The much anticipated season seven of the A-League is finally underway and like many of you, I’m elated that we’re back, and in style. In a weekly piece on The Roar I’ll bring up some of the talking points from the weekend and if I’ve missed any, feel free to get involved in the debate.
This week, the big boys were back in town, the Champions haven’t changed one little bit and a soft spot is developed for the underdog.
Here are my musings from the round that was.
1) We Are Football: After what seems like the longest off-season of all time the game returned with a bang, serving up some great games, great goals and a quality of football that wouldn’t look out of place anywhere across Asia.
On what was a busy weekend of sport overall, the A-League more than stood on its own two feet, receiving well-deserved feedback from most media outlets for what was really one giant entertainment package on day one.
A five goal thriller, followed by a clash of the titans, and rounded off nicely with a superlative performance from the reigning Champions in the Grand Final rematch. Believe the hype – the game is stronger than ever!
2) Power to the people and strength in numbers: The question was asked after last season’s highly successful Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium, and it’ll be asked again after Round One of the 2011/12 A-League season.
The crowds will come to the games but how do we maintain them? That responsibility will fall on FFA and franchise shoulders, yet nearly 80,000 fans through the gates is a terrific return over five games for the code (and a record for opening round attendance in the A-League).
Admittedly, half of that was at Etihad Stadium for the bumper clash dubbed Kewell vs Emerton, but if three course meals like Saturday’s are dished up on a regular basis it won’t be the last time we see those faces.
3) Who needs McKay, Solorzano and Barbarouses? “As you were for the Roar, slick, super.”
That was a tweet from fellow Roar and A-League blogger Tony Tannous (The Round Ball Analyst) over the weekend. Hard to disagree with him, as Ange Postecoglu and his team showed no signs that the Championship curse will haunt them like their rivals of years gone by.
Oh, and in case you’ve forgotten, that 1-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners was the 29th game for the Brisbane Roar without defeat. Once again they’re an ominous side, who play with style and substance, and could raise that standard even higher come seasons end.
4) Write off the Jets at your peril: A turbulent week off the field was quickly banished on it by a spirited Newcastle Jets side, which were without a manager and a marquee player when they defeated the Melbourne Heart in Saturday’s early kick-off.
The deflected winner in stoppage time might have been lucky but it was no more than they deserved in a sensational team effort.
Several A-League ‘pundits’ (including myself) wrote them off but those assessments might need tweaking slightly if the Jets continue to show that same grit and determination.
A special mention, too, for Ryan Griffiths who put smiles on the faces of some fantasy A-League managers inside 45 of the new season.
5) Glorious day in Perth: Billy Mehmet, Andrezinho and Bas Van Den Brink were outstanding as a bright Perth Glory started the new campaign with a bit of mojo at NIB Stadium.
Mehmet’s stooping header from the direct Tommy Amphlett’s cross proved to be the defining factor and it was no more than the journeyman deserved after a tireless performance.
Most valuable of all though for the Glory will be that much welcome clean sheet, which were few and far between in 2010/11.
Games against the Heart and Phoenix now mark a real opportunity for Ian Ferguson’s chargers to put some early points on the board.
But let’s not get carried away just yet, the boys from the west were top of the tree after five rounds last season and look where they finished.
Goal of the Weekend: Round one’s best strike came on the Gold Coast as youngster James Brown skipped through several challenges en route to curling a terrific strike over the head of Mark Paston from distance.
That goal came three minutes from time and rescued a deserved point for United over a gallant Phoenix outfit.
What were your highlights in the opening fixtures?
Tommy Doleman on Twitter (@tommydoleman)
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