League Table 2019/20

How are we gonna break the news to Royz?

Your maths is correct.

Remaining games. * denote games against top 6 teams

Melbourne City
WSW (h)
CCM (a)
ADL (h) *
NEW (a)
WUN (a) *
SYD (h) *

Perth Glory
SYD (a) *
WUN (h) *
MVC (h)
WSW (a)
WEL (h) *
ADL (a) *
CCM (h)

Wellington Phoenix
MVC (h)
SYD (a) *
NEW (a)
ADL (h) *
PER (a) *
BRI (h) *
WSW (a)

Finishing second is definitely doable. And finishing ahead of Perth in any way would be the ideal outcome from away trip perspective.

And with the closeness of the league whoever finishes 5th and 6th are likely to come in with momentum and form so it's really important to come 2nd.

Fixed, Adelaide's 7th.

That 3rd game being played away to Perth may be the clincher here unfortunately 

Out of 7 games I will be surprised if we win 3. There are some tough games in there. 

If we are serious about challenging then we need to do better than 3 and I think we are more than capable of that.

Sydney and Perth away are tough. I'm not sure that the rest are given our current form, and the form of our other opponents.

MVC (h) - win
SYD (a) * - draw
NEW (a) - win
ADL (h)  - win
PER (a) * - loss
BRI (h) * - draw
WSW (a) - win

4/7 we should be expected to win based on form and previous results. Where do you get 3? 

I would not bet against N/castle or Brisbane.

The Castle, third game in a week. Potential banana for sure. 

Be really interesting to see what lineup Talay puts out against Sydney next Wednesday. Does he rest a few, with an eye on the more winnable game up the road a few days later?

And what if AWs Oman & Bahrain games in March are called off (expect 4-5 players to otherwise fly off to Middle East straight after the Newcastle game)? 

That will definitely play and part in his thinking, re player loads - knowing all his squad will then have a 2 week break (Nix bye in FIFA window) if no AWs games. 

I hope the team are more positive than you Leggy otherwise whats the point.

I have had 13 years of being positive to no avail. I'm sure all the boys are positive as this side is playing better football than any other Nix team ever did.

At least the game in Perth is a much earlier kick off to last time. 

Playing at 8pm NZ time is a load better than playing after midnight NZ time. i think we will be a lot more competitive and less likely to switch off just before half time.

The way I see it, all the remaining home games are extremely winnable. Now if we look at the pattern of points required for 2nd or 3rd spot over the last 10 years or so (27 game seasons), the tally required for second is usually in the 48 to 50 point range, and 3rd is 43 to 48 points range. There are some exceptions to this (last season is an example of that, but it was an unusual one as there were essentially three wooden spooners in the league), but in general this is a reasonable guide, especially since this is a 26-game season.

This basically means that 4 wins from here gives us a great shot at 3rd, and 5 wins from here gives us a realistic shot at 2nd. It won't be easy - we essentially have to be perfect at home for the rest of the season, and aim to pick up 2 wins on the road where Newcastle and WSW seem easier targets. I think that's eminently doable, but obviously far from a given.

The goal is the top six remember

That is what the team keeps saying but I'm sure they are all targeting a home finals game now, preferably as the 2nd place team.

Am I the only one expecting 5/7? Syd and Perth aside, the rest we should beat.

There aren't any easy games, as Ufuk has said. But there isn't a side we can't beat. Sydney and Perth obviously the biggest challenges, but Perth with that earlier away start. And Sydney is not out of our reach. We aren't favourites for either of those, but I think we could pull off wins in both. Brisbane, Newcastle and Victory, with a bad day at the office all potential banana skins. 

I think probabilistically it is a bell curve distribution around 5, with 7/7 and 3/7 possible but less likely. Ball and Hooper staying fit, Davila handling his travel well and how we go with injuries and the international window all big deals. But out of us, Sydney, Perth and City we are probably the most likely to drop points. 

Gonna be a fun finish. 

A small fist pump, from Talay if no action for the AWs in March.

Means he can probably play more his first choice squad, for all the upcoming 3 games in week.

Knowing his whole squad then has a 2 week break, over FIFA window.

