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Monday 27 September 2010

A-League: Pace or experience?

Adelaide United have Matthew Leckie. He's fast. And I bet he doesn't cost half as much as the retirees down at Melbourne Heart!

Brisbane Roar have Matty McKay and Massimo Murdocho in the midfield they are fast, over and over again and they can wear teams down.

Melbourne Victory won two Championships using the pace of Archie Thompson. They might have won a third if Archie had stayed on the field in last years Grand Final and they may well win this year when Archie returns, if his pace remains.

Perth Glory are starting to stumble. A lack of pace in defence and of course with Robbie Fowler often employed, wrongly in my view, as the furthest forward, there's little pace ahead either.

And now we have Melbourne Heart.

When a teams in trouble, pace can help you.

Would Adelaide be so dynanmic without Leckie's pace and goals.

John Aloisi and Gerry Sibon, two very old, very slow centre forwards on the same team. It's painful to watch Aloisi having to chase a forward through ball. He never got it on Saturday, he never will, not anymore.

And youthful goalscoring Nicky Kalmar dumped for Josip Skoko and when the tempo is lifted Skoko and his ageing mates are just too slow.

Every team needs pace, an outlet, in the modern era. Alex Brosque and Bruno Cazarine added some much needed pace to Sydney yesterday and Sydney at least threatened once more.

One wonders why Coaches like Johann Van Schipp, Jesper Olson and Ante Milicic think about when they select their team, their squad.

The older the better?

Not too late to change, but throw Kalmar and give Aziz Behich an extended run and let the ageing starts share game time.

Bet Skoko would love to playing the ball into a pacy forward, rather than Aloisi who is alwasy looking to hold it and play it back....because what else can he do?

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