Perth Glory face Central Coast Mariners in Round 7 of the 2013-14 A-League season at nib Stadium on Saturday, November 23 at 9.30pm AEDT.
Perth Glory face Central Coast Mariners in Round 7 of the 2013-14 A-League season at nib Stadium on Saturday, November 23 at 9.30pm AEDT.
Head-to-head:
Played: 25, Wins: Glory 5, Central Coast 15, Draws: 5
Previous encounter:
Perth 2-1 Central Coast, February 16 2013
Form:
Past five matches:
Perth: DDWWD
Central Coast: LDWDD
The Game:
Perth Glory managed to escape the scorching heat last week with a point but their recovery may prove crucial against the Central Coast Mariners, who enjoyed the weekend off but were still kept busy by the appointment of a new head coach.
Glory drew 1-1 with Adelaide United to extend their unbeaten run to five games in more than testing conditions at nib Stadium. Star recruit William Gallas received limited game time in his debut due to the weather but the Glory now sit fourth on the table, just five points adrift of league leaders Western Sydney. As for the Mariners, they are preparing to usher in a new era in Gosford, with Phil Moss to make his managerial debut in Perth. Central Coast, who have collected six points from five games, head into the match on the back of a two-week break after their Round 6 fixture against Wellington was postponed to December 19 due to New Zealand’s FIFA World Cup play-off with Mexico.
The big issue:
Perth – Wins against Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC have propelled Perth to lofty heights but how will they cope against a side of Central Coast’s quality, who have gone two weeks without football? Coach Alistair Edwards slammed the A-League’s heat policy as temperatures exceeded 34 degrees. The Mariners will have enjoyed a 13-day break by the first whistle on Saturday. Compare that to Perth’s seven, and fitness could well play a big part.
Central Coast – Having served as an assistant for three years, Phil Moss finally gets the opportunity to call the shots at Central Coast, who have been fortunate enough to have just two previous head coaches in their nine-year history. Similar to Kevin Muscat’s appointment at Melbourne Victory, Moss says there may be a few minor tweaks made to the system now that Graham Arnold has gone to Vegalta Sendai but what changes will be made exactly? Regardless, Moss will be under pressure to guide the Mariners to their fourth successive finals appearance.
The game breaker:
Marcos Flores – Flores struggled to settle into his surroundings in Melbourne, but the charismatic midfielder from Argentina has recaptured his best form on the Central Coast. The 28-year-old has scored three goals in five games for the reigning champions, having managed just four in 24 appearances for Victory last season. Flores has never found the back of the net against Perth, but do not worry, with all three of his goals this season coming away from home.