Brisbane Roar 1 Central Coast Mariners 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	18	15	1	2	41	15	26	46
	Melbourne City	20	11	3	6	36	29	7	36
	Wellington Phoenix	19	10	3	6	30	23	7	33
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	19	8	6	5	35	22	13	30
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	20	9	0	11	34	39	-5	27
	Western Sydney	19	7	3	9	25	28	-3	24
	Melbourne Victory	20	5	5	10	24	32	-8	20
	Newcastle Jets	19	4	6	9	21	37	-16	18
	Central Coast	21	4	1	16	20	47	-27	13

Sydney FC 0 Perth Glory 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	20	11	3	6	36	29	7	36
	Wellington Phoenix	19	10	3	6	30	23	7	33
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	20	9	0	11	34	39	-5	27
	Western Sydney	19	7	3	9	25	28	-3	24
	Melbourne Victory	20	5	5	10	24	32	-8	20
	Newcastle Jets	19	4	6	9	21	37	-16	18
	Central Coast	21	4	1	16	20	47	-27	13

Melbourne City 1 Western Sydney Wanderers 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	21	11	4	6	37	30	7	37
	Wellington Phoenix	19	10	3	6	30	23	7	33
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	20	9	0	11	34	39	-5	27
	Western Sydney	20	7	4	9	26	29	-3	25
	Melbourne Victory	20	5	5	10	24	32	-8	20
	Newcastle Jets	19	4	6	9	21	37	-16	18
	Central Coast	21	4	1	16	20	47	-27	13

Both of those results aren't terrible for us, especially the Sydney one, it means that Perth will still stay behind us and Sydney won't be coming off a win when we play them on Wednesday 

Wellington Phoenix 3 Melbourne Victory 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	21	11	4	6	37	30	7	37
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	20	9	0	11	34	39	-5	27
	Western Sydney	20	7	4	9	26	29	-3	25
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Newcastle Jets	19	4	6	9	21	37	-16	18
	Central Coast	21	4	1	16	20	47	-27	13

And the Jets win 3-0 and keep Adelaide at bay., Awesome weekend, if only City had lost and not drawn.

Bonus, Victory go to 2nd to bottom which is completely unheard of.

Adelaide United 0 Newcastle Jets 3

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	21	11	4	6	37	30	7	37
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	21	9	0	12	34	42	-8	27
	Western Sydney	20	7	4	9	26	29	-3	25
	Newcastle Jets	20	5	6	9	24	37	-13	21
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Central Coast	21	4	1	16	20	47	-27	13

Central Coast Mariners 2 Melbourne City 4

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	22	12	4	6	41	32	9	40
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	21	9	5	7	24	24	0	32
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	21	9	0	12	34	42	-8	27
	Western Sydney	20	7	4	9	26	29	-3	25
	Newcastle Jets	20	5	6	9	24	37	-13	21
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Central Coast	22	4	1	17	22	51	-29	13

Brisbane Roar 1 Newcastle Jets 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	19	15	2	2	41	15	26	47
	Melbourne City	22	12	4	6	41	32	9	40
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	22	10	5	7	25	24	1	35
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	21	9	0	12	34	42	-8	27
	Western Sydney	20	7	4	9	26	29	-3	25
	Newcastle Jets	21	5	6	10	24	38	-14	21
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Central Coast	22	4	1	17	22	51	-29	13

Brisbane in fourth!?  When/how did that happen?  I guess I haven't been paying much attention recently, I thought they were terrible!

We gave them their first proper win and they went on from there.

@playthemintoformnow

Still very much in our hands if we get that far into it.

Western Sydney Wanderers 1 Sydney FC 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	20	15	3	2	42	16	26	48
	Melbourne City	22	12	4	6	41	32	9	40
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	22	10	5	7	25	24	1	35
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	21	9	0	12	34	42	-8	27
	Western Sydney	21	7	5	9	27	30	-3	26
	Newcastle Jets	21	5	6	10	24	38	-14	21
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Central Coast	22	4	1	17	22	51	-29	13

If you ignore the first 4 games we lost & Sydney won 3 of, we would only be 3 points behind Sydney. Shame we had that slow start to the season.

One thing it proves is the idea of a "rebuilding year" is BS. We've rebuilt twice in two seasons  and have been competitive in both.

Didn't the coach say rebuild 1st top 6 last? going from a post in 442 forum.

Newcastle Jets 2 Melbourne City 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	20	15	3	2	42	16	26	48
	Melbourne City	23	12	4	7	42	34	8	40
	Wellington Phoenix	20	11	3	6	33	23	10	36
	Brisbane Roar	22	10	5	7	25	24	1	35
	Perth Glory	20	8	7	5	35	22	13	31
	Western United	20	8	3	9	34	28	6	27
	Adelaide United	21	9	0	12	34	42	-8	27
	Western Sydney	21	7	5	9	27	30	-3	26
	Newcastle Jets	22	6	6	10	26	39	-13	24
	Melbourne Victory	21	5	5	11	24	35	-11	20
	Central Coast	22	4	1	17	22	51	-29	13