Mariners 2013-2014 season prediction (A-League inc.)

[eenfish]

Losses and gains since the beginning of last season. Keeping and defence look weakened - but attack looks stronger.

Ryan Reddy
McDonald Neill
Zwaanswijk Seip
Bojic Roux
Oates Morton
Bozanic Slater
Rogic Flores
Pellegrino
Hearfield Fitzgerald
Ibini Simon

McDonald, Oates, Pellers and Hearfield were bit players at best last season. Tommy left early and Ollie had an injury plagued season. Realistically only Maty, Patrick, Pedj and Bernie were available and played for the majority of the season. Maty and Patrick in particular are big losses and their replacements aren't as strong.

However, I would be prepared to bet we will get more goals out of Flores, Fitzgerald and Simon than we did last year from Bozanic, Rogic, Pellegrino, Hearfield and Ibini

Ibini wasn't a natural goal scorer, and when he came back from Belgium and started playing proper as a winger he was significantly better to watch. Fitzgerald seems to bring a bit more to the table even if we will miss Bernie's explosiveness. Apart from that, I think it is all moving foreward. Sure, Rogic is a huge talent and a future Socceroos great, but RIGHT NOW I'd say Flores would be just as if not more effective for us. Oli was used a bit out of position, Arnie employed him further back instead of going foreward where he has been so effective for Luzern.

Point is, even though we've lost some serious quality, our attack does look stronger because Simon looks to be on song, Fitz looks ready for a breakout, and Flores is a known quantity and that quantity is pure talent.

 

[Arnie]

Ibini wasn't a natural goal scorer, and when he came back from Belgium and started playing proper as a winger he was significantly better to watch. Fitzgerald seems to bring a bit more to the table even if we will miss Bernie's explosiveness. Apart from that, I think it is all moving foreward. Sure, Rogic is a huge talent and a future Socceroos great, but RIGHT NOW I'd say Flores would be just as if not more effective for us. Oli was used a bit out of position, Arnie employed him further back instead of going foreward where he has been so effective for Luzern.

Point is, even though we've lost some serious quality, our attack does look stronger because Simon looks to be on song, Fitz looks ready for a breakout, and Flores is a known quantity and that quantity is pure talent.

Excellent observations eenfish. Can not "like" this post enough. Well thought out and well written.

 

[Roy Law]

With the rider that we all, including me, tipped Western Sydney Wanderers to win the wooden spoon last season here are my totally unbiased guesses for the placings this season
1. Mariners
2. Victory
3. Sydney FC
4. Wanderers
5. Brisbane
6. Heart
7. Adelaide
8. Wellington
9. Perth
10. Newcastle jets

 

[true believer]

did this at work last sunday

CCM................duke may have a 15+ season. the biggest problem I see with flores is keeping him out
of the refs face. our biggest loss is ryan .but that kind of keeper is a once in a life time player . to
strong to good . bring on the ACL
reds............... .they'll be good to watch
Brisbane......... miller in the right position scary
rbb.................. not gunna fool anyone
tards................ angie who
perth................I believe they could be a real surprize
del piero fc...... look on
heart................a broken leg finished they season before it began
scum...............i'll be hoping welly go 1 better
well...............hope they get 9th

 

[style_cafe]

With the rider that we all, including me, tipped Western Sydney Wanderers to win the wooden spoon last season here are my totally unbiased guesses for the placings this season

I didn`t tip WSW for the wooden spoon last season...

 

[style_cafe]

Ok, here`s my tips for the the coming season.
Afters a long hard study (1 minute) ..in order:-
1) Mariners
2) Wanderers
3) Victory
4) Roar
5) Adelaide
6) Sydney FC
7) Perth
8) Wellington
9) Heart
10) Newcastle jets

 

[UnitedsNo9]

Most years (recently) the top two teams tend to run away a bit by the end of the season, I think this season has the potential to be a lot tighter up the top.

1) Champions
2) Roar
3) Victory
4) Wanderers
5) Adelaide
6) Perth
7) Sydney
8) Heart
9) Nix
10) Jets

 

[eenfish]

Most years (recently) the top two teams tend to run away a bit by the end of the season, I think this season has the potential to be a lot tighter up the top.

I think its gonna be a lot tighter top to bottom. A lot of people seem to be writing of the Nix and Jets, and as much as I'd love to see the Jets go poorly, they do have some serious quality in Brilliante, Goodwin and that big British bloke up front, and the Nix have a really switched on coach in Ernie.

Also Heart and Sydney are gonna upset the apple cart a bit more than they did last year, and we're all keen to see what the Spaniards do down at Adelaide. We'll see what Perth are like, I don't particularly rate them but they weren't particularly bad last year either so who knows.

