As I compile this version of the A-League Men tips and predictions, there are four matches still slated to go ahead in Match Week 7 of the competition.
Rather interestingly, two matches will take place on Saturday night and the others mid-week, when the Phoenix face the Roar and Melbourne City take on Adelaide United next Wednesday.
It will be a busy few days for the Reds and Wellington, should their Saturday night fixture go ahead, and Western Sydney will do battle with Western United at precisely the same time.
We do indeed live in crazy times and this match week of A-League Men play perhaps best sums things up.
Good luck with your tips for the round and be sure to enter them in the sheet below to have a say in the ever improving voice of the crowd.
Here is the way the very confused panel is predicting all the action will unfold.
Mike Tuckerman
Adelaide, Draw, Brisbane, City
While the fixture changes haven’t helped, the Reds weren’t in the best of form before this clash. They need a win and they should just about eke one out against the Phoenix.
Carl Robinson has enjoyed a stay of execution, but Gary van Egmond’s arrival won’t help his cause. The Wanderers will dig in for a point and no more against Western United.
(Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
Brisbane Roar face the prospect of plenty of midweek football in the future. They aren’t the best of travelling sides, but they should claim a much-needed win in Wollongong.
While Melbourne City have flattered to deceive so far this season, it shouldn’t be long before they start to click into gear. Look for Mat Leckie to have a stormer against his old club – provided, of course, that he’s fit.
Simon Hill
Adelaide, Draw, TBC, TBC
Adelaide have had a long wait for their first win of the season, but I think it will come against Wellington, who have had an alarming dip of late.
Gael Sundaval’s arrival will help, but he’s not available for this one and I think the Hindmarsh roar will finally get the Reds across the line.
(Photo by James Elsby/Getty Images)
I am not sure there will be too many goals in Parramatta – but if there are any, I think they will be equally shared.
Western came undone against Victory and will be looking to regroup. Wanderers are desperate for a win – but I still don’t think the balance is quite right. I’m sitting on the fence.
Stuart Thomas
Adelaide, United, Wellington, City
I am seriously not sure whether I am Arthur or Martha with all the postponements occurring, but here we go.
Adelaide are a far better team than their ladder position suggests and should snatch a must needed win against the Phoenix on Saturday night.
Neither team has produced its best thus far and Saturday’s home fixture presents a golden chance for the Reds to do so.
(Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
Anyone picking the Wanderers right now is mad. The arrival of Gary van Egmond is nothing but a disturbing and ominous presence making Carl Robinson’s job even more difficult than it already was.
United have the most solid of defences and Western United have limited attacking options. 1-0 to the visitors.
Much like the Wanderers, Brisbane are a tough team to select with any confidence right now and I will continue to go against them when they face Wellington on a short turnaround from a Saturday night fixture this coming Wednesday.
Sorry Roar fans, yet a point from four games is hard to hitch one’s wagon on.
The Reds will also endure a quick turnaround against City next Wednesday and the champions look almost sure things to grab another three points and remain close to the early season A-League Men front-runners.
Texi Smith
Adelaide, United, Wellington, City
My big tip for this week’s fixtures is that a good chunk of them will be cancelled for one reason or another, all related to COVID.
Having said that, the A-League Men is well practiced at dealing with whatever is thrown at it and we’ll have plenty of entertainment.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Phoenix will be lambs to the slaughter at Adelaide in a Saturday night spectacular.
The goalkeeping exploits of James Delianov will keep the home team level after a surprisingly sprightly opening for Wellington, Reno Piscopo proving to be a tricky customer, and that will be the springboard for a big performance from the Reds.
Once Craig Goodwin scores on the rebound from a free kick, there will be no stopping them, and Mohamed Toure’s hat trick will give the home side a handsome start to 2022.
Western Sydney Wanderers are hard to love at the moment. They have established A-League Men names in Bernie Ibini, Terry Antonis and James Troisi, but names will get you nowhere in this league.
COVID-hit Western United will be smarting from the manner of their loss to Victory on Boxing Day, especially after the chances they spurned and this will be the perfect opportunity to right those wrongs.
