Fire up! Lets win the farkin league!

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

Well I’m fired up for this weekend. Big game, another chance to boost the lead at the top. I can almost see Wilko holding up the premiers' shield!

Queensland have the scum at home tonight, and oddly enough I’m kinda hoping for the scum to at least nick a point, just to give us the best chance to boost out the lead at the top. If the puddytats are held to a point, then we may have the chance to go 6 points clear with just 6 matches remaining.

Even maintaining the gap would be fine, because we can knock the Roar off at home the week after to gap them.

There are scenarios which could see us ten points clear with five weeks to go.

Given the way that results are traded around in this league, it’s not all that improbable either –
- Adelaide fail to beat at least one of Welly or Melbourne (i.e. take a maximum of 4 points);
- Qld lose to both us and the Jets;
- The Jets fail to to beat Sydney the following week.

Of these, the least likely thing is for the Jets to win up there. But everything depends on us putting the wins away. The league is there for the taking.

Another week, another step closer to taking out a bit of major silverware and booking our Asian adventure. Let’s fire the fark up already!

[jetsmania]

You might come first and gain an Asian spot however unless one of the major teams (Sydney, Melbourne, QLD) get the other spot I don't fancy your chances at taking part in the competition.

Everyone knows the FFA want the current A-league champions to take their place in the ACL effectively right afther the domestic A-league season finishes. However as you know we are a year behind with the A-league champions having to wait a whole year before they can participate in the ACL.

Just imagine if Sydney FC went into the ACL right after their grandfinal success. They would have been getting crowds of 30000+. Instead their highest crowd was 20000 against Asias glamour club Urawa Reds. Same story as Melbourne. Their crowds aren't quite as strong this year yet imagine if the games were played straight after the 6-0 grandfinal triumph.

It is much better if the current champions get teh chance to enter the ACL immediately after the A-league and that means that one year two teams are just going to be overlooked. And i can just see it being regional teams such as central coast or newcastle. Its annoying because we stuffed it up in the first place and now it has to be fixed but some clubs are going to be hurt in the process.

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

if it's expanded to 3 or 4 teams, they'll stagger it so clubs don't miss out.

my point stands though that we're looking pretty flash for the league if we can get through this few weeks!

[Mermaid]

3-1 would be a nice win tomorrow. Will never forgot how good it felt to beat syd at home last year. Mori was on fire!!!

[dru]

jetsmania said:

You might come first and gain an Asian spot however unless one of the major teams (Sydney, Melbourne, QLD) get the other spot I don't fancy your chances at taking part in the competition.

Everyone knows the FFA want the current A-league champions to take their place in the ACL effectively right afther the domestic A-league season finishes. However as you know we are a year behind with the A-league champions having to wait a whole year before they can participate in the ACL.

Just imagine if Sydney FC went into the ACL right after their grandfinal success. They would have been getting crowds of 30000+. Instead their highest crowd was 20000 against Asias glamour club Urawa Reds. Same story as Melbourne. Their crowds aren't quite as strong this year yet imagine if the games were played straight after the 6-0 grandfinal triumph.

Don't count on us missing out until the AFC changes the dates for registering the teams as that is the reason we have the rediculous scenario. At the moment our final series finishes after the registration date for players.

jetsmania said:

It is much better if the current champions get teh chance to enter the ACL immediately after the A-league and that means that one year two teams are just going to be overlooked. And i can just see it being regional teams such as central coast or newcastle. Its annoying because we stuffed it up in the first place and now it has to be fixed but some clubs are going to be hurt in the process.

The sensible thing you've said here is that your lot will be as likely affected as we are. I think it will be the year the AFC changes it's rules is the year teams miss out but it is as likely to be one of the "major teams" as it is us or the Jest. (might not be likely to effect glory though )

We didn't stuff it up, we scheduled our season in line with major leagues (and transfer windows) rather than the ACL registration and to fit in with other codes so venues such as Olympic park, NISC, SFS and lang park were available for the whole season.

[brett]

With the Roar going down tonight, albeit fairly undeservedly, we have a chance to open up a 7 point buffer.

But win lose or draw for us tomorrow I feel a win next week would put one hand on the plate.

[Bearinator]

wyomingtiger said:

With the Roar going down tonight, albeit fairly undeservedly, we have a chance to open up a 7 point buffer.

But win lose or draw for us tomorrow I feel a win next week would put one hand on the plate.

I wish I had your confidence. I wont even believe it if Wilko holds it up in front of us I dont think

[~Floss~]

I really want to try to avoid getting my hopes up too much until it's a case "if we lose every remaining round and they win every one..."

