Ange Postecoglou has assured Victory fans he is focussed on maintaining Melbourne’s current consistent form ahead of Saturday night’s crucial clash with Sydney FC at the Allianz Arena.
Ange Postecoglou has assured Victory fans he is focussed on maintaining Melbourne’s current consistent form ahead of Saturday night’s crucial clash with Sydney FC at the Allianz Arena.
With star striker Alessandro Del Piero set to return from injury for the Sky Blues and Ian Crook’s team reeling from a 7-2 loss to the Central Coast Mariners, the Victory coach is intent on leading his team to a second straight win rather than targeting the opposition.
The Victory carved Wellington Phoenix to pieces in the first 60 minutes on Monday in a 3-2 win that was a little tarnished by Jeremy Brockie’s late brace.
“Our last three weeks have been pretty good, pretty consistent – Adelaide, Newcastle and Monday night (Wellington) – so we expect that consistency to keep going,” Postecoglou said.
“It would be good to win a couple of games on the trot and win away from home. I think those kind of things add belief to a group and how we’re progressing.”
“Our focus is on us and it has to be right until we get our game plan right and our structures right.
“There’s no point trying to minimise the opposition and what their strengths and weaknesses are (so) obviously we’ll make slight adjustments.”
Postecoglou said he was likely to stick with the same line-up that defeated the Phoenix after a light week on the track following Monday’s game.
“It’s a factor (Sydney’s extra two-day break),” he said.
“I don’t know if it is a massive factor. We’ve had a pretty light week on the track. For us we like to work hard during the week but this week we’ve had to back off, playing on a Monday night, it’s a little bit unusual.”
The sense of occasion was not completely lost on the Melbourne Victory coach though, as his side looks for their first win for five years in Sydney.
Postecoglou also said he anticipated a swift response from Ian Crook’s side.
“It’s human nature that there will be a reaction from them,” Postecoglou said referring to the Mariners loss.
“They’ll need to have a reaction from last week but they had quite a few (players) out last week as well and they’ll get a few players back.
“Whenever you go through something like that the players coming in haven’t been scarred in that way so I’m sure they’ll be looking for the players that come in to provide them with some positive momentum.”
It will be Postecoglou’s first taste of the Sydney-Melbourne rivalry and one the two-time title-winning coach is thoroughly looking forward to.
“It’s tremendous there’s going to a massive crowd there it’s a big game between the two clubs and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
“Both clubs are in transition years but there’s no doubt it’s one of the big clashes in the A-League calendar.”
