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Opinion
As near as I can tell, we are somewhere close to the mid-point of the 2020-21 A-League season and the challenge of tipping should therefore be a little easier.
However, nothing could be further from the truth after yet another week of the unexpected and improbable and the Mariners extending their lead at the top of the ladder.
This week Melbourne City have the chance to gain further momentum against a seemingly out of sync Macarthur FC, Sydney FC hosts Newcastle, the original rivalry takes place in Melbourne and the match week rounds out with two games that appear to have serious top six ramifications for the four clubs involved.
Good luck with your tips for the week and be sure to enter them in the sheet below to have a say as the ever important voice of the crowd. Here are the thoughts of the panel in what, on paper, looks like another potential tipping nightmare.
Mike Tuckermanuke
City, Sydney, Adelaide, Central Coast, Draw, Wellington.
City ran up a tennis score in the derby against a woeful Victory. They should find Macarthur a tougher nut to crack, but it’s hard to tip against the home team in the form they’re currently in.
Connor Metcalfe (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
I’m fast running out of patience with Sydney FC. They struggled to find a way to beat Jamie Young last time out, but on paper they should have too much firepower for the physically imposing Jets.
You’d expect a response from Victory following that derby debacle and I’m tempted to tip the hosts on the fact that the players care deeply for Grant Brebner alone. I won’t though, because I reckon Adelaide have the players to really twist the knife.
We’re probably all waiting for that inevitable moment when the Mariners come crashing back to earth, but what’s been so impressive about the Gosford is how resilient they’ve been this season. They’ll have nothing to fear against Perth.
It’s hard to get a read on this Western United side. They were a bit unlucky to go down to the Wanderers last time out, but they blow hot and cold most weeks and the constant ground-hopping probably doesn’t help. Expect the visitors to dig in for a point.
Just when you thought it was safe to write off Wellington Phoenix, they go ahead and trounce Perth Glory. In truth that sort of performance had been a long time coming for Ufuk Talay’s team, and I reckon they’ll back it up with another win at Bankwest Stadium.
Stuart Thomas
City, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, United, Wellington
Considering the circumstances, I am trying a new tipping strategy from here on in. I’ll be tipping all the winners from now until the end of the season.
Melbourne City are winning a lot of friends with their current play and after the demolition against Victory last week, are impossible to tip against. As for Victory? Who really knows what state of mind they will be in?
I’ll tip Sydney to beat Newcastle Jets at home without much confidence. The Jets are a little unpredictable and everyone seems to think the Sky Blues will eventually come good. How easily those thoughts could prove incorrect in this one.
Adelaide should beat Melbourne Victory on Saturday night, in fact, any other club would beat Victory were they playing them.
Once again the Mariners will provide great odds for punters when they take on a Perth side that disappointed last time out. I’m going with the visitors, based on the fact that Alen Stajcic’s men will slip up at some point and Perth have the weapons to capitalise on an off performance.
Western United currently look a more dangerous side than Brisbane Roar and at home should do the business.
Brisbane need goals and United may just need one to win it. The Wanderers haven’t been that convincing yet do sit third entering the match week; a great achievement. However, the tide does appear to have turned for Wellington and the short trip north to Parramatta will see them take the points on Monday night.
Paul Nicholls
City, Newcastle, Adelaide, Central Coast, United, Draw
In the A-league there’s no team finer/ than the lads from Woy Woy and Umina/ so don’t come at me with your football hate/ Central Coast already have the spuds on the Plate.
That might be a bad rap but this year’s Mariners ain’t crap.
Andrew Nabbout played one of his best games in years against Melbourne Victory and his Melbourne City side sparkled as a result. Macarthur looked befuddled by the kit clash with Central Coast but played well at times. City too good.
The take away from Stuart Thomas’ article in this very publication on Tuesday is that the Sky Blues are too slow. I’ve seen oil tankers turn around faster than a Sydney FC counter-attack. Newcastle fought hard against Adelaide and might score an upset.
