CITY INSIDER
ADELAIDE UNITED TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY AAMI PARK
MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED
CITY INSIDER TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE IT’S NEVER EASY TO PICK UP RESULTS ON THE ROAD – THE TRAVEL, THE UNFAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS, THE ABSENCE OF OUR HOME SUPPORT TO GIVE US A BOOST – SO FOR THE BOYS TO HAVE GONE OUT AND PICKED UP TWO WINS AGAINST TOUGH OPPOSITION IS MASSIVE. To do it without PK there, whilst being an obvious credit to the whole coaching staff and their ability to step right in and guide the team to those results, also goes to show the unity of the playing squad in understanding how we want to play and being able to execute that regardless of circumstance. The wins themselves are also pretty validating. I’ve seen the improvement within our performances over the course of this season and for those good showings to be finally rewarded with consecutive sets of three points is a rewarding feeling. It’s also this feeling that we need to use to motivate ourselves to keep performing to our best as we continue a busy and testing playing schedule. Off the back of those two wins, I don’t think we could be any keener to get back to playing in front of the fans at AAMI Park. Now with the confidence of two great performances on the road, we can’t wait to replicate that at home and make AAMI a fortress where we can’t be beaten. With so many disruptions to our season so far, we’re aware of how important it’ll be to start building some winning momentum now that we have a concrete schedule and a near-full strength squad. We’re looking to this busy run of home games as a great opportunity to do just that, starting with Adelaide tonight. We’re feeling good and playing even better, and we can’t wait to take to the pitch in search of a thirdconsecutive win now that we’re back in front of our home fans. See you in the stands, C’mon City! Scott Jamieson Melbourne City FC captain
Together We Move
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MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED
CITY INSIDER TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY
RED DEAD REDEMPTION OUR CITY BOYS WILL BE LOOKING TO RECORD A THIRD-CONSECUTIVE WIN WHEN THEY COME UP AGAINST ADELAIDE UNITED AS THEY VIE FOR TOP SPOT IN THE A-LEAGUE MEN. As you’ll know, this will be the third time that the teams have met this season and, following two draws away from home, the boys will be hoping that your support at AAMI tonight can get them over the line to tilt the season ledger in their favour. Recently, we had a productive New South Wales road trip over the past seven days, beating Newcastle Jets 4-2 last Tuesday and then Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 on Friday night. In both games, the City boys looked frighteningly good in attack as Jamie Maclaren, Andrew Nabbout, Mathew Leckie and Florin Berenguer ran
rampant across the two fixtures. Whilst we’ll continue searching for defensive improvement given the final scorelines, the Wanderers’ goal on Friday arrived only from the penalty spot amidst an overall lack of chances afforded by our backline. You’ll likely be very familiar with our upcoming opposition given the see-sawing nature of the two meetings between City and Adelaide United that we’ve already seen this season. Both meetings at CooperS ended in 2-2 draws, but our boys had led at crucial stages of both games before conceding
all four goals in the final third of each clash. Most recently, the Reds played out a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix in which youngster Bernardo Oliveira crucially rescued a point for his side with a 92nd minute strike. Middling in terms of their defensive performances, it’s been all about attack for Adelaide this season, with the Reds recording the equal-thirdmost goals per game. Given that 38% of our goals conceded have arrived in this period, here’s hoping that you’re not in for a tense climax later tonight.
A-LEAGUE MEN PREVIEW
DANGER PLAYER
SEASON STATS - ADELAIDE UNITED
CRAIG GOODWIN There’s plenty of quality in the Adelaide line-up, but one player in particular that City will have to be mindful of is winger Craig Goodwin. A recent Socceroo call-up, Goodwin has been in strong form throughout the season. While he didn’t find the back of the net in either of the previous meetings between teams, Goodwin has netted five goals this season and assisted another. With over 150 games of experience, there’s no doubt Goodwin possesses the experience and quality to cause issues for the City defence if it isn’t careful.
