So as the A-League title race heats up, we look at each club and tell you their chances of winning the title, the spoon, and everything in-between.
Western Sydney Wanderers – 1st (35 Points, +7 GD)
The Wanderers have been fighting for top spot for the majority of the A-League season, totally dominated teams, and at times looking unstoppable. The new signings have proven to be a masterstroke by Wanderers coach Tony Popovic, and the team is playing some great football.
Add with that the fact the Wanderers aren’t playing Champions League football this season, and they certainly appear to be the front-runners for the premiers plate. The main down-side to the Wanderers run home is having four away games, one of which is a final day trip to Wellington.
Wanderers run home in full: Perth Glory (H), Brisbane Roar (A), Newcastle Jets (A), Adelaide United (H), Melbourne Victory (A), Central Coast Mariners (H), Wellington Phoenix (A)
Predicted Points: 15
Total Points: 50
Predicted Finish: 1st
Brisbane Roar – 2nd (35 Points, +6 GD)
Despite some mixed results in recent weeks for Brisbane, they are still sitting equal first on top of the A-League ladder with the Wanderers, only second on goal difference. They will need to bounce back after last week’s 6-3 loss to Perth Glory, which has some doubting Brisbane’s title hopes.
Brisbane have a horrid run into the finals, playing just one team from outside the top 6, as well as having some crucial matches against first placed Wanderers and third placed Adelaide. The one thing playing in Brisbane’s favour is having four home matches in the final seven rounds.
Brisbane’s run home in full: Adelaide United (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Melbourne Victory (H), Melbourne City (A), Sydney FC (H), Newcastle Jets (H), Melbourne Victory (A).
Predicted Points: 10
Total Points: 45
Predicted Finish: 3rd
Adelaide United – 3rd (33 points, +5 GD)
Adelaide are unbeaten in their past 12 matches, collecting 9 wins and 3 draws, which is quite remarkable considering they were bottom of the ladder in November. They are arguably the most in-form team in the A-League at the moment, but will that be enough to see them keep their third spot?
Hot on Adelaide’s heels are the two Melbourne clubs, who possess great firepower in their squads. Worryingly for Adelaide, they play Melbourne City twice in the final 5 rounds. Adelaide also play first placed Wanderers and second placed Brisbane in their run home to the finals.
Adelaide’s run home in full: Brisbane Roar (H), Wellington Phoenix (A), Melbourne City (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Central Coast Mariners (H), Sydney FC (A), Melbourne City (A).
Predicted Points: 10
Total Points: 43
Predicted Finish: 4th
Melbourne City – 4th (32 Points, +14 GD)
After an impressive second half performance last week against the Mariners in their 4-1 home victory, Melbourne City appear to be title contenders yet again. Their signings in the January window could prove to be the difference, as their well-documented leaky defence seems to have been bandaged up a little with the signing of Socceroo Alex Wilkinson, as well as getting Ivan Franjic and Michael Zulllo back from injuries. Wilkinson’s pairing with City captain Patrick Kisnorbo could prove vital as the season continues to unfold.
City have a fairly easy run home, playing four matches against opponents outside the top four. Their run home also includes four home matches
City’s run home in full: Wellington Phoenix (A), Sydney FC (H), Adelaide United (A), Brisbane Roar (H), Wellington Phoenix (H), Perth Glory (A), Adelaide United (H).
Predicted Points: 14
Total Points: 46
Predicted Finish: 2nd
Melbourne Victory – 5th (29 Points, +5 GD)
Winless in their past four matches, Melbourne Victory will be hoping to find some form heading into the finals. The tricky part for the Victory will be finding the right balance between the A-League and the AFC Champions League. They definitely have the depth in their squad to get results in both competitions, but increased fatigue of their marquee players could be the difference. It will be interesting to see how Kevin Muscat balances his squad.
Thankfully for the Victory, four of their last seven A-League fixtures are at home. Unfortunately for the victory, they face both the Wanderers and Brisbane in their run home.
Victory’s run home in full: Sydney FC (H), Central Coast Mariners (A), Brisbane Roar (A), Newcastle Jets (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Wellington Phoenix (A), Brisbane Roar (H).
Predicted Points: 13
Total Points: 42
Predicted Finish: 5th
Sydney FC – 6th (29 Points, +4 GD)
Without a win in their past five matches and a tough run into the final series, Sydney FC appear to be in a lot of trouble. Their current squad looks set to become the first team coached by Graham Arnold not to make the A-League finals since Arnie took over the Central Coast Mariners in 2010.
