Prepare to break some Hearts as United look to keep up the pressure on the ladder’s top sides
Sunday 5th December 4:00pm
Skilled Park
Prepare to break some Hearts as United look to keep up the pressure on the ladder-s top sides. Get to Skilled Park and get vocal!
The business end of the season is fast approaching, and, while Brisbane Roar seem to be running away with it, there are still plenty of points to play for and a place in the top two is a realistic possibility for a handful of sides.
One such team that has been nicely under the radar for the whole of the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season is Gold Coast United. A world away from the bell-and-whistles approach to their inaugural season last time round, this time they are going about their business quietly and are ready to assault the top end of the ladder in the last third of the campaign.
With the foundations of a very solid formation that doesn-t leak many goals when the squad is fully fit, United are also finally finding their shooting boots, which is a daunting prospect for any opposition. To take on a team that is hard to break down is one thing, but when they also offer a goal threat at the other end, then you-re really in trouble.
And so it has proved recently, with the likes of Sydney and Central Coast conceding three goals and three points to Miron Bleiberg-s men. Next to visit the Beach, a team that has really struggled to find any level of form over recent weeks.
November yielded just a single win for John Van-t Schip-s side – a narrow 3-2 victory over North Queensland Fury – while the month saw them lose three times and draw twice. Most disappointingly of all, the red and white stripes failed to score in four of their six games.
That-s certainly not the kind of record you want to take into a game against any side, let alone Gold Coast United. Even though there have been a few chinks in United-s armour in recent weeks – largely due to a depleted squad thanks to injury and suspension – their backline will surely be confident of keeping Heart at bay.
The only other time that the two sides have met was at AAMI Park in Week 11. It was a match that even Miron Bleiberg admitted Heart should have won but his side put in a typically dogged defensive display and weathered a storm from the red and white stripes to hold on for a 0-0 draw.
As they go into the rematch this weekend, Melbourne will take heart from the fact that they played excellently against Gold Coast, and perhaps only failed to win because they were missing their attacking triple threat of Gerald Sibon, John Aloisi and Alex Terra.
Can Melbourne go one better this time and secure a surprise win at Skilled park, or will Gold Coast United keep the pressure on the ladder-s top sides?
As always in this increasingly exciting and hard to predict Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season, the result could go either way, so your influence could make all the difference. Secure your ticket and sing your side to victory!
