By Tony Tannous
November 9th 2009 @ 5:02am
A golden weekend for all the brights
Melbourne Victory's Grant Brebner clashes with Central Coast Mariner's John Hutchinson, after a serious tackle on team-mate Carlos Hernandez during round 14 of the 2009 A-League season, Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory at Ethihad Stadium in Melbourne, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. The Mariners beat Victory 4-0. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
This was a weekend for all the brights; golds, yellows and the orange of the Brisbane Roar, just to emphasise how unpredictable this tightest of seasons is, now past its half-way point.
So much for the sky and navy blues romping away with the crucial first and second spots.
Now there are only 10 points between top and bottom, two points between bottom and sixth, while first placed Sydney and bottom placed North Queensland have each lost five times. Crazy stuff.
Ange Postecoglou’s Roar kicked things off with a crucial win at Hindmarsh, and now look to have turned the corner.
The manager appears to be making his mark and getting everyone on his page. The mentality of the team looked strong here, emphasised by a dominant second half display.
Sergio van Dijk was terrific, especially in the second half. Meanwhile, Mitch Nichols had his best game in a very long time, while the Roar defence looked more organised and desperate than it has of late.
Adelaide, meanwhile, still look a stressed and tense outfit, and their finishing reflected this mindset. Frustration.
The Jekyll and Hyde side of the A-League, the Central Coast Mariners, once again produced their best in Melbourne, turning on a powerful display full of running, ferocious tackling and excellent defensive organisation.
It has been the Mariners way this season; a brilliant performance every few weeks, nestled in between some less impressive work.
Lawrie McKinna’s men were clearly up for this one, and while Carlos Hernandez had more influence here than he did in the opening round, the Mariners did a wonderful job of shutting down the Victory front third, especially the flanks, where Melbourne have been most productive of late.
Dean Heffernan, in particular, owned Mate Dugandzic and Nathan Elasi, while on the other flank, Sutee Suksomkit vanished.
The Victory couldn’t live with the Mariners’ physicality and Rody Vargas was right to suggest the Mariners had bullied the defending champions.
It wasn’t a dirty form of bullying, rather an intimidating and ferocious imposition, best emphasised by the bite in the challenge from the likes of John Hutchinson and the willingness of Pedj Bojic and Heffernan to continuously get forward.
And don’t think there wasn’t any class from the Mariners. Nicky Travis continues to produce some wonderful work on the ball, while Bojic looked as subtle as he ever has. Matthew Lewis also did a couple of neat things, including one lovely volley.
Perhaps the most anticipated clash of the weekend was at Robina, where Frank Lowy and Ben Buckley where on hand to “see for themselves” what all the fuss was about on the glitter strip.
The cap lifted, the crowd nudging back over the 5,000 mark, the mood in the stands seemingly upbeat, it was over to the players, and they responded with their most effervescent performance in some time.
It looked like being a great contest early, with the competition leaders stroking the ball around in the manner of a team flowing with confidence, but once Steve Corica limped off, midway through the first period, Gold Coast took control, with Jason Culina back to his best.
Playing higher up the pitch, where he was so effective early in the season, he left it for Michael Thwaite and Steve Pantelidis to do the dirty work, and ensured he influenced things in the front third.
Shane Smeltz, Joel Porter and Zenon Caravella certainly benefited from his presence.
Minus Corica, Sydney was short on ideas, and resorted to route one at the end. Neither John Aloisi nor Stephan Keller were able to provide the impact.
Meanwhile, Terry McFlynn, shifted to the head of the diamond when Corica limped off, had his least influential game in a very long time, while Brendan Gan struggled as his replacement on the left.
Onto yesterday, and the yellow and blacks stormed home to not only grab a point at home to Perth, but should have just about had all three. Really, it would have been no less than the Phoenix deserved.
While neither side hit the heights, Wellington were able to bring on the likes of Leo Bertos and Adrian Caceres late, and combined with Paul Ifill, Daniel and the central midfield drive of Tim Brown and Vince Lia, the finish was thrilling.
And finally, it was a crucial win for the gold of Newcastle against the Fury, and while the Jets made tough work of it, only sealing it with a late penalty, they were invariably in control.
