A-League Round 5 v Perth

[marinermick]

We are starting to lose players again. ddepending on the fitness of Nik and Sasho I guess this will be the starting line up:

Danny
Ossie Boogs Clarky Heff
Gumps Mile Hutch Kwas
Sasho Nik

Bench
Trott/Reds (depends on injury to Trotty)
Tommy
Smitta
Simon

With Browny to come on the left and Kwas up front if there if one of the strikers do not show.

I think this will be the game that Heff explodes and gets a brace.

Perth are in all sorts so I am confident of a victory before we have a hard away trip to Adelaide and Newcastle at home.

[~Floss~]

Gumps has been pretty quiet lately IMO.

Time to give Tommy a start?

[brett]

The pattern of the A-League becomes more evident with each passing game.

Game 1, full squad, we get past Sydney with Juninho at SFS.
Game 2, no Wilko but back at home we have a solid win
Game 3, down Wilko, Heff and Vuka we scrape through with a win
Game 4, we are down Wilko, Nik, Sasho for most of the game, and we draw

The league is so close, you have to win games when you have your best players out there and when your opponents don't. We have the advantage of the best depth in the league and can therefore do without one or two players, but now we are down two centre backs and possibly one or two strikers. Unavailability in key positions is damaging.

Perth are still trying to find a win and work out what their attacking plan is this season so we are probably positioned better than them in the scheme of things, and we should win playing to our strength - attacking in numbers - as Lawrie will have us do at Bluetongue. I agree Mick - big game for Heff.

It's shocking to think that a loss could see Newcastle go past us into top spot given the way we've played and the way they've played so far.

I would take a 1-0 win at the end so long as we get through the game with no more injuries or suspension worries.

[brett]

floss said:

Gumps has been pretty quiet lately IMO.

Time to give Tommy a start?

Possibly, but I think Lawrie will want to reward the results we have been getting as well as keep things as settled as possible given the forced changes with injury and suspension.

[DJ]

marinermick said:

We are starting to lose players again. ddepending on the fitness of Nik and Sasho I guess this will be the starting line up:

Danny
Ossie Boogs Clarky Heff
Gumps Mile Hutch Kwas
Sasho Nik

Bench
Trott/Reds (depends on injury to Trotty)
Tommy
Smitta
Simon

With Browny to come on the left and Kwas up front if there if one of the strikers do not show.

I think this will be the game that Heff explodes and gets a brace.

Perth are in all sorts so I am confident of a victory before we have a hard away trip to Adelaide and Newcastle at home.

agree with that line up 100% assuming "injuries" are ok.

certainly testing our depth and belief in ourselves for this game, Mile and Hutch have a job to do on Colosimo, close him down and I think we can win.

Perth have lost every HAL game at Bluetongue, let's hope that continues!

[omni]

Mick: Is your reason for the Heff prediction because that was SAD in season one

[serious14]

floss said:

Gumps has been pretty quiet lately IMO.

Time to give Tommy a start?

If only to see a repeat of his side on effort at goal from yesterday....... I nearly fainted with man-love watching that live - the only thing keeping me awake was the fact that Telstra Dome was freezing.

Anyways, I'm all for FULLY embracing Brett's call to arms for Sunday, so that's the FIRE THE F*CK UP part of things taken care of. Lawrie has done no wrong so far with regards to squad selections. Maybe a back three of sorts for this game?? Perth's attack doesn't really worry me, and we've all seen how quickly Jedi can drop back into the line. Although we can easily go with the back four if Clarky is deemed fit to start.

As for the attack - if both the strikers are out, I honestly don't know. Kwas and Tommy?? If one of them are in, then a 4-3-2-1 should suffice.

[dibo (pron. "DIB-OH")]

serious14 said:

floss said:

Gumps has been pretty quiet lately IMO.

Time to give Tommy a start?

As for the attack - if both the strikers are out, I honestly don't know. Kwas and Tommy?? If one of them are in, then a 4-3-2-1 should suffice.

let's get adventurous kids!

3-4-3:
vuvovic
clark boogs heff
osman mile gumps hutch
tommy simon kwas

this assumes both sasho and nik are out. if sasho's in, simon goes to bench.

