The Newcastle Jets are the only team to beat the Melbourne Victory at home this season. They pulled off that victory in a round 10 encounter that was dramatic for all the wrong reasons: a send-off, a penalty not given, and a verbal assault on Joel Griffiths.
Melbourne fans came away from that game feeling hard-done by, as their team dropped out of the top 4.
The stakes are much higher this week: The Victory have to win if they are going to stand any chance of making it to the finals. With just 5 matches left to go, Melbourne needs to win at least 4 of those encounters.
Even if Melbourne don’t end up making the finals, a win on Sunday night is very important for the club. Attendance was notably low last weekend and this time there were no election parties keeping people away. After this Sunday, Melbourne has just one home game left. Finishing the season on a positive note will hopefully encourage more Melburnians to show up for the Asian Champions League matches in 2008.
The big question for Melbourne fans this Saturday will be whether Ernie Merrick decides to use the same starting line-up as he did last Saturday. The replacement of Grant Brebner with Kaz Patafta had a discernible impact on the team. Judging by the results of this week’s poll, it seems most of you agree that Merrick shouldn’t make any changes to the team.
That looks likely to happen, as Grant Brebner has been declared unfit to play and Danny Allsopp once again looks uncertain. On the other hand, new signee Nick Ward is available, as is Steve Pantelidis (back from suspension).
The Jets come into Sunday’s match on the back of a 1 - 0 loss to Sydney FC, a defeat rendered all the more disappointing by the fact that Sydney played with 10 men for the majority of the 2nd half. That loss puts them in a rather precarious position, with Sydney sitting just a point behind them. Sydney, meanwhile, have played one game less than Newcastle.
A loss against Melbourne on Sunday would be devastating for the Jets. Sounds like the perfect recipe for sweet revenge. 
My tip: Melbourne Victory 3, Newcastle Jets 1
Your tip?
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7 responses so far ↓
1 Josh // Dec 14, 2007 at 2:04 pm
If Kemp starts, 2-0 Jets.
If not, 2-1 Melbourne.
2 S Nkawy // Dec 14, 2007 at 10:30 pm
1-0 Melbourne
3 David // Dec 14, 2007 at 11:11 pm
As I said on the other post I hope the team more or less remains the same as there is promise and potential there, but it’s a work in progress. Something is telling me 4-0, but that may be the influence of a personal fantasy to exact sweet revenge in style, to be more rational and predict based on respective recent form I’d say 1-1.
4 Astri // Dec 15, 2007 at 12:31 pm
We simply must win. Central Coast done the right thing by us and beat Adelaide so a win puts us right back in the mix. Hopefully Perth does a number on Sydney but I doubt it. We need to accidently break that smug Joel Griffiths legs! Stability is the key. Have faith in last weeks line up and hopefully the goals will come. We certainly created enough chances last week. Pim will be watching so I’m tipping Archie to break his scoring drought.
5 Eric // Dec 15, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Central Coast helped us out last night, and now Perth have gone and beaten Sydney at home! Great stuff.
If we win tomorrow night, we’ll be within a point of Sydney (though they have a game in hand), two points of Newcastle, and three points off Adelaide.
Man I hope we win.
6 Peter // Dec 15, 2007 at 8:24 pm
3-1 . I’ve got a good feeling about it.
Although admittedly I don’t think there have been any games this season I haven’t had a good feeling about - I just can’t help but stay positive!
7 Michael // Dec 17, 2007 at 7:53 pm
3-1 was right Peter. lol
Go the mighty Jets. Bye bye Melbourne. Good luck in the Aisan campaign
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