Adelaide United FC Head Coach Rini Coolen is poised to employ the Reds’ contingent of South Australian talent as he attempts to plot the downfall of the in form Central Coast Mariners.
Adelaide United FC Head Coach Rini Coolen is poised to employ the Reds- contingent of South Australian talent as he attempts to plot the downfall of the in form Central Coast Mariners at Hindmarsh Stadium tomorrow night (Friday 2 December 2011).
Despite being undefeated in their past four games and sitting only two points from third, the Reds find themselves in ninth spot on the Hyundai A-League table ahead of a tough home assignment against a Mariners outfit that has scored three goals in each of its past two outings.
Cassio-s return to Brazil for treatment on his injured foot, Dario Vidosic-s back injury and Nigel Boogaard-s absence through suspension, coupled with last week-s retirement of Andy Slory, has the Reds- squad depth being fully tested. But rather than panic, Coolen is filled with optimism about his team-s chances of upsetting the Mariners.
Prior to the squad-s final training session, Coolen stated there is a strong chance Reds fans will see local South Australian products Osama Malik, Fabian Barbiero and Ricardo Da Silva run out onto the field tomorrow night.
Also throw defender Daniel Mullen into the mix, who is back from Qantas Under 23s duty, and there is a distinct local presence that will be determined to prove their worth and help the Reds improve on last weekend-s nil-all draw with the Newcastle Jets.
What Coolen decides to do on the final make up of his starting eleven could depend on whether striker Sergio van Dijk and midfielder Evgeniy Levchenko prove they have fully recovered from injury. Either way, the Dutchman is excited by the prospect of having some of Adelaide-s best players helping the Reds try to record their third win of the season.
“We prefer to use them as quickly as possible but you also have to be realistic and we-re definitely not going to take any risks because they-re both players who have had some issues with muscle problems, so in that case you can-t take risks but if they are available we will use them,” Coolen said of Levchenko and van Dijk.
“We haven-t lost our last four games but we need a few wins to make a step on the ladder and to work on the confidence and we prefer to play better football. It-s not easy at the moment because we-ve lost some players but as I said it gives some opportunities to other players.”
“He (Barbiero) gets an opportunity this game to be in the starting eleven, so that-s fantastic and again like Malik he-s a South Australian player so that-s fantastic.”
“Also Ricky (Da Silva), he did very well when he came in last week and we prepared him for the A-League level in what was another step for him…if Serge is not available it gives an opportunity to Ricky and if you work hard you get a chance to achieve something, he could be another South Australian player in the stating eleven, so of course we prefer everyone to be available but it gives opportunities to other players and they deserve it.”
But while there is air of anticipation about the way United will come out against the Mariners, Coolen is well aware a vast improvement on last week is required if the Reds are to find the back of the net and trouble the team that is currently number one in shots conceded.
“Our job is to be competitive and maybe they (the Mariners) are the favourites at the moment because they are doing very well and are a very strong team, but we have to handle that and we-re playing a home game and I have a lot of trust in the payers who will be on the pitch tomorrow,” Coolen said.
This weekend-s matches will signal a third of the season gone, and with another big Friday night encounter at Hindmarsh in front of the passionate legion of Reds fans, it is an opportunity for this United squad to make a statement that it has turned the corner. A win would see the Reds go unbeaten in five consecutive games in the Hyundai A-League for the first time in 399 days.
Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season – Week 9
Adelaide United FC v Central Coast Mariners
Friday 2 December 2011, Hindmarsh Stadium
Kick-Off: 7.30pm ACDT
Referee: Kris Griffiths Jones
Tickets: Available through Ticketek (call 132 849, online at www.ticketek.com.au)
TV: Live and exclusive on FOX Sports 1
Radio: ABC Radio (891 ABC Adelaide, ABC SA, Grandstand Digital and online)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adelutd_fc (hash tag #HALauccm)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene Galekovic (gk), 2.Osama Malik, 4.Jon McKain (c), 5.Daniel Mullen, 7.Zenon Caravella, 8.Evgeniy Levchenko, 9.Sergio van Dijk, 11.Bruce Djite, 13.Ricardo Da Silva, 14.Cameron Watson, 16.Spase Dilevski, 17.Iain Ramsay, 18.Fabian Barbiero, 20.Mark Birighitti (gk), 21.Francisco Usucar, 22.Milan Susak
In: Daniel Mullen (returns from international duty), Evgeniy Levchenko (returns from injury), Sergio van Dijk (returns from injury), Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk) (returns from international duty)
Out: Nigel Boogaard (suspended – 1 match), Dario Vidosic (back – indefinite), Nick Munro (gk) (Youth Team)
Unavailable: Cassio (ankle – indefinite)
Central Coast Mariners squad: 1.Mathew Ryan (Gk), 2.Daniel McBreen, 3.Joshua Rose, 4.Pedj Bojic, 6.Patrick Zwaanswijk, 7.John Hutchinson, 8.Rostyn Griffiths, 9.Bernie Ibini, 11.Oliver Bozanic, 12.Troy Hearfield, 14.Michael McGlinchey, 18.Alex Wilkinson, 19.Matt Simon, 20.Justin Pasfield (Gk), 22.Mustafa Amini
In: Mathew Ryan (Returns from Qantas Australian Under 23 duty), Oliver Bozanic (Returns from Qantas Australian Under 23 duty)
Out: Adriano Pellegrino (Omitted), Nathan Denham (Omitted)
Unavailable: Stuart Musialik (Calf – 1 week)
Adelaide United vs. Central Coast Mariners – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 19 – 6 wins, 6 draws, 7 losses
29-Jan-2011… L 1-2… 2010/11 Wk 25 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
26-Dec-2010… L 0-2… 2010/11 Wk 20 (Bluetongue Stadium)
15-Aug-2010… D 1-1… 2010/11 Wk 2 (Bluetongue Stadium)
15-Jan-2010… D 1-1… 2009/10 Rd 23 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
31-Oct-20009… D 0-0… 2009/10 Rd 13 (Canberra Stadium)
11-Sep-2009… W 1-0… 2009/10 Rd 6 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
25-Jan-2009… W 1-0… 2008/09 Rd 21 (Bluetongue Stadium)
15-Nov-2008… L 0-3… 2008/09 Rd 11 (Bluetongue Stadium)
3-Oct-2008… D 3-3… 2008/09 Rd 7 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
14-Dec-2007… L 1-2… 2007/08 Rd 17 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
10-Nov-2007… L 0-2… 2007/08 Rd 12 (Bluetongue Stadium)
30-Sep-2007… W 2-1… 2007/08 Rd 6 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
21-Jan-2007… W 3-1… 2006/07 Rd 21 (Bluetongue Stadium)
25-Nov-2006… L 0-2… 2006/07 Rd 14 (Bluetongue Stadium)
6-Oct-2006… W 3-1… 2006/07 Rd 7 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
26-Feb-2006… L 0-1… 2005/06 Preliminary Final (Hindmarsh Stadium)
20-Jan-2006… D 1-1… 2005/06 Rd 19 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
13-Nov-2005… W 2-1… 2005/06 Rd 12 (Bluetongue Stadium)
25-Sep-2005… D 1-1… 2005/06 Rd 5 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
At Hindmarsh Stadium
Played 10; Adelaide United 3, Central Coast Mariners 3, Draws 4
Last time they met in the Hyundai A-League
29-Jan-2011 Week 25, Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season at Hindmarsh Stadium
Adelaide United 1 (Dodd 90+1-)
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Perez 11-, Rose 30-)
Adelaide United last three results
Wk 8. 25-11-2011… D 0-0… vs. Newcastle Jets (Hindmarsh Stadium)
Wk 7. 19-11-2011… D 1-1… vs. Wellington Phoenix (Eden Park)
Wk 6. 11-11-11… W 2-1… vs. Gold Coast United (Hindmarsh Stadium)
