The January Transfer Window Opens and City are in, out, in, out and shaking the league about!
Well, we’re just over two weeks into the new year and it’s been a cracking start with the City boys registering three wins in three and pushing towards the top of the league. It’s all not gone unnoticed by media in the run up to tonight’s Central Coast Mariners clash.
Joey Lynch of Daily Football Show has praised City’s will to win and creativity in employing De Laet up front in the last match against Brisbane Roar, commenting
“Ritchie De Laet’s fourth goal of the season in the 52nd minute propelled Joyce’s side over their orange-clad foes; an unusually positive opening 60 minutes laying the foundation for the most aesthetically pleasing performance laid out by the Bundoora based side in many weeks.”
Ahead of the clash, the Herald Sun’s David Davutovic previewed sharing Warren Joyce’s focus on the Central Coast’s recent performances with the gaffer commenting,
“All our focus is the Central Coast game, we’ve got to win that. You’re certainly not overlooking them because we’ve watched the last few games and they’ve played really well.
“They dominated the game against league winners Sydney FC until the sending off and they played well at Wellington, a bit of a tweak, different personnel and younger boys playing, there’s a freedom about the place
“They have nothing to fear, nothing to lose, playing on the front foot. We’ve got to be at our absolute max to go there and win.”
Elsewhere…
With the transfer window well underway, there’s been no shortage of speculation following confirmation from Warren Joyce that the Club was on the hunt for more attacking personnel.
Arguably the most watched piece of transfer business in the window, media all have their opinions on who will join City – or not join – or join again…
Michael Lynch of The Age shared a feature-read piece regarding the situation with City’s Bruno Fornaroli while the transfer window kicks into gear. Lynch comments City’s play has ‘hardly been full of flair’ but concedes results have been good.
“City’s soccer has hardly been full of flair since the Fornaroli schism, but the results have been good.
Since the fallout occurred during the round five defeat to Brisbane, City have played six games, taking a possible 13 points from 18, and their only loss has been to league leaders Perth in WA.
City have conceded 10 goals in their 11 games, and have the best defensive record in the competition.”
Kicking off the January transfer window, it was all about the ‘Fornaroli Keogh swap’ with media speculating it’s on, it’s off, it’s on…we don’t know.
Dave Lewis of The World Game began proceedings with a report the swap was on the cards and David Davutovic of the Herald Sun followed the same path before updating a couple of days later, here.
Lewis then turned his attentions to Andrew Nabbout as the one City has its eye on with the Socceroos striker currently on national duty in the Asian Cup.
“Socceroos striker Andrew Nabbout could be on his way back to the A-League with Melbourne City leading the chase.”
“it’s understood a return to Australia might be on the cards with City coach Warren Joyce keen to harness Nabbout’s pace and power, regardless of whether the mooted swap deal between City striker Bruno Fornaroli and Perth Glory’s Andy Keogh goes ahead.”
Davutovic returned serve looking to complete the set of in-form strikers with the latest report that City are on targeting Hibs striker, Jamie Maclaren and Brisbane Roar’s, Adam Taggart.
“Melbourne City are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for a new striker, with Brisbane Roar’s Adam Taggart now on the radar to replace banished Bruno Fornaroli.”
