City Views – Final Home Game
Melbourne City will play their final home game of the season when they take on Wellington Phoenix on a wet Sunday evening. City is undefeated in their last eight games at AAMI Park and will be looking to protect that record when Ernie Merrick’s men arrive in Melbourne.
Melbourne City has the opportunity to achieve their highest home points tally in their short history overtaking the 23 points they earned at home in 2012/13. John Van’t Schip’s men have taken 22 points from their 12 games so far at home and haven’t lost since November when Mark Janko’s brace was too much for them.
The game also holds vital importance for City as they can almost guarantee a finals position with a win against Wellington, providing Brisbane don’t bring any points home from Adelaide. Brisbane faces an unusual double header at home against Melbourne Victory where City fans could find themselves wanting a Victory win.
KISNORBO OR JALIENS
With the final game of the season fast approaching tough decisions about the playing roster will need to be made. The development of Connor Chapman has been one of the most pleasing things to take from this season and he has fast become a solid contributor in our starting XI. His brain fade against the Wanderers became a blessing in disguise for the club with a crucial partnership between Kew Jaliens and Patrick Kisnorbo formed in central defence.
Over the last four games City has remained stoic at the back and now looks like a team who is capable of competing cum finals time.
Kisnorbo, 34 and Jaliens 36 are both coming to the end of their football careers but City could find one place in their squad for an experienced central defender. With Rob Wielaert a likely departure the club must choose between Jaliens and Kisnorbo to partner Chapman in the centre of defence in 2015/16.
NOVILLO AFTER NO VILLA
Frenchman Harry Novillo scored a stunning goal to take a point from our trip to Western Sydney. The 39’ strike completed a ‘Good Friday’ for the club as City took only their second point from Pirtek Stadium. With the club still working out how to play alongside Josh Kennedy, Novillo has proved the perfect tonic in front of goal after losing David Villa earlier than anticipated. Signed as an injury replacement for the now departing Damien Duff, Novillo has shown his quality and why he was on Lyon’s books for a number of seasons.
If Novillo is open to a more permanent move to Melbourne the club should sign him up as soon as possible.
ANZAC DAY
Our final game of the season against Adelaide falls on ANZAC day this season and given its significance in Australian culture the league should not only commemorate the day with the honour and respect it deserves but use this opportunity to raise money for the RSL. We should take a lead from our English counterparts and create a special playing shirt for the occasion. The Premier League commemorates Remembrance Day with a Poppy insignia on the playing shirt, followed by an auction the match worn shirts.
It would be great to see the A-League do something similar with ANZAC day, particularly as 2015 marks the 100th Anniversary of Gallipoli.
THE TABLE
| Position | Team | Games Played | Goal Difference | Points |
| 6. | Melbourne City | 24 | 0 | 34 |
| 7. | Brisbane Roar | 23 | -1 | 28 |
INJURY LIST
Rob Wielaert – Ankle (2 weeks)
Ben Garrucio – Ankle (7 weeks)
Damien Duff – Ankle (Season)
Jacob Melling – Knee (1 week)
James Brown – Foot (6 weeks)
THE RUN HOME
Perth Glory (Away) – 19th April, 17:00 AEST
Adelaide United (Away) – 25th April 19:30 AEST
Let’s hope we can take the three points away from Sunday’s game, as well as a healthy attendance figure.
Image: The World Game
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