Both Perth Glory and Western Sydney Wanderers will be looking to entrench themselves in the top six when the two sides meet at nib Stadium tonight. We’ll have live scores from 9.45pm AEDT.
Is there a better story in the A-League than Tony Popovic’s Western Sydney Wanderers right now?
Cobbled together in the space of three months with a group of A-League journeyman, unknown foreigners and untried youth, the Wanderers’ squad was widely tipped to struggle this season.
But their structured, well-organised gameplan has so far stood up to the challenge and Western Sydney deservedly sit in fourth position on the A-League ladder.
After two big wins against Sydney and Adelaide the Wanderers get another test tonight when they travel to Perth, where they have already picked up a 1-0 win earlier in the season.
In the same space of time Ian Ferguson’s Perth Glory have turned over Newcastle 3-0 and won 1-0 away at Brisbane, and find themselves rising back up the table and into championship considerations.
Despite a surprisingly patchy record at home this season it is difficult to see Perth losing to the A-League’s new boys for a second time.
With Smeltz, Miller and Burns seemingly free of the issues that plagued them earlier in the season, the Glory have found their magic and should bring their supporters some festive cheer tonight.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Haha, I wonder if you were the older gent I was standing next to in the mid-centre of the active bay. Anyway, something wholesome about finishing a game with a thin sheen of sweat and beer - a game well supported!
bryan
Guest
Yeah,part of the time,the groups were competing,so things got mixed up a bit! I also thought most of the beer would have gone to "drown our sorrows" at how things seemed to be going,but there WAS enough! :)
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Was surprised there was still that much beer available to fly! If Smeltz's header had gone in it would have been mind-blowing! We need to sort out placement at the home end when we go to Subi, there was like three nodes that were all spaced too far out...
bryan
Guest
You know,if someone suggested that at my advanced age,I carry out an exercise routine which consisted of standing there,singing & yelling my lungs out,while throwing my hands up in the air for 80 or so minutes,I would tell them to stick it! :) But that's what you do! The fun started at Perth Railway Station when the West Sydney guys appeared,singing & chanting,then our Shed boys appeared, Great friendly competition,no aggro,created a carnival atmosphere from the start. Towards the end of the game,with the score of 0:1, was starting to get a horrible feeling of "deja vu". But then the equaliser came! Beer flew everywhere-------you can take the boys out of the Shed,but you can't take the Shed out of the boys! My original idea was that backing the Glory was something to do to assuage my "footy" hunger during the Dockers off season,but it looks a lot like things have switched around,so the Dockers are going to be the "fill in" between Glory seasons!
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Nagai went very very well for a debut start. Would love to see more of him in the team!
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Someone told me that was McBreen's fifth caution as well, triple luck... Might break a hoodoo here :S
Nathan of Perth
Guest
The goal celebration was intense - nothing like anxiety to help spice a reprieve :P
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Phew
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Smeltz really needs to get his radar realigned and killer instinct checked out. Maybe a CAT scan - that GF elbow might have done some long term harm.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Nathan of Perth
Guest
One bogey team in Sydney is bad enough. Two is just intolerable. Probably the purple glasses talking but I'd surely like to know why the Wanderer player in front of goals in an offside position was not considered to be interfering with play...
Roarsome
Guest
Merry Christmas Nathan....from the Mariners. Two red cards should make your job a little easier next week. All the best against WSW tonight. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Nathan of Perth
Guest
It's so hot that half the member base is hiding in the Bill Walker room :P
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Going to be Harold and Nagai starting on the wings!! Whoa, and Zahra and Ward on the bench, fascinating choices :)