A-League 2007 / 2008

[Wedgie]

Still level with 30 mins left, even with a draw Qld will jump from 3rd to 1st on goal difference, Sydney would also jump from 4th to 2nd leaving Central Coast in 3rd and Newcastle in 4th.
Best season of A League ever. Almost as good as the NSL!

Ended up a draw and it happened, what an amazing end to the season.
Good luck to AU tonight in helping decide if they come 2nd to bottom, 3rd to bottom or 4th to bottom.

Not bad, the team I picked to win it this year with only one other person are top with 1 round to go.

[Dirko]

THE FINAL ROUND

Well what a season it's been.
The top four just need to determine the final spots.
The bottom four, the spoon race is on between Perth & Wellington, 4 goals separate them, points the same so next weeks games will decide it.
Adelaide or Melbourne could get it but would need BOTH Perth & Wellington to win and win by a minimum of about 10 goals !

Next weeks clashes, are crucial to the finalists...ALL top four teams, play bottom four teams. ALL top four teams can finish top.
Queensland have the best goal difference, two ahead of the Bling.

Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory the pressure is off the Jets, they won easily last week, and will look toward pinching a top two spot for the finals, and a possible trip to Asia. Perth have nothing to play for except to avoid the spoon, Newcastle have top spot in it's sites. I'd know what is more important. Newcastle to win and easily...3 - 0

Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix, the CCM have the easiest or the hardest job this week, depends on which team in Wellington rock up. If the "good" kiwis show then the CCM have a hard game, if the "bad" rock up then they'll win and look at a top two spot.
The CCM have lost alot of momentum in the past few weeks, and for the first time all year look unlike a top two team.
Having said that the CCM to win 2 - 0

Bling vs the Melbourne #####'s. What a last game. Melbourne are in form finally, and will look at making sure that Sydney finish either 3rd or 4th. If the Bling win, they will need to score a few to ensure of a finish in the top two as the goal difference between them and CCM/the Jets is only 1. I can see the ####'s getting up here to make the finals that bit harder for the Bling.
Melbourne 2 Sydney 1.

Adelaide United v Queensland Roar, well a wasted season for injury depleted Adelaide, they take on Queensland who have quietly gone about their business and have probably been the most consistent side this year. It's up to the Roar. Win they finish top, lose and they could finish fourth. A draw won't do they will need to take the 3 points. The Reds have the last chance to shape the finals playoffs. If they win it'd give the team some confidence heading into Asia. Queensland have too much to play for.
Roar 2 - Adelaide 1.

The top four will be
Queensland
Newcastle
CCM
Sydney

I predict that Newcastle may be the smokeys for the title....

[mickey]

not really sure how u can say that perth have nothing to play for except avoiding the spoon. Since the change of coach we have been 1 of the better performing sides in the league. With half the squad playing for contracts and the good form we have showed, id be very surprised if we imploded to a 3-0 loss

[Dirko]

not really sure how u can say that perth have nothing to play for except avoiding the spoon. Since the change of coach we have been 1 of the better performing sides in the league. With half the squad playing for contracts and the good form we have showed, id be very surprised if we imploded to a 3-0 loss

What I meant in the context of the season this game means nothing. You can't finish higher than 7th, you should avoid the spoon on goal difference at least. In regard to contracts the same applies to Wellington, Adelaide & Melbourne squad members.
Indeed you have been one of the better sides, since the manager was replaced, but IMO, I think the game means more to Newcastle.

[Wedgie]

A win to Newcastle and a great win to Central Coast by 2 goals which puts them top of the table (so much for choking).

Current ladder:

Central Coast 34pts (+5GD)
Newcastle 34pts (+4GD)
Queensland 31pts (+6GD)
Sydney 31pts (+4GD)

Still tight with Sydney playing Melbourne and Adelaide playing Queensland.

Never thought I'd say this but go Melbourne and Adelaide!

What a great season of A-League, easily the best so far.

[Wedgie]

Melbourne and Sydney are currently 1-1, come on Melbourne, a draw will be fine.

[Wedgie]

Sydney up 2-1, they need a win by 2 goals to take the top spot away from the Mariners, come on Melbourne!

Great crowd as its been pouring for a lot of the match, A-League high of 33k.
Who would have thought last season that Sydney would get more to a minor round match than Melbourne.

[Wedgie]

2 all draw in the end, which means the Mariners are assured of a Major Semi spot, you bewty!
Now for AU to do the right thing and win or draw so it can be at Bluetongue!

[Wedgie]

AU 1 nil up, go boys!

[Dutchy]

thought you were a Roar man Wedgie?

and WTF is up with the Roar wearing their home outfit away? have they done a WCE and travelled with the wrong kit? terrible to watch looks like 22 Red players...

[Wedgie]

thought you were a Roar man Wedgie?

and WTF is up with the Roar wearing their home outfit away? have they done a WCE and travelled with the wrong kit? terrible to watch looks like 22 Red players...

Nah mate, was when Mori played up there and picked them to be top this year but jumped on the Mariners wagon earlier this season when Mori was playing there. When J.Aloisi joined them it was a no brainer.

Qld wearing their orange tops is ridiculous, agree they all look similar. WTF were they thinking?

