If you didn’t know the A League was starting soon you must be living under a rock! So far we have seen headline after headline generated from a number of clubs, and a ball hasn’t even been kicked yet!
The 2012-13 season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet.
To keep you up with the water-cooler banter, The Blog FC is back with our informative season previews and super special fun facts, which are sure to impress all the babes…
We start with Adelaide United FC:
2011/2012 result: 9th.
Manager: John Kosmina.
Recruitment:
Ins: Fabio Ferreira (free), Marcelo Carrusca (Club Atletico San Martin), Jeronimo Neumann (Instituto AC Cordoba), Jake Barker-Daish (Gold Coast United), Daniel Bowles (Gold Coast United).
Outs: Ricardo da Silva (free), Spase Dilevski (Melbourne Victory), Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets), Francisco Usucar (Tecnico Universitario), Daniel Mullen (Dalian Aerbin).
Analysis:
Adelaide has been one of the quieter teams in the off-season – no big names coming in, and none leaving, either.
Losing young keeper Mark Birighitti is a shame, as his future is undoubtedly bright, but in Eugene Galekovic, United has the finest stopper in the league.
There is a surfeit amount of options in the middle of the park – and you’d expect Kossie would have every single one of them absolutely primed to run their guts out each game. So bringing in Marcelo Carrusca seems to be a smart move. Expect him to be pulling the strings whilst the younger legs do the grunt work around him.
Up front, Jeronimo Neumann made a bright cameo in last Wednesday’s 2-2 draw against Bunyodkor, showing some classy touches and an ability to run at defenders. This guy looks set to be a cult hero down at Hindmarsh Stadium.
Key player: Dario Vidosic.
This Adelaide team is built around the mercurial midfielder, and if he can start turning in the type of starring performances that he is capable of on a consistent basis, then a Socceroos spot – and therefore a World Cup berth – is his for the taking.
At 25 years old, Vidosic can no longer be content with being described as a player with potential. The whole of South Australia will be looking to him to guide this quality Reds team to at least a finals finish, if not more.
The road ahead:
By the time the season kicks off, Adelaide will have already had two ACL quarter finals under their belt. Match fitness should not be an issue, so expect them to start the season well.
In Sergio van Dijk and Bruce Djite, they have some serious strength and height up front, but don’t expect both of them start many games together. Rather, expect to see one of them being used as a target-man/battering-ram, while the likes of Neumann and Ramsay float around to pick up the scraps.
As always, squad depth could perhaps be an issue, but Adelaide have a strong youth system with history of unearthing promising youngsters a la Mathew Leckie.
Prediction: 5th. Too much class not to be in the finals. Too much reliance on Vidosic to be higher up the table.
Likely formation:
—————Galekovic—————
Bowles—McKain—Fyfe—Cassio
——–Carrusca——-Barbiero——
Kostopoulos—Vidosic—–Ramsay
—————–Djite——————
Fun fact:
According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), Adelaide United is currently the highest ranked Australian club in the world. At #203, they are right alongside LDU de Loja of Ecuador!
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Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
It was not too long ago that it was no guarantee that the best youth talents from South Australia would make their A-League debuts…
Even though St.Pauli ultimately lost a high-scoring affair, Jackson Irvine was a standout, as well as scoring a late goal.
Mathew Leckie played a pivotal part in Melbourne City claiming an 8-nil win; playing a role in several of his team's goals.
A 10-man Macarthur FC have scored twice in the final 10 minutes and goalkeeper Filip Kurto saved an added-time penalty to defeat Adelaide United…
Clubs have cited regulations claiming players who decline national team call-ups ought to be prevented from featuring at a domestic level.
