CITY INSIDER
PERTH GLORY WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER AAMI PARK
MELBOURNE CITY v PERTH GLORY
CITY INSIDER WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE THE SAYING IS TRUE – ‘YOU CAN’T WIN THEM ALL’ – AND WHILST THERE IS STILL SO MUCH MORE FOOTBALL TO BE PLAYED THIS SEASON, THERE’S NO HIDING THAT WE FELT YOUR FRUSTRATION WHEN THAT FINAL WHISTLE BLEW ON SATURDAY. To be back playing in front of fans at AAMI Park again was a welcomed privilege, but we were disappointed with the account we gave of ourselves and have had nothing on our minds other than how we can rectify our performance before we step out onto the pitch again. It’ll be another short turnaround for the boys, but this is certainly one of those occasions where the next game can’t come quickly enough – we’re hungry to get back on the winners’ list and get our momentum going again early in the season. Around the league, we’re seeing teams establishing themselves in fully-fledged season-mode and the competition looks set to be incredibly equal, unpredictable and competitive – it’s a reminder to us that there can be no complacency as defending Champions. Whilst it’d be easy to say that other teams are looking to take us down, the opposite also rings true for the playing group – silverware is long behind us now and we’re right back amongst every other team to compete for success in the new season. The most important game is always the next one, but that’s especially the case heading into Round 4. Consecutive league games without a win is not a place that we want to be as a group, so we’ll give everything against Perth to ensure we can regain the confidence and momentum that comes with a strong three-point performance. We want to instil a fortress mentality about the team when other sides have to travel to AAMI Park to face us, not only for a competitive edge but also for you as fans of the club at your home stadium. It’s great to talk about achieving these things on paper, but we want to do our talking on the pitch. Tonight, we get a chance to redeem ourselves and we won’t be passing that up. See you in the stands, C’mon City! Scott Jamieson Melbourne City FC captain
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MELBOURNE CITY v PERTH GLORY
CITY INSIDER WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER
CITY BOUNCE BACK ON THE CARDS FOLLOWING THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF SATURDAY’S HOME LOSS TO WESTERN UNITED, YOUR CITY BOYS WILL BE KEEN TO GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS WHEN THEY TAKE TO THE FIELD TONIGHT AGAINST PERTH GLORY. Our 0-1 loss at home to Western United no doubt came as a shock to you all, with the result being the first of its kind when we’ve hosted the recent expansion side. The loss was also our first in all competitions in Season 2021/22, following wins in the FFA Cup that have seen us into the quarter-finals and a win and a draw to start the Izuzu UTE A-League season. As you’ll recall, the damage was done in the 20th minute, with United’s Alessandro Diamanti finding pacey attacker Dylan Wenzel-Halls with a through-ball in transition, catching out our back four. The striker drove his
way to the edge of the box and found the bottom corner with an impressive finish considering the pressure being applied by Nuno Reis who was running back in recovery. We controlled possession for the majority of the game but simply couldn’t break down a resolute United defence, with the whole team sitting deep to restrict our chance creation. The boys shared your frustration on the final whistle and, along with Patrick Kisnorbo, will no doubt be seeking significant improvement in their performance when they Perth Glory in tonight’s Round 4
action. The Glory will be coming into tonight’s clash feeling quite good about themselves after a 3-0 belting of Melbourne Victory on Sunday. Whilst we’re confident that the boys will be able to turn around, our historical record against the Western Australian side makes for some not-so-fun trivia, with our 25.7% win ratio against Perth being our lowest against any Men’s team in our history. The boys will be looking to snap a nine-game streak without a win against Perth at AAMI Park, with City’s last win at the venue arriving in the Finals of the 2015/16 season.