Dylan Pierias will latch on to a Connor Pain through ball to lob Tomas Mejias for the only goal on the hour and Wanderers will throw everything at the visitors to no avail. Tomer Hemed will be guilty of a miss-of-the-season contender when he rounds the keeper and shoots wide.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
A first game of the new year at WIN Stadium and a visiting team lacking knowledge of how to win. The Phoenix will lift their game and give themselves a lift up the table in this midweek encounter.
The Roar’s defensive woes will continue despite all their attacking intent, with Luke Ivanovic looking lively.
A game that looks like going to a draw will explode into life with ten minutes to go, with Jaushua Sotirio drilling home a screamer on the half-volley before David Ball bundles in the clincher at the death to anchor Brisbane to the bottom of the league.
The Wednesday evening game at AAMI Park will be a pulsating affair and a shoot-out between an attack bursting with goals and an attack so far frustrated this season.
City will boss the game from the start, Marco Tilio causing mayhem every time he receives the ball. The teams will trade goals to go in level at 2-2, Isaias Sanchez will give Adelaide a shock lead midway through the second half before City come home strongly.
Substitute Stefan Colakovski will score twice to secure the points for the home side. A flex of the muscles from the reigning premiers.
| Match Week 7 | Mike | Simon | Stuart | Texi | The Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADL vs WSW | ADL | ADL | ADL | ADL | ? |
| WSW vs WUN | Draw | Draw | WUN | WUN | ? |
| WEL vs BRI | BRI | TBC | WEL | WEL | ? |
| MCY vs ADL | MCY | TBC | MCY | MCY | ? |
| Last Week | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 11 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 12 |
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Wildcats get a biliion dollar enclosed stadium for a lot less than the Glory pay, Sage has to charge more because he gets ripped off.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Not really , Tana had to put money into the stadium, he then ripped off the rugby big time after he let go of Glory as well as Glory itself the big difference is the AFL now have been given a 1.5 billion gift stadium that is rent free while Sage gets ripped off. AFL is king in every state except Victoria.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
QLD is not parochial, how is AFL the status quo in Queensland? AFL is the undisputed king in QLD no rent at Carrara , they get the Gabba for six months of the year for very little, NRL , rugby get charged heaps . The A-league is the very bottom of the pile, the treatment of Glory in Queensland versus whats happened with the Big Bash shows it absolutely clearly beyond any doubt.
BennoFootball
Roar Rookie
Please …. It’s Greater BRISBANE because anything in a 100 km Radius from The GPO is GREATER BRISBANE. I’m afraid that Mt. Isa is in Qld and so is Thargomindah …. Qld is a BIG State but these places ARE NOT within 100 km of the Capital’s GPO. FORZA BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB!!!
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Adelaide holds a 1-0 lead at HT. Well on top in general play.
Peter van Elden
Guest
As a committed supporter of the A league there are some serious issues gaining prominence. The season is becoming very disjointed and the casual viewer may become disillusioned. It is a good thing that the Saturday night game will be played. And it is very fortunate that these games have been absolute crackers! But the inequity of the competition may become a central factor as game after game is postponed. Is there potential for the whole season to be imperilled? At what point will this become a real issue? Maybe the point will be reached when Covid is simply treated as a cold and selection will be based simply on fitness to play. If you are asymptomatic you are fit to play. Unless this happens I fear the entire competition will be put on hold and then cancelled. While I am being positive how long can the Wellington situation be tolerated? Not just for Wellington but the A league as well. Despite the pluses it seems a most uncomfortable marriage especially now. Finally, as to the issue of attendance- give the public an attractive product and they will come, patience is required people. The code will come good! I hope. I I pray.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
All the QLD government has done is charge the two highest rents in the country, one has driven Roar away from a great in a good location to a small stadium which is hard to get to.The other made Gold Coast United defunct. At Suncorp, Broncos and Reds were both given govenrment sponsorships to compensate them for Suncorps excessive charges, Roar given nothing. Now that Gold Coast United are gone they made the charges to the Titans cheaper as well. The BBL avoided playing in Brisbane in the first part of December. How is that a fair league . There seems to be a very different level of treatment between some sports and the A-league, the A-league is never informed of anything . From when a decision was made for overseas quarantine despite Melbourne Victory flying in from NZ with no covid 2hours past a deadline that was somehow introduced mid flight and then being made to do 14 days quarantine. Coaches and players from the Olympics for the Socceroos being made to do double sets of 14 day quarantine to get from one state to another.The AFL gets advance warning and flies its players out of Melbourne the minute a ban is coming in. Until football supporters in Queensland acknowledge the truth about the state there will be no progress made.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I don't get what it's got to do with government. It wasn't the NSW government propping up the Jets or the QLD government deciding to dump NQ Fury or GC. Those were decisions made by FFA. Why? You'll have to ask them. The QLD government, through QAS, has produced more than its fair share of A League players and indeed, over half the current Matildas. To outright declare it's due to lack of government support is plainly wrong and not a considered response. Certainly the lack of an appropriate stadium is an issue, and government help would be nice but by no means is this an issue unique only to Roar. The issue I clearly flagged is one of scheduling, the A League schedule. My understanding is that the responsible body is the APL, not the Qld government. The BBL schedule, running in parallel to the A League, worked with Covid restrictions and ran a fair league. The A schedule clearly worked against Roar. Nothing to do with any government.
