The Hyundai A League

[SB]

Just got back from watching my beloved GC United beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 due to a James Brown goal in the 1st half. I can't believe we made them look so ordinay TBH. They've got a very old squad.
MOTM for us was our Dutch CM & captain Paul Beekmans. He had a blinder as did many others.
We play Adelaide on Friday night away.
Hope to read Harvs match report next week.

[Fernandinho]

Neverd heard of your captain... is he new?

PS: you haven't been posting much lately... busy with work?

[SB]

Neverd heard of your captain... is he new?

PS: you haven't been posting much lately... busy with work?

Yeah we've signed 3 dutch players and he and Jungeslager look the goods mate.

re posting ? It feels like I'm on here all the time but maybe reading more than posting. Always busy with work and 2 kids social lives. Can't wait for the season to start.

[Fernandinho]

i like the sounds of that.

[SB]

Bleiberg happy with his troops
Monday, 5 September 2011

AFTER watching his new-look side comfortably overcome Melbourne Victory in Sunday’s pre-season friendly, Gold Coast United Head Coach Miron Bleiberg says there is plenty to look forward to in the upcoming season.

James Brown’s 17th minute goal won the match for the hosts, but it was the manner of the performance that pleased Bleiberg the most as they dominated the majority of the match.

“I always knew that we would put together a reasonable team, but you never really know how you’re going to go until you see your team against Hyundai A-League opposition,” he said.

“Now that we’ve done that we can say that we believe we will be just as competitive as any other team in the league and we can conclude that Gold Coast United will certainly have something to say this season.

“When you prepare for a season with a lot of new players it’s all done in your own little ‘bubble’ and you don’t necessarily know what’s happening in the outside world of football.

“If Victory had come here and beaten us by five or six then we would know what we have to work on for the next few weeks. At least now after that game I can sleep well and know that we are going to be thereabouts and will be competitive.

“We still had a few players missing – the likes of Michael Thwaite, Joel Porter, Tahj (Minniecon), Kristian Rees, etc – and we went with some of the younger players, but that is the good mix that we’ve been looking for. At the end of the day we know that nobody will get an easy game against Gold Coast United.

“When you bring in players from overseas there is always an element of uncertainty about how they will perform in your league. In our case we have every reason to be very pleased. Ante (Rozic) at the back showed his quality and the two Dutchmen in midfield showed what they can do.

“Then we have our younger players who did well today. Josh Brillante, Ben Halloran, Dylan McGowan – they haven’t played much Hyundai A-League between them but they all looked comfortable at that level.

“Dylan Macallister has filled an important role for us. We needed a target man and he works hard for the team. If I tell him ‘you’re my main man up front’ he will take the challenge with both hands.

“I’ve worked hard from the moment last season finished to put this new squad together and in the team against Melbourne we only had Glen Moss and Adama (Traore) who were regulars last year, so it’s a new look and a new feel but we will be okay and we have plenty to look forward to.”

[SB]

Brown’s strike wins it for Gold Coast
Sunday, 4 September 2011
At Owen Park, Southport

GOLD COAST UNITED 1 (Brown 17)
MELBOURNE VICTORY 0
HT: 1-0
Referee: Chris Beath
James Brown
James Brown hit the winner against Victory

JAMES Brown’s knack for scoring goals looks to be in good shape heading into the new Hyundai A-League after the youngster’s 17th minute strike won it for Gold Coast against Melbourne Victory in the pre-season friendly at Owen Park.

Miron Bleiberg’s men were good value for their win against a strong Victory outfit, with the hosts looking more composed on the ball and far more dangerous in the attacking third.

Bleiberg started with a flexible four-three-three line up that included a striking trio of Dylan Macallister, James Brown and Ben Harold. At the back Josh Brillante, Ante Rozic, Adama Traore and Dylan McGowan all started with the midfield spots taken by Dutch duo Paul Beekmans and Peter Jungschlager, supported by Brazilian playmaker Robson.

After a bright start it was no surprise when Gold Coast opened the scoring with Brown starting and finishing the move. A penetrating run followed by a combination with Peter Jungschlager left Brown in far too much space in the box and the youngster made no mistake as he dispatched the ball past Tando Velaphi in the Victory goal.

New striker Dylan Macallister stung Velaphi’s palms with a rasping 20-metre drive a few minutes later as Gold Coast looked to build on their advantage as they continued to control the opening half.

Bleiberg’s men were more assured in their build up with Beekmans and Jungschlager’s hard work freeing up Robson to prompt the attacks from midfield. The Brazilian went close to doubling United’s lead after another powerful run ended with an equally powerful drive that skipped just past the upright.

Melbourne started the second half in much better shape with half-time substitute Carlos Hernandez providing more of an attacking threat as he prowled around the edge of the box. A slick one-two between Hernandez and Archie Thompson forced Moss into his best work of the night when he pounced at feet of the former Socceroo who was closing in on goal.

After weathering the early pressure from the visitors Gold Coast again threatened. Adama Traore was the architect with a vicious curling cross that only just evaded its targets but still forced Velaphi to swipe the ball to safety.