A-LEAGUE MEN PREVIEW
DANGER PLAYER
SEASON STATS - PERTH GLORY
BRUNO FORNAROLI Tonight’s danger man is none other than ex-City striker Bruno Fornaroli. As no doubt you’ll be aware, Fornaroli just loves playing at AAMI Park. He holds the record for the most goals ever scored at the venue, with majority of his 32 of course coming in a City shirt. He sits two ahead of current City striker Jamie Maclaren in that tally, and no doubt Curtis Good and Nuno Reis (or Rostyn Griffiths, should he receive a start tonight) will be doing everything they can to ensure Fornaroli doesn’t extend his lead in that category.
5
1
LEAGUE POSITION
GAMES WON
4
2
GOALS SCORED
GOALS CONCEDED
A-LEAGUE LADDER
LAST RESULT
LAST TIME WE MET
VICTORY
0
PERTH
1
PERTH
3
MELBOURNE CITY
3
Isuzu UTE A-League - Round 3 Sunday 5 December, 2021 AAMI Park
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Isuzu UTE A-League 2020/21 - Round 19 Wednesday 5 May, 2021 HBF Park
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MELBOURNE CITY v PERTH GLORY
CITY INSIDER WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER
PK IS CITY THROUGH & THROUGH WHEN HIS SIDE LIFTED THE A-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY, PATRICK KISNORBO BROUGHT HIS MELBOURNE CITY COACHING CAREER FULL CIRCLE, CROSSING OFF THE FINAL CHECKBOX ON HIS JOURNEY TO A YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP AND SENIOR SILVERWARE IN BOTH MEN’S AND WOMEN’S COMPETITIONS ALL AT THE ONE CLUB. The 40-year-old is now into his Derby, helping his side to 2019/20 season. Though the ninth season at Melbourne City, secure a clean sheet in a 0-0 team finished runners-up in the establishing himself as a club draw. FFA Cup, the league and the great with his on, and later, off- Following his retirement Finals series, that campaign as field performances, a tenure at the conclusion of the second-in-command helped which merits recounting as he 2015/16, Kisnorbo remained Kisnorbo to acclimatise to the looks to bring more silverware with City as a youth coach senior men’s environment and to the club in 2021/22. during the club’s Y-League set him up for what would be Kisnorbo’s professional career Championship win in 2016/17 – a historic 2020/21 season as began with South Melbourne a famous cohort that has since Men’s Head Coach. in the early 2000s, where he seen several members pick up One senior Men’s Premiership spent three years before senior debuts. and Championship later – getting his big overseas move. That season, Kisnorbo was to go with his hand in two The defender landed in also an assistant coach with Women’s Championships and Edinburgh with renowned City’s Women’s team, who a National Youth League win Scottish Premiership side Heart were, of course, in the middle – and Kisnorbo is well and truly of Midlothian Football Club, of a historic Championship the most decorated coach in better known simply as ‘Hearts’. three-peat. Aside from helping Melbourne City’s history. Stints across the English border guide the team to their So early in his senior coaching with Leicester City and Leeds second Grand Final win in career, there undoubtedly United followed, but injuries two seasons, Kisnorbo would remain areas of improvement hampered Kisnorbo’s time go on to become the senior as Kisnorbo continues to in the UK despite an overall head coach of the side the refine his management esteemed career away from following campaign, picking style. However, with time Australian shores. up City’s third-consecutive well and truly on his side as a Kisnorbo made his move to Championship in 2017/18. young manager amongst a our club back in 2013, joining Already with three pieces of football landscape of older Melbourne Heart as an injury- silverware on his coaching peers, there are still countless replacement signing for resumé, Kisnorbo moved into chapters to be written for the Orlando Engelaar. an assistant coaching role with Melbourne City great. The then-32-year-old debuted the City Men’s team under amidst the cauldron-like the tutelage of fan-favourite atmosphere of a Melbourne Erick Mombaerts ahead of the
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 12
BRAD JONES CAMERON COOK
2 4 5 8 14 22 29
