The Roar's next home game is 17 Oct against Adelaide. This is 2 days after the Socceroos play Qatar at Lang Park (if that game goes ahead - International court decision due just before it). A day or two later Adelaide have to go to Uzbekistan for the Asian Champions semi.
Adelaide want the date changed. This would be a bad thing for the Roar as the weekend before is the international break, so they would miss 2 weeks in a row - then have to play 2 matches in a week. In any case, Sydney got an easy win from Adelaide in their previous lead-up match.
So, the Roar crowds have been down (as the Broncos have been directly completing for stadium time) and the Roar have been having trouble winning at home. It is particularly hard when a 50,000 seat stadium has only 12,000 in it - empty vessel. The Socceroo game will hit this number lower as the same fans won't want to back up from Wednesday to Friday.
So, here is the deal. Roar goes to Adelaide on 17 October. They play better away anyway. And Adelaide give up their home game against the Roar on 20 December. This is one of the best match dates of the year. If the Roar are in the top 4 by then, I would expect a crowd of 30,000 full of holiday makers. Win win.
Now will Adelaide buy it?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A great weekend. Wellington 2 v Sydney 1, and Victory 0 v Roar 2
Why can't the Roar play like this at home?
And, the A-League evens up again.
If the Roar had strikers who can score they should have got 7. At the other end Reddy only made one save. The Roar were almost completely dominant except for the final kick.I counted at least 5 serious fouls that were play on and they were all in the first half when no cards were given. In the second half there were 5 yellows plus a red.
Firstly, Reinaldo should have won a last man foul just outside the box in the opening minutes and it should have been good night Vargas. Interestingly, Fox don't highlight the ref errors anymore, I guess they are trying to protect the game. Niel recons their was a blatant Roar hand ball in the penalty box (I didn't see this one). I did see the Tiatto - Vargas incident - you really can't obstruct Mr Vargas. I also saw the quick right from Muscat on Van Dijk in the box - but play on.
Van Dijk is getting more of the idea. He is lifting his physical game (maybe he got some lessons from Tiatto who seemed to be boasting about getting sent off in this game). And going down harder in tackles to win free kicks. He had one hit the post, another just wide and a header into the cross-bar. But Van Dijk's secret is now out, he can't kick with his right foot. In the second half he looked done, tripped himself up and he tried to change from his right to his left in front of goal.
The weirdest part of the game was Murdocca getting a head cut, bleeding on his shirt and being refused re-entry to the ground because the Roar didn't have a spare number 8 shirt that didn't blood on it.
Next weirdest was the Hernandez send off. What was the 2nd yellow for?
Next weirdest, Zullo scored in 90+5 in match with 3 minutes of extra time. But what great goals to Minniecon and Zullo. Both showed the other Roar strikers how to score.
The FFA scorecard shows possession 84% to Victory (don't see that often).
Miller missed two open goals. He tried to volley when he had time to shoot.
Reinaldo missed a one-on-one with the keeper, tried to nutmeg when chipping was the go.
The Victory mid-field was completely outplayed, their strikers almost out of the game till late in the 2nd half.
Former Newcastle player Tim Brown stared for Wellington as they turn their home ground into a castle. He got a nasty head cut and a goal.
And, the A-League evens up again.
If the Roar had strikers who can score they should have got 7. At the other end Reddy only made one save. The Roar were almost completely dominant except for the final kick.I counted at least 5 serious fouls that were play on and they were all in the first half when no cards were given. In the second half there were 5 yellows plus a red.
Firstly, Reinaldo should have won a last man foul just outside the box in the opening minutes and it should have been good night Vargas. Interestingly, Fox don't highlight the ref errors anymore, I guess they are trying to protect the game. Niel recons their was a blatant Roar hand ball in the penalty box (I didn't see this one). I did see the Tiatto - Vargas incident - you really can't obstruct Mr Vargas. I also saw the quick right from Muscat on Van Dijk in the box - but play on.
Van Dijk is getting more of the idea. He is lifting his physical game (maybe he got some lessons from Tiatto who seemed to be boasting about getting sent off in this game). And going down harder in tackles to win free kicks. He had one hit the post, another just wide and a header into the cross-bar. But Van Dijk's secret is now out, he can't kick with his right foot. In the second half he looked done, tripped himself up and he tried to change from his right to his left in front of goal.
The weirdest part of the game was Murdocca getting a head cut, bleeding on his shirt and being refused re-entry to the ground because the Roar didn't have a spare number 8 shirt that didn't blood on it.
Next weirdest was the Hernandez send off. What was the 2nd yellow for?
Next weirdest, Zullo scored in 90+5 in match with 3 minutes of extra time. But what great goals to Minniecon and Zullo. Both showed the other Roar strikers how to score.
The FFA scorecard shows possession 84% to Victory (don't see that often).
Miller missed two open goals. He tried to volley when he had time to shoot.
Reinaldo missed a one-on-one with the keeper, tried to nutmeg when chipping was the go.
The Victory mid-field was completely outplayed, their strikers almost out of the game till late in the 2nd half.
Former Newcastle player Tim Brown stared for Wellington as they turn their home ground into a castle. He got a nasty head cut and a goal.
Smash: Victory 0 v Roar 2
Don't worry I'll be writting more on this one. Domination pays off for Roar. But only after the subs come on. Mini and Zu score, or mini-max and mini-mini. Told you Tahj had the goods. When does he get to start?
Anyone want to make a comment about the quality of the refing? Hernandez perhaps? As Victory go to 10 again.
Anyone want to make a comment about the quality of the refing? Hernandez perhaps? As Victory go to 10 again.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Adelaide 2 v Newcastle 0 - Newcastle's legs collapse
Newcastle dropped their marquee Zora for this match (all the way out). Then lost Adam and Joel Griffiths to hamstring injuries, Joel's looks bad. I don't see why Joel isn't the lone striker. Anyway it is academic as he looks like he'll be out for 4 or so weeks. Disappointing foreign purchase Hakansson was the last subbed - coach looked cheezed. Then Jason Hoffman, the real lone striker, was down for a long time then hobbled off. So Zora's career has been saved and he'll probably have to start next week.
Adelaide played very well for really tired people. Cristiano scored both goals. The second a mistake by Covic who decided to go for a pinpoint pass in the last few minutes. He put the ball ahead of himself - a little too far, Cristiano saw the opportunity and ran at him. Covic miss-queued the ball into a stretching Cristiano (his arm?) who cruised round him.
As predicted Agostino was dropped and not missed.
Adelaide played very well for really tired people. Cristiano scored both goals. The second a mistake by Covic who decided to go for a pinpoint pass in the last few minutes. He put the ball ahead of himself - a little too far, Cristiano saw the opportunity and ran at him. Covic miss-queued the ball into a stretching Cristiano (his arm?) who cruised round him.
As predicted Agostino was dropped and not missed.
Friday, September 26, 2008
CCM 4 v Perth 1
Not much. 4-3 would have been fairer which Mark Shields missing 2 penalties to Perth and one send off (Jardinak) against CCM. But that is the way refering seems to go for teams that fail to have dominant physical strength. The Jardinak challenge was a clear cut red, studs straight into a defenders leg after the ball was long gone.
CCM v Perth 5mins in and it looks like Bosnich's comeback is over
Bosnich limped off after a goal kick on 5 minutes. Loooks like he has done his knee.
On 9 minutes Sasha Petrovski gluided through the Perth defence. 1-0 so far.
On 9 minutes Sasha Petrovski gluided through the Perth defence. 1-0 so far.
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