A-League: Key round coming up

If the Victory lose this weekend are they out? If the Mariners win have they secured an Asian Champions League place. Will Beckham show? Will the Croatian fans turn-up?

And should the Mariners win I for one will be glad for the Final Series, a series that some Australian football fans still don't like.

Imagine what would happen to crowds and interest if like Victory last year the Mariners secured the title early, and there was no final series.

My eyes would be popping just like former Socceroo and Beckham minder, Andrew Bernal who turned up on Total Football last night. What a strange interview that one was. I digress.

So crucial games everywhere this weekend

The Mariners away to Newcastle is the pick. The Jets are slipping of late. And the Mariners have recruited crucial goalscorers not just at the beginning of the season but half way through.

Greg Owens, John Aloisi Sasho Petrovski, all new signings this season, all have scored match winning goals in recent weeks.

Should be a fiercely competitive game. The Jets will need Joel Griffiths and Mark Bridge to score if they are to win.

Victory v The Phoenix.

On election night. But Ernie will see his ratings plummet further if they lose this one.

Already Victory fans are rumbling and grumbling. A loss here and it's all over surely.

But they won't lose surely?

Of course the Phoenix will be up for it. Everyone is at The Dome. But Victory if they can keep a clean sheet will surely, finally, have a win.

Adelaide United v Perth Glory

No Bruce Djite and the results have turned for everyone's favourite team. They are playing the best football so we keep hearing, indeed saying, but one point from nine suggest otherwise.

No Djite, less mobility I say. And it is the x-factor that is missing. Bruce also scores. Dez Giraldi and Paul Agostino have yet to match Bruce.

The Glory. Who knows? But they will be desperate to keep the feint hope of a season alive. A win and they could just start to hope. That would be two in three.

A crucial game for both coaches. I'm tipping a draw.

Beckham watching Sydney FC v The Roar

Well Becks maybe deflated if the all the Croatian fans in Sydney turn up to give him a welcome..wouldn't that be nice. Will Becks be there. I'm tipping no in this one. He'll save himself for Tuesday:)

And the Roar everyone's very new favourite team are going to win according to every tipster in the World.

But don't bet against the fiercely organised, competitive Sydney FC at home. Kossie ain't going to let his team lose this one to Frank Farina, not without a fight.

And although Robbie Kruse and Michael Zullo have had a huge impact, the Roars performances away from home have been patchy. Scoring early and scrambling goals, and not many of them.

Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto are back. And Steve Corica. Tony Popovic won't be missed, not if Mark Milligan has recovered from the North Korea trip.

I'm picking Sydney to win. At home, under Kossie, and everyone pumped to get in the team to play Beck Beck in front of 80,000, I think They'll do it.

They'll need Michael Bridges to fire. And will Kossie play Juninho? Probably at home he'll give him a go.

The Roar will need Kruse, Zullo and in-form Reinaldo to do it away from home. Sydney defence should be strong enough. Although Kruse could be the key.

With Tiatto back expect a humdinger at Aussie this weekend.

Sydney by one!