FRIDAY
QUEENSLAND ROAR v MELBOURNE VICTORY at Suncorp Stadium at 7pm.
Head to Head: Victory 2, Roar 1, Drawn 1
Last meeting: Melbourne Victory 4 bt Queensland Roar 1 at Telstra Dome (Round 6 2006-07)
The word on everyone's lips at the Roar had been "Farinoia" - the fear of Miron Bleiberg losing his job to ex-Socceroos coach Frank Farina. As usual, where there was smoke, there were indeed flames emanating from the vicinity of Bleiberg's office. Bleiberg resigned on Sunday after some poor recent performances, packed up his quote machine and players-as-chess-pawns philosophy and left.
Farina was installed on Thursday - just in time for the A-League's best team to come calling. Teams usually get a sharp upward spike in form with the arrival of a new coach, but it's hard to see the Roar being able to contend with a Victory team ticking along beautifully and conjuring the results it needs when it needs them. In successive matches they've got out of jail in the final few minutes.
Two huge boosts are skipper Kevin Muscat and backline organiser Rodrigo Vargas returning from suspension. Any Roar revival might have to wait another week.
Key: How will the Roar respond to one training session under Farina before tackling the league leaders?
Tip: Melbourne Victory.
SATURDAY
PERTH GLORY v NEWCASTLE JETS at Members Equity Stadium.
Head to Head: Glory 2, Newcastle 1, Drawn 0
Last meeting: Perth Glory 3 bt Newcastle Jets 0 at EnergyAustralia Stadium (Round 6 2006-07)
An intriguing clash between the revitalised Jets - unbeaten in five matches under new coach Gary van Egmond - and a Perth Glory team with three big-name "ins". The Jets are the league's in-form side, have crept into the top four, and managed 14,000 fans - a club record - to their 3-1 whipping of Central Coast last weekend.
With players of the quality of Nick Carle, Paul Okon, Jade North and Milton Rodriguez, the Jets are looming as a huge finals wildcard now they're putting it all together. Perth defended in numbers to attempt to salvage a point in Melbourne last week. They failed, foiled by an 88th minute Grant Brebner wonder strike.
Undermanned last week, the returns of Stan Lazaridis, Bobby Despotovski and Simon Colosimo will help hugely. For Perth, it's must-win. Lose, and the reality is they'll struggle to make the finals. For Newcastle, it's another opportunity to tell Melbourne and Adelaide they're coming to get them.
Key: Can the Glory stop Newcastle midfield maestro Carle, who has scored in successive matches?
Tip: Draw.
SUNDAY
NEW ZEALAND KNIGHTS v CENTRAL COAST MARINERS at North Harbour Stadium.
Head to Head: New Zealand 1, Central Coast 3, Drawn 0
Last time: Central Coast Mariners 1 bt New Zealand Knights 0 at North Harbour Stadium (Round 6 2006-07)
Knights coach Paul Nevin was, as expected, sacked midweek from the bottom side. If he turns up as a spectator, he'll double the crowd. Nevin, like most in New Zealand who avoid going to see this lot in droves, probably has better things to do now.
Central Coast is coming off a 3-1 beating by Newcastle after an embarrassing 3-3 draw with nine-man Melbourne the previous week, must travel across the Tasman, and is still a raging and deserved favourite. That's how bad the Knights are going. Veteran Damian Mori continues to shine for the Mariners, and it's hard to see anything but a convincing Central Coast win.
Key: The Knights have scored just four goals in 12 matches. Lads, the net is the baggy thing attached to the white metal things at either end of the pitch. Good luck finding it.
Tip: Central Coast.
SYDNEY FC v ADELAIDE UNITED at Aussie Stadium.
Head to Head: Sydney FC 4, Adelaide 2, Drawn 1
Last time: Sydney FC 4 bt Adelaide United 1 at Hindmarsh Stadium (Round 6 2006-07)
A lot's changed since Sydney FC torched Adelaide last time they met seven weeks ago. Benito Carbone, who scored twice on debut in that match, is long gone. Coach Terry Butcher has been under immense pressure to keep his job. If the list of injuries had got any longer, Sydney's hardcore fans in "The Cove" may have been asked to bring their boots.
The injury problems have eased for Sydney, with Steve Corica and Terry McFlynn available after layoffs and Socceroo David Carney and Mark Milligan better for their recent hitouts. Adelaide has put a five-point gap between it and third-placed Sydney, and the defending champion will fall back to the back without maximum points here.
Adelaide is still without injured striker Shengqing Qu. But marching out of the grandstand into the dugout will be United coach John Kosmina, penance served for trying to choke the life out of Melbourne's Kevin Muscat in their recent sideline set-to. Always plenty of goals and feeling when these two teams clash, so another high-class match looms.
Key: Carney returned from his long break with a goal as substitute in Sydney FC's 4-0 rout of the Knights last weekend. Can he return to his brilliant best of last season?
Tip: Draw.
