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Opinion
Things have tightened up considerably on the Roar’s A-League tipping ladder, with just four points separating the field.
A bumper match week of eight games could further alter the standings, should results continue to toss and turn as they have in recent weeks. Wellington, Victory, Perth and Sydney all double up, with mid-week matches looming next Wednesday on fairly quick turn arounds.
Elsewhere, Macarthur FC, Brisbane Roar and Newcastle Jets all have the chance to get things back on track with a much needed three points.
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 valuable voice of the crowd. Here is the way the panel see all the action playing out.
Mike Tuckerman
Perth, United, Sydney, Draw, Newcastle, City, Wellington, Perth.
The Wanderers were bolstered by that crazy win over Wellington, but they still look like a leaky sieve at the back. Glory have looked a bit out of sorts themselves lately but they’ve got the talent across the park to claim all three points in Parramatta.
You’d expect a reaction from Macarthur on the back of three defeats out of four, but the trouble is this is all a new experience for the club. On the back of trouncing them in Ballarat, Western United will feel confident they can do the same in Campbelltown.
Sydney FC got lucky in their most recent win over Newcastle, and they’ll need to start grinding through the gears if they’re to put up a genuine title fight this season. They’ll view this clash as the chance to bank three points against one of their biggest rivals.
It’s hard to know what to make of Wellington this season. They were desperately unlucky not to draw with Western Sydney but they have a tendency to switch off in key moments. Brisbane Roar need something to go their way, but they should dig in for at least a point.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Jets arguably didn’t deserve to lose against Sydney FC and they’ve been a better side this season than their form suggests. They go into this game off the back of three straight defeats – including one to Adelaide – but I reckon they can turn it around against the Reds.
Melbourne City look like the team to beat this season, and they’ll be keen to make a statement against a resolute Mariners side. They’re very much a confidence team, but with that confidence currently sky-high, it’s hard to tip against them at home.
I’m not convinced that a clash with Victory in Wollongong will be a walk in the park for Wellington, but Ufuk Talay is savvy enough to know when a win is there for the taking. With Tomer Hemed starting to look like a handful, I’ll have to go with the ‘home’ side.
I reckon Glory are dark horses for the title this season, even if they’re currently only sitting ninth. They have the chance to turn Perth into a real fortress again this season, and I reckon they’ll return to form with a win over the defending champs.
Stuart Thomas
Perth, United, Sydney, Wellington, Newcastle, City, Wellington, Perth
A match between one team that looks likely to score many and another prone to concede will only go one way. Perth to find the cracks and put four on the Wanderers.
Macarthur FC are battling, slipping and struggling whereas United still look likely to score three goals each and every week. Now rested, they should be too good for the Bulls.
Tomi Juric for the Reds. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
Sydney FC will beat Victory on Saturday night in a disappointing derby and considering Brisbane Roar are long odds-on not to score, the only real decision to be made in their clash with Wellington is whether or not the home side will.
They will.
Newcastle and Adelaide is a tough call. At home, I feel the Jets could pinch it and they desperately need three points. City will flog the Mariners on Monday, convincingly.
Next Wednesday, Wellington will back up their Sunday triumph against the Roar with another three points against an increasingly disinterested Victory and Perth will be far too potent for Sydney FC in the west, with the journey too much for the ageing Sydney legs.
Paul Nicholls
Western Sydney, Macarthur, Sydney, Wellington, Adelaide, City, Wellington, Sydney
I defended you when you disallowed a goal for a trivial foul fifty metres up field. I backed you up over all those dodgy hand ball decisions.
I stood by you when people laughed at your daggy red and blue offside lines that look like they were drawn by a child. But when it came to the crunch, having tipped a draw and when Wellington should have levelled at 4-4, you double crossed me. VAR, I take back everything. You stink.
Western Sydney and Perth should be a cracker of a match. The Wanderers are unpredictable but Perth have plenty of ticker. The home side to get up. The newbie derby pits Macarthur against Western United. This should be a mini LaLiga game with so many Spaniards on display. Home team again.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kosta Barbarouses bags a hat-trick against his old club Melbourne Victory. Sydney FC too strong. Wellington were great against the Wanderers on Monday. You’ve got to love a team whose demographic includes Mexicans, Israelis and Wollongong Wolves fans. Big Israeli striker Tomer Hemed to score in a Phoenix win.
