A-League Week 7 With Ze Phibber
Week 7 is done and so is Mike Mulvey. The Brisbane Roar coach has stepped down. I always do feel quite sorry for the coach of a losing team. They are just like a player taking a penalty you rarely get credit for scoring the penalty, cos that's your job, but if you don't score the penalty then you're everyone's worst enemy. For the coach, if your team's winning then you're doing your job but credit is rarely given. But if you're losing then it is you that is to blame. Never mind the players that are playing like dog shit. It's the coach. It has to be the coach. Pretty tough gig.
Any way rant over, the first game of the week was between Melbourne Victory and The Brisbane Roar. The match ended in a 1-0 win with an own goal to Jade North (Bri), all that it took to seal the match for the Victory who have continued their unbeaten streak. The match was pretty tight, both teams failed to create too many chances and after the first half there were more yellow cards then shots on goal. It's not often you get to say that, and I'm not gonna lie that's a pretty good effort in terms of dirtiness.
I think the Roar where pretty hard done by in this game, they definitely deserved a point. The own goal was just plain old bad luck. A set piece flicked on into North who had no chance to react and just ended up guiding the ball into the net. Shit way to loose a game and a for Mulvey to end his career at the Roar. I know I said rant over but it's pretty rough. The man has been head coach for just over a season and in that season managed to take home the silverware. And now since they have had a bad start to the season you are gonna sack him? Where is the loyalty surely he is deserving of a bit more then that? Any how, it will be interesting to see if a new coach can help turn the roar's season around.
The second game of the week was between the inform Perth Glory and the Phoenix. You know it's not gonna be your day when some jammy, pimply teen scuffs the ball into a defender then into his chest then into the back of the net and only in the second minute of the game. Still the Phoenix can't afford to start games that slow. The match finished with Perth claiming the a 2-1 win. Goals to Daniel de Silva (Per), Andy Keogh (Per) and Roy Krishna (Wel). I knew this match was going to be a real test for the Nix. Away to arguably the most in-form team in the league was never going to be an easy task. And after conceding so early on, the chances of getting the win started to look pretty darn slim, but they fought hard and created some decent opportunities. I feel that the best chance of the game came from the Nix. The cross came in from Tom Doyle and Roy Krishna got onto the end of it but was unable to hit target. He really should have done better, 6 yards out not hitting the target is not good enough. Hersi had an absolute cracker of a miss early on as well and honestly had me laughing out loud. He didn't even hit the ball. I thought someone in the first row of the crowd was going to be able to catch his leg, that's how hard he swung. In his defence the ball did catch a little bobble, but never the less it was hilarious how hard he tried to hit the ball and by how far he missed the ball. Here batter batter swing batter batter. The Phoenix will bounce back from this game. There is as always positives to take out of the game. They played some good passages of footy and are creating some great chances. Will be interesting to see how they pan out against the Manchester City wannabes at home next week.
The third game of the week was between the Western Sydney Wanderers and the Newcastle Jets. The match finished 1-1 with goals going to Tom Juric (Wes) and Marcos Flores (New). This was an exciting game of football, Tom Juric's goal was a cracker and I have awarded him the Phibbers Goal Of The Week. The ball came to him deep in the box off a corner, Juric then struck the ball beautifully first time on the volley into the back of the net. Great goal with a high degree of difficulty. Flores tried his best to outdo Juric 6 minutes later when he absolutely pumped a first time volley into the cross bar, Covic did not even move, I don't even think he knew what had happened. If it was 6 inches down that screamer would taken the goal of the week. Both teams managed to exchange blows to the cross bar but it appeared the game was destined to finish with each team taking home a slice of the cake.
The fourth game of the week was between Sydney FC and Melbourne City. The sky blues where able to continue their great 2014/15 season with another win. The game finished 2-1 with goals to Mark Janko x 2 (Syd), and a late goal to Erik Partaalu (Mel). The sky blues Definitely had to work for this win and the game probably would have finished in a draw if it was not for an absolute nightmare of a pass from Rob Weileart who gifted the ball to Janko who was then able to poke the ball into the back of the net, And with Melbourne grabbing a goal back late in the match, I hate to say it but Weileart robbed his team of a point. City has not got off to the greatest of starts this season and they need every point they can get. As a result Rob Weileart is receiving the Phibbers Knob Of The Week! Well deserved win again for Sydney I'm absolutely frothing at the tip for next weeks fixture! The Sydney Derby! Shit is gonna get loose, I'm calling riots out west, so excited!
The final game of week 7 was between the Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United. United where by far the better team in this fixture and thoroughly deserved the 2-0 win with a brace from Pavlo Sanchez (Ade). The Mariners have struggled to find true form this season and are struggling to create opportunities going forward. Adelaide looked strong throughout the game and their second goal was a beautiful piece of football to watch. Elrich beat about 15 players running forward (I'm not sure how he kept the the ball) and then managed to put a ball into the box which was partially cleared to Sanchez who was able to come up with a good finish. The win put Adelaide into second, 2 points behind the Glory and 2 points clear of 3rd place Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC.
This concluded another eventful week of footy, the table has really opened up and there is a gap starting to form in the middle of the table. The Nix are sitting nice and cosy in 5th place 3 points clear of 6th. They still have a lot of work to do though but from what I have seen from the games so far this season and the class of players we have I could see us really giving the silverware a nudge. On a side note a passionate Sydney fan told me today that this years A-League season has been the 15th highest attended football league world wide. Now that's not a bad effort at all. As I said in earlier weeks, if this league is going to turn into the league I hope it does then we need to get big crowds. And big crowds is what we have been getting! So proud! Get up the A league.