4
3
LEAGUE POSITION
GAMES WON
18
14
GOALS SCORED
GOALS CONCEDED
A-LEAGUE LADDER
LAST RESULT
LAST TIME WE MET
WELLINGTON
1
ADELAIDE UNITED
2
ADELAIDE UNITED
1
MELBOURNE CITY
2
Isuzu UTE A-League Saturday 12 February, 2022 Nestrata Jubilee Stadium
VIDEO HIGLIGHTS
Isuzu UTE A-League 2021/22 Saturday 15 January, 2021 Coopers Stadium
VIDEO HIGLIGHTS
MATCH SQUADS
HEAD COACH: PATRICK KISNORBO
A-LEAGUE MEN
1. TOM GLOVER
2. SCOTT GALLOWAY
3. SCOTT JAMIESON
4. NUNO REIS
5. ROSTYN GRIFFITHS
7. MATT LECKIE
8. AIDEN O’NEILL
9. JAMIE MACLAREN
10. FLORIN BERENGUER
13. NATHANIEL ATKINSON
15. ANDREW NABBOUT
16. TARAS GOMULKA
17. STEFAN COLACOVSKI
18. CONNOR METCALFE
20.MANUEL PUCCIARELLI
22. CURTIS GOOD
23. MARCO TILIO
33. MATT SUTTON
34. JORDAN HALL
36. KERRIN STOKES
37. MAX CAPUTO
38. JORDAN BOS
42. AHMED TALEB
35. RAPHAEL BORGES RODRIGUES
39. ANTHONY LESIOTIS
1 46
JAMES DELIANOV JOE GAUCI
3 4 21 22 23 25 41
GEORGE TIMOTHEOU NICOLAS ANSELL JAVIER LOPEZ MICHAEL JAKOBSEN JACOB TRATT LACHLAN BARR ALEKSANDAR POPOVIC
6 7 8 10 18 27 28 31 77
LOUIS D’ARRIGO RYAN KITTO STEFAN MAUK ISAIAS SANCHEZ JOE CALETTI JOSH CAVALLO JUANDE LOPEZ BERNADO OLIVEIRA LACHLAN BROOK
9 11 14 15 17 19
KUSINI YENGI CRAIG GOODWIN GEORGE BLACKWOOD HIROSHI IBUSUKI MOHAMED TOURE YAYA DUKULY
HEAD COACH: CARL VEART
ADELAIDE UNITED
MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED
CITY INSIDER TUESDAY 15 JANUARY
JENKINSON A WELCOME SURPRISE FOR CITY ARSENAL FANS’ EARS MUST HAVE PRICKED UP WHEN MELBOURNE CITY ANNOUNCED ITS FIRST SIGNING OF THE JANUARY WINDOW, WITH THE CLUB BRINGING FANFAVOURITE CARL JENKINSON DOWN UNDER ON LOAN FROM NOTTINGHAM FOREST. Those fans and Jenkinson share a unique bond in their shared love for the London club, with the Harlowborn defender growing up supporting the Invincibles-era Gunners lead by the eternal Arsène Wenger. After coming up through the youth system of Charlton Athletic, it didn’t take the boyhood Arsenal fan long to get his dream move, joining the club where his passion for the game was born in 2011. Jenkinson made a total of 71 appearances for Arsenal, including 42 in the Premier League, an achievement he looks back on fondly. “With time you can look at those situations, and for that to happen, to actually play for your boyhood club, is very rare,” he said. “Not just play once or twice, I played a lot of football for Arsenal. “That’s something I’ll always be immensely proud of.” Whilst it shouldn’t come as a surprise given Wenger’s longevity at Arsenal, it still would have been incredibly special for Jenkinson to develop as a young footballer and then be able to play under the legendary French manager, whose teams the now 30-year-old had grown up supporting. “It was an honour to play under a guy like that,” Jenkinson recounted, “He almost sees football like an art form.
