The situation remains the same for Melbourne City despite two poor results away from home in recent weeks.
An away finals win against fourth-placed Wellington Pheonix will likely see them playing in front of their fans for a place in the 2014-15 A-League grand final in a cut-throat clash with cross-town giants Melbourne Victory.
Wellington was dreaming of its first silverware back in late March after four consecutive victories against quality opposition in Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United, Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar, before succumbing to Sydney FC the following week in a brutal 3-0 reality check. Since the loss, the Nix have never truly recovered, slipping to fifth before being promoted up a rung due to the Glory’s relegation to seventh.
The slump, however, has not bothered head coach Ernie Merrick, a man who knows what winning championships is all about, having won two A-League championships with the Victory. Merrick hailed the club’s season as a massive improvement on last year.
“Last year we ended up in the bottom two and now we’re bitterly disappointed we haven’t finished in the top two,” Merrick told the club’s official website.
“We’ve come a long way and I think we’ll give it a shake in the finals as well.”
New Zealand’s only A-League team enjoyed a great home and away season in its final third, with Nathan Burns being named the club’s Player of the Year, having netted 13 times for the yellow and black. Dutchman Roly Bonevacia won the club’s Under 23 Player of the Year award.
The Melburnians will cross the ditch without key centre-back Kew Jaliens due to a one match suspension after receiving a straight red card in a dead rubber against Adelaide in City’s last appearance of the regular season, a dreadful 4-1 loss that had manager John van’t Schip scratching his head. Many have attributed the looming custodian as City’s finest defender, having had a massive influence on his side’s 2014-15 revival, particularly in the back half the season.
Despite conceding seven goals in their last two games, City will take some confidence out of the fact that their last two clashes with the Nix have ended in goalless draws. Their most recent meeting was an entertaining end-to-end affair at AAMI Park, when Wellington’s star player in Burns failed to break the deadlock with one of the worst spot-kicks of the season.
Having not taken three points from any of their games in the last month, City’s Erik Paartalu spoke of his side’s poor form of late.
“The last two weeks have been pretty pathetic to be honest,” Paartalu told Fox Sports.
“I can honestly say that all over the pitch the effort hasn’t been there the way it should have been.
“Whether or not that’s from already qualifying for the finals due to Perth being exempt who knows. Maybe that had something to do with it.”
Paartalu also made it clear that his side is not content with merely making the finals, but will back itself to keep its season alive at the weekend.
With Jaliens out of contention for Sunday, further responsibility will be placed on City skipper Patrick Kisnorbo to hold the line at the back. Kisnorbo was awarded Melbourne City’s Etihad Player of the Month for March, his form after the Asian Cup seeing the defender become a force to be reckoned with in the A-League.
After ending Marc Janko’s incredible goal run in City’s victory over the Sky Blues, their last successful interstate trip, the captain will be called upon again with the likes of Burns, Krishna and Bonevacia having looked dangerous all season.
The Nix have not been convincing at home of late, having lost three of their last four appearances at Westpac Stadium, the only win coming against the lowly Central Coast Mariners, and conceding a whopping 10 times.
City have shown all season that on their day, they can cause an upset. It has been a series of highs and lows for the Manchester City-owned club. Its fortunes will need to turn upside-down yet again if the Melbourne side is to march on.
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