After one of the most anticipated rounds of A-League football for the season, little changed at the top of the leader board, as we enter the final throes of the home-and-away competition.
Adelaide, Brisbane and Victory were all involved in games that went awry when it came to tipping and two correct selections proved the best result of the week for the panel.
The Crowd kept pace with the experts and with Daniel Jeffrey holding sway, the chasers need to look far and wide to find an upset to catch him over the final three weeks of action prior to the finals.
Good luck this weekend and make special note of the early start to the weekend with a Thursday night game. Ensure you enter your tips below as the voice of The Crowd. Here’s how the experts see things unravelling this weekend.
Mike Tuckerman
Sydney, Adelaide, Roar, draw, draw
Having tipped the round the week before, I came crashing back down to earth last weekend with a humbling one from five. Who said this tipping business was easy?
If nothing else, the A-League is rarely predictable, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to Perth Glory. They’re the most frustratingly inconsistent team in the league, and they’re always a tough team to beat at home. Can Sydney FC step up and clinch the Premiers’ Plate in the process? I think they will.
Adelaide United should be good enough to see off Wellington Phoenix – although the Kiwis put up plenty of resistance last weekend – while Brisbane Roar will make short work of the Central Coast Mariners at home.
As for Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers, who knows? Every time either side seems to turn a corner, they take about ten steps back. Let’s go for a draw in what is a vital clash for both sides.
There’s an absolute bellringer of a clash on Sunday, as the Newcastle Jets look to put last week’s shock defeat to Adelaide United behind them. Was it a minor blip, or something more serious? Bruno Fornaroli might be back to his goal-scoring ways, but I’m tipping a draw in this one too.
Stuart Thomas
Draw, Adelaide, Brisbane, Victory, draw
Well, Perth did it last week. With their backs well and truly up against the wall, they beat the Victory and their finals dream is alive. At home again this week against Sydney they will prove tough opposition in a match that will end a draw.
Adelaide is rocking after toppling the Jets last week and they will thump the Phoenix at home on Friday night. Pretty simple analysis I know, but the Reds have real character and this game means everything in terms of a potential top-four position come season’s end.
Along with Perth, the Roar now sit one point outside the six and drawing the Mariners in this round could be a stroke of luck. A solid and expected win could move them into the six; something unthinkable three months ago.
One can’t help but feel that the Wanderers are stumbling their way home this season and a loss against the Victory, who let their good recent form slip against the Glory last week, might be close to signalling the end. If Perth or Brisbane grab points of any sort, the Wanders could sit outside finals places come Sunday night and the supposed build that Josep Gombau was overseeing might appear a little frail and distant. Victory will win with Besart Berisha on the scoresheet again.
The most interesting clash of the weekend sees a Jets side coming off a loss and Melbourne City looking to reaffirm their place in the top four. Victory’s loss last week makes that possible for the cross-town rivals yet Newcastle need to get back to winning ways. A draw seems likely.
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Daniel Jeffrey
Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Victory, Newcastle
Perth’s gutsy win over the Victory last weekend was a crucial result for the Glory, and made all the more impressive given Melbourne’s strong form leading into that game. But if Matt Simon is scoring goals (or a goal, I guess), then Sydney FC are pretty much devoid of any weaknesses. Or, if I was to write slightly more seriously, the Sky Blues are just a better side than the Victory. And a far better one than Perth. They’ll win this one.
It’s pretty much been a given that you don’t tip the Phoenix this season. That’s even more applicable this round, with Wellington travelling to face an Adelaide side fresh off putting five goals past Newcastle. The Reds should win this match and solidify their finals chances.
I can hardly believe I’m typing this after their early-season woes, but Brisbane look an awful lot like they’re going to make the finals. That scenario will draw even closer if they beat the Mariners, which really shouldn’t be much of a problem for John Aloisi’s men.
Two cracking games to finish off the round, ones which have serious implications for the finals. Melbourne will be furious that they left Perth without so much as a point last week, and I’m not convinced the Wanderers have what it takes to get a result here on the road.
I’ll also side with the home team in the final match of the weekend. Newcastle don’t have as much to play for as Melbourne City, but given their consistency throughout the season, I doubt they’ll drop two games in a row, particularly given they’re playing in front of their home crowd in this match.
Alan Kearney
Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, draw, Newcastle
Perth Glory put themselves back in finals contention with a big win over Melbourne Victory last weekend. The Glory face Sydney FC who will be looking to make it back to back premierships with a draw enough for the visitors to become the first the A-League side in history to manage that feat. It really is crunch time in the A-League and this is a hard one to call but with a big carrot dangling in front of Sydney, I think they will get the job done.
Adelaide produced a scintillating performance last weekend and will look to keep the momentum going at home to Wellington. The ‘Nix will be desperate to avoid the wooden spoon tag as they sit two points adrift at the bottom. The Reds will be full of confidence and after last week and I predict the three points for them at home.
Brisbane are sitting one point outside the finals and welcome a Central Coast side who are in dreadful form, having lost three in a row. There is a positive feel to the Roar at the moment, they have just moved into a new training facility and have been in good form. With a finals spot on the line they will have the edge to get the win over a poor Mariners side.
A loss for both sides last week, Western Sydney fell apart against Melbourne City while the Victory lost on the road against Perth. While the Victory are chasing third position and will play finals, the Wanderers sit in sixth and will be desperate to bounce back. They were playing well until last week’s performance and Josep Gombau will want a vast improvement from his side. This will be a tight game and will probably end in a draw.
Newcastle all but conceded the Premiers Plate last week with a bad loss against Adelaide. They will look to bounce back at home to City and try to get some good form going before finals. A big plus for them is the return of Roy O’Donovan who comes back into the squad following suspension. City will want to finish the season strongly coming into finals and will look to Bruno Fornaroli and Stefan Mauk to continue where they left off last week with both players playing well and finding the back of the net. I am going for Newcastle to bounce back and get a win.
| Round 25 | Mike | Stuart | Daniel | Alan | The Crowd |
| PER vs SYD | SYD | DRAW | SYD | SYD | SYD |
| ADE vs WELL | ADE | ADE | ADE | ADE | ADE |
| BRI vs CCM | BRI | BRI | BRI | BRI | BRI |
| MVC vs WSW | DRAW | MVC | MVC | DRAW | MVC |
| NEW vs MCY | DRAW | DRAW | NEW | NEW | DRAW |
| Last week | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Previous Total | 51 | 50 | 52 | 48 | 47 |
| New Total | 52 | 52 | 54 | 50 | 49 |
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