Football (Round Ball) Thread...

[TubbsFarquhar]

No real group of death that I can see.

Group H with Spain and Uruguay and Group I with France and Norway is tricky.

We're not good, and I suspect the USA and Paraguay will have our measure, but it could've been a lot worse.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar

Half time 0:0
How has Brisbane not had a send-off yet?

 

[Interloperer]

Bring on the youth team.
Lose.
???
Transfer dollars!

 

[bigman]

Ref hopeless. Should have sent off at least one player. Road allowed to foul with impunity. Reds lacked creativity, urgency and once again finishing ability.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s Squad | Round 8 vs Melbourne Victory

3.Bart VRIENDS, 4.Panagiotis KIKIANIS, 7.Ryan KITTO, 9.Luka JOVANOVIĆ, 10.Juan MUÑIZ, 11.Craig GOODWIN, 12.Jonny YULL, 14.Jay BARNETT, 17.Ben FOLAMI, 19.Yaya DUKULY, 20.Dylan PIEIRAS, 22.Joshua SMITS, 23.Luke DUZEL, 36.Panashe MADANHA, 40.Ethan COX, 44.Ryan WHITE, 55.Ethan ALAGICH, 62.Fabian TALLADIRA, 65.Joey GARUCCIO, 87. Anselmo DE MORAES

In: 17.Ben FOLAMI (Promoted)

Out: 52.Sotiri PHILLIS (Omitted).

Match Details | Isuzu UTE A-League Round 8
Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United
Saturday 13 December 2025
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7:05pm ACDT


MATCH PREVIEW



Melbourne Victory will bid to halt a run of disappointing early Isuzu UTE A-League form in their home match on Saturday against Adelaide United at AAMI Park.
Adelaide United's last league match saw them beaten 1-0 by Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium, leaving the visitors in sixth spot on nine points through seven matches.
Melbourne Victory are in 12th place with five points through seven matches. Melbourne Victory played out a 0-0 draw in their last Isuzu UTE A-League match at Campbelltown Sports Stadium against Macarthur, extending their winless streak to four.
Melbourne Victory won the last Isuzu UTE A-League meeting between the teams, emerging victorious 5-3 at AAMI Park last season. Daniel Arzani scored first for Victory in the 29th minute, his first of two goals. Nikos Vergos also netted twice, followed by Nishan Velupillay with two goals. Jonny Yull, Archie Goodwin, and Zach Clough were on target for the Reds.
Luka Jovanovic has been the most prolific player for Adelaide United, netting on three occasions, including one match-opening goal. The striker is tied for fifth for goals scored in the league in 2025/2026.
Keegan Jelacic has caught the eye for Melbourne Victory this season. He leads the club with two goals, one of those having been the critical first of the match.
In their two previous Isuzu UTE A-League contests at home this season, Melbourne Victory have one draw and one loss. Victory are looking to reverse a five-match A-League Men home winless streak dating to April 19 against Auckland FC. Ending their league away-day frustrations will be the aim for Adelaide United, who have not yet found their form this season on the road with three losses in three matches. The Reds are looking to reverse an 11-match away winless streak. They haven't won in an A-League Men away game since January 11 against Wellington Phoenix.
In their last six league matches, Melbourne Victory have won one, drawn one and lost four. Adelaide United, meanwhile, have won two and lost four in their last six.

 

[Cromulant]

We arent very good, especially away

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Of course Victory are made to look like world-beaters.

Deadset rabble.

 

[Cromulant]

Away games are tough for young squads like ours.

The gap between our best and worst is far too great

 

[Crow_68]

Can’t think of one positive to take out of that game, other than we kept the score reasonable.

 

[Interloperer]

What a pathetic performance.

At this rate I see Goodwin looking for a way out mid-season to protect his world cup chances. And Andrioli not lasting the season.

Can’t think of one positive to take out of that game, other than we kept the score reasonable.

Folami looked much better than he did at any point last year.

Which could be viewed as a negative, because that raises the implications of him being left out of the side all year.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Of course Victory are made to look like world-beaters.

Deadset rabble.

We conceded the game at the pre-game midweek press conference.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Another disappointing result. Thank god Smits saved us a few times. The commentators said Vriends tweaked his hammy in warm-ups, and we still played him. No decent backup for him at the club. Drying paint is quicker than Anselmo.

