Opinion
Round 21 was another extremely difficult weekend to select the team of the week.
Having said that, some of the players picked themselves, with the likes of Max Burgess, who scored a hat-trick, impossible to leave out. There aren’t any players part of this team who don’t warrant a place in the formation, which is a 4-3-3 this week.
Formation: 4-3-3
Daniel Lopar, Rhyan Grant, Johnny Koutroumbis, Jacob Tratt, Corey Brown, Luke Brattan, Steven Ugarkovic, Angus Thurgate, Andrew Nabbout, Max Burgess, Alessandro Diamanti.
Daniel Lopar (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Lopar kept the Western Sydney Wanderers in the game. He made five saves and curtailed some of Sydney FC’s attacks by cleanly catching their crosses into the area. Going by Lopar’s display last Friday night, which was a typical Lopar performance, he could be the best goalkeeper in the competition.
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Rhyan Grant (right-back, Sydney FC)
Grant worked tirelessly as he made many marauding forward runs and was involved with plenty of combinations on the right-hand side. He was probably the best player on the field despite being on the losing side of the Sydney derby.
Johnny Koutroumbis (centre-back, Newcastle Jets)
Koutroumbis worked all day defending impressively. He was probably the best player on the park in Newcastle’s clash with the Perth. It’s clear now that Koutroumbis will be a permanent fixture in the Jets line up, particularly given how at home he feels being part of the system they are playing, which is with a back three.
Jacob Tratt (centre-back, Perth Glory)
Tratt played a quality game for Perth against the Newcastle Jets. He should be a permanent part of the Glory’s starting line-up going by his outstanding performance last Saturday.
Corey Brown (left-back, Brisbane Roar)
Brown continues to prove that it was the right decision to recruit him to the Brisbane Roar.
Luke Brattan (central midfield, Sydney FC)
Brattan worked hard throughout the Sydney derby. He was the best player on the pitch. His work rate was immense, which made it impossible to leave him out of the team of the week.
Steven Ugarkovic (central midfield, Newcastle Jets)
Ugarkovic showed that he should be considered as possibly Newcastle’s most important player with a quality display against the Perth Glory.
Angus Thurgate (central midfield, Newcastle Jets)
Thurgate worked tirelessly and effectively, and surprisingly he was particularly impressive from a defensive perspective. If he can keep up his current form, the sky is the limit for him, as he is a talented prospect.
Andrew Nabbout (Melbourne Victory)
Nabbout sported an extremely swollen black eye, yet he stayed on the pitch and somehow scored a cracking goal late in the game, which proved to be the winner! His performance was inspirational as he worked his guts out from the sound of the first whistle to the completion of the game, when he scored one of the goals of the season.
Max Burgess (Western United)
Burgess was finally on the score sheet and managed to build on the momentum of scoring his first-ever A-League goal by scoring a hat-trick! It wasn’t only his clinical finishing that was impressive but also his work on the ball. If he can replicate this form, he will be playing overseas and perhaps for the national team. That’s the standard for him to endeavour to replicate if he wants to fulfil his potential.
Alessandro Diamanti (Western United)
Diamanti displayed his passing range as he switched play precisely and played some exquisite crosses. He is such an unbelievable passer of the ball and is so assured on the ball, therefore he should be considered as being up there in the discussion of who has been the best foreigner to be in the A-League in its history.
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