Nigel Boogaard believes the Reds are on the way up but knows that three points at home against Gold Coast United is the only result that will prove it.
Adelaide United FC defender Nigel Boogaard believes the Reds are on the way up but knows that three points at home against Gold Coast United tomorrow night at is the only result that will prove it.
The Reds and Gold Coast United currently occupy the bottom two places on the Hyundai A-League table, which gives tomorrow night-s clash added emphasis. Three points would put the Reds right back in contention with the top six, while a loss would leave them precariously in ninth spot.
Last Saturday-s 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory has given the Reds and Boogaard reason to be optimistic about overcoming a team they have only beaten twice in eight encounters.
Boogaard says the feeling amongst the squad now is that their indifferent start to the season has turned the corner, and they were confident of recording their first win since they defeated Gold Coast United when the teams met at Hindmarsh in an ‘away- fixture for the Reds back on November 11.
“I think after a 4-0 loss at home to Central Coast you go to Melbourne and to get a draw there, I think even if you-re leading the comp and you get a point in Melbourne any team would be happy with that,” Boogaard said.
“So we-re on the way up, training has been good, the vibe around the club is a lot better and the boys know it-s a tough challenge tomorrow night, they (Gold Coast) might be last but they-ve got quality all over the park, so we-ve got to be on our game and hopefully we can get the result in front of our home crowd.”
Injuries, a predominantly new squad needing time to gel and the inability to field a similar starting eleven week in week out have all been obstacles the Reds have had to deal with in the opening 10 weeks of the season, but Boogaard believes the team must now start to make its move up the table.
“There is always pressure and we-ve put ourselves in that position at the moment being second last, and having a team behind us we really need the three points, there are no more excuses, we need to win, we have to win,” Boogaard said.
“There is no doubt about it, we can-t keep letting games go by so hopefully tomorrow night we can get the result we need.”
“If you look over the last four or five weeks the comp hasn-t really spread out that much, it-s been congested and now is the opportunity for us to really get results on the board and climb the ladder.”
The defender-s first game back from a long layoff with an ankle injury came the last time Gold Coast United was in town in Week 6, the Reds running out 2-1 winner that night.
Since then, excepting a one match suspension, Boogaard has gradually been finding his groove in the heart of United-s defence and developing an understanding with fellow centre back Jon McKain.
The duo-s growing partnership is something Boogaard knows will need to speed up considering United-s record of 18 goals conceded from ten games does not make for pleasant reading. But the former Central Coast Mariners defender has faith in the work every player in the team is doing to make the Reds a harder defensive unit to break down.
“Obviously we-ve conceded more goals than we-d like but that-s the way football is. Sometimes you-re strong at the back and sometimes you aren-t, and in the last few weeks we-ve copped a few more than we would have liked, but we-ve been working hard at training,” Boogaard said.
“Hopefully myself and Jon (McKain) can play at the back as a pair of stoppers for awhile and get used to how each other plays, and hopefully that can sure things up at the back.”
From the side that drew with Melbourne, Milan Susak has been ruled with a knee problem he suffered at training during the week. Spase Dilevski and Evgeniy Levchenko are both available for selection, while 15 year old attacking midfielder Teeboy Kamara is expected to take up a place on the bench.
Gates open at 6pm (ACDT) with kick-off at 7.30pm.
Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season – Week 11
Adelaide United FC v Gold Coast United
Friday 16 December 2011, Hindmarsh Stadium
Kick-Off: 7.30pm ACDT
Referee: Ryan Sheppard
Tickets: Available through Ticketek (call 132 849, online at www.ticketek.com.au)
TV: Live and exclusive on FOX Sports 1
Radio: ABC Radio (891 ABC Adelaide, ABC SA, Grandstand Digital and online)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adelutd_fc (hash tag #HALaugcu)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene Galekovic (gk), 2.Osama Malik, 3.Nigel Boogaard, 4.Jon McKain (c), 5.Daniel Mullen, 7.Zenon Caravella, 8.Evgeniy Levchenko, 9.Sergio van Dijk, 10.Dario Vidosic, 11.Bruce Djite, 14.Cameron Watson, 16.Spase Dilevski, 17.Iain Ramsay, 18.Fabian Barbiero, 20.Mark Birighitti (gk), 21.Francisco Usucar, 24.Teeboy KAMARA
*two to be omitted*
In: Evgeniy Levchenko (promoted), Spase Dilevski (promoted), Teeboy Kamara (promoted from Youth Team)
Out: Milan Susak (knee – 1 week)
Unavailable: Cassio (ankle – indefinite), Antony Golec (suspended – 1 match)
Gold Coast United squad: 1.Glen Moss (gk), 3.Michael Thwaite (c), 5.Kristian Rees, 6.Paul Beekmans, 10.Tahj Minniecon,12.Dylan Macallister, 13.Ante Rozic, 14.Ben Halloran, 15.Adama Traore, 16.Maceo Rigters, 17.Chris Harold, 18.James Brown, 20.Jerrad Tyson (gk), 21.Daniel Severino, 22.Peter Jungschlager, 23.Dylan McGowan, 24.Jonas Salley, 28.Daniel Bowles, 29.Mitch Bevan
*four to be omitted*
In: Ante Rozic (return from knee injury), Tahj Minniecon (promoted), Daniel Bowles (promoted), Mitch Bevan (promoted)
Out: Nil
Unavailable: Joel Porter (calf – 3 weeks), Chris Broadfoot (ankle injury – 6 weeks)
Adelaide United vs. Gold Coast United – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 8 – 2 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses
11-Nov-2011… W 2-1… 2011/12 Wk 6 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
27-Feb-2011… L 2-3… 2010/11 Elimination Final (Hindmarsh Stadium)
2-Feb-2011… D 0-0… 2010/11 Midweek (Skilled Park)
26-Nov-2010… W 2-1… 2010/11 Wk 16 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
17-Oct-2010… D 0-0… 2010/11 Wk 10 (Skilled Park)
9-Jan-2010… D 1-1… 2009/10 Rd 22 (Skilled Park)
20-Nov-2009… D 1-1… 2009/10 Rd 15 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
21-Aug-2009… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
At Hindmarsh Stadium
Played 5; Adelaide United 2, Gold Coast United 2, Draws 1
At Skilled Park
Played 3; Adelaide United 0, Gold Coast United 0, Draws 3
Last time they met
11-Nov-2011 Week 6, Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season at Hindmarsh Stadium
Gold Coast United 1 (Brown 66-)
Adelaide United 2 (Caravella 57-, Ramsay 68-)
Adelaide United last three results
Wk 10. 19-11-2011… D 1-1… vs. Wellington Phoenix (Eden Park)
Wk 9. 2-12-11… L 0-4… vs. Central Coast Mariners (Hindmarsh Stadium)
Wk 8. 25-11-2011… D 0-0… vs. Newcastle Jets (Hindmarsh Stadium)