With Lubjo Milicevic and Nikolai Topor-Stanley looking after Daniel McBreen, Fabio Vignaroli controlling the midfield with his accurate distribution and Matt Thompson breaking forward to support the front three, it was only a matter of time.
But time and time again the Jets were denied by their own wastefulness and some excellent work from Paul Henderson.
But eventually Michael Bridges got it right, and, for once, the Fury had no answer.
With a fortnight before we go around again, things are tight, as they have been for much of the season, giving every team an opportunity to take a breath and plot their run-in to the finals.
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K B said | November 9th 2009 @ 7:19am | Report comment
Tony
I attended the GCU FC v SFC match at Skilled Stadium It was an excellent game of football on Saturday night and my family and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening… Albeit the result as I’m an expat from Sydney (SFC supporter) now living on the Gold Coast; I was sort of hoping for a 2-2 draw, but in the end, happy enough that, the fledging Gold Coast football club at home has gotten back on track to be playing some good decent entertaining football once more and felt they had done enough to take the points…
The other pleasing aspect of last Saturday night’s game was to see so many gold and blue merchandise right across the park now being worn, which indicates there is a very good 5k GCU hard core supporter base building that will turn up for all of the home fixtures from here on end… GCU FC’s first historical HAL season, on the Gold Coast, where there has never been a professional football culture before; this all points to a good football future in the years ahead.
Now that the cap dramas are over; the GCU FC supporters can now only wish that something can be done with the disgraceful playing surface, which has plagued the ground since the start of the season…
The groundsmen at Skilled Park need to get working fast to fix the pitch that has been making the ball bubble at crucial moments during the game, detracting from what has been achieved so far this season’s good entertainment…
Please fix the playing surface groundsmen..!
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KB
Pippinu said | November 9th 2009 @ 7:41am | Report comment
Tony
Your mention of Sutee reminds me why SE Asia has so much trouble producing consistent goal scorers.
Melbourne forced Vuka to produce at least two wonderful saves, but the turning point came when another golden opportunity to score was presented after plenty of close in work with the ball, and with the defence at sixes and sevens, and Vuka off his line, Sutee only needed to tap in first time with his right foot on a slight angle – surely bread and butter for a professional player??
No – for some inexplicable reason, he decided to take a touch that actually made it an even tighter angle, and gave CCM that split second to re-group (and it was a woeful touch anyway).
In professional football – it’s all about split seconds!!!
Fail to act at the right moment, and it’s gone.
By my reckoning, that’s six @rsey goals CCM has scored at the Dome in the last two matches.
AndyRoo said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:03am | Report comment
I think your calculator is wrong becasue a couple of those Mariners goals looked well taken
clayton said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:05am | Report comment
one man`s “arsey” is another man`s “good” … kwasnik`s goal was a corker.
was it me or did it seem like there was a big disconnect between the melbourne front third types and the defensive mids / defenders?
Pippinu said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:13am | Report comment
When a keeper has made a save, and is as out of position as a result, pretty much all professional players should be able to put the ball away in Kwasnik’s situation – he made it look more difficult than it needed to be – in those situations, it’s simply a matter of correctly angling your foot and connecting – doesn’t have to be hit hard, because the goal is essentially unprotected (which is why I’m so damning of Sutee, whose chance was even much easier than Kwasnik’s).
whiskeymac said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:16am | Report comment
haha – predictible responses Pip… Mariners were “lucky”, goals and performance was “overated” yaddayadda. sounds like round ones responses!
whiskeymac said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Mariners were very impressive and their goals (and attempts at goal ) all suggested that they were very worthy winners against MV. 6 against MV away – great results for the season =)
Pippinu said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Whiskey
Maayte – six the best – the @rsiest goals I’ve ever seen in my life!!
Pippinu said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:29am | Report comment
People might have a chuckle at Heff’s double nutmeg for the third goal – but that’s nothing!!
In their premiership year, very early in the season, it may even have been the opening game against SFC, CCM scored the winner off a triple nutmeg hit from outside the box!!
An absolute world record!!
There’s @rsey – and then there’s CCM.
