The A-League had been entertaining up until its postponement. It’s due to start again on 16 July, and this is the shape of Melbourne City’s season prior to the resumption.
What’s the story?
Melbourne City would be disappointed to know they won’t win the premiers plate, but the culture of the club has been extremely good. Credit to coach Erick Mombaerts, who has built the culture. Despite that, however, they need to make some changes to cement their place near the top of the A-League table.
It’s difficult to decipher the reason they’re sitting second on the ladder. Should they be content with that or would they be better served unwaveringly aiming to win the premiers plate and the A-League finals series?
Melbourne City have good players, there’s no doubt about that, but should they be satisfied with merely making the finals?
The postponed season may have come at a good time for City. They lost their previous game 2-1 against Newcastle Jets. They need to prove that was an aberration and not the start of a worrying trend.
They need to improve and get better. With the squad they have Melbourne City should be looking to win the title when the season resumes.
Having said all that, winning isn’t everything, as they have built a good culture along with a winning mentality.
The five most talented players
5. Craig Noone
Noone is a quality player, there’s no doubt about it. He’s contributed four goals and provided five assists for the season thus far, and he can get better, like his teammates, by showing the right amount of endeavour.
4. Josh Brillante
Brillante has always been a consistent player but hasn’t reached the elite level he should be playing at. Had he played to the level he is capable of, he would be a regular Socceroos player and would have been playing overseas in a top league.
3. Nathaniel Atkinson
He has so much natural talent. Atkinson needs to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground. He is a prodigious talent, but the question is: can he reach his potential?
Nathaniel Atkinson (Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
2. Jamie Maclaren
He has been clinical in the final third. Maclaren is currently the A-League top scorer as it stands, with 18 goals in the 20 games Melbourne City have played so far this season.
1. Harrison Delbridge
Delbridge is arguably the most talented centre back in the A-League. If Delbridge can play to his optimum level and have the right attitude, he will be playing overseas and for the Socceroos.
Honourable mention
Ramy Najjarine has so much talent, having showcased as much with a fantastic goal for the Olyroos.
Adaptable players
Nathaniel Atkinson could play midfield extremely effectively. It would be interesting to see how a back four with Joshua Brillante playing at right back and Scott Galloway playing at left back would perform. It would be interesting to see how Scott Jamieson would go playing on the left wing as opposed to left back.
Who needs to lift?
Tom Glover needs to prove that he should be in the starting line-up as the goalkeeper ahead of Dean Bouzanis, as Bouzanis did nothing wrong to warrant sitting on the substitutes bench. Perhaps the change of goalkeeper is a reflection of how highly rated Glover is at the club.
Harrison Delbridge needs a new central defensive partner. Curtis Good shows plenty of endeavour and Rostyn Griffiths has played there, but Melbourne City need to seriously consider recruiting a centre back. Lachlan Wales needs to improve to prove he is good enough to play at A-League level, as does Adrian Luna.
What has to alter?
First of all, Dean Bouzanis should at least be rotated into the starting line-up at times as he has a fantastic attitude and is a quality goalkeeper. Joshua Brillante should play at right back at times as he has played in that position before. Ramy Najjarine should play every game he is fit and available for, at the very least as an impact player on the bench. Najjarine is a talented player who just needs to be given the opportunity.
Enter Name Here
Guest
But City Football Group have said that they are not too fussed with the domestic leagues, as long as Melbourne City is playing in the Asian Champions League. But I agree, yes they should be dominating the league. Only thing stopping them is the stupid salary cap.
Biased
Guest
The problem is that Sydney FC play Wellington so there is no chance of Melbourne City catching them.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
technically City can catch Sydney FC if they win all there games and Sydney Lose all there games and Wellington and Perth lost the Majority of there games
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Thanks for your input.
Le Hack
Guest
Agree. Where to start with this one and I'll disclose I am a City member so I probably know a bit about them. One is City have played 23 games the most of every team, they only have 3 games left, they can't catch Sydney for the Premier's plate so talking about it is futile. What should talk about is that City can drop from second to third-fourth quite easily due to the games left for the club's around them so they need to win the remaining three. Two whilst the 5 talented players is a matter of conjecture, lumping Delbridge in there seems a little strange when you have bought up that City should be winning more games. It is Delbridge who has received three red cards and cost us three games in the process. This needs to be held into account for lack of discipline and technique which your article does not do rather lauding him as central to a defence which has got on fine without him when suspended. Three an honourable mention to Ramy Najjarine is a complete lack of understanding of what Najjarine has provided this season. City's play is dictated by defensive work across the park, getting the ball back quickly and holding on to it. Najjarine's defensive presssure has been poor when he has been bought on and has given us little offensively hence his game time not increasing above little cameos off the bench. Either of Metcalf or Genreau would be better mentioned for young players who have come on this season, and as stated by the previous writer, Luna has improved considerably as has Berenguer, and Susaeta is just finding his straps. Another is Griffiths who has been very good since taking over from Delbridge at Centre Back. Four, Good has been mentioned as inferior to Delbridge. You may want to look at the A league stats. Good is currently leading ALL players for passes at a very good completion rate. Good is also left footed hence fits the left sided CB position ideally, we have no other left sided CB. He has also scored once and made that miracle save against Roar recently. Griffiths has been preferred over Delbridge after his brain fades and has done as good a job if not better than Delbridge. We also have a CB the Austrian Richard Windbichler who has only played 2-3 games but is reportedly over his hamstring issues. Windbichler has impressed over the games he played so your ascetion that City need more CBSs appears invalid as we do not play with a back three apart from when Jack Hendry was here. Five, Bouzanis as a preferred keeper to Glover is to neglect that Bouzanis confidence has been really affected by his handling between the sticks this year. His deficiencies this year include being caught in coming out and staying back and not making a strong enough decision on both so getting caught in no-mans land, not coming out to clear corners in his area of the box, and a tendency to hold distribution until it is too late and just needs to kick wherever. I and I daresay most City supporters have much more confidence in Glover despite his age than in Bouzanis at this point of the season, and would be happy to see Bouzanis moved on and Glover retained for next year. I realise it is perception and everyone has opinions but if you are writing on the subject let's have some facts to back up our opinions
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
I am convinced that you have not watched half of these players closely. Luna has been the best midfielder at City this season. Good has been the best central defender this season, Delbridge has been off his game for over a year now.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
winning isn’t everything But it should be for this club, given their ownership. They should be dominating the league.