Part-time Pundit » A-League

Victory Leap Into A-League Final

parttimepundit — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:59:38 +0000

For the third time in four years, Melbourne Victory will host the A-League Grand Final on home turf and for the uptinth time, much like a thorn in Sydney’s side Kevin Muscat had a part to play in the misery inflicted on the home side. His clever ball through the Sky Blues defense to Archie Thompson was enough to catch them sleeping and send Victory into the ’09-10 grand final… ah Muscat, you’re like one of those retarded moths that keeps flying into lit light globes and heaven knows you only give up once the lights are out. Melbourne to take it out again this season, regardless of the opposition.

The match action in frames:

Match highlights:

Goal highlights – Wellington Pheonix v Perth Glory:

Predictions – A-League – Finals Series

parttimepundit — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:19:32 +0000

With the first match of the 2009/10 A-League finals series merely minutes away, I have to admit that this season, at best, I’ve only managed the odd cheeky live stream from my work desk in the middle east and read some pre-match, post-match reports. So today, I ain’t going to harp on about who should win what and where they should be playing their home matches, instead I am going to pluck a bunch of results out of a hat and post them here for all to see… what!? Don’t knock it till you try it!

I predict:
Melbourne Victory 1 v 1 Sydney FC
Gold Coast United 3 v 1 Newcastle Jets
Wellington Pheonix 2 v 0 Perth Glory

Goal highlights – Sydney 2 v 0 Melbourne:
If you missed the action a few days ago.

Older A-League news:
Predictions – Hyundai A-League Season 5
Melbourne Victory – 2008-09 Champions
Adelaide make the A-League final! WTF!?
Review – A-League Finals – Melbourne 4 v 0 Adelaide

Predictions – Hyundai A-League Season 5

parttimepundit — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:17:00 +0000

We’re only an hour or so away from the first match of A-League ver. 5 and already it’s promising to be a cracker of a year!
Two new teams in Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury, new and “unique” kit designs, a host of new faces from local and abroad, ex-socceroos and marquee talent the likes of Robbie Fowler, Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski, Chris Coyne, Jacob Burns etc… and a flamboyant mining magnate with a big mouth and millions to throw in an attempt at winning the league without losing a match… should be some year!

Anyway, admittedly I haven’t put in enough time to promote the start of the season, due to new developments coming to the site very, very soon… in fact I’ve barely scratched the surface with this half arsed post, however I do promise that the A-League will feature a lot more frequently this season.
In the mean time though, here’s how I’ve picked’em for the start of the the season… good luck lads!

I predict:
Melbourne 3 v 1 Central Coast
Adelaide 1 v 1 Perth
North Queensland 1 v 2 Sydney
Brisbane 1 v 3 Gold Coast
Newcastle 0 v 0 Wellington

Version 5 ad:

Older A-League news:
Melbourne Victory – 2008-09 A-League Champions – Melbourne 1 v 0 Adelaide
Adelaide make the A-League final! WTF!? Adelaide United 1 v 0 Queensland Roar
A-League Finals – Melbourne 4 v 0 Adelaide
A-League Finals – Central Coast 0 v 2 Queensland

Ljubo Leaves Jets…

parttimepundit — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:05:00 +0000

When an arrogant, loud mouthed player thinks he is above his coach and team, it’s either time for him to move on… or time for him to receive an ego-grounding size 10 boot to the head, Sir Ferg style! (Remeber this?)
Yep that’s right folks, Australia’s most outspoken party-boy, Ljubo Milicevic, has, wait for it… been kicked out of yet another team… although this time it only took him a mere 7 weeks! Surely some sort of record, no?
For those of you privileged enough not to know who this chopstick is, let’s just say he’s like the Lindsay Lohan of the A-League (minus the VD, but even that’s questionable)… cause at the moment he couldn’t get hired to play dead, let alone manage a so-called “football career”.
A word of advise Ljuballs. Do yourself and your future TEAM a favour and learn your role, shut your mouth and get on with the job you get paid very handsomely to do… ooh, maybe I shouldn’t used the word handsomely. *wink, wink*

Melbourne Victory – 2008-09 Champions

parttimepundit — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:47:00 +0000

I know it’s a little delayed and by now everybody knows that Melbourne Victory beat Adelaide United 1 – 0 in front of a near capacity 53, 273 fans at the ~~Telstra Dome~~ Etihad Stadium… but I thought I’d post it anyway. It was a little disappointing to see that the red-cards dished out in the match grabbed more headlines than the actual win itself, but never the less it was a win and Melbourne successfully completed the Pre-season Cup, Premiership and Grand Final treble.
I wasn’t lucky enough to see the match as I was away on “dirty hoe business”, so while I throw myself into more coffee and catch up on all the weekends action, I’d like to thank your sister for the pancakes she made me yesterday morning… just like Melbourne’s win, they were awesome!

