On The Attack: Robbie Slater on why A-League’s newest derby could be competition’s best

Socceroos great Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde discuss why the A-Leagues’ newest derby may be the competition’s best, and more, in On The Attack.

Socceroos great Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde discuss why the A-Leagues’ newest derby may be the competition’s best, and discuss why it’s time for Anthony Caceres to impress national selectors, in On The Attack.

Time to impress

Sydney FC midfielder Anthony Caceres should already have a Socceroos cap such is his talent, and a strong performance on Friday night against Brisbane Roar in front of national coach Tony Popovic could get him in the mix for Australia’s upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Popovic and Socceroos assistant coach Hayden Foxe will be in the Suncorp Stadium crowd for the match, with 32-year-old Caceres having a golden opportunity to further push his claims for selection in the squad that will be named next week.

Anthony Caceres is playing for Socceroos selection. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Caceres should have taken heart from 34-year-old Luke Brattan being capped for the first time a few weeks ago in Australia’s 1-1 draw with Japan.

There seems to be a clean slate since Popovic’s appointment in September, and with the A-League now into its third week, more Australian-based players should be putting their hand up for selection.

In saying that, Melbourne City captain Aziz Behich did himself no favours in his quest to be retained in the national team with a poor act of discipline in his team’s 3-1 loss to Melbourne Victory last week.

Behich was banned for City’s next two games for stamping on Victory striker Nikos Vergos, so he now won’t get the chance to play before the Socceroos host Saudi Arabia in Melbourne on November 14.

It’s hard to see Victory pair Nishan Velupillay and Jason Geria not retaining their spots in the national squad, but for their club teammate Daniel Arzani, it might be a bit harder.

Aziz Behich’s spot on the Australian team is under pressure. Picture: Kenta Harada/Getty Images

Playmaker Arzani was part of Popovic’s squad for the recent games against China and Japan, but did not get any game time.

He is yet to start a match for the Victory in the new A-League season, and a place among the substitutes again seemingly looms this weekend following his team’s 3-1 derby win over Melbourne City last Saturday.

Brattan will want to impress for Macarthur FC against the Victory on Sunday at AAMI Park to remain a part of Popovic’s plans.

Spicy derby

If Wellington Phoenix fans needed any more reason to turn out in their droves for Saturday’s New Zealand derby against Auckland FC, the return of star goalkeeper Alex Paulsen to Sky Stadium will provide it.

Brilliant for the Phoenix last season in a campaign that secured him move to English Premier League club Bournemouth, Paulsen remains in the A-League after being loaned to Auckland FC in an off-season move that raised some eyebrows as Bournemouth and Auckland are owned by the same man, American billionaire Bill Foley.

Alex Paulsen is set for a return to Sky Stadium. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

It’s not Paulsen’s fault that he’s now playing for the Phoenix’s arch-rivals, but you can bet that Wellington fans won’t let him forget about it in this weekend’s long-awaited derby.

It will further raise the stakes in match where early bragging rights in the clubs’ rivalry are on the line.

Both teams are unbeaten after two rounds of the season, but an Auckland win will move them five points clear of Wellington, while a Phoenix win will lift them above the Black Knights.

If the attendance is any less than 30,000, it will be disappointing.

Auckland FC force of fans will be on full display for the first derby. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

You can bet that Auckland’s former Sydney FC coach Steve Corica will use all his experience from coaching in Sydney derbies to get his team mentally prepared for the battle.

Auckland has been a fantastic addition to the A-League, and the derby presents a further chance for the Black Knights to prove they are the real deal.

However, the Phoenix will be anything but pushovers at home as they bid to show who’s boss in New Zealand.

Mariners set to shine

Expect the Mariners to pounce on a vulnerable Perth in Gosford on Saturday.

It sounds funny to say, but Central Coast, the reigning champions, have perhaps started their title defence better than most people expected with draws against Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United.

Having again lost a host of players in the off-season, the Mariners had been expected to struggle early on.

The Mariners’ title defence is going better than expected. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

However, as is always the case, Mark Jackson’s men have punched above their weight, and will now want to take the next step by showing no mercy to a Glory side that have made an awful start to life under new coach David Zdrilic.

Unless there is a massive turnaround in form, Perth is staring down the barrel of a third successive defeat.

Just as desperate for wins will be the Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United when they meet on Saturday night.

The Wanderers are yet to properly fire under their new coach Alen Stajcic, while Adelaide should have done better at home last weekend against the Mariners.

Originally published as On The Attack: Robbie Slater on why A-League’s newest derby could be competition’s best