Pre Season Challenge: Newcastle United Jets v Melbourne Victory Match Thread

[Ray Nolan]

All discussion for the Group A Pre Season Challenge match between Newcastle United Jets & Melbourne Victory may be posted on this thread. It will be stickied until next Tuesday.

 

[ManWithNoName]

This is it. The begining for Victory. Pity I won't be able to listen to the game as a) I can't get Southern FM out here and b) I'll be at a party. I'm ordering my membership soon, or may just get it next week at Olympic Park at the Perth Glory game.

GO VICTORY!!

 

[Ray Nolan]

I believe that the Southern FM coverage will be streamed over the net by the 'Give Me Football' website.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Still, I'll be at a party hence unable to listen in.

I'm going to the Perth Glory game the next week. This involves me MISSING an Essendon game in Melbourne. Should mean no-one questions my devotion to the Victory.

 

[Lowie01]

I believe that the Southern FM coverage will be streamed over the net by the 'Give Me Football' website.

F**king Southern FM - not everybody in Melbourne can pick it up. Why not our useless excuse of a sports radio station?

 

[ManWithNoName]

F**king Southern FM - not everybody in Melbourne can pick it up. Why not our useless excuse of a sports radio station?

I don't know for sure but I think I heard somewhere they have the radio rights for Victory. I remember hearing that somewhere.

They being SEN, not Southern FM lol.

 

[evertonfc]

Should pick up the biscuits.

2-0 Victory.

 

[MACDAICOS]

Should pick up the biscuits.

2-0 Victory.

Aye, be too strong.

 

[Ray Nolan]

Byrnes Named Victory Skipper

Melbourne Victory has named Mark Byrnes as skipper for the club's Pre-Season Cup match against Newcastle United Jets on Friday night.

Victory coach Ernie Merrick decided to name Byrnes in the absence of Kevin Muscat, who will sit out the game.

"It would be foolish to rush Kevin (Muscat) into the side too early, and I’m confident the players I've selected are more than capable of doing a job for us against Newcastle," Merrick said.

Merrick also said he was looking forward to the pre-season competition, but that his main focus remains the Hyundai A-League.

"It's terrific that we now have the chance to compete in some meaningful matches," he said. "But it's also important that we keep our sights firmly fixed on the first match of the Hyundai A-League against Sydney in August."

Andy Vlahos, Simon Storey and Vince Lia will join Muscat on the sidelines at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

 

[Ray Nolan]

Touch & go apparently as to whether Ante Milicic will play for the Jets but Ned Zelic will definitely start.

 

[Jaymin]

Newcastle 1 (Deans 29')
Melbourne 1 (Thompson 85')

 

[Lowie01]

The best that could be said for Melbourne Victory when it went to the dressing room at half-time 1-0 down to host Newcastle was that things could only improve.

They did - considerably - and it was a transformed Melbourne team that dominated the second half. It deservedly got an equaliser when Socceroo striker Archie Thompson fastened on to an 84th-minute through ball from substitute Ricky Diaco to score the club's first goal against A-League opposition.

This was the classic game of two halves, where both teams swapped roles, if not identities, in either 45-minute period.

Where Victory was hesitant, indecisive and haphazard in the opening session, it was composed and much more fluent in the second, taking control of the match and creating half a dozen other chances that could have been capitalised on.

The Jets, so fluid and forceful in the opening stanza, retreated into their shell and looked ponderous, sluggish and bereft of ideas. It took 28 minutes of the second half before they could muster a shot at goal,

Both teams looked fitful in the opening minutes - not surprising in a pre-season cup match that was merely the first in a series of warm-up games before the real action begins. But it was Newcastle, with Nick Carle to the fore, which more quickly got into its rhythm.

Victory simply gave the ball away too much, particularly in midfield, which meant its defenders were consistently under pressure and its strikers got scant opportunity to impress.

There might have been a degree of fortune about the Jets' opening goal - when centre-back Craig Deans connected with a deflected free kick and sent a looping volley over Eugene Galekovic's head - but it was the least they deserved.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/socce...poils-with-jets/2005/07/22/1121539153325.html

Happy to take a point with the last two games at home.

 

[ManWithNoName]

We've got Glory and Adelscum, both at home. Given that Newcastle are regarded as one of the strongest teams, it was away and we didn't have Muscat, I'm mightily impressed with that effort. Now looking forward to getting a first hand look at the Victory boys on Saturday night.

 

[peterss]

Still cant get over the crowd of 600 at EA Stadium WTF 600!!!!


********in Bull********!!!

 

[Ray Nolan]

They need to do a lot of work in Newcastle, there is still a lot of bad blood over the demise of the Breakers and United's ties with the Knights. They haemorraged a lot of support to the Central Coast Mariners. Hopefully the people of Newcastle can put the past behind them and get behind the Jets because the A-League needs to be a success in Newcastle.