[Dutchy]

OK

looking at their website they are definately wearing their Home strip when playing away...

Need one more goal in the 2nd half, dont care who!

[Wedgie]

AU 2 nil up with 20 mins to go, the Mariners are close to top spot now!

[Thiele]

Go United.

[Wedgie]

2 nil with 90 mins gone, the Mariners are top of the table!

First week of finals action:

Major Semi: Central Coast v Newcastle @ Central Coast, winner gets a home GF.
Minor Semi: Sydney v Queensland @ Sydney, winner plays loser of Major SF.

[RoosterMarty]

It finished 2-0.

Of course those semis are played over two legs as well.

I've read two reports regarding the Roar strip.

* they wanted to be handed the Premiers trophy in their home kits

* they forgot to bring their away kit


Either way, pretty ridiculous and there should be a fine or something but I doubt anything will come of it. Good to see Tiatto sent off as well, hopefully he is banned for the rest of the finals, he's a dirty prick.

[smithy]

They forgot their away strip according to fox sports.
TIATTO was a thug at the Melbourne Knights 14 years ago and he's still a sniping thug now.

[Wedgie]

Of course those semis are played over two legs as well.

Cheers for that, forget how it was done.
Still strikes me as weird that the 2 lesser important finals are played over 2 legs but the 2 more important finals aren't.
Almost as weird/stupid that the 2 teams representing Australia in the ACL couldn't even make the finals.

[Dirko]

A good final round, with two teams coughing up the chance for a top two spot.

Well done to the CCM on wrapping up the premiership and qualifying for Asia. Apart from a dodgy 4 weeks toward the end of the season, without a doubt the best team of the year and deserved top spot.
They had a good win over the Phoenix 2 - nil, who got the spoon on goal difference to Perth. Where to now for a team from New Zealand ? Third season of the league and third wooden spoon.
For the CCM they have made the important ACL. What they do next year in it remains to be seen, The ACL is a tough nut to crack, and where the Australian teams fall down, is we have finished our season and they are starting there's. Lack of match play affects form, and this I feel is any teams big stumbling block. As for the finals the CCM have had only four draws this season, and have lost more games than the other 3 finalists. This shows that they play an attacking style of football, which should hold them in good stead for the sudden death format. Key players for them in the finals will be Alvin Ceccoli & Tony Vidmar. If the defence holds firm they have the sublime John Aloisi who is in superb touch up front to score.
Incredibly the CCM have only scored 3 goals in a winning game once this season. That was against Wellington. Although they play attacking football they have a knack for not putting teams to the sword.

CCM season highlight, beating Adelaide 2 - 1 in Adelaide to all but ensure a finals spot. A good win against a then in form Adelaide side.

CCM lowlight, losing 5 - 2, against the Victory in Gosford. This was after the week in which Sydney beat them 5-3. A terrible fortnight for the CCM which called into play whether they'd be able to finish top two. They have and now onto better things.

Form against fellow finalists.
Sydney won 1, lost 2
Newcastle 2 draws, lost 1
Queensland won 1, lost 2.

The form against the other 4 teams is not too flash. They haven't beaten Newcastle all season so this will be a big test for them. They need to get a point away on the first leg, and considering that they've played two draws out of four for the season against the Jets, this could be a likely result.

***********************************************************************************************************
Newcastle rolled into the finals with a 2 - 1 win over Perth. Thus ending Perth's season of misery on a sour note. Newcastle jumped from 4th to second thanks to other results going there way, but also to an improved effort over the past 5 weeks.
They have the leading goal scorer of the season in Griffiths, in fine form. A solid defence with Covic in goal having a great year.
They will be confident of beating the CCM as they drawn two and won one in the season proper. They have won 4 out the last five and would be the form team heading into the finals. Key players for the finals are Griffiths and Jade North. With the best attacking winger in the league and close to the best central defender, they have a very good two running around the park. If Griffiths fires then Newcastle are a huge chance for the Championship.

Another team which aren't big scorers although consistent like the CCM they fail to put teams to the sword.

Newcastle season highlight, beating Melbourne Victory 3 - 1, at the Telstra Dome, which started there run into the finals.

Newcastle season lowlight, losing 1 - 4, against Perth at home. A loss halfway through the season which saw them fire up and drop only two more games for the season proper.

Form against fellow finalists.
CCM drawn twice, beaten once.
Queensland drawn twice, beaten once.
Sydney lost three times.

Have good from against the CCM & Roar, but struggle against the Bling. Would be hoping for a series win over the CCM and then hope that the Bling gets knocked out. If so a huge chance for the championship.

***********************************************************************************************************

Will bring the wrap up for Sydney & Queensland tomorrow...

[RoosterMarty]

Where to now for a team from New Zealand ? Third season of the league and third wooden spoon.

Up!
Don't be too harsh on them just because they finished bottom. The side we saw this version was a lot better than the last abomination. Remember, it was a very tight season and even Melbourne and Adelaide were chances at finishing bottom.. Melbourne even more so before they won a few games in a row. They have been much more competitive on field (remember they are playing catch-up) and they have had awesome crowds turn out.
They will improve, sort the defence out and there's no reason why they can't press for a top 4 spot.