After a 7-0 drubbing to United last time they met, revenge will be on Newcastle Jets’ minds but stopping Gombau’s Spanish-inspired, attack-minded Reds won’t be easy.
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MATCH DETAILS
Sunday, 29 March 2015
Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 5pm (Local) 5pm AEDT)
SQUADS
Newcastle Jets 3. Taylor REGAN, 5. Ben KANTAROVSKI, 7. Enver ALIVODIĆ, 8. Zenon CARAVELLA, 10. Travis COOPER, 12. Sam GALLAGHER, 13. Edson MONTAÑO, 16. Jacob PEPPER, 18. Allan WELSH, 19. Mitch COOPER, 20. Ben KENNEDY (Gk), 21. Daniel MULLEN (C), 22. Ki-je LEE, 25. Brandon LUNDY, 26. Nicholas COWBURN, 27. Radovan PAVICEVIC, 30. John SOLARI (Gk)
***one to be omitted***
Ins 10. Travis COOPER (promoted), 25. Brandon LUNDY (promoted)
Outs 11. Andrew HOOLE (National Team Duty)
Unavailable 1. Jess VANSTRATTAN (Gk) (knee – indefinite), 2. Scott NEVILLE (groin – 4 weeks), 15. Joshua BARRESI (knee – season), 17. James VIRGILI (ankle – 4 weeks)
Adelaide United 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (GK) (c), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.PABLO SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 14.Cameron WATSON, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 19.Miguel PALANCA, 20.Paul IZZO (GK), 24.Bruce KAMAU, 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS
***two to be omitted***
Ins 14.Cameron WATSON (promoted), 15.Ben WARLAND (promoted), 32.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS (promoted)
Outs 21.Tarek ELRICH (international duty)
Unavailable 17.Awer MABIL (quadricep – 1-2 weeks), 21.Tarek ELRICH (international duty), 23.Jordan ELSEY (knee – indefinite), 30.John Hall (international duty)
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TV broadcast – Live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 5.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 2 (New Zealand)
Radio broadcast – Online / ABC Radio Mobile phone app.
Referee Kazuyoshi Enomoto (JPN)
Assistant Referee 1 Nathan MacDonald
Assistant Referee 2 Ryan Gallagher
Fourth Official Adrian Arndt
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
Newcastle’s lowest point of the campaign was a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of the Reds in January, while Josep Gombau’s high-flying side are one of only two teams that have lost to the Jets.
With this in mind, it should make for an intriguing battle.
One question is will the Jets be able to build on their drought-breaking victory over Western Sydney Wanderers FC last weekend. They should be asked more questions than they were against the inexperienced Wanderers.
On the other hand, Adelaide’s football continues to be pleasing on the eye. Though they have been letting teams off the hook by not taking their chances. This could be a chance for them to rediscover their cutting edge in front of goal just over a month out from the finals.
With Andrew Hoole away with the Olyroos, Jets boss Phil Stubbins will need to find another option in attack. Youngster Radovan Pavicevic is one candidate, although moving Lee Ki-Je further forward and using Sam Gallagher at left-back is another option.
Tarek Elrich’s absence with the Socceroos means Gombau must find someone to play on the right side of defence. Craig Goodwin has played there before, while Cameron Watson has been promoted and may slot in.
OPTA DATA STATS
-Newcastle’s 7-0 defeat at Adelaide in January was their heaviest in Hyundai A-League history. However, the Jets have lost only one of their last six home games against United (W4 D1).
-Newcastle’s only home win this Hyundai A-League season came against Adelaide in December (D4 L5).
-Adelaide’s last three away games have ended in defeat, they’ve never lost four successively in the same season before.
-Adelaide had scored seven times in 10 games against Newcastle prior to netting seven in their last game against them.
ROUTE TO GOAL
The likes of Edson Montano, Enver Alivodic and Mitch Cooper must step up in the absence of Hoole. For the Reds, Sergio Cirio appears to be getting back to the form that saw him light up the competition earlier in the campaign. He might not be getting the goals as often as he was but he is still creating chances for others. But if the Reds are to be a serious contender come the finals, they’ll need to get more goals out of striker Bruce Djite.
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Mitch Cooper. The 20-year-old attacking utility has committed the next two years of his playing career to the Newcastle Jets after finalising a fresh contract with the club on Thursday.
FORM LINES
Newcastle WLLDDD
The Jets broke their 10-game winless run with a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Western Sydney Wanderers FC last Saturday. Not only was it their first away win of the campaign but it saw them leapfrog the Wanderers off the bottom of the ladder – only to drop back to last after the Wanderers beat Roar on Wednesday night.
Adelaide DWLLWD
Adelaide remained in fifth spot after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory. The Reds crushed Newcastle 7-0 the last time these two sides met, but the Jets won the last clash at Hunter Stadium earlier in the season.
DID YOU KNOW?
Four Adelaide players have netted six goals this season (Bruce Djite, Sergio Cirio, Marcelo Carrusca, Pablo Sanchez). No Newcastle player has more than three goals to his name.
PREDICTION
Newcastle Jets 1-3 Adelaide United
The Reds were embarrassed on their last visit to the Hunter and you can bet Gombau won’t let them be as complacent this time around, especially with every point crucial in the battle for spots at the top of the Hyundai A-League as finals football loom.
