Preview of A-League Round 1 matches (all times AEDT):
THURSDAY, Oct 8
Western Sydney Wanderers v Brisbane Roar at Pirtek Stadium 8.00pm
Head to Head: Western Sydney 5 Brisbane 4 drawn 2
Last clash: Round 22 2014-2015 – Western Sydney 4 bt Brisbane 1 at Suncorp Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Western Sydney $2.25 Brisbane $2.90 Draw $3.40
Is this Parramatta or Pamplona? The arrival of a handful of key Spanish imports should transform both the Wanderers and the Roar this season, with A-League fans to get their first proper glimpse in this clash. Previously a compact, counter-attacking side, Western Sydney will be a much different proposition with Andreu and Dimas controlling the midfield and their compatriot and defender Alberto starting passing moves from the back. Brisbane, too, will have diminutive La Liga veteran Corona on deck, and are desperately keen to move on from their off-season from hell.
Key: Whichever midfield clicks first will win. Both teams lost key engine room players over the A-League break and can’t afford to spend too much of the season bedding down combinations.
Tip: Draw
FRIDAY, Oct 9
Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory at Adelaide Oval 7.40pm
Head to Head: Adelaide 10 Melbourne Victory 18 drawn 8
Last clash: Round 22 2014-2015 – Adelaide 2 drew Melbourne Victory 2 at Coopers Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Adelaide $2.50 Melbourne Victory $2.60 Draw $3.40
Just about everyone who has gazed into their A-League crystal ball has predicted another title for Melbourne Victory and for good reason. Their squad is one of the best the competition has ever seen, so strong that the loss of skipper Mark Milligan has really been no big deal. Kevin Muscat’s men have barely missed a beat in pre-season and look like the kind of team that can deal with great expectations. Not much has changed in Adelaide either, save for the departure of wondercoach Josep Gombau. Whether Barcelona legend Guillermo Amor can continue his work is the big question.
Key: Adelaide’s defence, now without key man Nigel Boogard, will have to find a way to silence the A-League’s best front third, led by Besart Berisha, a man who enjoys big clashes like this.
Tip: Melbourne Victory
SATURDAY, Oct 10
Central Coast Mariners v Perth Glory at Central Coast Stadium 5.15pm
Head to Head: Mariners 17 Glory 8 drawn 6
Last clash: Round 22 2014-2015 – Mariners 1 drew Glory 1 at Central Coast Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Mariners $2.50 Glory $2.60 Draw $3.40
Two of last season’s biggest disappointments, Central Coast and Perth will be out to start their new A-League campaigns on a positive note. The Mariners are staying bullish about their finals chances and get an early chance here to disprove the naysayers who have criticised their off-season recruitment drive. But they’ve got nothing to prove compared to the Glory. They’re still reeling from last season’s salary cap scandal, which led to a mass exodus of talent from the west. Kenny Lowe’s men have won just once in Gosford in their last 16 attempts.
Key: The hype is slowly building around Perth signing Diego Castro, the Spanish winger who made 32 La Liga appearances last season for Getafe. If he’s as good as his pedigree suggests, the Glory could emerge as a dark horse for the title.
Tip: Glory
Sydney FC v Melbourne City at Allianz Stadium 7.30pm
Head to Head: Sydney 4 Melbourne City 5 drawn 6
Last clash: Round 22 2014-2015 – Melbourne City 1 bt Sydney 0 at Allianz Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Sydney $2.30 Melbourne City $2.85 Draw $3.40
One of the A-League’s most active clubs in the off-season, Melbourne City have finally addressed their historic Achilles heel – a lack of adequate fullbacks – and look ready to give the title a proper shake. They’ll fancy their chances here if star midfielder Aaron Mooy, currently away on Socceroos duty, can get back from Jordan on time. But Sydney FC are certainly no mugs, and present a more multi-faceted threat in attack with the highly-rated Filip Holosko in for departed Austrian target man Mark Janko.
Key: Not much has been made of Sydney’s new Serbian international signing, attacking midfielder Milos Ninkovic, but he will be vital as the string-puller in this new-look, more versatile Sky Blues forward set-up.
Tip: Sydney
SUNDAY, Oct 11
Wellington Phoenix v Newcastle Jets at Westpac Stadium 5.00pm
Head to Head: Phoenix 15 Jets 6 drawn 4
Last clash: Round 18 2014-2015 – Phoenix 2 drew Jets 2 at Hutt Recreation Ground
Tab Sportsbet: Phoenix $1.80 Jets $4.00 Draw $3.60
Last year’s surprise packets Wellington have been roundly written off this season because of the departure of Socceroo Nathan Burns, who was the competition’s equal second-highest goalscorer and the Johnny Warren medallist. That’s left an awful lot of pressure on his replacement, Dutchman Jeffrey Sarpong, and coach Ernie Merrick, who intends to convert the former Ajax midfielder into a Burns-esque strike weapon. They should be too strong for a revamped Newcastle in new coach Scott Miller’s first A-League game in charge.
Key: Miller, the youngest coach in A-League history, has been hard at work over the winter drilling a new compact defensive mindset into the Jets, who leaked goals far too easily last season.
Tip: Phoenix
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