This A-League season, we have been spoiled for choice when it comes to goalscoring and with this comes great goalscorers.
Players such as Marc Janko, Besart Berisha, Andy Keogh and Nathan Burns have all lit up the competition by scoring plenty of goals for their respective clubs. The one other thing these strikers have in common is that they are all regular first team starters.
However, not all players can be first team regulars. After all, there is only a limited number of places for strikers in the starting XI, and ultimately, some will have to make do with a place on the bench.
This season though we have also seen the rise of the second choice strikers, who wait for their chance to play, whether it be off the bench or starting when the first choice is not in the team.
The three players we shall look at all occupy this role, despite not being regular starters. These players are Archie Thompson from Melbourne Victory, Shane Smeltz from Sydney FC and Jamie Maclaren from Perth Glory.
Archie Thompson – Melbourne Victory
Thompson’s starting opportunities have been limited this season in an impressive Melbourne Victory side. Having provided his club with years of magnificent service, Thompson found himself behind a number of players in the Melbourne Victory attack, namely Kosta Barbarouses and Fahid Ben Khalfallah.
Thompson has found himself deployed on both wings in Victory’s 4-2-3-1 formation, where from 16 starts and eight substitute appearances, he has scored a total of 10 goals and has assisted four this season.
He scored in the first game of the season against Western Sydney in a 4-1 mauling, followed by another two goals against local rivals Melbourne City in round three. That was another win for the Victory, 5-2 this time.
His hat-trick in round 10 against Sydney FC was a standout solo performance, allowing his team to draw the game 3-3. His next telling contribution in Victory’s season was when he scored the levelling goal against Adelaide United in a fiercely contested game in round 22, which ended 2-2. The fact that Victory did not lose these games ultimately allowed them to become premiers and this was thanks to Thompson’s exploits.
Shane Smeltz – Sydney FC
Smeltz has had to play second fiddle to marquee player Marc Janko, thus limiting his chances to get on the scoresheet. However, Smeltz has made the most of his chances when introduced as a substitute or on the rare occasion he has started.
The Kiwi has netted eight goals this season, a tally that is his best in three seasons, even when he was the number one striker at Perth Glory. He has also contributed five assists for his team, showing he can contribute to Sydney’s overall play.
His ability to come into scoring form in games which are on a knife edge has been present this season. His appearances off the bench against Melbourne Victory, both in round 10 and round 17, helped Sydney to a 3-3 draw both times; Smeltz scored a double in both matches. Ultimately, Smeltz was instrumental in allowing Sydney to secure a top two finish.
He also scored the most vital goal of Sydney’s season so far, netting what ultimately proved the winner against Wellington Phoenix in the final round.
Jamie Maclaren – Perth Glory
Maclaren has had to settle for second in the pecking order behind a prolific goalscorer for the majority of the campaign. Andy Keogh enjoyed a red-hot season, keeping Maclaren confined to the bench for much of it.
Maclaren scored two goals in 18 games with an average game time of 65 minutes in the 2013-14 season. The young Socceroo has enjoyed a better season numbers-wise, but with less minutes played, having scored nine goals in 20 games, but with an average game time of 42 minutes.This shows what a breakout season it has been for the 21-year-old and he has made some telling contributions.
In round one against Wellington, Maclaren scored the winning goal despite being on the pitch for only six minutes. He then followed this up by scoring twice to pull Perth from a goal down to win 2-1 in round four against Newcastle. Both goals came in a five-minute spell from his entrance into the game to him scoring the winner.
In round 15, he scored the levelling goal in the dying embers of the Glory’s clash against Victory, levelling the match at 3-3. Maclaren netted another equaliser in round 22 against Central Coast, again from the bench.
Finally he got his chance to start a set of fixtures toward season’s end, but only after Perth’s title charge was ended prematurely by the salary cap fiasco. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Melbourne City in round 26 and then scored in the final game of the season against Western Sydney to cap of a great season for himself.
[interaction id=”5549add6103be6e07084bb64″]
In a season that has provided us so many great goalscorers in the A-League, it is important to observe that every team that broke the 50-point barrier has done so with a strong second striker. This different option may not start every game, it might not play a run of games either. But these players have shown the importance of a deep front line.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
