Opinion
Round 6 will be remembered for some end-to-end football. It was highlighted by a Sydney derby that had just over 34,000 fans, and it was fantastic to see that there was a total of ten goals in the two Sunday games.
The A-League team of the week for Round 6 was difficult to choose despite there being one fewer game played, with the match between Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar postponed. That meant that there were only ten teams to choose from.
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: Lawrence Thomas (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Thomas made three good saves against a Sydney FC team that had three shots on target. It was his fourth clean sheet in six games this season for the Wanderers.
Right back: Gabriel Cleur (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Cleur put in a good shift. He understands that his role at right back entails making marauding runs forward and winning the one-on-one battles when the ball is in dispute.
Centre back: Marcelo (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Marcelo played a great game and showed why he is the captain of the Wanderers. He set up a chance for Kusini Yengi in the 22nd minute, which he nearly scored from. He also played another long pass to Brandon Borrello, who was caught offside. He was also strong defensively.
(Photo by Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)
Centre back: Ben Warland (Adelaide United)
Ben Warland was outstanding, as he even won contests when he was on the ground. He won a couple of duels when he fell to ground and two more using his foot once and his head another time. It was quite remarkable. He scored a goal to put united up 3-0 and put the result beyond doubt in the 91st minute.
Left back: Ryan Kitto (Adelaide United)
Kitto helped Adelaide break the deadlock with a pinpoint cross to Hiroshi Ibusuki, who scored in the 37th minute with a header. The goal gave Kitto plenty of confidence to make many marauding runs forward and come up with some good combination plays. He also won the ball back defensively and was the best player on the field the in the game between against Melbourne Victory.
Right midfield: Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United)
Goodwin played a key role in two of United’s three goals. He scored from the penalty spot in the 86th minute despite Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Paul Izzo guessing the right way – the kick had too much power to be saved. Goodwin also played a role in Warland’s 91st score.
Centre midfield: Calem Nieuwenhof (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Nieuwenhof showed that at his best he’s a future Socceroo and can play in a top league in Europe. He was excellent throughout the game. He was probably the best player on the pitch in a challenging match.
(Photo by Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)
Centre midfield: Richard van der Venne (Melbourne City)
Van der Venne played his best game for Melbourne City, showing why they chose to recruit him. He was rewarded with a goal that broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, partly due to a mistake by Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Michael Weier. Van der Venne was composed and read the play well, showing his true quality as a footballer.
Left midfield: Kusini Yengi (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Kusini Yengi broke the deadlock in the 70th minute of the derby, to score the only goal of the game. He also had ten passes in the final third and four touches in the opponents’ box.
Forward: Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners)
Kuol was used as an impact player once again and didn’t take a backward step. He had five shots, four of which were on target, and nine touches in the opposition box. He scored a brace, with the first goal from the penalty spot and the second from a tough angle.
Forward: Milos Ninkovic (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Ninkovic dealt with playing against his old team well. He was pivotal in most of the attacking forays from Western Sydney. The only goal of the game was due to an assist that he provided with an inch-perfect pass to Kusini Yengi, putting his side up 1-0 in the 70th minute. Ninkovic handled himself with class and dignity.
Summary
Below I’ve ranked the teams by number of selections in this series of teams of the week. Bear in mind that Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners, Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory have only played five games.
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