Can anyone stop Melbourne Victory making it two in a row?
What did we learn from last weekend’s round of A-League games? The top six is all but decided, give or take a few late hopes. Sydney FC seem determined to shoot themselves in the foot. And Melbourne Victory, despite losing to Gold Coast, are still favourites to do the double again.
For those who had better things to do this weekend, the first four finals places are locked in, with Melbourne, Gold Coast, Sydney and Perth all doing enough. Despite tricky away games, Wellington and Newcastle should finish off the six.
Sydney FC’s late loss to Brisbane showed Viteslav Lavicka’s side don’t quite yet have the killer instinct needed to finish lesser opponents off, and is a sign that they’re unlikely to win the title.
But Melbourne… The loss to Gold Coast was tight enough that it could have gone either way. Had Archie Thompson been playing – and Robbie Kruse not got boshed off the ball by Steve Pantelidis, a man who probably slides into bed at night with a two-footed tackle (in the above video) the champs would in all likelihood have left Skilled Park with at least a point.
Melbourne now face Fury at home (woot!) and Sydney away – a tough fixture but not unwinnable for the side with the league’s best away record.
Gold Coast host Wellington, the draw experts desperate for a finals spot, and play away to Fury, a surprisingly tough trip. Given Victory are already on top on goal difference, the smart money’s on them making it two premierships in a row. Then it’s into the finals, Archie’s back and a hop, skip and a jump to watching Kevin Muscat lifting the toilet seat yet again. How depressing.
Goal of the week: Tough choice. Weren’t exactly many crackers this weekend – so Zenon Caravella’s well-struck shot for Gold Coast probably takes it.
Talking point of the week: What happened to the Mariners’ defence?
Seems like the didn’t want to chase the finals to the end.
What to say to sound like you know something about the A-League: Central Coast-bound Danny McBreen wasn’t scared about finishing his future team’s finals hopes.
Game to watch this week: Sydney v Perth – can the Sky Blues snatch a top-two spot and what will the crowd be like for the first game at Parramatta?
And the EPL in a sentence: Rooney Rooney Rooney. Jeez, the bloke’s ugly but he knows how to score goals. (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26660213-29437,00.html)
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