AARON CALVER LUKE BODNAR JONATHAN ASPROPOTAMITIS KOSUKE OTA JACK CLISBY JOSH RAWLINS DARYL LACHMAN
18 21 24 26 38
DANIEL STYNES ANTONEE BURKE-GILROY PACIFIQUE NIYONGABIRE GIORDANO COLLI CIARAN BRAMWELL
7 9 11 15
ADRIAN SARDINERO BRUNO FORNAROLI ANDY KEOGH DANIEL STURRIDGE
HEAD COACH: RICHARD GARCIA
PERTH GLORY
MELBOURNE CITY v PERTH GLORY
CITY INSIDER WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER
THE DUB DERBY IS BACK WHILST THE MEN’S EQUIVALENT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR FIVE SEASONS LONGER, MELBOURNE DERBIES HELD BETWEEN THE WOMEN’S TEAMS OF CITY AND VICTORY ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP A STORIED HISTORY OF THEIR OWN SINCE THE VERY FIRST IN OCTOBER 2015. With two very different looking lineups taking to the field that day, the scoring was opened through Marianna Tabain just a few minutes into the second half. Four-time Championship winner with City, Aivi Luik, doubled our lead in the 72nd minute, stepping up to coolly convert her spot-kick. The goal effectively ensured that first Derby bragging rights would be headed our way, despite Whitley Knight’s 92nd-minute consolation goal. Since that first one, there have been 11 more Melbourne Derbies, with the younger of the neighbours holding the head-to-head advantage with seven wins to five – incredible that we’re yet to see a clash between the teams end in a stalemate. Despite City’s overall superiority in the contest, one of the most characterising features of the Melbourne Derby, regardless of which gender it is contested between, is that form heading into the clash seems to go out the window by the first whistle, with many results defying spectators’ expectations. For instance, during City’s historic
‘three-peat’ of Championships between 2015/16 and 2017/18, a period where the club was renowned as the league’s dominant force, Victory still managed to secure wins in two of the six meetings between the teams. In a similar vein, the fixture’s most incredible result arrived during Victory’s Championship campaign of 2020/21. On the 10th of January this year, City were put to the sword in an entirely one-sided affair as their fierce rivals put six goals – all by different goalscorers – past them to run out 6-0 winners in Round 3. By the time the final whistle sounded on the 17th of January, just one week later, City had pulled off an incredible 3-2 win that defied all form and logic. It was an unbelievable 90 minutes, with City going two goals ahead early, then getting pegged back to 2-2 by Mindy Barbieri and Catherine Zimmerman, then finding an 86th-minute winner through Harriet Withers (whose crosstown move over the off-season will no doubt pour more fuel on the Melbourne Derby fire).
City’s overall head-to-head advantage is reflected in the goals tally between the teams over their 12 meetings thus far, with City netting on 19 occasions to the Victory’s 16 – a number which doubled over the 2020/21 season given their eight goals scored in last season’s Derbies. The upcoming Round 2 meeting between the teams is a home fixture for our City girls, and is set to be played at AAMI Park, a location synonymous with our Women’s side as the setting for several Championship wins. City tend to be the stronger outfit when playing at home, winning four of the six Derbies they’ve hosted, whilst the record is split evenly at three wins apiece when playing away. With the 13th instalment of the Derby, the balance of Women’s footballing dominance in the city appears to edging closer to parity. Whilst the Victory may have made up ground in regard to silverware and in the headto-head record, City have an opportunity to once again reestablish some distance from their fierce rivals, but all will be decided when the teams take to the pitch this Sunday.
MELBOURNE CITY v PERTH GLORY
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CITY INSIDER WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER
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meet the team NAME: Connor Metcalfe AGE: 23 POSITION: Midfielder NATIONALITY: Australian PREVIOUS CLUB: Melbourne City Youth JUNIOR CLUB: South Cardiff SC FAVOURITE FOOD: Chicken Burger FAVOURITE TV SHOW: How I Met Your Mother
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