Michel Lynch's Mid-Season A-League Review

 

 

Michael Lynch
November 6, 2009

 

BY the end of this round all A-League teams will have played 14 games and be preparing for the mid-season break. All teams have now played each other - some twice - and the competition has had its first managerial casualty, Frank Farina.

The league table is taking shape, but things are far from conclusive. Sydney and Melbourne have a decent break, but there are still 42 points to play for and only 12 points separate top (Sydney) from bottom (Newcastle).

SYDNEY FC
1st, 25 points, goal difference 8
New coach Vitezslav Lavicka has added organisation, structure and discipline to what has regularly been a talented but underachieving squad. Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge have forged a terrific partnership in attack, with veteran Steve Corica still a clever presence. The light blues have tightened up at the back, with Sebastian Ryall and Simon Colosimo a tough combination. Hard to see them not making the top three.
BEST PERFORMANCE: The 3-0 win over Melbourne at Etihad. Outclassed the champions.

MELBOURNE
2nd, 24 points, goal difference 4
Ernie Merrick's men might have started slowly but they are now in form and looking like the team to beat. Victory has strengthened its squad cleverly and has been able to sail on regardless of injuries. Adrian Leijer's return has been a big boost for the defence, while Tom Pondeljak and Nick Ward will give them more firepower in the second half of the season. Should finish top three.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Ironically perhaps came in the first half of a defeat in Perth in round four when they were electric in attack.

GOLD COAST UNITED
3rd, 20 points, goal difference -1
It has all started to go pear-shaped in a big way for the self-appointed glamour boys. United started off with three wins in a row but has taken only 11 points in the next 10 games and copped a 6-0 shellacking from Wellington. Needs to sort out crippling off-field issues and get the club focused on football - not war with the FFA again. Shane Smeltz, Jason Culina and Joel Porter can still score goals, but they do look leaky at the back. Should make the finals.
BEST PERFORMANCE: In retrospect their early wins over Brisbane and Sydney now starting to stand out.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS
4th, 17 points, goal difference 5
Lawrie McKinna's team is usually characterised as dour, hard-working, well organised, physical, competitive and blessed with a good team spirit. The Mariners are all of those things, but this season, with the addition of Michael McLinchey, they have some flair and an X-factor in attack. Should make the finals, potentially top four.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Certainly showed they would not be easybeats right from the start when they beat Victory 2-0 at Etihad in early August.

PERTH GLORY
5th, 17 points, goal difference 1
The Glory look more competitive this year. David Mitchell splashed the cash and signed Socceroos Mile Sterjovski, Chris Coyne and Jacob Burns as well as experienced Englishman Andy Todd. Glory are now a tough, professional outfit, but they do seem to lack a spark up front. Struggling on the road. Home form should take them into the top six.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Probably the 4-2 away win over Brisbane in round seven, or the 2-1 home win over a rampant Melbourne in round four.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX
6th, 17 points, goal difference 5
The competition's draw specialists have lost only three games, but have drawn an amazing seven times in 13 matches. The mid-week win over the Jets put them into the top six, and they really need to make their �Caketin� home ground in Wellington a fortress. Paul Ifill has been a terrific signing. Can make the finals and will be competitive wherever they play.
BEST PERFORMANCE: The 6-0 thrashing of Gold Coast United.

ADELAIDE UNITED
7th, 16 points, goal difference -3
The Reds have never quite managed to string a series of results together. Struggling badly for goals, with neither Cristiano nor English signing Lloyd Owusu looking a real threat on a regular basis. Matthew Leckie is an exciting discovery. Can make the finals, but hard to see them making the top two.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Despite being reduced to 10 men early in the game were able to defeat league leaders Sydney 2-1 in round 11.

NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY
8th, 15 points, goal difference -5
Another team that loves a draw (six of their 13 games). The Fury have every reason to feel pleased with their position in their first year. After a shaky start they have come good in recent weeks, winning at home against Perth and away against Gold Coast. Robbie Fowler, their marquee man, is in scintillating form. Fantastic morale and team spirit, the battlers from Townsville can be a Cinderella story and could scrape into the finals.
BEST PERFORMANCE: The away wins in Sydney and Gold Coast.

BRISBANE ROAR
9th, 13 points, goal difference - 5
The A-League's crisis club. Dumped Frank Farina and replaced him with former South Melbourne and Young Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou for the round-12 clash with Sydney. Lost there and drew with Newcastle in Postecoglou's first two games. Have the players to get off the bottom and make a charge up the table in the second half of the season when pocket dynamo Massimo Murdocca gets back to fitness. Can make the finals and do some damage.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Terrific effort early in the season in a pulsating 3-3 draw. Best result would be the 3-0 home win over Newcastle.

NEWCASTLE JETS
10th, 13 points, goal difference -9
The A-League's Jekyll and Hyde club looks to get back into the sort of form that won the Jets the title in 2007-08. Branko Culina needs time to build stability at his disposal, including 17-year-old Ben Kantarovski. Michael Bridges and Labinot Haliti are forming a decent pairing up front. May lack the consistency to get into the finals.
BEST PERFORMANCE: The 1-0 win over Gold Coast, the bling team's first loss