After a last-gasp 2-1 win in the Grand Final rematch against Sydney FC at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on the weekend, our City boys are back at AAMI Park and facing Perth Glory.
Here are the key talking points ahead of this one:
Feelin’ Leckie
Here it is: my formal apology to Mathew Leckie (not to be confused with my formal apology to Florin Berenguer). I am sorry for doubting you.
Leckie has come good, and is now the devastating attacking force that we’d all hoped he would eventually be for City. After a slow start to his time in Melbourne, Leckie has now scored five goals in his past six games, which is frankly outrageous.
His last-minute winner against Sydney on the weekend was a deserved big moment for the Socceroo, and provided even more spotlight for the man in form. Long may Leckie’s purple patch continue!
Chasing Plates
I’m going to say this very quietly… *City have won 6 of their last 7 games*.
It may not have felt like it at all times, but the boys are actually on a pretty hot streak at the moment, and were it not for that stubborn mob in the western suburbs (or is it eastern suburbs? Or Hobart? Or Ballarat now? I can’t keep up), City would be top of the tree.
Of course, the ladder at the moment is kind of hard to read. Perth Glory for example have played four less games than us, but we appear to be sitting rather pretty at the moment.
After securing our first Premiers Plate last season, the charge is definitely on to make it back-to-back.
Wednesday night’s game against Perth is a great one to continue this charge; with the Glory struggling down near the foot of the table at the moment, three points are a must.
Come Make Some Noise
Let’s address the elephant in the room; this season’s attendance figures are pretty bleak. It’s not just City by any means, every stadium around the country is looking pretty empty at the minute, but it’s still pretty depressing.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely understand why it is how it is. This season has been a weird one; with fixtures constantly changing and moving around, even knowing that games are on can be challenging sometimes, and the social fatigue of Covid lockdowns is a very real issue causing a lot of people to burn out.
I miss the noise. I miss the bouncing stands when we score. It wasn’t so long ago that we were all jammed into AAMI for the Grand Final, and boy was the atmosphere something special that night.
Obviously Perth Glory on a Wednesday night in March isn’t exactly the A-League Grand Final, but it’s still something.
If you’re on the fence about heading in and attending the game this week, think back to the hundreds of nights we all spent in lockdown over the last two years, desperate to get back to AAMI Park. Come on down, have a beer, talk shit with your mates, sing some songs and watch City play, they’re doing alright at the minute.
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