 

[Cromulant]

Another disappointing result. Thank god Smits saved us a few times. The commentators said Vriends tweaked his hammy in warm-ups, and we still played him. No decent backup for him at the club. Drying paint is quicker than Anselmo.

Smits has been huge so far this season, everyone else has been patchy at best.

Reality is losing Archie Goodwin, Clough and although hes a flog, Mauk in quick succession and replacing them with a couple of average imports and youth team players, and having to play Craig out of position has made the job harder.

You need to nail the import spots, and Smits aside we really haven't.

 

[bigman]

Smits has been huge so far this season, everyone else has been patchy at best.

Reality is losing Archie Goodwin, Clough and although hes a flog, Mauk in quick succession and replacing them with a couple of average imports and youth team players, and having to play Craig out of position has made the job harder.

You need to nail the import spots, and Smits aside we really haven't.

Club is run by amateurs and treating us as mugs. We will see a few players lost again in trade window either because of the need to earn more money for investors or players will be seeking better pastures.

Only fools could not see that we lacked class and strength in defence and attack this year but our recruitment as usual was poor and largely non existent. Where is a quality striker? Where is the big nasty centre back in defence? Where is the class midfielder and play maker? We got bullied against the roar and when we bring on reserves and take off players like Goodwin we lack experience and authority on the field. Surely we could have tried harder to get Popovic, Toure, Brook etc. Even Elsey would be an improvement on our defence with his size and aggression

The coach worried me the other day when he said he was happy with the way we played against Brisbane. We played with a lack of creativity, intent and hardness- physical and mental. What was he smoking?

We have some good young players and Smits has been a great pick up but we need some additional class on the pitch. It’s hard watching them atm as you know what is likely to happen each game. We’ve seen it all before too many times. A puppy farm mentality must cease and the recruiter at the club must immediately tender his resignation

 

[Cromulant]

Club is run by amateurs and treating us as mugs. We will see a few players lost again in trade window either because of the need to earn more money for investors or players will be seeking better pastures.

Only fools could not see that we lacked class and strength in defence and attack this year but our recruitment as usual was poor and largely non existent. Where is a quality striker? Where is the big nasty centre back in defence? Where is the class midfielder and play maker? We got bullied against the roar and when we bring on reserves and take off players like Goodwin we lack experience and authority on the field. Surely we could have tried harder to get Popovic, Toure, Brook etc. Even Elsey would be an improvement on our defence with his size and aggression

The coach worried me the other day when he said he was happy with the way we played against Brisbane. We played with a lack of creativity, intent and hardness- physical and mental. What was he smoking?

We have some good young players and Smits has been a great pick up but we need some additional class on the pitch. It’s hard watching them atm as you know what is likely to happen each game. We’ve seen it all before too many times. A puppy farm mentality must cease and the recruiter at the club must immediately tender his resignation

We made a marketing manager in Marius Zanin the Head of Football. Yes the guy has been around the game a while but he knows nothing about how to run an amateur level club let alone a professional organisation. That was the moment I sat up and went.... "uh oh".

Andrioli I rate, hes a big reason why we have the level of youth players we do. His experience in that sphere is huge. But what the club has done is grab someone who will sing from the same stupid hymn sheet, unlike our previous managers.

Our club has gone the way of the league itself, largely irrelevant to anyone but the die-hards.

Back as little as 3-5 years ago a membership to AUFC was almost as important as a Crows and SACA one.... I havent been a member since we appointed Kosmina Jnr as the CEO

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Head Coach, Airton Andrioli has made three changes following our defeat to Melbourne Victory in Round 8. As announced by the Club earlier in the week, Bart Vriends is unavailable until the New Year following a hamstring injury picked up in the Original Rivalry. Our defensive stakes have been bolstered with the inclusion of Sotiri Phillis and Vinko Stanisic in the extended squad.

Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s Squad | Round 9 vs Perth Glory

4.Panagiotis KIKIANIS, 7.Ryan KITTO, 9.Luka JOVANOVIĆ, 10.Juan MUÑIZ, 11.Craig GOODWIN, 14.Jay BARNETT, 19.Yaya DUKULY, 20.Dylan PIEIRAS, 22.Joshua SMITS, 23.Luke DUZEL, 36.Panashe MADANHA, 40.Ethan COX, 44.Ryan WHITE, 52.Sotiri PHILLIS, 55.Ethan ALAGICH, 62.Fabian TALLADIRA, 65. Joey GARUCCIO, 71.Vinko STANISIC, 74.Amlani TATU, 87. Anselmo DE MORAES.

