With Adelaide United’s match against Sydney FC just around the corner, head coach Josep Gombau, has said he is expecting a high quality affair, as both teams are in great early-season form.
Gombau also said that through watching Sydney’s previous matches this season, he and his team have gathered a good understanding of some of the ways the Sky Blues like to play football.
“I think both teams are in a good moment and both know very well what the other is doing,” Gombau said.
“(We have) watched the games that Sydney have played and I saw a lot of movements that they are doing throughout the games and they are playing knowing very well what they need to do, but the (same) is for us.
“Every single game is different and I think tomorrow will be a strong game and the important thing is for us to win tomorrow.”
Yet neither side looks to be at full strength. United will be unable to call upon the services of both Pablo Sanchez and Fabio Ferreira, who will both miss out through injury, whilst Sydney look to be heading into the clash without key forward and club captain, Alex Brosque.
The injury cloud that lingers over Pablo Sanchez and Ferreira looks to only be thin, as Gombau expects both to be available for selection on Wednesday night when the Reds face Central Coast Mariners in the semi-finals of the Westfield FFA Cup at Coopers Stadium.
But the absences set to deplete each side are of no concern to Gombau, who is certain both teams have enough depth to substantially amount for any player losses.
“In the end the game will be eleven against eleven and every single player is important,” Gombau explained.
“We have (a squad) that if a player misses (a match), someone else can do that player’s job very well and they (Sydney) also have players who are ready to play.
“But it is more important the players who we’ll play than the players who will miss the game.
“Physically the team is doing well. Now we have a lot of games because in eight days we will play three games and so what we are doing is trying to recover well.”
And despite the busy schedule set to hit the Reds, Gombau insist the most important match is the team’s next and focus within the club remains on one match at a time.
Adelaide United take on Sydney FC on Friday 7 November 2014, at Coopers Stadium in Round 5 of the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 season. Kick-off is at 7.15pm ACDT. To purchase tickets, click here.
Friday, 7 November 2014
Adelaide United v Sydney FC
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-Off: 7:15 PM (Local) (7:45 PM AEDT)
Referee: Alan Milliner
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Cream
Assistant Referee 2: Paul Cetrangolo
Fourth Official: Daniel Elder
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 4HD & FOX SPORTS 4 from 7.30pm (AEDT), Live Coverage on SBS HD & SBS One from 7.30pm AEDT and Sky Sport 4 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: Grandstand Online/A-League Live Mobile phone app
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvSYD
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (c) (GK), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 6.CÁSSIO, 7.PABLO SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 17.Awer MABIL, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 20.Paul IZZO (GK), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 24.Bruce KAMAU, 32.Nathan KOSTANDOPOULOS
***two to be omitted***
Ins: 6.CÁSSIO (promoted), 7.PABLO SÁNCHEZ (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 14.Cameron WATSON (toe – 2 weeks), 15.Ben WARLAND (ankle – 3 weeks), 22.Fabio FERREIRA (hamstring 1-2 weeks), 23.Jordan ELSEY (knee – indefinite)
Sydney FC squad: 1.Ivan NECEVSKI (GK), 2.Sebastian RYALL, 3.Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 4.Pedj BOJIC, 6.Nikola PETKOVIC, 7.Corey GAMEIRO, 8.Milos DIMITRIJEVIC, 9. Shane SMELTZ, 11.Bernie IBINI, 12.Hagi GLIGOR, 13.Christopher NAUMOFF, 14. Alex BROSQUE (c), 16.Alex GERSBACH, 17.Terry ANTONIS, 19.Nick CARLE, 20.Vedran JANJETOVIC (GK), 21.Mark JANKO, 22.Ali ABBAS.
***two to be omitted***
Ins: Shane SMELTZ (promoted), 12.Hagi GLIGOR (promoted),
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 5. Matthew JURMAN (knee)
