What lays beyond in the new season!

What lays beyond in the second season of the Hyundai A-League? Can Sydney FC defend their title? Can Adelaide United and Central Coast take that one step further? Can Perth Glory return to the ways of the old national soccer league and be champions again? Can Queensland take their attacking football into the finals? Can Melbourne make-up for a woeful inaugural season and meet their expectations? Can New Zealand turn it all around and be holding alof the cup in March? These are the numerous questions A-League fans everywhere are asking.

One must also remember there is more up for grabs this season: the premier and the champions both get a spot in next year's AFC Champions League! The Pre-Season Cup although obviously not the serious competition, can still give us a rough idea about what the season ahead holds. Below is the placings for the final spots in the cup:

1st Adelaide United
2nd Central Coast Mariners
3rd Sydney
4th Newcastle Jets
5th Melbourne Victory
6th Perth Glory
7th Queensland Roar
8th New Zealand Knights

The positisonig isnt really alot different from the one at the end of the last season. The top 4 remain the same 4 teams with Sydney and Adelaide swapping places. The only real change in the bottom half is that Melbourne Victory has moved two spots to be the best team outside the top 4.

There is little we can tell from these spots because New Zealand Knights despite finishing last were a much improved outfit, drawing half of their pre-season matches with one of them against the champions: Sydney. The one thing I think we can tell from this is that the top 3 look to be the same with the fourth spot up for grabs with it possible any of the 5 teams could pinch it.

Another interesting statistic is the top goalscorers. You might be glad to know that nobody has counted up all the top goalscorers for the Pre-Season Cup but me so you are being given a very lucky priviledge! Here are all the multiple goalscorers:

3 - Carl Veart (Adelaide United)
3 - Alex Brosque (Sydney)
3 - Sasho Petrovski (Sydney)
3 - Danny Allsopp (Melbourne Victory)
2 - Stewart Petrie (Central Coast Mariners)
2 - Adam Kwasnik (Central Coast Mariners)
2 - Paul O'Grady (Central Coast Mariners)
2 - Stuart Young (Perth Glory)
2 - Archie Thompson (Melbourne Victory)

Tying for the topgoalscorer was this Pre-Season Cup winner's Carl Veart, Sydney striking pair Alex Brosque and Sasho Petrovski and Melbourne Victory's Danny Allsopp. This tells us that all 4 strikers are in good form and should expect them to be the first to fire once the normal season starts. Danny Allsopp is the most interesting as he only was able to score 3 goals for the whole season last season despite being #2 for shots in the whole league (Brosque was #1). Melbourne Victory suffered from his lack of goal return and if he is in some form, it could be what makes Melbourne into the top-four team everyone believes they are. Usual suspects returned with Petrie and Thompson each netting in two and alot of Central Coast Mariners were able to join that club making up 3 of the 9 multiple goalscorers in the cup.

What does the 06-07 season hold for the A-League? Hopefully a regular season where every team has their moment and followed up by an exciting final series with some new teams taking part and hopefully a surprise champion. Only one way to find out!