I’ve been watching a fair bit of the Bundesliga this year and it appears that Melbourne Victory have modelled themselves on Schalke 04. They also play in dark blue and occupy a similar ladder position. Adelaide should beat them easily.
Adelaide – more like Radelaide, amirite? (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
The Mariners not only have the spuds on the Plate but the sausages are browning nicely on the barbie. I’m not sure what sauce master chef Alen Stajcic will use but Central Coast should have too much sizzle for Perth Glory.
I’d hate to watch a movie with Besart Berisha if his effort on the sidelines with the fourth official was anything to go by. He calls it play by play.
Just let the pictures do the talking. Less talk, more goals Bes. Western United had some good moments against the Wanderers and should beat a lethargic Brisbane Roar.
Western Sydney and Wellington will both be out for back-to-back wins on Monday. I’m on the fence for this one.
Texi Smith
Macarthur, Sydney, Victory, Perth, United, Western Sydney
Well, well, well. The form book has returned to the A-League and the surprise score lines have dried up. You’d be a fool to tip against form this week. Let’s test that theory.
A team that triumphed by six in the big derby against a team that surrendered unspectacularly at the league leaders. You’d be mad not to pick the home team. But Macarthur will have learned from their errors in Gosford.
They’ll not let players shoot from distance. They’ll not try to be fancy in the wrong areas of the field. A shock 1-0 win for the Bulls. Yes, you heard me.
Let’s look back at 5th February 2012. Sydney FC are dismantled 5-2 at home to the Jets. Who finishes top of the pile that season? Yes, Central Coast Mariners.
Will history repeat itself? Ship jumper Steven Ugarkovic, fresh from bossing the midfield but being remembered for gifting the winner to Adelaide, will continue his impressive form and give the Cove much concern in the first half, but a Kosta Barbarouses hat-trick will have Netstrata Stadium singing his name at the final whistle.
Kosta Barbarouses of Sydney (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The form book says that Melbourne Victory should have their asses kicked at home again. But this is a most unlikely derby, similar to Brighton versus Palace, and the Reds will need to be wary of their wounded Victorian foes as they step it up for this one.
Victory to punish Adelaide with two swift crosses, expertly dispatched by Rudy Gestede.
The way Wellington stunned Perth last week, you would think that Glory were next to Victory at the foot of the table.
It’s only a couple of weeks since the Mariners stole the three points in the West and we’re seeing some underperformers in the visiting team. What a refreshing result it will be then to see the purple pirates come and pillage the three points from the Mariners in what is surely billed as a home banker.
Western United are stuttering. But there is so much to love about their attacking play, so many characters, it’s like a pantomime watching the action unfold.
The Roar aren’t setting the world alight at the moment and dropped more points last time out. I should tip a draw for this one, but no, Western United to win it with a tasty score line.
Wanderers have under-achieved at home this season, and it’s such a surprise. They have some semblance of vocal support back, they play in the best stadium in Australia, they have an embarrassment of riches up front, but they keep on missing the cue. Wellington were flattered by their 3-0 win against Glory.
I fancy this one to be a classic, Phoenix dining out early on, but left with the bill and the washing up at the end, with Bernie Ibini rampant in a second half deluge from the home side.
| Match Week 12 | Mike | Stuart | Paul | Texi | The Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCY vs MAC | MCY | MCY | MCY | MAC | MCY |
| SYD vs NEW | SYD | SYD | NEW | SYD | SYD |
| MVC vs ADL | ADL | ADL | ADL | MVC | ADL |
| CCM vs PER | CCM | PER | CCM | PER | CCM |
| WUN vs BRI | Draw | WUN | WUN | WUN | BRI |
| WSW vs WEL | WEL | WEL | Draw | WSW | WEL |
| Last week | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Previous total | 20 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Total | 24 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 24 |