On paper, Melbourne City should be comfortably among the top sides in the A-League.
With an embarrassment of riches, state of the art training facilities and academy, as well as some devastating quality on the park, the time is now to make a statement.
Friday night’s clash with Adelaide United, whose renaissance has now reached ridiculous proportions, poses a question as much as it does a challenge to John van’t Schip’s squad.
The test for Melbourne City
The mental demons which had seemingly vacated the psyche of Melbourne Heart/City sporadically show up, with no occurrence more obvious than the recent loss in Wellington or the capitulation at Hunter Stadium against Newcastle Jets – a 2-1 loss that flattered City’s efforts.
Just where is this team at? The argument that the Bruno Fornaroli-led demolition job of Sydney FC on Saturday is a far more accurate barometer is one that is hard to mount a case against. However, the Jekyll and Hyde-esque split personality makes it incredibly hard to gauge which City outfit is going to turn up.
The free-scoring, counter attacking wizards need to turn up to Coopers Stadium against a rampant Adelaide United on Friday night.
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Van’t Schip’s team generally dominates possession and territory against teams outside the top six, but has taken a different approach to games against fellow title contenders. Three epic Melbourne derbies are testament to that, with both sides earning four points apiece (One win, one draw, one loss) in contests that have been exhibitions of positive, attacking football, and not without their shares of controversy. Aside from anything else, a great advertisement for the A-League. Friday should add to the catalogue of aesthetically pleasing fixtures between title contenders in season 11.
Don’t touch that dial! All eyes locked on Coopers Stadium
Adelaide United, undefeated in the A-League since the 28 November, will fancy themselves to control midfield, especially after Saturday’s 4-0 romp in New Zealand. The approach of both sides is not a secret, something Amor and van’t Schip know better than anyone, but given City’s ability to produce pure attacking flair, and Adelaide’s incredible run of form, Friday’s clash of styles could produce something special. Neither coach looks likely to abandon his principles – conservatism will not rule the day.
Without suggesting this game will be an old-fashioned shootout, the sheer number of in-form attackers promises something not far off the mark. The prospect of hat-trick hero Fornaroli, Harry Novillo and Aaron Mooy locking horns with Marcelo Carrusca, Sergio Cirio, Craig Goodwin, Stefan Mauk and Bruce Djite, among a host of others from both sides, will be a highly interesting battle, and one that will reveal a lot about two of this season’s challengers.
High-flying Reds cannot afford a form slump
In no way is this a suggestion that Amor’s side is not wholly deserving of top spot.
Consistency on that scale deserves success, but Friday’s clash against City is Adelaide’s biggest test since the 0-0 draw away to Western Sydney Wanderers on New Years’ Day. A loss would be of huge concern to Amor, whose side still has to travel to face Western Sydney, Sydney FC and Melbourne City in the run-in to the finals.
The problem, if it can be referred to as such, with putting together a long run of results after being made to play catch up on the rest of the competition is that one slump could undo much of the good work that preceded it.
As good as Adelaide have been as an all-round unit, it is hard to envisage the team getting through this period unscathed. The tag of ‘top dogs’ tends to raise the performance level of your opponents.
While Adelaide’s spot in the top six is all but mathematically ensured, a top two position is not. However unlikely given current form lines, the threat remains.
If the Reds can overcome the tricky fixtures to come and preserve their place at the top of the A-League standings, then it is hard to see any side toppling that momentum come finals time. That is the challenge and motivation for Amor’s side, but who would bet against it?
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