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Wellington Phoenix take on the Melbourne Heart in Cellar Dweller Friday Fight Night as both teams to look to kick-start their season. Join us for live scores and commentary from 7.30pm AEDT.
10th plays ninth in what will more than likely be the match of the round.
Both teams have had different seasons; Wellington have tried to recreate a new culture of the football club, not dissimilar to Adelaide.
They’ve outplayed Western Sydney, Central Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne Victory for long periods, but couldn’t post a win until they met Sydney last week.
However they’ve lost forward Paul Ifill for the season (and I doubt he will return as a player, sadly) and they need a goalscorer in January.
To be honest, once they start putting away the chances, they’ll be one of the better teams.
Many have asked ‘How is Aloisi still in a job’ and I think I may have the answer. Last week there were rumours in The Australian that Scott Munn and Co had completed the sale of Melbourne Heart to the same company that own the Melbourne Storm.
The current board may be anxious to axe a coach and leave the new board to deal with it, I assume they’ll let the new board to decide.
Heart, however, have lost the possession-based game that they started the season with; they’ve done the reverse to Wellington.
Their game plan is creating very difficult chances that aren’t consistent. They really need to turn it around before the other nine teams get too far in front.
Wellington’s season started last week, and Heart’s season needs to start this week. Both teams can still make the finals, if they start to make a good run and put pressure on fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth.
No team in the league has found particularly consistent form so Heart and the Phoenix need to capitalise on their small window of opportunity.
But it hasn’t been all bad for Heart this year, as Michael Marrone apparently hit a hole-in-one on an Adelaide Golf Course last week.
The Spanish backpacker Riera will enjoy the opportunity to see more of Melbourne, as he continues to shield the ‘Nix defence.
I’m just going to call it and say he’s the find of the year.
He’s something different to what we’re used to see at Wellington, he’s no Rojas, but he can pick a pass and reads the play well. Can he make the Spanish World Cup squad? Well, that’s the subject for another debate, but expect him to play a pivotal role on Friday.
As I wrote in my last Roar article Melbourne Heart have been less the perfect this year, however their matches are usually good value.
If the Phoenix get an early goal, expect Melbourne to create two dozen half chances.
Aloisi has changed things up ever so slightly recently with the inclusion of Nick Kalmar. He’s a number 10, which David Williams isn’t, which is a start.
They really need Kewell to create more goals, as they seem to be attacking with more hope than logic this season.
Aloisi needs to make a decision – write this season off and blood the likes of Mauk, Vrankovic, Garuccio and Walker, or take the game to each opponent with as much vigour as last season’s opening derby.
Last week Melbourne Heart gift wrapped Victory the three points which is disheartening, because no matter how poor the Heart are they always give Victory a good game.
The Phoenix finally got a ‘W’ next to their name, against everyone’s most hated team in Sydney FC. Everyone cheered after that game, no matter how laborious the game was.
The Phoenix will look to control the game, and this week the Heart are the perfect opponent to grab their first away win.
Melbourne Heart need a win, there’s not much else to it. They’re playing ninth at home. If they can’t win here, well, good game Aloisi.
Prediction:
I’d really, really love to tip Melbourne. I’m anxious it will be a bore draw, as both team don’t have the best strikers and waste more chances than they take. On the other hand, that is too predictable.
1-1 – Williams to score in the first half, Phoenix to bundle in one off a corner in the 60th minute.
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