(Credit to our good friend and football afficionado, Vicentin, for coining the phrase: triple nutmeg)
Old Yella said | November 10th 2009 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
It was Kwasnik again the Roar from a corner
K B said | November 9th 2009 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Whisky,
didn’t see the match, however, did see the goals (Fox hilights) and they were crackers, Craig Foster on TWG gave CCM a good wrap and that’s good enough for me…
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KB
Pippinu said | November 9th 2009 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Ok – enough of my bad sportsmanship.
Let us quote the experts.
This is what Michael Lynch writes in the Age today:
Melbourne is also one of the smaller sides in teh competition. Merrick likes to recruit skilful, fast players with good techique and quick feet. For the most part, that has worked well, as those players have engineered sufficient goal-scoring chances to usually ensure a Victory win.
But against tough, physically strong and well-organised opponents such as the Mariners – who also have small skilful men – Victory can look lightweight.
That is what happened on Saturday Night…
Vargas: We just got bullied out there, we had no fight and we threw in the towell.
Art Sapphire said | November 9th 2009 @ 1:30pm | Report comment
Vukovic won the game for the Mariners.
Victory conceded a a terrible first goal after conceding possession in the final third.
After that even though Victory were not playing well (Celeski is being greatly missed) Vukovic pulled out 2 world class saves and Sutee made a complete mess of his golden chance.
If Victory had equalised, I would dare say the result would have been different.
Even McKinna acknowledged this after the game.
When CCM scored the 2nd – the game was effectively over and Victory heads dropped.
I still think that MV will finish above CCM but Merrick really has some work to do in regards to his defence, dm and goal keeping positions. Victory are leaking way too many goals.
K B said | November 9th 2009 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Bring back Theo
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KB
whiskeymac said | November 9th 2009 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
am hoping its a sydney mv final. but am hoping that ccm make it as hard as possible for those two to get there as possible
Brett McKay said | November 9th 2009 @ 6:26pm | Report comment
Tony, I must disconcur that it was a great weekend in the A-League – I got 0 from 6 in my tips!!
whiskeymac said | November 9th 2009 @ 6:53pm | Report comment
ouch….
Brett McKay said | November 9th 2009 @ 7:31pm | Report comment
truth be told Whiskey, I’m surprised its taken this long. For some unexplainable reason, I’ve been maintaining a spot in The Roar tipping’s top 20 with little more than token following of results. Perhaps I was starting to believe my own press!!
Midfielder said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:22pm | Report comment
Tony & Pip & KB
Tony maybe you will start to believe me when I say we have the best midfield in the league just need to produce it more times…
Pip there are fibs, and whopper’s … The Mariners couch couch big and burly and those little Melbourne people…
Look at our midfield, Travis, Hutch, Lewis (an have we been hiding this kid) great début Pedj, even those injured or on the bench, Elrich, Huke, Corwell, weeMac aside from Corwell they are all tiny. The fouls where MV 8 Mariners 5, Mr Clean stiff armed honest Matty Simon in RL it would have been a send off .. even Fozzie said it was a red car… then poor old Hutch at least he has had his first Kid …
Tony back to you I am not Hutch’s greatest fan … but he played with lots of guts and did a lot in the centre of the park.. I think weeMac & Travis suit his style of play and with an effective defensive centre mid he is free to play his more natural game..
In fact I think this is his best season with us to date.. This creates a dilemma as I see it…
Assume Travis as a roving right mid, weeMac in the centre, Crowell as the defensive mid .. leaving Hutch as the roving left mid….
My dilemma is Matthew Lewis had an outstanding game as the roving left mid …
It’s hard for me as I said I have never been Hutch’s greatest fan .. but I admit this year he is playing very well… So how do we leave a talent like Lewis out of the side and not develop him into a great player …. on the other hand how do you drop a player who’s natural game suits the midfield we have…
Actually all mid field positions are under pressure … assume the first team midfield… Travis, weeMac, Corwell, Hutch…. now the second midfield … Elrich, Pedj, Huke, Lewis…. and of course Porter as a wide roving mid for either the first or second midfield…
However I feel on form and with the heart he plays how do you drop Hutch… dilemma … how do you leave out Lewis young speed to burn a natural leftie…….
