Melbourne City’s 2015-16 campaign was the most exciting and regretful chapter in the club’s history, equal parts joy to watch and tear-your-hair-out-frustratingly-inconsistent.
A semi-final exit to eventual champions Adelaide United may point to a successful go round, but it could have been so much more. The A-League’s glamour side staggered towards the pointy end of the season, and there was enough evidence suggesting this team was equipped for greatness.
MORE: A-League season report cards
The story
Possessing the deadliest striker, best all-round midfielder and most assured goalkeeper in the division would put any team in the world in good stead, even more so in the salary-capped realm of the A-League.
City’s sporadic bouts of malaise, perhaps more frustratingly for supporters were completely unpredictable. Champagne football one week, ignominy the oviext.
The Jekyll and Hyde nature of the team was evident throughout. After a four game winning run spanning across November/December, with 16 goals scored and only three against including a 5-1 thrashing of Perth Glory and 2-1 triumph against neighbours Melbourne Victory, the 3-1 loss to Brisbane Roar underlined an ever-present fragility that is yet to cease.
A comprehensive defeat away to the Western Sydney Wanderers aside, January was a good month for City, before the aforementioned losses away to Wellington and Newcastle followed in February.
A faultless March included the end of Adelaide United’s 11-match unbeaten run courtesy of a Nick Fitzgerald screamer.
In case you missed it, Melb City & Nick Fitzgerald handed Adelaide Utd its first loss since November. #ADLvMCY https://t.co/HinNeDOEBZ
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) March 11, 2016
It was suggested that this win could propel the team to previously unreached heights, but the international break had Aaron Mooy looking weary, allowing Perth Glory to dominate the match at NIB Stadium to bring City back to earth.
In the penultimate round of the home and away season, John van’t Schip’s side were expected to repeat the performance to down Adelaide again, this time at AAMI Park. However, as Osama Malik neutralised Marcelo Carrusca in Adelaide, the Reds did so to Mooy on home turf, forcing Bruno Fornaroli to feed off scraps. Guillermo Amor’s side ran out convincing 2-0 winners and were awarded the Premiers Plate.
An elimination final followed for City. Key tormentor in round 26, Diego Castro, was a shadow of his usual self after injury, and the Fornaroli-inspired hosts strolled to a 2-0 win to earn another rematch with Adelaide at Coopers Stadium.
A bright-ish opening was met with unending swarms of Adelaide pressure. Goals to Bruce Djite either side of halftime, including a thunderbolt from deep ended any real hope of a grand final berth for the Citizens. Nick Fitzgerald pulled one back, but Adelaide rallied – with late goals to Dylan McGowan and Pablo Sanchez ending City’s campaign.
Key player – Bruno Fornaroli
El Tuna took the A-League by storm with a record breaking 25 goals in his maiden campaign. Supported by the enigmatic, but highly talented Harry Novillo and midfield maestro Aaron Mooy, the Uruguayan’s excellent mix of determination, skill, strength and commitment to the cause gave his side the impetus to challenge for major honours.
An assist against Sydney FC in round one laid the groundwork for an excellent season. In a losing Melbourne Derby, Fornaroli marked his intent by superbly turning veteran Frenchman Matthieu Delpierre to score a brilliantly worked goal.
His scoring run thereafter was nothing short of mesmerising, netting nine goals in his next eight appearances.
While Besart Berisha was the main threat to the golden boot award initially, the Albanian could not keep up. Brisbane Roar striker Jamie Maclaren finished the season strongly, but like Berisha, was never a genuine threat.
The highlights Fornaroli created will be remembered for years to come.
A classy brace in the third Melbourne Derby had tongues wagging in one of the matches of the season. The 28-year-old utilised a rabona to begin City’s attack and the crowd was audibly stunned, but Fornaroli was not done yet. The counter continued, and Mooy’s deft pass to find his striker still left him with much to do. As Danny Vukovic rushed forward, Fornaroli executed a chipped finish to cap-off a move with the sheer brilliance it deserved.
Furthermore, who could forget his double-act in the elimination final? And Sydney FC fans will be dreading the very mention of his name after a typically classy hat-trick at the beginning of March.
Fornaroli's season in emojis:
🙅🏼
⚽️
⚽️⚽️
🙅🏼
⚽️⚽️
🙅🏼
🙅🏼
⚽️
⚽️
⚽️⚽️
🙅🏼
⚽️
⚽
️⚽️
🙅🏼
⚽️
⚽️
⚽️
⚽️⚽️
🙅🏼
🙅🏼
⚽️⚽️⚽️
🙅🏼
🙅🏼
⚽️⚽️#Tuna23 #MCYvWEL— Nathan Brookes (@nathan_brookes) March 28, 2016
Manager
In previous seasons it was argued, quite rightly, that van’t Schip did not have the players at his disposal to challenge the A-League’s elite. This could not be said for the 2015-16 campaign.
While there was improved consistency on show from City as a unit, particularly after signing Osama Malik which allowed renewed midfield balance, old deficiencies reared their ugly head and the Dutchman must take some responsibility for this.
Club bosses are reportedly unhappy with City’s failure to land silverware in a season with such intial promise, and van’t Schip’s assistants Luciano Trani and Ivan Jolic have since been relieved of their duties a month shy of two years with the club.
Off-season recruitment
If the Dutchman survives the off-season, and one would expect he should – a true bums-on-seats marquee signing would not go astray to supplement the quality of Fornaroli, and possible departure of Mooy.
Anthony Caceres’ loan deal from Manchester City is set to end, while the Sydney FC-bound Alex Wilkinson and retiring Patrick Kisnorbo will not take part next season which opens up a considerable amount of cap space, as well as the release of Robert Koren earlier in the season.
Speculation surrounding the increasingly likely signing of Bruce Kamau from Adelaide will assist in filling the void of Novillo, if the Frenchman leaves the club.
It could be a new-look City next season, and if previous signings, particularly in an attacking sense are a barometer for excitement to come, the A-League’s entertainers could be back, but holding on to Mooy (11 goals, 20 assists) and Fornaroli (25 goals, five assists) is paramount.
Grade: C+
A season that represents an opportunity at silverware squandered.
It is said that finals accurately capture up a team’s season. But there was no brilliance from Mooy, no razor-sharp attacking play from Fornaroli, and Novillo was suspended. It is unfathomable to think a team this exciting could be defined by it’s bad days, but City were on this occasion.
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.
