League Table 2019/20

Melbourne City 2 Sydney FC 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	23	16	3	4	46	21	25	51
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	24	12	4	8	37	29	8	40
	Brisbane Roar	24	11	5	8	27	26	1	38
	Perth Glory	23	9	7	7	40	29	11	34
	Adelaide United	24	11	1	12	41	46	-5	34
	Western United	21	9	3	9	36	29	7	30
	Western Sydney	23	8	6	9	29	31	-2	30
	Newcastle Jets	24	7	7	10	28	40	-12	28
	Melbourne Victory	23	5	5	13	26	39	-13	20
	Central Coast	25	4	3	18	23	53	-30	15

Fair to say our chances of finishing second have absolutely plummeted in the last 24 hours.

Newcastle Jets 1 Western United 0

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	23	16	3	4	46	21	25	51
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	24	12	4	8	37	29	8	40
	Brisbane Roar	24	11	5	8	27	26	1	38
	Perth Glory	23	9	7	7	40	29	11	34
	Adelaide United	24	11	1	12	41	46	-5	34
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western United	22	9	3	10	36	30	6	30
	Western Sydney	23	8	6	9	29	31	-2	30
	Melbourne Victory	23	5	5	13	26	39	-13	20
	Central Coast	25	4	3	18	23	53	-30	15

Fair to say this one will hurt more - more variables that were out of our control, after looking so damn good before Covid.

I'm not trying to be negative, but if we keep going the way we're going, we could even finish 5th or 6th the way we're going.

To be fair, given the practicalities of finishing this particular season, whether we finish 3rd or 6th, or anywhere in between, doesn't really matter. But after being in pole position to finish second and be one win away from the grand final, we have put ourselves into a position where we could have another disappointing finish to the season after showing a lot of promise.

Even tho the Jets can still mathematically make the top 6, they are effectively eliminated cuz it would take a ridiculous series of events to make it. So we are down to a 4 horse race for 5th and 6th between Perth, Adelaide, Western and WSW.

34 pts: Glory - WSW / Victory / Western

34 pts: Adelaide - Sydney / City

30 pts: Western - WSW / Glory / Sydney / City

30 pts: WSW - Glory / Western / Victory

I reckon Glory and WSW make it.

I would hope it is not WSW as we'd be likely to play off against them, with poor prospects as it stands now.

Melbourne Victory 2 Central Coast Mariners 3

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	23	16	3	4	46	21	25	51
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	24	12	4	8	37	29	8	40
	Brisbane Roar	24	11	5	8	27	26	1	38
	Perth Glory	23	9	7	7	40	29	11	34
	Adelaide United	24	11	1	12	41	46	-5	34
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western United	22	9	3	10	36	30	6	30
	Western Sydney	23	8	6	9	29	31	-2	30
	Melbourne Victory	24	5	5	14	28	42	-14	20
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

New club record for the Victory. 5 losses in a row.

Western Sydney Wanderers 1 Perth Glory 3

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	23	16	3	4	46	21	25	51
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	24	12	4	8	37	29	8	40
	Brisbane Roar	24	11	5	8	27	26	1	38
	Perth Glory	24	10	7	7	43	30	13	37
	Adelaide United	24	11	1	12	41	46	-5	34
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western United	22	9	3	10	36	30	6	30
	Western Sydney	24	8	6	10	30	34	-4	30
	Melbourne Victory	24	5	5	14	28	42	-14	20
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

Wellington Phoenix 1 Brisbane Roar 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	23	16	3	4	46	21	25	51
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	25	11	6	8	28	27	1	39
	Perth Glory	24	10	7	7	43	30	13	37
	Adelaide United	24	11	1	12	41	46	-5	34
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western United	22	9	3	10	36	30	6	30
	Western Sydney	24	8	6	10	30	34	-4	30
	Melbourne Victory	24	5	5	14	28	42	-14	20
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

Nice to have Rudes out of top sex

So to secure second spot we basically have to hope that MC either lose their last two games or only get one draw, in which case we would need a win over the Jets with a scoreline good enough to top MC's goal difference.

City still have Adelaide and WU but look stronger than both those teams. 

We've gone from being in pole position for second to a number of ifs.

They're still in contention though. It wouldn't be far-fetched if we ended up playing them in the first round of playoffs. 

The snakes have four games in the next two weeks then if they make the six the first final game is 3 or 4 days after that. If we do end up playing them we will certainly be the fresher team.

We do have the better draw of any team heading into the playoffs - for rest and preparedness. with only 1 game to play in the next 8 days we should be well ready for whoever we face. 

Western United having those 4 games in 2 weeks will really test their squad.

I've been away for a while. Which thread do I go to to find out the scapegoat for this?

