Adelaide United FC enters its home encounter with the Newcastle Jets just three points off second spot and Iain Ramsay believes finding consistency is the key to the Reds rising up the table.
Adelaide United FC enters tomorrow night-s home encounter with the Newcastle Jets just three points off second spot and midfielder Iain Ramsay believes finding consistency is the key to the Reds rising up the Hyundai A-League table.
United-s match with the Jets is the first of two consecutive Friday night games at Hindmarsh Stadium as they host the Central Coast Mariners the week after, presenting the eighth placed Reds with an opportunity to make the progress they made in the past three games count.
Ramsay, who has enjoyed an impressive past month and been one of the reasons for United-s recent form reversal, is aware that the Reds must work on maintaining a high standard in order to capitalise on the Hyundai A-League log jam, which sees eight of the ten teams separated by just three points.
“(On a personal level) I-m enjoying this season very much but the biggest thing for me is that we start to win a lot of games consistently and if we do that we-ll get ourselves right back up the table,” Ramsay said.
“It hasn-t been the greatest start for us this season but the last two or three games we haven-t lost and we-ve got a bit of consistency behind us and we-re growing week in, week out with confidence and we-re all buzzing for Friday night.”
“There a number of players coming back from injury, but the biggest thing for us is consistency and everyone has to be ready and prepared for when they come in to do their jobs.”
Ukrainian midfielder Evgeniy Levchenko and defender Milan Susak are two of those players to return from injury and be available to face the Jets.
Following last Saturday-s gallant performance in Auckland, Reds Head Coach Rini Coolen said he was unlikely to make any unforced changes to the squad for the clash with the Jets, signalling that only Susak would probably come in to replace the injured Cassio.
“I prefer not to change so much with the squad from last week. We did well and those players are fit at the moment,” Coolen said.
“Susak and Levchenko both trained yesterday and the day before. Losing Cassio, the easiest way is to have a straight swap and bring Milan in on that position.”
The club is still waiting on confirmation of a final prognosis on Cassio-s foot injury which he suffered in the first half against the Wellington Phoenix, Coolen hoping for positive news but also bracing for the worse case scenario.
“It-s really disappointing…he-s not available for this game, but he could also be out for a longer period,” Coolen said.
The Jets took it right up to standout league leaders Brisbane Roar last weekend, and under new Head Coach Gary van Egmond and with a host of talented players including the returning Michael Bridges, the Reds will need to be at the top of their game to secure what are become an increasingly precious three points.
Interestingly, it has been over a year since the Reds and the Jets have met in the Hyundai A-League, their last meeting coming on November 19 last year.
Kick-Off is at 7.30pm (ACDT) and the match will also raise awareness of White Ribbon Day, which is held on November 25 each year and is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In acknowledging the cause, both teams will have white shoe laces in their boots and the coaches will display white ribbons on their shirts.
The game will also see the Reds- playing shorts featuring the ‘Panda- logo to promote Zoos SA and Adelaide-s two giant pandas, Wang Wang and Funi. After the game each of the United players will sign their shorts and they will be auctioned off online with proceeds going to Zoos SA.
Hyundai A-League 2011/12 Season – Week 8
Adelaide United FC v Newcastle Jets
Friday 25 November 2011, Hindmarsh Stadium
Kick-Off: 7.30pm ACDT
Referee: Matthew Gillett
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 #HALaujets)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene Galekovic (gk), 2.Osama Malik, 3.Nigel Boogaard, 4.Jon McKain (c), 7.Zenon Caravella, 8.Evgeniy Levchenko, 10.Dario Vidosic, 11.Bruce Djite, 12.Antony Golec, 13.Ricardo Da Silva, 14.Cameron Watson, 16.Spase Dilevski, 17.Iain Ramsay, 18.Fabian Barbiero, 21.Francisco Uusucar, 22.Milan Susak, 39.Nick Munro (gk)
*two to be omitted*
In: Evgeniy Levchenko (returns from injury), Antony Golec (promoted), Milan Susak (returns from injury)
Out: Cassio (foot – indefinite)
Unavailable: Daniel Mullen (international duty), Sergio Van Dijk (calf – 1 week), Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk) (international duty)
Newcastle Jets squad: 2.Taylor Regan, 4.Nikolai Topor-Stanley, 5.Tiago Calvano, 7.Kasey Wehrman, 8.Jeremy Brockie, 9.Michael Bridges, 10.Ruben Zadkovich, 11.Tarek Elrich, 12.Jobe Wheelhouse (c), 13.Sung-Hwan Byun, 14.Labinot Haliti, 17.James Virgili, 19.Matthew Nash (gk), 22.Ali Abbas, 23.Ryan Griffiths, 24.Francis Jeffers, 25.Jacob Pepper, 30.Jack Duncan (gk)
*three to be omitted*
In: Tiago Calvano, Michael Bridges (returns from illness), James Virgili (promoted), Matthew Nash (gk), Ali Abbas (promoted)
Out: Ben Kennedy (gk) (concussion)
Unavailable: Ben Kantarovski (U23s duty)
Adelaide United vs. Newcastle Jets – Hyundai A-League HEAD TO HEAD Record
Played 19 – 9 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses
13-Nov-2010… L 1-3… 2010/11 Wk 14 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
11-Sep-2010… W 2-1… 2010/11 Wk 6 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
6-Aug-2010… D 0-0… 2010/11 Wk 1 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
12-Feb-2010… W 2-1… 2009/10 Rd 27 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
4-Dec-2009… L 0-2… 2009/10 Rd 17 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
5-Oct-2009… D 1-1… 2009/10 Rd 9 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
9-Jan-2009… W 2-0… 2008/09 Rd 19 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
30-Nov-2008… D 1-1… 2008/09 Rd 13 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
27-Sep-2008… W 2-0… 2008/09 Rd6 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
4-Jan-2008… L 1-2… 2007/08 Rd19 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
18-Nov-2007… D 1-1… 2007/08 Rd13 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
15-Sep-2007… L 0-1… 2007/08 Rd4 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
11-Feb-2007… W 1-1 (won 4-3 on penalties)… 2006/07 Preliminary Final (Hindmarsh Stadium)
15-Dec-2006… W 3-2… 2006/07 Rd17 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
27-Oct-2006… L 1-2… 2006/07 Rd10 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
8-Sep-2006… W 5-1… 2006/07 Rd3 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
2-Dec-2005… W 2-1… 2005/06 Rd 15 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
14-Oct-2005… L 2-4… 2005/06 Rd 8 (Hindmarsh Stadium)
26-Aug-2005… W 1-0… 2005/06 Rd 1 (EnergyAustralia Stadium)
At Hindmarsh Stadium
Played 11; Adelaide United 6, Newcastle Jets 2, Draws 3
At EnergyAustralia Stadium
Played 8; Adelaide United 3, Newcastle Jets 4, Draws 1
Last time they met
13-Nov-2010 Week 14, Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season at EnergyAustralia Stadium
Newcastle Jets 3 (Topor-Stanley 4-, Jesic 13-/52-)
Adelaide United 1 (Fyfe 78-)
Adelaide United last three results
Wk 7. 19-11-2011… D 1-1… vs. Wellington Phoenix (Eden Park)
Wk 6. 11-11-11… W 2-1… vs. Gold Coast United (Hindmarsh Stadium)
Wk 5. 4-11-2011… D 1-1… vs. Melbourne Heart (Hindmarsh Stadium)