KB .. wonders will never cease … Fozzie two weeks in a row had something positive to say about the Mariners… Can hardly wait to play the Flying Circus (note I have left off the Choppers your new coach has earned it) .. will stick it to the Flying Circus as well..
K B said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:25pm | Report comment
Midfielder,
I’m off to bed just noticed your post — will reply properly tomorrow…
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KB
Midfielder said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
Look forward to it… BTW you must be pleased with the new coach…
Midfielder said | November 9th 2009 @ 9:34pm | Report comment
One of the best things to happen to the Mariners aside from the new signing … especially weeMac, Travis, Corwell, Doig & Huke … is the return to his best in Danny Vukovic .. last year he was a shadow of the player before he was sent off and lost his Olympic place… He had pulled off a great many saves and IMO and I am bias but he is the Socceroos next keeper … he pulled off some real great saves… how he has got his head back in order I don’t know or who did it maybe family maybe Bozza maybe the coaching staff maybe all three plus father time ……….. BUT ITS GREAT TO HAVE OUR DANNY BACK…
K B said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Midfielder,
yep, the SFC lads are playing some nice football and Fozzie has been full of praise for the CCM… How different it has been from the previous seasons… But when you look at it subjectively, he wasn’t too far off the mark… CCM are playing some very delightful football in the midfield, something that has not been there before, It has not gone unnoticed, even by the harshest of critics of style…
Now you have to admit that, if they had produced the same football, the same quality, and the same attitude, when they went into the ACL fixtures, results may have been different.
They let themselves down and lost a great chance of making Football history in NSW… I know I was disappointed and many others were as well… For what they are doing on the park now, is a 1000 times better; who knows where they may have ended up, so much sharper and a yard faster then last season in the ACL fixtures…
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KB
Midfielder said | November 10th 2009 @ 2:38pm | Report comment
KB
HHHMMMMMmmm yes we played very poorly in the ACL… the lost of Jedi was huge… our matches where sorta planned around him.
However I protest a little when people say we always played long ball football… Our midfield two seasons ago was Jedi, Hutch, Tommy P & Grumps, yes this was no where near as creative as the current midfield but Tommy P & Jedi along with Hutch where also a excellent midfield grouping… trouble was Tommy P was often out injured and Grumps had fitness issues…
But this years team is just to hard to ignore … we have the following players very comfortable on the ball, Doig, Travis, weeMac, Corwell …. this has helped Hutch a lot … also Matty Simson touch and turn is getting better… having Doig in the backs has made Wilko’s job easier as well…Also Huke who has recovered from injury is excellent on the ball & Elrich again returning to form and appearing hungry again is good on the ball…
Ponder a tho if Travis & weeMac & Corwell had come from South America I wonder if their talents would be more talked about…
Meaning I guess that we have four players very comfortable with the ball at their feet… with Huke & Elrich on the bench… also very good ball players …
KB … my reading of SBS current coverage… very different to prior years … also the first time Fox gave them highlight package rights… also with some clubs experiencing crowd issues I think Les knew it was about time to pull the reins in a little..However I will not complain and accept that the coverage has changed and Australian football is now the main part of the TWG show ….
The return to form of Danny and Heff (after Kossie and his gang) has been aided by having people around who are good with the ball at their feet.
My biggest concern is it will be difficult to retain Travis & weeMac once they play a season as they both had their careers stalled by injury and both I guess wanta get back to Europe…
Robbos said | November 10th 2009 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
Mid, you are sitting 4th on the table, you have beat the champions & one of the favourites MV 2-0 & 4-0 at home this year, hate to see what you will do to them at Bluetongue, MV is CCM’s bitch, no doubt.
Any doubters out there, like me, well they can just smile & say well done CCM.
Midfielder said | November 10th 2009 @ 2:45pm | Report comment
KB
SFC … to me look like they have FINALLY become the team we all knew they should be… They are a well coached team of players going around Sydney in a quite way promoting football…the new owners have appointed an excellent coach … and have taken away that feeling from the team that they had to be the biggest club in Australia… To date full marks to them… I have taken the word Choppers away and if they keep up like this may soon take the Flying Circus tag away as well.
AndyRoo said | November 10th 2009 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
I think they would have to keep a coach for at least two seasons before you could even think of taking away the Flying Circus tag.