Richard Garcia believes that despite a hectic start to the campaign, his squad are travelling well ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park (kick-off at 4.05pm WST).
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268486001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6225876038001
The men in purple are facing a third game in the space of seven days having downed Adelaide United last midweek before being edged out by Western United on Saturday.
But the Head Coach has confirmed that most of his squad has pulled up well and the whole group is raring to go again against a Victory side still seeking its first win of the campaign.
“We’re going to have to freshen it up a bit, but quite a few have pulled up pretty well,” he said.
“In the first half of Saturday’s game, they really felt sluggish and fatigued, but we saw as the game went on that they grew in stature and finished the game really strong.
“It’s a big testament to them that they got over that fatigue from from the first half and showed great resilience throughout that game to continually fight and try and come back to get the result.
“It’s going to be a tough game [on Tuesday], but we’re fully up for it.”
In terms of early squad news, Garcia revealed that he won’t rush Diego Castro back into the fray following the Spaniard’s recovery from a hamstring injury.
“Diego is still on that borderline,” he said.
“We’re still deciding on how people have pulled up here.
“There are some that are looking to go again and are feeling good, so if that gives us an opportunity to go that little bit longer without Diego, it’s perfect for both sets of players.
“With Diego coming back from injury, sometimes it’s good to give him that bit of extra time.
“That’s one place where we do have healthy numbers [in attack] and it’s now about having those options in defence and in midfield as well.
“We want to try and use everyone, especially with the way the schedule is and having to back up several times.”
When quizzed about the fact that while scoring nine times in two games, Glory have also conceded eight, Garcia noted that a number of his players are still finding their way in terms of A-League football.
“Those guys have got to learn from the slight errors that they’re making,” he said.
“A lot of those errors are through fatigue.
“When you look at the AFC Champions League and then the Adelaide game, the goals are coming late and it was the same at the weekend.
“So it’s about the players learning to deal with their decision-making under fatigue and that’s something that doesn’t come overnight.
“It comes with experience, more games and having experienced people alongside you.
“That’s going to be an ongoing development for us and these guys have just got to step up and learn as quickly as possible.”
Victory, meanwhile, have confirmed that they will be without two of their major off-season recruits in Rudy Gestede and Callum McManaman who will both miss the game through injury, but Garcia is still expecting Grant Brebner’s men to provide a stern test.
“They’ll be a tough opposition,” he predicted.
“At the moment, with the way the schedule has been going, I think teams are still trying to find their feet.
“It’s too early to tell how people are travelling.
“It’ll be a tough game, no doubt, at their place where they’ll be looking to rectify the weekend result.
“It’s going to be a tough game, but we’re fully up for it.”
Glory will be out to snap a run of four winless games against Victory and would climb into the top six on the embryonic ladder with three points.
A win for Garcia’s men would also draw them level in terms of overall victories in this fixture, with Victory currently leading 18-17 from the 46 meetings to date.
In terms of potential personal milestones, Nick D’Agostino is poised to make his 50th career A-League appearance and Liam Reddy remains one shutout away from moving past Danny Vukovic to become the A-League’s all-time record clean sheets holder with 86.
Tuesday, 26 January 2021
Melbourne Victory v Perth Glory
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 4:05pm (WST)(7:05pm (Local))
Referee: Shaun Evans
Assistant Referee 1: George Lakrindis
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Meimarakis
Fourth Official: Adam Bavcar
VAR: Kris Griffiths-Jones
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 4:00pm (WST), Sky Sport 7 (New Zealand), Kayo Sports (www.kayosports.com.au) and MyFootball Live App, Live Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #MVCvPER
To purchase tickets visit www.a-league.com.au/tickets
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Matt ACTON (gk), 2.Storm ROUX, 3.Adama TRAORE, 5.Ryan SHOTTON, 6.Leigh BROXHAM (c), 8.Jacob BUTTERFIELD, 10.Robbie KRUSE, 13.Birkan KIRDAR, 14.Jay BARNETT, 15.Aaron ANDERSON, 16.Brandon LAUTON, 17.Elvis KAMSOBA, 19.Dylan RYAN, 20.Max CROCOMBE (gk), 22.Jacob BRIMMER, 23.Marco ROJAS, 25.Luis LAWRIE-LATTANZIO, 35.Zaydan BELLO
**0-2 to be omitted**
In: 16.Brandon LAUTON (promoted), 25.Luis LAWRIE-LATTANZIO (promoted), 35.Zaydan BELLO (promoted)
Out: 7.Callum McMANAMAN (injured – ankle), 9.Rudy GESTEDE (injured – hamstring)
Unavailable: 4.Nick ANSELL (injured – hamstring), 11.Ben FOLAMI (injured – knee), 32.So NISHIKAWA (injured – shoulder)
Perth Glory squad: 1.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 5.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS, 9.Bruno FORNAROLI, 10.Andy KEOGH, 15.Brandon WILSON, 16.Nick SULLIVAN, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18.Nick D’AGOSTINO, 19.Calllum TIMMINS, 20.Carlo ARMIENTO, 21.Bryce BAFFORD, 22.Josh RAWLINS, 23.Dane INGHAM, 24.Daniel STYNES, 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 33.Liam REDDY (GK), 34.Mason TATAFU, 37.Riley WARLAND, 88.Neil KILKENNY (C)
**1-3 to be omitted**
Ins: 17.Diego CASTRO (returns from injury)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 6.Osama MALIK (shoulder 2-3 weeks), 7.Chris IKONOMIDIS (knee – 4 weeks)
#OneGlory