[marinermick]

omni said:

Mick: Is your reason for the Heff prediction because that was SAD in season one

no, it was not the reason, but well spotted

[skilbeck]

assuming we have sasho and Mrdja back go 4-4-1-1 with:

----------------------------------Danny

Osman----------------Clark (c)--------Boogaard-----------Heffernan

--------------------------------Jedinak

Gumprecht----------------Hutchinson--------------------Kwasnik

------------------------------Pondeljak

------------------------------Petrovski

With Mrdja, depending on the injury i reckon it would be better to ease him back into the squad and play him on the bench to partner Petrovski in the 2nd half. Jedi playing CDM to cover for Heff's runs forward but thats how they usually do it anyway
Bench Being: Trott, Brown, Mrdja/Simon, Owens/Porter

[marinermick]

Some interesting info to come out of the Mariners' weekly media release:

- Three members of the Central Coast Mariners playing squad will go up against their former club if selected on Sunday – Andre Gumprecht, Nik Mrdja and Tom Pondeljak. Gumprecht was integral to the Glory claiming their first ever NSL Championship after contributing 34 appearances and four goals to Perth’s 2002/03 season. One year later, Pondeljak filled the void left by Gumprecht and scored seven goals from 26 starts to again inspire Perth to an NSL Championship success. Throughout both aforementioned seasons and the two preceding, striker Mrdja was used somewhat sparingly by the Glory management but made perhaps the most telling contribution of all when netting the match winner in the 2003/04 Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium – the last ever NSL goal. Of note, midfield ace Pondeljak will notch his 50th competitive cap for the Mariners should he make an appearance on Sunday, which will make him the tenth Central Coast player to reach the half-century milestone along with midfield teammate John Hutchinson, whose next appearance will be his 50th in yellow and navy.

- The Mariners’ fourth clean sheet of the new season against the Melbourne Victory at the weekend was also the 15th recorded in the Hyundai A-League by goalkeeper Danny Vukovic – making him the most successful shot stopper in the short history of the Hyundai A-League. Vukovic’s 15 clean sheets is a record greater than Hyundai A-League rivals Liam Reddy, who has recorded 14 and Clint Bolton and Michael Theoklitos, who have recorded 13 each. Vukovic’s tally began with five clean sheets in season one, followed by seven in season two in addition to the three the Qantas Under 23’s custodian has recorded in 2007/08. Vukovic has earned his record after 43 Hyundai A-League appearances.

- Following Nik Mrdja’s debut for the Socceroos last Tuesday, the Mariners may soon feature more Socceroos in their starting eleven than ever before. Mrdja is the sixth Mariners player to have represented Australia at senior level, following on from Michael Beauchamp, Damian Mori, Sasho Petrovski, Tom Pondeljak and Tony Vidmar. The Mariners’ line up has featured three Socceroos on the pitch simultaneously on three occasions so far this season, with Mrdja yet to add a record fourth member to the Socceroo capped troupe following his absence from last Sunday’s 0-0 draw with the Melbourne Victory – the Mariners’ first match since Mrdja’s international debut. Including uncapped Socceroo squad members Dean Heffernan and Danny Vukovic and the Mariners’ impressive list of restricted age internationals, German Andre Gumprecht and midfield pair John Hutchinson and Damien Brown were the only Mariners players on the pitch from the start against the Victory last Sunday to have not experienced the green and gold in some capacity previously.

- After keeping a clean sheet against the Melbourne Victory last Sunday, the Mariners have equaled their record for consecutive Hyundai A-League shut outs. Clean sheets against Sydney FC, the Wellington Phoenix, the Queensland Roar and the Victory in the opening four rounds of the new season has repeated the club record set by the Mariners in 2006/07, where four clean sheets between Round 13 and Round 16 saw the Mariners play 411 minutes without conceding a goal. Currently, the Mariners have played 394 Hyundai A-League minutes without conceding a goal and are one full game shy of the all-time Hyundai A-League record for consecutive clean sheets, which was set by southern rivals Sydney FC between November 2006 and January 2007 last season.

- Sunday’s match between the Mariners and the Glory marks the tenth occasion the two sides have met in all competitions. In nine previous encounters, the Mariners have claimed more wins against the Glory than any other Hyundai A-League opponent – six, have drawn once and lost twice. Moreover, the Mariners’ 4-0 win over the Glory in the first ever Hyundai A-League meeting between the two sides in October 2005 is the greatest ever winning margin recorded by the Central Coast in a competitive fixture. In such time, the Mariners have scored 15 goals and conceded nine, with current squad members Dean Heffernan, John Hutchinson, Adam Kwasnik, Nik Mrdja, Sasho Petrovski and Tom Pondeljak all contributing goals for the yellow and navy.