Adelaide did a number on Melbourne Victory and with four wins in a row and are possibly the form team of the competition. They should be too good for Newcastle. Melbourne City have scored eleven goals and conceded none in the last three matches.
Central Coast have good depth in the striking department with Matt Simon, Alou Kuol and now Marco Urena showing their class but I’ll go for the home team.
Wellington Phoenix should add to Melbourne Victory’s woes next Wednesday and Despite Andrew Redmayne’s recent slip-ups, Sydney have looked a bit more settled lately and should get the away win over Perth Glory.
Texi Smith
Perth, United, Victory, Wellington, Newcastle, City, Wellington, Perth
It’s time to tip like a first-time punter on the Melbourne Cup. None of the usual logic appears to be working. Purple shirts look cool. No one likes the Macarthur cowbells. Mariners is a funny name for a football team.
Sydney won the last two years, so they must be good. I like Nikolai Muller’s hair. Victory sounds like a winning team. Adelaide have won their last four, so they’re surely worth backing.
Perth were so close to victory at league leaders Central Coast last week. Wanderers relied on VAR to save them from a draw against the Phoenix.
After tipping Wanderers at home so many times this season and being disappointed, it’s time to spell it out. Glory to win. The bearded purple pirate Diego Castro to terrorise the home defence in an absolute dismantling.
The Bulls were second all day against City last week, Western United did very well to beat the Roar and a single goal was scant reward. This will be an away day of epic proportions for the green and black. Toreador Dylan Pierias to silence the Bull Pen and continue his form with a double.
The big blue. The fans will be up for this one. A first half of pretty football from the home team will be undone by a Rudy Gestede header in front of the Cove in first half stoppage time.
The second half will be a bombardment of the much-travelled Matt Acton’s goal and with Bobo forgetting his shooting boots, Sydney will go down to the single goal in front of their biggest home crowd of the season.
Brisbane Roar looked dangerous at Western United last time out. Wellington showed just how much class they have throughout their squad. This could be the match of the round, two attacking sides outshooting one other. David Ball to hit a hat-trick, with Brisbane coming within a whisker of a draw late in the game.
Newcastle Jets’ mini-revival ended some time ago. Adelaide are on fire. The form book means nothing in the A-League though.
The Jets are brittle and Petratos-free, the squad looking thin, but they do boast some top quality, and they will come out on top in front of a raucous home crowd; Steven Ugarkovic scoring and setting up another in a complete performance.
Central Coast Mariners face a massive test at Melbourne City. Their grip on the league crown will slip after this one, Naoki Tsubaki taking full advantage of his opportunity to shine and getting amongst the goals in a heavy defeat for the league leaders. City will emerge as title favourites.
Connor Metcalfe (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Melbourne Victory will be thinking their successful raid on New South Wales will continue at Phoenix in the first Wednesday game. A goal to the good and coasting against a bizarrely out-of-sorts ‘Wellingong’, a second-half rally from the home team will turn the game on its head after the visitors are reduced to ten men. Victory downed 3-1.
Way past everyone’s bedtime, Perth versus Sydney will be a dream for the hosts. The visitors will fail to stir and a majestic home performance will give Perth a tidy victory to awaken their finals aspirations.
The man of silk, Daniel Stynes, amongst the goals as a timid Sky Blue team crumble at the Perth Rectangular Oval/HBF/NIB Stadium.
| Match Week 13 | Mike | Stuart | Paul | Texi | The Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSW vs PER | PER | PER | WSW | PER | PER |
| MAC vs WUN | WUN | WUN | MAC | WUN | MAC |
| SYD vs MVC | SYD | SYD | SYD | MVC | SYD |
| WEL vs BRI | Draw | WEL | WEL | WEL | WEL |
| NEW vs ADL | NEW | NEW | ADL | NEW | ADL |
| MCY vs CCM | MCY | MCY | MCY | MCY | MCY |
| WEL vs MVC | WEL | WEL | WEL | WEL | WEL |
| PER vs SYD | PER | PER | PER | ? | |
| Last week | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Previous total | 24 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 24 |
| Total | 27 | 27 | 31 | 28 | 27 |