You will witness in all likelihood, a very passionate and robust encounter when the Jets meet Perth Glory this weekend.
It’s getting down to the business end of the A-League season, with every game seemingly having vital importance to the race for semi final berths. Pundits and fans are scouring over the remaining fixtures for each team trying to work out who has a good run home, who doesn’t, who is safe and who is gone?
Trying to work out a points tally needed to make the top six becomes almost a sport on it’s own, the total required to host a home semi-final perhaps even more pertinent.
It’s safe to say that the Gold Coast are out of finals, that the Mariners will finish top two, and on current form Brisbane Roar will join them.
That leaves seven teams vying for four places, if Adelaide don’t beat Sydney this weekend, you could probably say six, and emphasises the massive importance of some fixtures this weekend .
The Sydney v Adelaide clash is vital for the Sky Blues, and possibly terminal for the Reds.
Melbourne Victory, still outside the six, face a massive assignment when they travel north to tackle a resurgent Roar, and a suspension hit Wellington side will do well to leave Bluetongue Stadium with any points on Saturday.
Melbourne Heart must beat Gold Coast on Friday night to restore confidence, and record their first win in 2012.
Which leaves us with the clash of Perth Glory and the Jets in the late game on Saturday night. If you are allowed to stay up that late, you will witness in all likelihood, a very passionate and robust encounter.
The stakes are sky high, a win for the Jets would see them leapfrog Perth, whilst three points for the Glory would establish a handy buffer over the chasing pack, and give them a second to none chance of a home semi-final.
Perth have applied very good pressure to visiting teams this season and they will be very keen to disrupt the Jets passing game as high up the pitch as possible.
The Jets have won three on the trot and will be desperate to maintain the momentum they have built up. The loss of captain Jobe Wheelhouse is a blow, and will probably cause a slight reshuffle of the team, but spirits are high, the appetite for success is strong and the lure of a top four finish a powerful incentive.
Should be a cracking game.