“It was a massive education to play under him and he’s one of the best of all time in my opinion.” There was one particular expression that he attributes to the Frenchman which has stuck with him to this day: ‘Do what the game demands.’ “When you receive the ball, don’t do what’s right for you, do what’s right for the team and for the game of football,” Jenkinson explained. In making the decision to move to Australia and take up the opportunity with Melbourne City, Jenkinson did have to do what he felt was right for him. A series of unpredictable, longterm injuries had disrupted his career and cut short his time in the Premier League, and a battle for playing time at Nottingham Forest made City’s quickly arising January offer difficult to refuse. “There was a link between the old manager and PK and it all stemmed from there,” Jenkinson explained of the move, “I was recommended as someone who could come out here and do well.” Arriving in Melbourne and put to work almost immediately, the Premier League veteran says he’s been impressed by the quality of football, the training standards and the facilities at City, justifying his decision to make such a bold change in his career. “I want to play football and I want to play football for a
good Club, and I found both here,” he said, “I think it shows [that I want to play], as I’ve come to the other side of the world to do it.” Making an instant impact for his new side with a late goal to seal City’s 3-1 victory over the Central Coast Mariners last month, Jenkinson has hit the ground running in Melbourne. The Englishman has come to Australia with a purpose, a drive to play football – his best football – and it’s Melbourne City that he believes is the best platform for him to do just that.
MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED
CITY INSIDER TUESDAY 15 JANUARY
A-LEAGUE WOMEN KEEP ON ROLLING MELBOURNE CITY FC RECORDED A THIRD-CONSECUTIVE WIN IN THE LIBERTY A-LEAGUE, SECURING A 4-0 SUNDAY AFTERNOON VICTORY OVER PERTH GLORY. HOLLY MCNAMARA STARRED WITH A BRACE, WHILST RHIANNA POLLICINA AND HANNAH WILKINSON ALSO GOT THEIR NAMES ON THE SCORESHEET. A feature of Rado Vidosic’s side for the majority of the season thus far, the City Head Coach was again able to name an unchanged lineup to face the Glory. Melissa Barbieri was kept busy in the opening minutes of the game as a series of turnovers afforded Perth several early chances that required some strong hands from the veteran keeper. An enthralling first half followed as a battle for midfield dominance played out, with both sides showing good signs at different stages. The scoreline looked almost certain to remain level at the break as neither side was affording an inch to their opponents, but a late Rhianna Pollicina goal saw City take a lead into half-time. Hannah Wilkinson used her aerial dominance to head the ball down at the edge of the penalty area for City’s #10, with Pollicina then controlling the ball and finishing well under pressure.
The cagey midfield battle continued into the second period, with fans again seeing few chances as a result, but the game came alive in the 61st minute with big action at either end. The City defence failed to clear a Perth corner and a chaotic scramble ensued, with the ball trapped between the competing feet of a handful of players squeezed into a tight bunch. The ball was eventually cleared long and Holly McNamara used her speed and awareness to anticipate the errant header from the Perth defender, with the young striker bearing down on goal and finishing coolly. Leticia McKenna replaced Pollicina later in the half as City’s #10 struggled with a niggling injury, and she nearly netted a stunner off the bench in the 81st when she tried a shot from distance, with her rocket flashing narrowly over the crossbar. The substitute midfielder would be at the centre of the next
goal, however, clipping a line-breaking ball through for McNamara who was able to lob the keeper from a fair distance out to make it 3-0 in the 88th. To put the icing on the cake, Wilkinson got in on the action in the final minute of stoppage time, capitalising on a defensive error to round the keeper and pass into an empty net to secure the 4-0 win for the visiting City. It was a special goal for Wilkinson, her 10th of the season meaning she’s the fastest player in A-League Women history to reach that milestone. The result is a big one for City against a fellow Finals contender and the team is now closing in on mathematical qualification over the final rounds of the 2021/22 season. Vidosic’s side will now look to carry the confidence and belief from their past four victories as they prepare for a blockbuster top-of-the-table clash against Sydney FC at Kingston Heath this Sunday.
MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED
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CITY INSIDER TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY
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meet the team NAME: Scott Galloway AGE: 26 POSITION: Defender NATIONALITY: Australian PREVIOUS CLUB: Adelaide United JUNIOR CLUB: Cockburn City FAVOURITE FOOD: Pasta/Nandos FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Power
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