-

So who do we prefer in the first playoff? For me the Reds and WU look beatable. Perth I'm not keen on despite beating them already. Even without Castro they are a tough nut to crack. 

Our chances might hinge on Hooper's fitness. Don't think he had a great game last night but he's a hugely experienced striker who can win a game for us with one classy moment. With Waine or Sotirio up top we look far less effective, probably fatally so for our chances of getting through to the GF.

It's Vince Lia isn't it?

Brockie really hasn't been pulling his weight recently

I think there was a "send Davila back to Mexico" movement for a couple of days, wasn't there?

Yeah, that was me, brazenly daring to suggest Davila has not properly hit his straps yet, following the restart.

Adelaide United 1 Sydney FC 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	24	16	4	4	47	22	25	52
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	25	11	6	8	28	27	1	39
	Perth Glory	24	10	7	7	43	30	13	37
	Adelaide United	25	11	2	12	42	47	-5	35
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western United	22	9	3	10	36	30	6	30
	Western Sydney	24	8	6	10	30	34	-4	30
	Melbourne Victory	24	5	5	14	28	42	-14	20
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

Top 6 almost locked in, only WU can really make a late run for 6th, everyone else's place seems pretty safe. Heck if WU win the next 4 they could push us out of third.

In hindsight, the loss to Sydney first up after the Covid break really stings given their inability to beat pretty much anyone else since then.

I'm not sure if Newcastle being out of contention is a good or a bad thing for us - on the one hand they might be over it all and not care one bit, on the other hand they might be super-keen to end the season on a high, especially knowing the uncertainties heading into next season.

During our game against Brisbane I was pleased to hear Bozza praising our players and specifically saying that our loss against Sydney was "undeserved" and "must have hurt". 

He did not say that about our fiasco of a game against WSW, so probably more of a comment on the Smurfs.

Western United 5 Western Sydney Wanderers 3

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	24	16	4	4	47	22	25	52
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	25	11	6	8	28	27	1	39
	Perth Glory	24	10	7	7	43	30	13	37
	Adelaide United	25	11	2	12	42	47	-5	35
	Western United	23	10	3	10	41	33	8	33
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western Sydney	25	8	6	11	33	39	-6	30
	Melbourne Victory	24	5	5	14	28	42	-14	20
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

And then there was 7.

We've seen some really high-scoring games lately.  Would that be due to the number of subs that can be used?

Perth Glory 0 Melbourne Victory 4

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	24	16	4	4	47	22	25	52
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	25	11	6	8	28	27	1	39
	Perth Glory	25	10	7	8	43	34	9	37
	Adelaide United	25	11	2	12	42	47	-5	35
	Western United	23	10	3	10	41	33	8	33
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western Sydney	25	8	6	11	33	39	-6	30
	Melbourne Victory	25	6	5	14	32	42	-10	23
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

Brisbane Roar 1 Sydney FC 1

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	25	16	5	4	48	23	25	53
	Melbourne City	24	13	4	7	44	34	10	43
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	26	11	7	8	29	28	1	40
	Perth Glory	25	10	7	8	43	34	9	37
	Adelaide United	25	11	2	12	42	47	-5	35
	Western United	23	10	3	10	41	33	8	33
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western Sydney	25	8	6	11	33	39	-6	30
	Melbourne Victory	25	6	5	14	32	42	-10	23
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

So 3rd is ours, unless we lose to the Jest and the Snakes have an incredible run?

We could get overtaken if we draw with Newcastle too.

Melbourne City 2 Adelaide United 2

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	25	16	5	4	48	23	25	53
	Melbourne City	25	13	5	7	46	36	10	44
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	26	11	7	8	29	28	1	40
	Perth Glory	25	10	7	8	43	34	9	37
	Adelaide United	26	11	3	12	44	49	-5	36
	Western United	23	10	3	10	41	33	8	33
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western Sydney	25	8	6	11	33	39	-6	30
	Melbourne Victory	25	6	5	14	32	42	-10	23
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

good old race for second. We win  and Melb C lose and we have a chance to steal it.

Perth Glory 0 Western United 2

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
	Sydney FC	25	16	5	4	48	23	25	53
	Melbourne City	25	13	5	7	46	36	10	44
	Wellington Phoenix	25	12	5	8	38	30	8	41
	Brisbane Roar	26	11	7	8	29	28	1	40
	Perth Glory	26	10	7	9	43	36	7	37
	Western United	24	11	3	10	43	33	10	36
	Adelaide United	26	11	3	12	44	49	-5	36
	Newcastle Jets	25	8	7	10	29	40	-11	31
	Western Sydney	25	8	6	11	33	39	-6	30
	Melbourne Victory	25	6	5	14	32	42	-10	23
	Central Coast	26	5	3	18	26	55	-29	18

Top 6 rounded off. Get the feeling it's pretty much anyone's at this point.