Jaza's Match Preview Round 2

SYDNEY FC SQUAD: (Three to be dropped)
#1) Clint Bolton (GK)
#2) Iain Fyfe
#3) Nikolas Tsattalios
#4) Mark Rudan
#6) Tony Popovic (c)
#7) Robbie Middleby
#8) Ruden Zadkovich
#9) David Zdrilic
#10) Steve Corica
#11) Brendon Santalab
#12) Patrick
#14) Alex Brosque
#15) Terry McFlynn
#19) Michael Enfield
#21) Adam Biddle
#22) Juninho
#23) Ufuk Talay
#30) Matthew Nash (GK)

SYDNEY FC PREDICTED LINEUP:

———————-Bolton

———–Rudan——Fyfe—–Popovic
Zadkovich——————————Middleby
—————Talay——–McFlynn
———————Juninho
——–Corica——————–Brosque
BENCH:
Nash
Tsattalios
Enfield/Biddle
Patrick

ADELAIDE UNITED SQUAD:
#2) Richie Alagich
#4) Ange Costanzo
#5) Michael Valkanis (c)
#6) Cassio
#7) Lucas Pantelis
#9) Paul Agostino
#10) Nathan Burns
#11) Bruce Djite
#13) Travis Dodd
#15) Jonas Salley
#16) Bobby Petta
#17) Isyan Erdogan
#18) Robert Cornthwaite
#20) Robert Bajic (GK)
#40) Scott Higgins (GK)

ADELAIDE UNITED PREDICTED LINEUP:

———————-Bajic

——-Cornthwaite–Costanzo–Valkanis
Alagich——————————–Cassio
——————–Salley
—Dodd—————–Burns——–Petta
———————-Djite

BENCH:
Higgins
Erdogan
Pantelis
Agostino

Bookie’s Thoughts
Centrebet will offer:
$2.55 Sydney win
$1.45 Sydney win or draw
$3.20 draw
$1.48 Adelaide win or draw
$2.65 Adelaide win

Recent Encounters:
HAL 06/07:
AUFC 1 – 0 (Rech)
SFC 2 – 1 AUFC (Talay pen, Rudan / Aloisi)
AUFC 1 – 4 SFC (Burns / Zadkovich, Dodd og, Petrovski, Carbone)

Key Battles:
Juninho v.s. Salley: With Juninho expected be played as the lone #10 this week due to Corica being pushed forward, he’ll be the fulcrum of the Sydney attack. Jonas Salley will be out to man-mark him in a similar vicious fashion to Mile Jedinak last week, and if he succeeds I fear we are lost. If Junior can get free and prompt the forwards we are in with a good chance – they are more than capable of out-pacing and manouvering the cumbersome trio in Adelaide’s backline.

Djite v.s. Fyfe: Djite was a beast last week, bustling in behind his man to score, using his presence to create gaps and just generally causing havoc in the box. We’ll need defenders assigned to watch the runs of the trio behind him, so I’d back someone (Fyfe? Perhaps Rudan…) to simply stick on him. If he is nullified in the box we can focus on the other threats – a whole lot easier.

Zadkovich v.s. Cassio Cassio did fuck all last week except for one moment. In that moment he was given acres of space and sized up a perfect cross for Djite to score. Simply put – don’t give him that space and the attacking threat (which Adelaide are already relying upon him for) is seemingly nullified. He also looks very one-footed so we’ll be hoping to try to force him on to his right foot as much as possible.
Zadkovich divides opinion, and I can understand why, but I think as a specialist wingback he can really grow and become something. Not a wide attacking player so he can’t waste shots on goal constantly, not a true defender so his lack of skills there isn’t abused as it has been at times, he can contribute all over the park whilst also putting his great engine to use. He made a big difference last week when he came on and I expect him to be a thorn in the side of Adelaide’s left this week. If he can also nullify Cassio we’ll be in very good stead.

Jaza’s Tip:
Positivity? History repeats itself again and 2-1 to the Sydney boys.
Pehaps a little more realistically? 2-2 draw. Adelaide take the chances the Mariners butchered but we’ll be far better for our inclusions this week.