2nd half highlights:

Pics from the game:

Prediction – A-League Grand Final

parttimepundit — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Sugar coat it any way you like, it’s still not going to make Adelaide United play any better or bring a trophy to South Australia… 5 games this season alone have proven that! Unfortunately I won’t be watching this match (I know, tell me about it!)… instead, I’ve got a dirty weekend* planned in a remote corner of some dessert… but believe you me, I’ll be reporting on the match as soon as I get back to civilization!

… and my report will read:
Melbourne Victory 3 v 1 Adelaide United
Scorers: Danny Allsopp, Cristiano, Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez

*By dirty weekend I mean, digging around in sand pits and gettin’ reall messy
Anyway, go Melbourne!

Older Melbourne Victory news:
Review – A-League Finals – Melbourne 4 v 0 Adelaide
Prediction – A-League Finals – Melbourne v Adelaide
Review – A-League Finals – Adelaide 0 v 2 Melbourne

Adelaide make the A-League final! WTF!?

parttimepundit — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:41:00 +0000

I have to admit, I’m bloody surprised that Adelaide were able to pull this result out of their arses, especially after the week they just had… and especially cause Fabian Barbiero drilled home the winner. Queensland Roar were clearly the better team on the night dominating play, possession and oportunities but failed miserbly every time to convert… *cough* Mitch Nichols *cough*. So Queensland have to wait till next year for another crack at an A-League title and ACL football… maybe Adelaide will have more luck instead… *cough* but I highly doubt it! *cough*. Damn, this sore throught!

Match highlights:

Prediction – A-League Finals

parttimepundit — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Adelaide United will want to put the last fortnight behind them, most notably the 6-0 aggregate romping they were given by Melbourne and especially the much publicised and scrutinised outbursts by their coach Aurelio Vidmar.
Queensland Roar on the other hand are quietly sitting back like a vindictive teenage girl planning on how to make her cheating ex-boyfriends year even more humiliating than it has been and stomping on his nuts while he’s down and out too… nup, I don’t really like Adelaides chances tomorrow.

The missus predicts:
Adelaide United 2 v 3 Queensland Roar

*she used to be one of those vindictive teenage girls. xoxo

Review – A-League Finals

parttimepundit — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:23:00 +0000

If you thought Adelaide’s season couldn’t get any worse, you either need to watch the highlights below or think again! They must have seriously pissed off some afterlife gods or some shit cause the nightmare only seems to continue. It wasn’t enough that they were punished 5-0 on aggregate against Gamba Osaka in the ACL finals, they missed out on the Premiers plate to Melbourne by a point, got drilled in the two legged major semi-final 6-0 and now their coach Aurelio Vidmar has spilt the beans on in-fighting and… hold your breath… shock horror… Politics! Politics!? C’mon man, politics didn’t go out and get its ass kicked by a better opponent, your players did! And it’ll happen again next week if they don’t wise up.
Not that it really matters though cause since his press conference rant, Adelaide’s board have come out and pledged their support for Vidmar and feel that they’ve setteled most of the issues at hand… I don’t know about you, but this is better than re-runs of Melrose Place! It’s got bitching, underhanded manipulation and football… I wonder if in next week’s episode Vidmar will be out of a job looking for a new gig or if he’ll be sleeping with the club owners wife… just to drill it home that he really doesn’t like the club anymore! That’s what I’d do!

Match highlights:

Prediction – A-League Finals

parttimepundit — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Archie Thompson knows a thing or two… or 5 about finals football yet even though this isn’t the actual final, the Victory are pretty sure they have one foot in it already… and possibly one hand on the prize too.
As it stands so far, Adelaide have only manged to score 2 goals in four matches against the Victory this year and well they’re currently down 2-0 on aggregate going into this all important decider, so much like the ACL final, this match is not really about if they can win the game, it’s about how many goals they’ll try not to concede!
As for those of you wanting to wager against the Victory tonight… I simply advise a visit to any looney bin or to your local physio… you know, so they can help you remove your head out your own ass. Pop!

I predict:
Melbourne 3 v 1 Adelaide

Review – A-League Finals

parttimepundit — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Danny ‘The not so lemon’ Allsopp, managed to give Melbourne a great advantage going into next weeks major semi final and heap yet more misery on Aurelio Vidmar’s men. Gees, who’d a thought that Australia’s most successful club team (Adelaide… all though some would argue Melbourne or Sydney), would be struggling so much come the end of the season… maybe it’s the amount of matches they had to play in their dream run to the ACL final, maybe it was the hang-over from their CWC campaign… or maybe it’s just that Victory were way too good for Adelaide who look like they’ve shut up shop for the year.

