I’ve got enormous respect for Western Sydney Wanderers and don’t doubt they are in with a great chance of winning the A-League grand final, but I’m tipping Adelaide United to emerge victorious from what promises to be a fabulous contest.
The two best teams in the competition, for sure, have made it to the decider after a weekend of semi-finals in which they won in vastly different circumstances.
Adelaide’s outstanding defence limited the contributions of Aaron Mooy and Bruno Fornaroli and after leading 2-0 the Reds were cut back to 2-1 before grabbing a couple of late goals. It wasn’t as comfortable as 4-1 suggested, but they were easily the better side.
Western Sydney began well against Brisbane Roar, but then disaster struck and all of a sudden they were down 3-0 midway through the first half. Wanderers never panicked, however, and used the fact there was plenty of time left to cut the deficit down and eventually get to the lead, 4-3.
Roar came back to equalise at 4-4, but Wanderers finished much the better to win 5-4 in extra time.
It is obviously not good under any circumstances to fall into an 0-3 hole, but it wasn’t as if Brisbane had outplayed Wanderers with dazzling football to get to that point.
A couple of defensive errors, both by Andreu, cost Western Sydney badly. First, a hand-ball led to a penalty which Roar converted, and then he tried to clear the ball from a free kick with a back-heel and it ended up in his team’s own net.
Brisbane’s third goal came from a good move that was finished off by Jamie Maclaren. His shot took a deflection that sent the ball looping over a helpless goalkeeper, but the fact was the defence was under pressure and Maclaren took advantage, so credit to him.
Wanderers got to the lead the first time through three goals from Romeo Castelen, who is usually more miss than hit with his shooting but was fortunately “on” this night, and another from Brendon Santalab, and Dario Vidosic came up with the deciding goal.
It was a great display of character from Wanderers, and one which Adelaide will have taken plenty of notice of because it says everything about their opponents. They are relentless, they don’t give in and they have tremendous self-belief.
Western Sydney went about their comeback in calculating fashion and their supreme fitness was obvious in the extra 30 minutes.
Adelaide are also relentless, don’t give in and have tremendous self-belief. There is clearly not much between the two teams, as evidenced by the fact all three of their clashes this season have ended in draws. It was 1-1 in Adelaide and twice 0-0 in Sydney.
Looking for what may prove the difference at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, I go with Adelaide’s defence. It has been the best in the competition this season.
United conceded just 28 goals in 27 games in the regular season and 14 of those goals came in a four-game stretch way back in rounds three to six.
In the first eight rounds, when Adelaide couldn’t win a game and had five losses and three draws, they conceded 17 goals. In the 19 rounds after that, they had 14 wins, four draws and one loss and conceded just 11 goals. That is phenomenal.
I recently interviewed Adelaide defender Michael Marrone and asked him why he believed their defence was so good.
“The first thing is how we set up and the tactics that are involved there, and the second thing is we run,” Marrone said.
“We’ve got a team full of players who don’t stop running for each other, all game. The young boys and the older boys, they all run.
“But you’ve got to have the tactics set out right or you’re just running pointlessly and we’ve got a really good set-up. Everyone knows their roles and where they need to be at certain times and what they need to do.
“So if the opposition have the ball and a certain player has got it, we’ll have a fair idea what they’ll try to do from there and we’ll know whether it’s time to put pressure on or drop off.
“Everyone knows their roles to a ‘t’ now. It was a bit rough at the beginning of the season, but we got there.”
This is, I believe, the essential difference in Adelaide under Guillermo Amor as coach and the team under previous coach Josep Gombau.
Adelaide didn’t have a bad defence previously, but they could occasionally be ragged in their transition to defence after losing possession and that undoubtedly cost them goals.
Their transition now is consistently excellent and that is largely why they were able to put so much pressure on Mooy and Fornaroli, for instance, in both the last-round clash, which Adelaide won 2-0, and the semi. Everyone works so hard and does their job so well.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic will no doubt come up with a plan to try to counter that and loosen things up a bit for his attack, and it may prove to be a very good plan.
Adelaide’s home venue, Coopers Stadium, was obviously too small to be considered for a grand final, but Adelaide Oval is still Adelaide. United can prepare at home and Wanderers have to travel. That has got to be some advantage to the Reds.
Each team have the attack that can win this game. Western Sydney have mostly been very good in defence, but Adelaide’s defence has been better and I reckon that will prove crucial on the day.
duecer
Guest
I think you're being a bit unfair - the Rugby codes share the same shape and conditions as Football and use (for the final) completely Government owned stadiums. The downside of having shifting finals (although there are many upsides) is that the venue is only known a week or so before. I wonder in a Lions or RWC year whether the ARU would move venues they had booked months before. Anyway, this will be great for SA and Football, a sold out Adelaide oval and what looks to be a cracking match. The other downside of course is that there is no chance of getting cheap fares, makes the weekend an expensive experience.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Fair enough, may have been my eyes playing tricks on me from that distance. I'm sure most were angry of the flare being used, but that doesnt excuse the fact that it did occur and the FFA has set a precedence.
