Time to focus on the new boys in town with the Melbourne Heart. The following is their list:
Goalkeepers: Clint Bolton (Sydney)
Defenders: Michael Marrone (Adelaide), Brendan Hamill (Youth), Simon Colosimo (Sydney), Michael Beauchamp (Al Jazira), Dean Heffernan (Central Coast)
Midfielders: Matt Thompson (Newcastle), Rutger Worm (NEC - Eredivisie), Kristian Sarkies (Adelaide), Wayne Shroj (Perth), Nick Kalmar (Oakleigh Cannons), Ante Tomic (Sydney United), Josip Skoko (Hajduk Split), Kliment Taseski (Altona Magic)
Strikers: Gerald Sibon (Heerenveen), Alex (Goias), Aziz Behich (Melbourne Victory), Kamal Ibrahim (AIS), John Aloisi (Sydney), Eli Babalj (Youth League), Jason Hoffman (Newcsatle)
That above list is as of the 27th of July, so there might be a couple of new signings between the time I write this and the time it gets published.
Focusing on on-field matters entirely for the purpose of this preview, and to start off by stating the obvious – it’s a very good initial squad. Going with the defenders first, and a central defensive pairing of Beauchamp and Colosimo is already one of the best in the league without the duo even playing a regular season game together. They’ll compliment each other perfectly, and when you put Marrone on the right and Heffernan on the left, it’s a top quality back four that’s been assembled. Going by the list so far, injuries seem like they could cause a major obstacle given that there’s only five defenders on the books.
Onto the midfield, and it looks like the main focus area, with a good starting contigent and a focus on younger players to provide the backup. For the purpose of this preview, we’ll assume the Heart will line up in a conventional 4-4-2, which would most likely mean that Thompson, Worm, Shroj and Skoko are the players taking the park. That is a quality midfield, and Shroj could be the pick of them. When he’s switched on he’s arguably one of the most talented players in the league, it’s just that he decides to take too many games off. Maybe a new home and the bright lights of Melbourne might be what he needs to knuckle down and start producing some consistent performances.
The first choice strikers seem relatively straight-forward, with Sibon and Aloisi the front runners for the positions. From all reports Sibon seems to be as much of a presence on the ground as he is with the ball in the air, so he should form a lethal 1-2 punch with Aloisi, although forgive me if I hope Aloisi doesn’t score against the Victory. I’ve had enough of his face.
Therefore their starting eleven could look a little something like this as it stands at the moment (going from left to right):
Bolton
Heffernan-Colosimo-Beauchamp-Marrone
Thompson-Skoko-Worm-Shroj
Sibon-Aloisi
That is a quality lineup, and one that has the potential to give the opposition fits throughout the season. If their youth players come along as they hope, this new Heart side has the potential to be serious contenders, and most importantly I have to get it in my head that there's a very real chance the Heart will finish above the Victory.
Range: 2nd - 4th
Betting: $11 for Championship, $10 for Minor Premiers.
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