Midway through the second period United introduced new signing Maceo Rigters into the action to partner Dylan Macallister at the point of the attack. Rigters was involved almost immediately, contesting a loose ball with Velaphi that resulted in a head wound to the Victory custodian that forced him out of the game.

The Dutch striker snapped at a late shot that flew over the bar in the dying moments as Gold Coast looked for the second goal their performance warranted, but Head Coach Bleiberg was still happy with his troops.

“I think we did quite well and we have showed today that we will be as competitive as any other team in the league this season,” he said.

“There were plenty of good signs even with quite a few senior players missing. Ante Rozic showed his quality as did the two Dutch midfielders, so we have recruited well and we can be confident that we will have plenty of say in what happens this season.”

[SB]

The Football Sack
@TheFootballSack The Football Sack
Full time: @SydneyOlympic 1 - @SydneyFC 0!!! #BattleofSydney
10 Sep via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply

[SB]

Adelaide and GCU 0-0

Justin Civitillo
@TheKazama1984 Justin Civitillo
FT 0-0, AUFC clearly the better team but some brilliance from Moss keeps them out. GC not able to create much, Eugene not tested #aufcgcu
9 Sep via Twitter for iPhone

Where's your report Harv? I hear you guys were the better team but drew a blank up front.

[SB]

@marcothejourno Marco Monteverde
Melb Victory 2 d Brisbane Roar 0. Scorers: Hernandez and Allsopp
11 Sep via web

[SB]

Adelaide and GCU 0-0

Justin Civitillo
@TheKazama1984 Justin Civitillo
FT 0-0, AUFC clearly the better team but some brilliance from Moss keeps them out. GC not able to create much, Eugene not tested #aufcgcu
9 Sep via Twitter for iPhone

Where's your report Harv? I hear you guys were the better team but drew a blank up front.

Hyundai A-League Pre-season Friendly

At Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide

ADELAIDE UNITED 0
GOLD COAST UNITED 0
HT: 0-0
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Maceo Rigters
Maceo Rigters

IN THEIR final pre-season friendly against Hyundai A-League opposition Gold Coast United came away from Hindmarsh Stadium with a 0-0 draw after a solid workout against rivals Adelaide.

Goalkeeper Glen Moss was man of the match for Miron Bleiberg’s men with a string of saves keeping the lively home side scoreless over the 90 minutes.

Adelaide had the better chances of the contest but a resolute defensive effort from a young Gold Coast side reaffirmed that they will be tough to beat once again this season.

In the opening 45 minutes Slory and Van Dijk both hit the woodwork for the Reds with Van Dijk’s effort on the half hour particularly impressive and requiring intervention from Moss to deflect the 25-metre strike onto the crossbar.

Moss was called into action again soon afterwards, this time to thwart former Gold Coast man Bruce Djite from close range as Adelaide pressed more men forward.

Gold Coast’s best opportunity came just before the break via Adama Traore’s trusty left foot, but the speedy Ivorian pulled his shot just wide of the upright.

Djite tested Moss once again just after the restart when he connected with Ramsey’s cross, then as the tackles continued to fly in Adelaide’s McKain and United’s Ante Rozic both went into referee Gillett’s notebook.

Just after the hour mark Bleiberg made a double substitution up front with Maceo Rigters and Chris Harold coming on for Tahj Minniecon and Golgol Mebrahtu as Gold Coast went in search of a way to goal.

After resisting more Adelaide forays, Dutch midfielder Peter Jungschlager cracked one inches wide from the edge of the box and right at the death new signing Rigters went closest for Gold Coast when from a seemingly impossible angle his thumped a rasping effort just clear of the crossbar.

“Adelaide had more chances than us but we came back well in the second half especially,” said Miron Bleiberg after the match.

“We had a pretty young side tonight and I was pleased with the way they handled themselves. Playing here was always going to be difficult and overall I thought we did well and can take lots of positives from the match.

“Nobody had a bad game for us and we were well organised all over the pitch. Robson was excellent and Maceo Rigters again showed more signs that he will be a very good player for us.

“The feeling is the same as after last week’s match in that we can be confident that we will be very competitive this season and have plenty to look forward to,” he concluded.

[Fernandinho]

good stuff sydney fc, losing to a freaking state league team.

[SB]

good stuff sydney fc, losing to a freaking state league team.

It's all about the timing mate. Don't want to peak too soon is what the coaches would say

[Fernandinho]

Yeah yeah, we will see how we go this year. Very interested to see how nicky carle and emerton link up behind the striker. I could see them both playing off the front man.

[SB]

Nick Carle missed a penalty, as Sydney FC slumped to another pre-season defeat 1-0 against Newcastle Jets in Cessnock.

Emerton starts training Monday

Carle had the ideal chance to snare a late draw, but his effort hit the post and went out to safety.

With the returning Terry Antonis looking sharp, Sydney looked good in patches, despite James Virgili’s first-half goal for Newcastle.

Sydney FC now takes on Perth Glory next Saturday September 24.

[SB]

Jason Culina out for the whole season after needing knee surgery again. How gutted must Newcastle be. He hasn't kicked a ball for them.