a reshuffle with Zadkovic picking up a knock in training (along with Timpano and Biddle – wtf are they doing in those sessions when the cameras vanish?), so it sounds like a back four with Mark Rudan in there somewhere.

Joel Griffiths to be torn to shreds by a lusty pack of gibbons shortly after kick-off.

update:Very interesting game, a tactitian’s paradise as Kossie and Dutchie squared off. Sydney’s initial back four was quickly picked apart by an attacking trio of Bridge, Hearfield and Griffiths but Kossie from his perch saw all and ordered a switch back to last round’s 5-3-2, putting pacy Mark Milligan back in centre defense and pushing Fyfe and Middleby forward on the wings (a curate’s egg decision; Middleby is a winger and was much improved, Fyfe is a centre-back and was even more lost).

This game was at times amazing to watch, Newcastle’s defense was tight across their half and they were dangerous on the counter, and while Van Egmond complained at half-time that they lacked tempo and agression the discipline on display was impressive; although Sydney countered by dropping back and passing deep, Newcastle closed down the spaces frustrating the efforts of Sydney’s forwards time and again.

The game began to turn inside half time when Middleby clattered into playmaker Denni causing him to limp off with an ankle injury, but this was effectively negated by Juninho reaggravating his shoulder (cheers Matt Breeze ). His halftime replacement Zadkovich burst on to the scene and immediately began to pressure the Jets running from deep midfield. Pressure paid off at the 68th minute when a Middleby corner lead to a goalmouth scramble — the Jets failed to clear and the ball fell to Michael Bridges who blasted it clean into the top of the net. Mario Jardel was brought on and managed to get Sydney hearts aflutter in the box but the Jets were now playing catch-up and had to open up, gifting Sydney much greater space and posession.

It wasn’t always pleasant to watch, and Matt Breeze had another infuriating performance, managing to offend Sydney and Newy supporters alike. As the home side I felt it was incumbent on the Jets to go after Sydney, instead they played a counter-attacking game which came unstuck. Overall though, this match is an encouraging sign for Revolving Door FC fans: the ability to win ugly away is a crucial part of a successful campaign, one that FC will need again in the next few weeks.

CCM 2 – MVFC 1

This is the weakest CCM lineup MV will face, and they won’t be up to it, unless Merrick has an amazing revelation and dumps the 7-0-3, bring in Caceres and Leandro, Erns, or we’ll happily take 4th off you…
Update: five Mariners players have returned from injury and clouds are still over Archie and Brebner which makes much of the above redundant. In the Battle of the Scottish Coaches this match is now looking like McKinna’s to lose and Merrick’s to endure.

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