Bondy
Guest
The Smurfs have had record numbers at their football schools this holiday period . (http://www.sydneyfc.com/article/reid-praises-april-clinics/1aj2li8nqcxbi1xsyfwxv366yv ) ...
Midfielder
Guest
As every year passes and I become more aware of the AFL management style ... like they treat sports as a business war... But in their troubled lands like western Sydney in fact in NSW & QLD the rugby codes and Football essentially share a lot of common resources and the idea one would stop the other from preparing fully for a grand final match would never happen... But this will go down well in Western Sydney ... penny wise and pound foolish... I bet even many AFL fans in SA are not happy with such brinkmanship.
Neil
Guest
Very difficult, tried to identitify who did it but it was so quick, otherwise I would have dobbed them in.
Neil
Guest
I was in the away supporter area, other the idiot who lit the flare, the rest of us were very angry a flare was let off and if I had seen the person who did it I would have dobbed them in. As for a scuffle, I never saw that.
Stadia Cooperoz
Guest
The HAL grand final is the only national football comp GF available to Adelaide. As such nobody can foresee who will win the hosting rights! The Crows and Dockers already know the ground well whereas Wanderers have never played there ever. All things considered , surface quality is more important in Soccer . The AFL game is one of 20 odd for these clubs. AU have waited ten years for this and it may not return in a hurry. You grossly overstate AFL input to Adel Oval. SA taxpayers bore the heavy load and saved the SACA and Port Adelaide FC from oblivion. Soccer fans are taxpayers and this a publicly funded stadium on what has always been public land in the extensive Adelaide parkland..
Kaks
Roar Guru
It was nothing, I'll be very shocked if he is suspended for it. Plus, if they're going to punish Mitch for taunting the away supporters then they should punish McLaren for twice taunting the home supporters.
Nicks
Guest
43,000 tickets already sold. Looking more likely around 50,000 plus
AZ_RBB
Guest
Nichols may be in some hot water. FFA investigating an incident following the full time whistle where Nichols taunted and gestured at the away section. Possible suspension.
AZ_RBB
Guest
I think it's the WSW sections that are most readily available still haha. It's just so ridiculously expensive. I don't know anyone who is spending less than $500. Average spend is up near $600-700. The estimated travelling contingent at the moment is approx 5k.
Marc
Guest
Great news ... will definitely sell-out !!!
Punter
Guest
Odd being the operative word here!!! Poor odd Kevin.
marron
Guest
Gone past 40000 a couple of hours ago.
AZ_RBB
Guest
A staggering 43k tickets have been sold after just a few hours of being on sale to the general public. No idea what the Adelaide - WSW split it. I'll be surprised if more than 10k make the trip across the Sturt. It's just too expensive and/or time consuming.
Buddy
Guest
Best way to go with what is available is via Melbourne. Fly down Saturday, across to Adelaide Sunday morning and then back to Sydney on Monday. That could be done yesterday for around $450 which was half the cost of flying direct...but accept there is accommodation etc. There does appear to be a real shortage of flights to get there from Sydney and no chance of getting back Sunday night!
apaway
Roar Guru
I just read the article, Martha. It sounded like a balanced and even article to me. No hints of conspiracy, no suggestion of skulduggery - FFA were quoted as being pleased with the way the Adelaide Oval Trust had worked with them. And of course, News Limited have never run a "beat-up" story in their history...
SVB
Guest
Could this be harry houdini's new user name? Or maybe Mister Football? We don't with these AFL lurkers. They're all a bunch of chameleons.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Except that 1) A quick "Brisbane Roar Flare" search on google will show you that it isnt the first time it has happened at a Roar game 2) It didnt look to have been just one flare from where I was in the stadium 3) The FFA has set a precedence, it has itself said that it has set a precedence, therefore all incidences must be punished accordingly otherwise they are hypocritical and incompetent 4) It seems like nothing will be done as it was not picked up by the camera's which just shows how grossly incompetent the FFA is. They only act when they feel like they need to save their necks, not when someone does something wrong.
Martha
Guest
The Sydney Herald again running their insular parochial scare campaign against AFL and the cutting of the grass so the soccer teams can train. Beat up. The AFL has contributed to the building of the stadium and use it 26 times a year. The AFL booked their game 6 months ago. The Soccer GF home ground was only decided 2 weeks ago so the AFL has the right to demand their conditions and the grass will be mown by the start of the A- League GF.. This is a complaint about training before the game not the game itself. The herald beating it up because the AFL spends its marketing money in the News Ltd papers not theirs...Frigging amateurs but good luck to WSW.