The A-League enters its 18th week and it is shaping as one of the better rounds of the season so far.
A Melbourne Derby gets us underway on Friday night, before a top-four clash is played out between the Glory and Phoenix in Perth. The Sky Blues and Wanderers will lock horns in the Sydney Derby before finally, a competitive edition of the F3 Derby looks like materialising in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
Week 18 is underway in perhaps the best way possible, as City and the Victory go toe-to-toe in the 32nd edition of the Melbourne Derby. Its been two different stories for these sides in season 2019/20 but importantly, neither have enjoyed winning form for a couple of weeks now and that is sure to add to the theatre of this one.
City remain second in overall standings but suffered a pretty convincing loss at the hands of a resurgent Adelaide United in Week 17. They simply could not contain a decent attack and will need to improve noticeably to beat their crosstown rivals.
The Victory stemmed a run of three-consecutive losses with a hard-fought and well earned 2-2 draw against the in-form Glory in Perth. There is no doubt that was one of their best performances of the season so far, and a repeat would see them winning this.
Regardless of form this is always a good contest and I am eager to take the value on offer for the Victory as outsiders.
The other standout match of the round will also take place on Friday night when the second-placed Glory host the fourth-placed Phoenix.
Perth’s outstanding run of form certainly hasn’t come to an end, but they did contest the shock of the round last weekend when they failed to overcome the out of form Victory at home. To be fair, they were probably due a flat performance like that, and they will be eager to respond with a win over another legitimate Championship contender.
The Phoenix bounced back into the winner’s stall at the expense of the Jets in Week 16 and will enter this match refreshed from a week off. Their form has continued to improve since Week 1 and there is no doubt that they are over the odds to win this match.
I think that this will be a real indication as to how good the Phoenix are, and I am happy to sit on the fence.
The league-leading Sydney FC are offered something of a soft kill in the form of their crosstown rivals on Saturday afternoon.
It is all but impossible to knock anything that the Sky Blues have done this season. They are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition and there are certainly worse bets to consider than backing them to win the whole thing.
The Wanderers have been almost the opposite of their bitter rivals. A couple of good performances at the beginning of the campaign are a distance memory, though they do carry winning form into this match after overcoming the lowly Mariners last Sunday. They would need to find a new level to even compete for this full 90 minutes this week, however.
Sydney are over the odds at $1.65 to win (at publish), but there’s better value than that on offer, in my opinion.
An intriguing match will see a fair Brisbane Roar outfit host a resurgent Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The Roar did suffer a defeat in Week 17, but it was at the hands of Sydney FC away from home, and they played most of the second half with only ten men on the field. There is no doubt that this looms as a far better opportunity for them.
The Reds meanwhile have won three in a row and enter this off the back of an enormous win over the second-placed Melbourne City. I actually think that this looms as a tougher task for them given the Roar’s previous form, however, and they are under the odds as favourites.
It doesn’t sound too convincing when pegged as ‘second-last versus last’, but the F3 Derby will conclude Round 18 of the A-League and it should be a typically competitive fixture.
The Jets have rarely looked like winning this season and are anchored to the bottom of the table. To their credit, they did record a rare competition point after drawing with Western United last week, but that club has also been less than convincing of late.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that it hasn’t been the case, but the Mariners have actually been playing some attractive football this season, they ultimately just lack the class and perhaps the final touch that many of their opponents possess.
The Mariners are enormous overs as outsiders, and I am happy to take the quote that is currently on offer.