That said, if we can get a result tomorrow, next week in Qld will be HUGE

[greenpoleffc]

I never thought I would say this about the scum but..........................nope, cant do it sorry timmy :-)

[northernspirit]

tonights game now takes on even great significance - a win will all but guarantee us finals football, an extension of our lead would see us favourites to be premiers for the first time in our history and qualification for the ACL and of course a 2nd bite of the cherry in the finals series due to finishing top 2... im sure lawrie doesnt need to remind the players of this, our destiny is in our own hands - if we are good enough we can do it... i just worry that we have had alot of results fall our way and also been lucky in some games ourselves, i hope the lads can improve their football for these last few rounds and guarantee some asian football - i might ask santa for it for xmas

[T]

We're winning in the rain!!! Just winning in the rain! What a glorious feeling to be top of the league!!

[northernspirit]

some good news:

Juninho to miss Mariners clash - AAP
www.theworldgame.com.au/home/index.php?pid=st&cid=100940

Sydney FC's midfield maestro Juninho will miss Saturday's crucial A-League clash with leaders Central Coast Mariners as his team returns to their 'real business' after the much-hyped midweek win over LA Galaxy.

Brazilian World Cup winner Juninho was ruled out of the Gosford clash because of a knock to the outside of his left leg.

The midfield star copped a vicious tackle by Galaxy's Kevin Harmes during the first half of Sydney's 5-3 win over Galaxy on Tuesday night and did not play the second stanza.

"It was probably too much of a risk to play him," Sydney coach John Kosmina said.

"I was actually wanting to start him tomorrow," added Kosmina, who started the veteran playmaker on the bench against Queensland Roar last weekend for tactical reasons.

Sydney captain and defender Tony Popovic missed the match against the Roar through suspension, but will return to the centre of the defence with Olyroos skipper Mark Milligan shifting to midfield.

Popovic emphasised Sydney was fully focussed on the Bluetongue Stadium match after all the excitement generated before, during, and after the 5-3 win over the David Beckham-inspired Galaxy.

"That's gone, that's dusted, that's finished, it's served its purpose," Popovic said.

"It was a great occasion, we all enjoyed it, the crowd enjoyed it, now the real business is back on."

Sydney beat the Mariners 3-2 in Kosmina's first game in charge five weeks ago in what Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna rated one of his team's worst performances of the season.

"We've improved a lot since then, although we've still got a depleted squad," said McKinna.

While McKinna welcomed the return from suspension of Mile Jedinak and the improving fitness of Andre Gumprecht, his attacking options for the game were reduced.

Midfielder John Hutchinson, who scored two spectacular long-range goals in the loss to Sydney, is suspended along with striker and former Sydney stalwart Sasho Petrovski.

The Mariners lead the table by four points from Queensland, who they play next week, and are nine ahead of fifth-placed Sydney.

However, Sydney is four points behind the two teams immediately above them after Adelaide United and the Newcastle Jets both won on Friday night.

"We need to get three points this weekend, firstly to keep the Mariners close to us and secondly to get ourselves in the top four," Kosmina said.

McKinna said it was important the Mariners maintained their gap over Sydney and 'not give them a sniff'.

McKinna believes the tight nature of the competition could work in his team's favour in the chase to be Premiers.

"If we just maintain what we're doing over the next three or four weeks, keep picking up the results at home and getting draws and wins away from home, we are going to win it (the Premiers title for finishing first after 21 rounds)," McKinna said.

"We've still got a long way to go and we will just rely on other teams knocking off the ones who are challenging us."

While not everyone is a fan of the Mariners style, Kosmina made it clear he admired the way Central Coast went about their work.

"They move the ball around with tempo and with pace, they are mobile as a team and they fight to the death," he said.

"I know that doesn't necessarily paint a rosy picture, but they actually play some good football because they are prepared to roll their sleeves up and the football side flows naturally from that work ethic."


Last modified: 30 November 2007 22:53:56

[nutmeg]

What a shame ;D

[northernspirit]

now if someone can break brosque's legs we should be right

[midfielder]

Why only Brosque ??

[T]

Without Whoino, they don't have a great playmaker!! Brosque was handed those goals on a plate on Tues.... he won't find it so easy tonight. And with the rain, the ball is going to be heavier than normal, the ground nice and slipery, which will slow everyone down

[northernspirit]

i think the conditions suit us better, the rain is much harder to play in and their team is older than ours... if we can keep some possession imm confident of a win

[Ursus]

Singin' in the rain, I'm singin'...............

[blackadder]

What would a Mariners game day be without Rain

[DJ]

blackadder said:

What would a Mariners game day be without Rain

been lucky so far this year IMO, seems to rain quite often when we play Sydney thou.

Interestingly we have only ever beaten Sydney on a Friday night, never a Saturday or Sunday (In the HAL that is).....seems like a good day to change that ;D

(fingers crossed)