ads25 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Preview: Adealaide United v Melbourne Victory Date: Friday October 12 Kick-off (local time): 7.30pm Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium TV coverage: Live on Fox Sports 1 (SKY Sport 1 in NZ) Radio coverage: Fresh FM 92.7FM (Adelaide), SEN1116 (Melbourne) Head-to-head Ten league meetings: Adelaide - 4 wins, Melbourne - 4 wins, 2 draws Previous meeting Adelaide 1 Melbourne 1 (Hindmarsh Stadium, Hyundai A-League round three, September 2007) Past five results Adelaide: Draw - Loss - Draw - Win - Draw Melbourne: Draw - Draw - Draw - Win - Win Analysis A fortnight ago, defending champion Melbourne Victory was supposedly stumbling after five rounds without a Hyundai A-League win. However, the statistics make better reading now it is unbeaten in seven and looking more like its old self with Kevin Muscat, Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp all scoring in consecutive victories over Queensland Roar and Sydney FC. Ernie Merrick's side even has the chance to temporarily leapfrog the high-flying Central Coast ahead of the Mariners' clash with Queensland on Sunday, although it needs a two-goal victory or greater to snatch top spot for this first time this season. The big news in the build-up to this much-anticipated encounter is the ankle injury to Adelaide and Qantas Australia under-23 striker Bruce Djite, the league's joint-leading scorer with four goals. Djite would have missed the Melbourne clash in any case after being called up to the national squad alongside team-mates Nathan Burns and Kristian Sarkies but his predicted month-long absence following ligament damage is a bitter blow for coach Aurelio Vidmar. Making matters worse neither Paul Agostino nor Bobby Petta have recovered sufficiently from calf concerns to ease Vidmar's injury problems while Dez Giraldi has received only his first call-up of the season after a thigh problem. But at least Jason Spagnuolo is back after being out of favour for last Sunday's trip to Perth. Ernie Merrick must make changes too as Scottish import Grant Brebner is suspended and Muscat is in doubt after re-injuring his knee in training this week. Daniel Piorkowski needs to have an operation on a shoulder problem and is expected to miss 10 weeks but at least Qantas Socceroos defender Ljubo Milicevic returns to the bench while Steve Pantelidis is another more than capable replacement. Kaz Patafta continues to deputise for Leigh Broxham who is expected to miss two weeks after withdrawing from the Qantas Australia under-23s squad with a torn thigh muscle while midfielders Daniel Vasilevski and Evan Berger have also been promoted to a 17-man travelling party. In other news, Allsopp and Pantelidis are both set to record 50 Hyundai A-League appearances this weekend, the first Victory players to reach the milestone. Squads Adelaide United 1.Daniel BELTRAME (gk), 2.Richie ALAGICH, 3.Milan SUSAK, 4.Angelo COSTANZO, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 13.Travis DODD (captain), 14.Shaun ONTONG, 15.Jonas SALLEY, 17.Isyan ERDOGAN, 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 20.Robert BAJIC (gk), 21.Jason SPAGNUOLO, 22.DIEGO. 23. Dez GIRALDI Melbourne Victory 1.Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2.Kevin MUSCAT (Captain), 5. Ljubo MILICEVIC, 6.Steve PANTELIDIS, 7.Matthew KEMP, 9.Danny ALLSOPP, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 11.Joseph KEENAN, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 13.Kaz PATAFTA, 14.Adrian CACERES, 15.Leandro LOVE, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 17. Daniel VASILEVSKI, 19.Evan BERGER, 20.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 21.Sebastian RYALL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingJason Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Re: A-League Round 8 - Adelaide vs Melbourne (Oct 12th) Both teams tonight are unknown quantities. Melbourne are missing Grant Brebner through suspension and Muscat is in doubt. Adelaide are missing their strikeforce. Nathan Burns and Djite are out as well as Sarkies, Agnostino and Petta. Melbourne will be attacking in this game with the loss of their defensive midfielders. I would predict that Patafta and Hernandez or Caceres will start. Melbourne ht result at 3.50 is great value. But once again 2.50 for a full time win is equally as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcrow Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Re: A-League Round 8 - Adelaide vs Melbourne (Oct 12th) Melbourne win Loss of Burns and Djite up front for Adelaide is a big blow as it takes away their cutting edge. Besides these two, Adelaide don't have much to conjure something around the box. As for Melbourne, they are now starting to hit their straps after a slow start. With Allsopp and Thompson as their strikers, there are two legit gaolscorers and they should be able to combine to give Melbourne the victory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads25 Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Re: A-League Round 8 - Adelaide vs Melbourne (Oct 12th) Adelaide vs Melbourne I like Melbourne myself, Adelaide are missing a host of players for this clash on international duty and while Melbourne are missing several themselves, i think they have more depth than Adelaide. Ljubo Milicevic is a huge inclusion and Melbournes record over Adelaide in recent times is exceptional. The $2.80 available with Sportsbet appears to be the best price of the Australian bookies and id suggest taking it. Pick Melbourne WIN at $2.80 - Sportsbet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingJason Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Re: A-League Round 8 - Adelaide vs Melbourne (Oct 12th) 4-1 Adelaide. Very surprising. 2nd biggest defeat in Melbourne's history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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