There has been several moves up and down the A-League ladder recently and Week 8 represents another great opportunity for several clubs.
The action is underway in Brisbane on Friday night when the Roar attempt to contain the high-flying victory, but Saturday night’s Sydney Derby looks like being the match of the round.
Perth Glory will look to consolidate their position at the top of the table by beating the Jets in Newcastle on Sunday.
Roar
Last 5 Matches: LDWLL
Ladder Position: 9th
Goal Difference: -2 (GF 7, GA 9)
Victory
Last 5 Matches: WWWWW
Ladder Position: 2nd
Goal Difference: +9 (GF 16, GA 7)
This looks like being one of the bigger class differences in Week 8 of the A-League and Melbourne Victory are over the odds to win at their current price. The Roar have fast fallen back out of favour and were comfortably beaten by the Jets on the road last week, while the Victory secured their fifth-consecutive win at the expense of Adelaide. The Victory are impossible to tip against in current form.
Phoenix
Last 5 Matches: LLLDW
Ladder Position: 8th
Goal Difference: -4 (GF 7, GA 11)
Mariners
Last 5 Matches: LLLLL
Ladder Position: 10th
Goal Difference: -10 (GF 6, GA 16)
Two of the league’s battlers will go to battle in New Zealand on Saturday afternoon and it looms as another great opportunity for last-start winner’s Wellington to go on with the job. They haven’t been great, but they’ve also been pretty luckless and last weekend’s comfortable win over Sydney away from home really underlined what the Phoenix are capable of doing. The Mariners’ record speaks for itself and they face another tough task.
Wanderers
Last 5 Matches: WDLLW
Ladder Position: 7th
Goal Difference: -3 (GF 8, GA 11)
Sydney
Last 5 Matches: WDLWL
Ladder Position: 3rd
Goal Difference: +3 (GF 11, GA 8)
Regardless of form, the Sydney Derby is always an outstanding fixture and Saturday night’s edition should be no exception to that rule. Sydney FC were given a real wake-up call by the lowly Phoenix last weekend, while the Wanderers returned to winning form by beating the Mariners. The Sky Blues hold bragging rights after winning this match earlier in the season, but I’m happy to sit on the fence this time around.
Jets
Last 5 Matches: LDWLW
Ladder Position: 6th
Goal Difference: -7 (GF 7, GA 8)
Glory
Last 5 Matches: WWWDW
Ladder Position: 1st
Goal Difference: +6 (GF 13, GA 7)
This could turn out to be the match of the round, given the current form of both the Jets and the league-leading Glory. Newcastle’s slow start to the season has been snapped and while they did suffer a defeat to Melbourne City two weeks ago, they responded with a classy win over Brisbane most-recently. The Glory have been a cut above this campaign and returned home to beat City in Week 7. They are over the odds at their current price.
Adelaide
Last 5 Matches: WLWWL
Ladder Position: 4th
Goal Difference: +2 (GF 10, GA 8)
City
Last 5 Matches: LWLWL
Ladder Position: 5th
Goal Difference: 0 (GF 8, GA 8)
Week 8 will conclude in Adelaide on Sunday afternoon when the Reds host the inconsistent Melbourne City. Adelaide became the latest club to feel the wrath of the Victory last weekend, but they have produced several tough performances and good results this season and remain fourth in overall standings. City are becoming tough to trust from a betting perspective and I think the home side will be tough to beat.