 

[dibo]

Mulvey and Edwards both having full pre-seasons and creative control over their sides means fireworks. I'm excited to see what they can do, I reckon both are nailed on for the top 4.

With Sydney, I am just not convinced by their back line, the change of shape seems a good idea but there's too much that seems cobbled together when you're playing Emerton in front of Bojic, Carle deep as a watercarrier, Warren at LB and a central defensive pairing of Jurman and Tiago. There are too many things to go wrong, so even if *most* of it works on a given day, it can still go tits up. Del Piero will still destroy teams, but they won't challenge for honours with that setup.

Newcastle's problem is sitting in the first plastic chair. GVE had one and a half good seasons, and since then he's been found out. Talented players like Goodwin and Brilliante thrive in spite of him, and Taggart looks a completely different player when he's playing for Holger (which in itself was f**king weird) compared to when he's there. For what it's worth, Zadkovich is now probably their most consistent player and if he's having a lot of good days and Del Piero not so many, the jets might not finish bottom.

WSW will be a little better than last year - better balance, a year under the belt, huge crowds from day 1. Merrick will have a much more disciplined, together Welly side I'm sure - they'll be more methodical than manic and will surely get better than they've been. Heart look like they're getting it together from the outside. Quiet build up but looking tidy, and I'm hearing that Kewell is actually playing like he's interested. Might surprise a few. Victory look good again especially if Finkler can get back to his best. Adelaide are the mystery box. Who knows?

As for us? Probably top 4, but there's so much changed in this league it's really hard to tell.

 

[sydmariner]

Mulvey and Edwards both having full pre-seasons and creative control over their sides means fireworks. I'm excited to see what they can do, I reckon both are nailed on for the top 4.

With Sydney, I am just not convinced by their back line, the change of shape seems a good idea but there's too much that seems cobbled together when you're playing Emerton in front of Bojic, Carle deep as a watercarrier, Warren at LB and a central defensive pairing of Jurman and Tiago. There are too many things to go wrong, so even if *most* of it works on a given day, it can still go tits up. Del Piero will still destroy teams, but they won't challenge for honours with that setup.

Newcastle's problem is sitting in the first plastic chair. GVE had one and a half good seasons, and since then he's been found out. Talented players like Goodwin and Brilliante thrive in spite of him, and Taggart looks a completely different player when he's playing for Holger (which in itself was f**king weird) compared to when he's there. For what it's worth, Zadkovich is now probably their most consistent player and if he's having a lot of good days and Del Piero not so many, the jets might not finish bottom.

WSW will be a little better than last year - better balance, a year under the belt, huge crowds from day 1. Merrick will have a much more disciplined, together Welly side I'm sure - they'll be more methodical than manic and will surely get better than they've been. Heart look like they're getting it together from the outside. Quiet build up but looking tidy, and I'm hearing that Kewell is actually playing like he's interested. Might surprise a few. Victory look good again especially if Finkler can get back to his best. Adelaide are the mystery box. Who knows?

As for us? Probably top 4, but there's so much changed in this league it's really hard to tell.

Who knows maybe we"ll see him back playing 4 the socceroos

 

[Roy Law]

You are so predictable

 

[bikinigirl]

Who knows maybe we"ll see him back playing 4 the socceroos

. who? dibo?

 

[true believer]

dibo or jade north? can I go for wombat ?

 

[pjennings]

Mariners - Heart not head
Brisbane - very strong first XI
Victory - very strong but will miss Celeski especially when Milligan is unavailabe
Wanderers - still strong but a known quantity
Adelaide - great keeper and some creative players
Heart - recruited well
Sydney - will struggle with injuries as always
Perth
Wellington - will probably surprise me
Newcastle

 

[sydmariner]

. who? dibo?

No Harry kewell

 

[eenfish]

No Harry kewell

No, I'm sure you meant Dibo.

#osseickout #diboforbrazil2014

 

[adz]

hmm do we need to enable some sort of hashtagging system on here?

 

[Wombat]

1) Roar
2) Mariners
3) Victory
4) Wanderers
5) Perth
6) Heart
7) Adelaide
8) Bling FC
9) Welly
10) Scum

 

[finally retired]

1) Victory
2) Wanderers
3) Mariners
4) Roar or Adelaide....a toss up for me...both can make the top 4
6) Perth
7) Sydney
8) Heart
9) Nix
10) Jets

 

[sydmariner]

No, I'm sure you meant Dibo.

#osseickout #diboforbrazil2014

no I didn't