With the AFC Champions League to contend with, as well as tough fixtures against both Melbourne clubs and Brisbane, Sydney FC will need to gain maximum points against those teams currently outside the top 6, especially the match against the team hot on their heels, Perth Glory, to contend for the finals.
Sydney’s run home in full: Melbourne Victory (A), Melbourne City (A), Wellington Phoenix (H), Central Coast Mariners (A), Brisbane Roar (A), Adelaide United (H), Perth Glory (A).
Predicted Points: 8
Total Points: 38
Predicted Finish: 7th
Perth Glory – 7th (28 Points, +3 GD)
The Glory are another team in red hot form, winning all of their past five matches, with their most recent win a 6-3 thumping of first placed Brisbane Roar. Perth are just one point behind sixth place Sydney FC, whom they play in the final round of the competition.
Making the finals will be a huge boost for Perth after the salary cap dramas that struck the club last season. Their run home is made easier by playing four matches against opponents lower than them on the table, but is tarnished a little by having four of their last seven matches away from home, one of those being the ‘distance derby’ across the ditch in Wellington.
Perth’s run home in full: Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Newcastle Jets (H), Central Coast Mariners (H), Wellington Phoenix (A), Newcastle Jets (A), Melbourne City (H), Sydney FC (A).
Predicted Points: 11
Total Points: 39
Predicted Finish: 6th
Newcastle Jets – 8th (23 Points, -11 GD)
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 3 games and they will be looking to extend that to 4 with a result against local rivals Central Coast this weekend. Some believed that without the influence of David Carney after his move to Sydney, the Jets would be struggling. Instead, it has had quite the opposite effect. The Jets are playing good football as a whole, which has seen them increase the gap from the bottom of the table.
Unfortunately for the Jets, they have just two home matches in the final seven rounds. Working in their favour, however, is the fact the Jets play five teams from outside the top 4.
Newcastle’s run home in full: Central Coast Mariners (H), Perth Glory (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Melbourne Victory (A), Perth Glory (H), Brisbane Roar (A), Central Coast Mariners (A).
Predicted Points: 4
Total Points: 27
Predicted Finish: 8th
Wellington Phoenix – 9th (19 Points, -10 GD)
With one win in their last eleven matches, the Phoenix’s final hopes look well and truly over. They will be boosted, however, with the news that Kosta Barbarouses has signed with the Phoenix from the Melbourne Victory for next season, as well as the news that the FFA have agreed to give the Phoenix a new 10-year licence, variables depending.
With all this good news surrounding Wellington at the moment, team moral will be high. They will be hoping to use this to finish the season strongly. This is further boosted by the fact the Nix have five home games in their last seven matches, despite six of them being against top 6 opponents.
Wellington’s run home in full: Melbourne City (H), Adelaide United (H), Sydney FC (A), Perth Glory (H), Melbourne City (A), Melbourne Victory (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (H).
Predicted Points: 2
Total Points: 21
Predicted Finish: 9th
Central Coast Mariners – 10th (12 Points, -23 GD)
Unfortunately for one of the most successful teams in the competition’s history, it looks like the Mariners will be adding a wooden spoon to their trophy cabinet. The once feared Mariners outfit has been turned into a youthful side lacking experience, particularly in the backline which has seen countless costly mistakes being made. Going forward the Mariners look somewhat threatening with their pacey wingers, but it all lacks a final product.
The Central Coast have a relatively easy run home, but it won’t be enough to see them off the bottom of the table. They play teams outside the top 4 four times, and enjoy five matches in NSW, four of which are at home.
Mariners’ run home in full: Newcastle Jets (H), Melbourne Victory (H), Perth Glory (A), Sydney FC (A), Adelaide United (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Newcastle Jets (H)
Predicted Points: 3
Total Points: 15
Predicted Finish: 10th
Predicted Finish Re-Cap
Western Sydney Wanderers – 50 points
Melbourne City – 46 points
Brisbane Roar – 45 points
Adelaide United – 43 points
Melbourne Victory – 42 points
Perth Glory – 39 points
Sydney FC – 38 points
Newcastle Jets – 27 points
Wellington Phoenix – 21 points
Central Coast Mariners – 15 points
It looks like we have a brilliant finish to this A-League season on our hands.
Written by Cameron Smith.
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