[marinermick]

To those who doubt the Mariners pedigree you just have to look at the third point.

From the weekend squad (including subs) only Browny and Hutch have not tasted national representative honours.

Edit: Make that Clarky as well.

[Pete]

Agree with Mick's original post on this Thread re: lineup.

But I wonder if Lawrie would be looking at the replacement for Vidmar as either a) a centre back, who can handle that role, or b) a left sided player who can handle defense.

If Lawrie is thinking more along the lines of b), it wouldn't surprise me if Browny gets a run at left CB. I think Clarkey is utility enough to adapt to left side CB, but he has been mostly playing right side. And he hasn't much gametime, whereas Browny has had more (pre season games).

[Auburn Mariner]

Why do the pundits think that Clarky will slot into a central role? Would he not be more suited to right-back, given that Osman is MUCH taller than him and is better-suited to defending Harnwell and Co from set-piece headers?

Or does Ossie pick up tall players ONLY at set pieces, leaving Clarky next to Boogs in general play?

Any news on Sasho's ankle? Nik's, ahem, knee?

[DJ]

skilbeck said:

With Mrdja, depending on the injury

What injury lol he'll be back..........

Sash is a concern but should be ok, fingers crossed at full strength in attack for this weekend

[DJ]

auburnmariner said:

Why do the pundits think that Clarky will slot into a central role? Would he not be more suited to right-back, given that Osman is MUCH taller than him and is better-suited to defending Harnwell and Co from set-piece headers?

Or does Ossie pick up tall players ONLY at set pieces, leaving Clarky next to Boogs in general play?

Any news on Sasho's ankle? Nik's, ahem, knee?

Clark is the natural replacement, Osman has never played CB which IMO would be a huge risk.

[Bearinator]

Clark will do a fine job. Very underrated. I can smell another clean sheet.

[brett]

Yep, height and heading ability form only a small portion of a centre back's duties.

Man-marking, tracking runs, reading the play, use of the body, and particularly positional play in terms of offside, distance from your other CB, when to go wide to cover your fullback, and when to come forward out of the line are far more crucial elements. This is why defenders tend to get better with experience - there is plenty in the art to learn.

Clarky is a natural CB (how can we forget a whole season of him there in the run to the grand final?!) and has experience there whereas Ossie and Browny as suggested have never played there that we know of and would be unwise choices. Remember Porter last year (New Year's?) against Melbourne when Archie nicked in the other side of him and scored. He tried hard and had a good game but one error in that position, through a lack of experience, cost a goal.

In any case, I think with Boogs keeping Harnwell under wraps should Perth select him, Clarky will be an ideal foil with his ability to be here, there, and every bloody where to clean up anything else that gets through.

[Bearinator]

wyomingtiger said:

In any case, I think with Boogs keeping Harnwell under wraps should Perth select him, Clarky will be an ideal foil with his ability to be here, there, and every bloody where to clean up anything else that gets through.

Now there is a song that iv not heard in a long while.

[~Floss~]

marinermick said:

- Following Nik Mrdja’s debut for the Socceroos last Tuesday, the Mariners may soon feature more Socceroos in their starting eleven than ever before. Mrdja is the sixth Mariners player to have represented Australia at senior level, following on from Michael Beauchamp, Damian Mori, Sasho Petrovski, Tom Pondeljak and Tony Vidmar. The Mariners’ line up has featured three Socceroos on the pitch simultaneously on three occasions so far this season, with Mrdja yet to add a record fourth member to the Socceroo capped troupe following his absence from last Sunday’s 0-0 draw with the Melbourne Victory – the Mariners’ first match since Mrdja’s international debut. Including uncapped Socceroo squad members Dean Heffernan and Danny Vukovic and the Mariners’ impressive list of restricted age internationals, German Andre Gumprecht and midfield pair John Hutchinson and Damien Brown were the only Mariners players on the pitch from the start against the Victory last Sunday to have not experienced the green and gold in some capacity previously.

Thanks for that, I'd been wondering about those sort of stats lately.