CITY VIEWS | Brisbane at Home
The win away to Adelaide last week has been described by many City supporter fans as one of our best wins in our short history. To beat a red hot Adelaide team on the road and end their 14 game winning streak in the process has to be described as an important win but if we lose to Brisbane tonight it all means nothing.
City has yet another opportunity to temporarily take top position with a win against Brisbane but too many times we have seen chances like this slip through the fingers of the club as we suffer stage fright when it matters most.
With horrible weather conditions expected I don’t expect the game to attract the crowd the game deserves with the option of watching it from the couch on SBS looking far more appealing than braving the expected wet Melbourne night. City barely averages 7,000 fans to Friday night games this season and I wouldn’t expect too many more tonight even though it’s another really important game for the club.
On the pitch we are finally starting to look settled down the back with the partnership of Kisnorbo and Wilkinson looking far more assured than any other combination in recent seasons. With Aaron Hughes only being able to contribute less than 400 minutes of game time this season it shows the importance of a settled defensive combination and hopefully points out to the club we shouldn’t continue wasting visa positions on ageing central defenders. Let’s hope this contract isn’t renewed and we can effectively use this visa position next season.
The attacking duo of Bruno Fornaroli and Harry Novillo will play an important part in tonight’s game and these two will need to continue their dynamic partnership if City is to create problems for John Aloisi’s men. Novillo can seem disinterested at times and seemingly go missing on the green pastures of AAMI Park but the game against Brisbane tonight cannot be one of those times. When up for the challenge Novillo is a step above of your average A-League player but his consistency must be questioned and this game presents itself perfectly for the Frenchman to show the league of his capabilities.
The form of Fornaroli cannot be questioned and we look forward to him keeping his impressive scoring record at AAMI Park going. Fornaroli has 11 goals in 11 games at the home venue and adding to this could help City crack an all important top two position.
With only four rounds remaining in the 2015/16 season now is the time City need to step up and achieve the results we know the club is capable of. Three of the final four games will be played at AAMI Park and all fans of the club need to help create this home ground advantage. The run towards the finals is tough for City playing three teams in the top six but you cannot achieve a top two position without beating the best in the competition.
John Van’t Schip cannot see a repeat of the disappointing 3-1 loss last time we played Brisbane and must be aggressive with attacking substitutions tonight. Brisbane are coming off a 5-0 win against Victory and whilst this result was great (and surprising) to see we cannot be intimidated by the strong form of Brisbane.
City has no excuses tonight with a strong squad available for selection and the hottest striker in the league.
If we are going to achieve success in the finals series this year these are the types of games you must assert yourselves on and walk away with the three points.
PREDICTION – City 2 Brisbane 1
BY THE NUMBERS
Head to Head
Played 17, City 7 wins, Brisbane 7 wins, Draws 3
At AAMI Park
Played 7, City 5 wins, Brisbane 1 win, Draws 1
NUMBER OF THE WEEK
One – The last four times City has played Brisbane they have only managed one goal in each game, thankfully the last two games at AAMI Park have resulted in 1-0 wins. Another one tonight would be handy.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Ivan Franjic – After a less than impressive debut season with City Franjic is starting to turn his form around and will be keen to help secure a third consecutive clean sheet against his former club. Franjic will need to be on his game if he wants to help blunt the Brisbane attack.
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