Haka - Oulu updated lineups & preview

FT 2-0, 
first goal from a Nam free-kick, second by Santala. First goal from open play this season, already in the 6th game. Haka top the table!


Haka
1 Janne Korhonen
2 Regillio Nooitmeer
3 Toni Kuivasto
5 Kalle Parviainen
10 Xhevdet Gela
11 Antti Hynynen
13 Ben Traore
15 Jaakko Juuti
22 Jarno Mattila
24 Kyuong Ik Nam
32 Jukka Santala
AC Oulu
22 Dennys Rodrigues
2 Janne Hietanen
3 Niko Kukka
4 Juho Meriläinen
7 Dominic Yobe
10 Donewell Yobe
13 Mika Nurmela
14 Joonas Pennanen
16 Juha Majava
18 Jarkko Hurme
20 Jean Fridolin Ngambe Ngambe

Haka – AC Oulu

Haka played vs. TamU on Monday´s free stream match, and if you watched you probably did not see many goal chances from Haka, as their building of play usually dies right after the half-way line. All goals so far have been from freekicks and corners, all 7 so far. It is a good number for set pieces and earns a bit of respect, but 0 goals after 450 minutes of open play is not.

The problem is in the player material and in the coach. Of all new recruits for this season only Nam an Kuivasto have established themselves and can be rated as a good standard Veikkausliiga players, Nooitmeer as a right back is also doing a good job.

Santala, Osei, Traore and Gela could be be replaced by any Ykkönen players and no one would notice the difference, and from their own reserves Multanen, Juuti, Yllaconza, Chavez and Salonen no deserves a place in the top league. Not now, perhaps not ever.

So what do have left? An excellent goal-keeper in Janne Korhonen who is responsible for most points earned so far.

Defence – line Mattila-Kuivasto-Parviainen-Nooitmeer is ok, though I see Parviainen as a big hazard risk, but he has been effective in fron tof the goal so far this season with 3 goals scored.

Midfield? Here the problems start and it is difficult if not impossible to form a proper midfield with the players available. Kauppila is good in defencing role, and then it is quiet in all the other roles. There is no playmaker. There are no wingers. There is no one to keep the ball or pass the ball to the strikers.

Vs. TamU the midfield was about Hynynen-Gela-Kauppila-Osei, and they lost the mf battle to TamU big time.

Attacking department is very weak too, Nam is industrious and has good free-kicks, but Ikävalko, Santala and Multanen would only start from the bench in any other team in the league. Of course their task is more difficult when they do not even get the ball from the midfield.

Yet, with a win vs. TamU last Monday Haka would top the table.. so they have seriously had luck and gk Korhonen on their side.

Oulu look a bit tired after a long pre-season and good early results. In the league they have only the first round win vs. TamU, and they were kicked out of the cup as well away at VPS. The surprise moment has been used up, they rely quite heavily on their home ground and all of a sudden they have started to look like a Ykkönen side again. The heavy pressure and aggressive style of play has vanished, and the player material is thin for the league. Last round they did give debut to a 16-year old talent in the midfield Joni Mäkelä, who is talented but naturally weak physically.

The verdict?

Despite their shortcomings Haka are 0,5 – 1 classes above Oulu, and sooner or later they will also start scoring from open play. Even a scrappy free-kick goal might be enough for a win here as Oulu have not scored in their latest two games, and did not even get real chances at home vs. MIFK last round. And with the bone-breaker defenders like Jarkko Hurme there should be enough free-kicks from 25 metres.

Price limits at the round preview sheet, for 1x2 they are 1.96 – 3,57 – 4.76, and at least Haka prices seem to be too low in the markets at least right now.

There is a chance that I will need to go Tallinn tomorrow for the match and it might be change the schedules a bit, but if that happens there will earlier previews for the Saturday´s matches and business as usual on Sunday. Good luck and have a nice day!