In: 52.Sotiri PHILLIS (Promoted), 71.Vinko STANISIC (Promoted), 74.Amlani TATU (Promoted)

Out: 3.Bart VRIENDS (Injury), 12.Jonny YULL (Omitted), 17.Ben FOLAMI (Omitted)

Unavailable: 3.Bart VRIENDS (Hamstring)

Match Details | Isuzu UTE A-League Round 9
Perth Glory v Adelaide United
Saturday 20 December 2025
HBF Park
Kick-off: 9:15pm ACDT

Surprised Folami has been dropped. Folami had an impact when he came on and now he is dropped.

IMO, on paper, that is the weakest side we have had in years.

 

[Interloperer]

Surprised Folami has been dropped. Folami had an impact when he came on and now he is dropped.

The talk is they're giving him the Cavallo, Tunnicliffe treatment.

 

[bigman]

The talk is they're giving him the Cavallo, Tunnicliffe treatment.

There is something not right at this club. Young Crawford looks a player to me and played well on debut but gets dropped after playing few minutes off bench

You don’t treat players like lepers even if they are not in your plans such as Tunnicliffe, Cavallo and possibly Foulami

Our recruiting except for Smits has been below par in recent times and we rarely get players back when they return to Australia

We aren’t prepared to pay top dollar to get high quality imports anymore like van Dyke, Isias and the Argentinians Flores and Carusca

We sell players like it’s going out of style and then don’t replace them

We have known for some time we need a strong centre half, a class mid and a potent striker but sadly donuts

The fish rots from its head

 

[Eagleboy2011]

AU win 1:0 in probably the most horrible match I have witnessed.
Thank god for Smits as GK.

 

[Interloperer]

A win is a win... but that was painful.

Pierias crumpled like Sloane in Darwin in 2017.

Madanha's red card was obvious. But looked like it was the softest possible contact you could have in an obvious red.

 

[spenze]

There is something not right at this club.

Yeah, imagine a club that white ants a coach who has the team on top of the table this time last year.

Worse is the supporters who claim it is a good thing

Then double down that the club isn't doing well because it is a young squad, whilst refusing to acknowledge the former coach who was white anted was the best coach of junior talent in the county.

Which is why he is in charge of junior football now for the country.

Soccer fans deserve what they get

 

[Interloperer]

Pierias out for 12 months.

 

[Cromulant]

Pierias out for 12 months.

Shattered for him.

Had a decent year last year, and we know that we'll sign a 14yo as an injury replacement

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Head Coach, Airton Andrioli has made three changes following our 10-man away win against Perth Glory last week. As announced by the club earlier in the week, Dylan Pierias is unavailable for the remainder of the season due to a long-term injury sustained in our Perth clash. Panashe Madanha is serving a one-match suspension following a straight-red card in our Round 9 fixture. The side is bolstered by the return of Jonny Yull from injury and Harry Crawford from international duty.


Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s Squad | Round 10 vs Western Sydney Wanderers

4.Panagiotis KIKIANIS, 7.Ryan KITTO, 9.Luka JOVANOVIĆ, 10.Juan MUÑIZ, 11.Craig GOODWIN, 12.Jonny YULL, 14.Jay BARNETT, 19.Yaya DUKULY, 22.Joshua SMITS, 23.Luke DUZEL, 40.Ethan COX, 42.Austin AYOUBI, 44.Ryan WHITE, 52.Sotiri PHILLIS, 55.Ethan ALAGICH, 58.Harry CRAWFORD, 62.Fabian TALLADIRA, 71.Vinko STANISIC, 74.Amlani TATU, 87. Anselmo de MORAES.

In: 12.Jonny YULL (Return from injury), 42.Austin AYOUBI (Promoted), 58.Harry CRAWFORD (Return from international duty)

Out: 20.Dylan PIERIAS (Injured), 36.Panashe MADANHA (Suspended), 65. Joey GARUCCIO (Omitted)

Unavailable: 3.Bart VRIENDS (Hamstring), 20.Dylan PIERIAS (Long-term injury), 36.Panashe MADANHA (Suspended)

Match Details | Isuzu UTE A-League Round 10
Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday 27 December 2025
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7:05pm ACDT

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Yull wins it at the death!



Evened up the ledger to 5-5 and still remain drawless.