OS Aussies

Top of the league after week one and top of the world after beating cross town rivals Victory, and it’s been downhill ever since with the Heart now sitting 2^nd from the bottom (at least above arch rivals Victory). So even though we’ve only traveled 4 weeks into the season this is a match where three points are crucial to get the train wreck back on the tracks.

Let’s have a look at the goals the Heart have conceded; week one against the Victory a lightning run by Archie Thompson down the right and a great pinpoint cross to a running Rojas; week 2 a penalty to Wellington after a terrible hand ball by Colosimo; week three and it was two goals from corners against the Glory; and finally last week a free kick given away by Matt Thompson and Pedj Bojic gets over the wall and into the top right corner. So only one goal conceded from open play but just the one win from a possible twelve points, after surely blowing a further possible two points against Wellington (they really should have been 3-0 up at half time and had the game beyond the decimated Kiwi’s reach).

To be dreadfully honest the match against Central Coast was not great viewing, we were weak all over the park, midfield looked lost, there was continual passing in defence as nobody was moving up field, Williams was running infield and getting in Fred’s way, Fred could only play 45 mins, our striker (who seems to left the goal scoring behind in the pre-season) Macallister going off after only 36 mins, 16 fouls (to 9) and three yellow cards, and when Thomson went off after 70 mins we were left captain-less and rudderless.

One of the few highlights was Dugandzic looking a lot better, than the last two weeks, after coming off the bench at half time to replace Fred and Behich did run himself into the ground so his last 10 minutes can be excused.

This week we surely have to be tighter against Western Sydney Wanderers as even though last week was the first time they’d troubled the scorer it could well lift their confidence. No silly fouls close to goal, defend better against corners and use the pace of Behich from defence, Williams, Dugandzic to trouble Topor-Stanley and Beauchamp who aren’t the fastest blokes going around.

Surely this is one where three points is up for offer and even though the locals will play a tough defensive game (they’ve only conceded two in the 1^st four matches) I’d take a scrappy 1-0 win right now. Bookies have opened WSW as the favourites at $2.40, surely that’s a ridiculous price to take. The Heart haven’t looked that good the last couple of weeks but WSW have scored once in four matches and if you forgive the match in the heat against Perth and then maybe being flat after the long trip back we do not deserve to be the underdogs.

Previous meeting was a 0-0 draw in the pre season where we fielded; Andrew Redmayne, Michael Marrone, Patrick Gerhardt, Steven Gray, Aziz Behich, Matthew Thompson, Garcia, Fred, Mate Dugandzic, Dylan Macallister and David Williams as our starting line-up. The match went to penalties with Heart winning 5-3.

Tip 1-0 to the Heart.