As I mentioned earlier, Victory will meet the Roar in the A-League finals… and most likely win it.

Match highlights:

Review – A-League Finals

parttimepundit — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Queensland’s favourite Dijke, Sergio van Dijke, capped off what was an expected win against the Mariners and they can now go to Suncorp Stadium in a weeks time with one foot in the preliminary final… oh and the other stuck in Dylan Macallister’s leg… nice-one Tiatto you chopstick! Go and play Rugby you menacing half wit… clearly you have a problem laying off the nasty tackles!

When Queensland meet Melbourne in the final, I hope Tiatto’s ban is such that he has to sit on the sideline… and watch his team lose.

Match highlights:

Predictions – A-League – Finals Series

parttimepundit — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:02:00 +0000

Everyone’s favourite time of the A-League season is here!
It’s a time when grown men are likely to become morons, when heroes car quickly turn to villains (and vice-versa), and when Prime Ministers heads are kissed and the nation laughs!
Yeah you know it, I’m talking bout the A-League finals series… Aww shit!

Central Coast v Queensland:
- Central Coast never beaten Queensland at Blue Tongue Stadium
- No team has ever finished fourth and made it through to the final three
- CCM have lost their past three matches to the other sides in the top four

I predict:
Central Coast 1 v 2 Queensland Roar

Adelaide v Melbourne:
- Adelaide hasn’t beaten Melbourne in three attemplts this season
- Melbourne has won five of its past six matches
- Robert Cornthwaite is out for Adelaide

I predict:
Adelaide 2 v 2 Melbourne

Response – The state of football: A-League

parttimepundit — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:56:00 +0000

Much has been written in response to the nonsensical dribble that was spat out by Rebecca Wilson and her article only days ago. I normally don’t do this here, but I made a legitimate comment about her article and it was never published… so I’m doing what anyone with an opinion on the matter would do and I’m getting it out there – go me!

Wow, I can’t believe that such biased ignorance and bitterness is still aimed at a sport, which in its infancies is kicking goals all over the world. Hear that Rebecca… WORLD! Please enlighten us of the AFLs (global) achievements in the last century. A handful of amateur leagues around the world made up of reminiscent ex-pats or the poor excuse for a post season “International Rules” series perhaps? Talk about crisis, the later involves the use a round ball, goals and a goal keeper! More like identity crisis! Since its inception, a mere four years ago, the A-League has changed the Australian sporting landscape on so many levels and development systems are next. The National Youth League is testament of that and in a couple years we’ll see a finer crop of players come through the ranks. Unfortunately, these things take time. Sure our best players want to play in Europe, all players want to. Whether they’re technically sound or not, whether they’re from the Americas, Africa or Asia (where great development systems are in place), who wouldn’t want the chance to play against a Ronaldo or Lampard and make AU$150,000 a week!?

Out of curiosity, did you know there was more coverage of the ACL final here in Dubai (4 free to air channels playing both legs live), than there has been of the entire Rugby world cup? Funny that, but of course you didn’t. You were annoyed that a match of this stature interfered with the media coverage of the rugby and following the buzz, deemed it necessary to defame the “rival code” and taint the perception of more Australians. Sounds like that good’ol case of cutting down the tall poppy again. I understand if you felt you had too, heck it’d almost be un-Australian of you not too. In the future Daily Telegraph, before you employ another half-wit to write your football articles consult an expert on the matter or someone who knows about the state of the game in Australia or alternatively, hire me! I’ve been out of the country for the last 6 months but hands down I’d still know more about the state of the sport back home than Rebecca “sitting snug in her cubicle of an office writing farcical articles” Wilson. Please consider!

I’m a genius and Vukovic is an idiot

parttimepundit — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 02:10:00 +0000

The Newcastle Jets have been crowned as A-League champions for the 2007/08 season and I predicted it before the finals series even started… this makes me a genius and Vukovic an idiot! Not only did he think that Central Coast would win, but he tried to convince Mark Shield of it too!

“Danny trains and plays with his heart on his sleeve, he’s an emotional boy. He’s been fantastic for us for two and a half seasons.”

Look Danny, all the A-League refs are on the PTP payroll so do and say what you want, at best you’ll be missing the Olyroos trip to Beijing mid year or being couped up with Ben Cousins in some remote boxing facility learning how to turn an arm grab into a wicked right hook!

The Jets celebrating their raid on Central Coast… in Sydney.