Ferno
Guest
wildcats, on the other hand, kept attendance above 10k per game with Jack Bendat. Let's see how it goes with new owner.
Ferno
Guest
WA used to be very different before Sage take the helm at glory. That is the reason I beg for another team in the state
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Let's all hope the one scheduled game for this weekend will continue as planned.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
“ Roar on the other hand are less valued than a trafficked slave worker.” I kind of laughed but at the same time recognised there was an element of truth. It’s an interesting point, which of our states/territories give a fig about the A-leagues or even football in general? QLD is probably the most parochial with WA close by. Both lean heavily towards the status quo - AFL, NRL, rugby. Is NSW our most open of states when it comes to supporting a diversity of sports? I think maybe so.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Whose fault is it that only one game has been in Qld. BBL team have 4 cases free to play, whole Perth team locked up for 14 days with 1 case. The AFL run the state, NRL, cricket and rugby have huge influence, the Roar on the other hand are less valued than a trafficked slave worker. Whose fault is it that only 1 out of 3 A-league teams survived in Queensland. Queensland everyone in government clearly hates the A-league. The NSW government does not run Queensland not does Sydney FC.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
obviously Roar's standing is part of it, but the issue is much bigger than that. Roar has played one game at home. They've had four scheduled in Melbourne and Sydney which required same day travel. Four. That's pathetic scheduling and far from fair. I don't know what the long term impacts will be for Roar, but much more damage than good has been done to the A League in Qld this season, and that's putting it rather mildly.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Very surprised to see some interest still remains in this season. I don’t have the answers, but Match Week 7? and we have had one game, in Qld. One. OK, two or is it three were scheduled, out of the 42 on the programme, one was postponed. In a State of well over 5 million people, rapidly on its way to 6 million, and we get one game. This is pathetic on a grand scale. Use of the descriptor A for our league is an insult to anyone living outside Melbourne or a few hundred miles of Sydney. Sorry APL, not interested in watching Melbourne and Sydney teams who pick up all their players from other clubs, have no plan to develop players and who struggle to pull more than a few thousand, mostly away fans, to a game. No, not sorry, just had enough of the amateurism and favoritism on show week after week. Step one for improvement – go talk to the BBL about scheduling in a pandemic. Step two, employ a professional management team who have no skin in the game, to run it.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Very possible. A good point you make though - “let’s hope they learn”
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
We're down to one game this weekend. And to be honest, it wouldn't surprise to see that one postponed as well. A-Leagues in for a tough 4 to 6 weeks to start 2022. Here's hoping things improve, but very hard to see it at the moment.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
One lesson we have learned the past two years: if you can, go early, go very hard, because waiting for things to improve ain't going to work (talking about COVID here). It's possible with the new TV deal they weren't ready to go too early.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I don’t think Roar are playing that Nix game. Likely we play CCM next at home (9th?) followed by two away games to SFC, one in the Cup and one ALM.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
AU 2 v 0 WP – WSW 3 v 0 WU – WP 0 v 2 Roar – MC 1 v 1 AU –