City’s star trio has Adelaide on defensive
MELBOURNE City’s embarrassment of attacking riches will have Adelaide United on high alert at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night.
Champion City goes to Adelaide having kicked off its campaign with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park.
Surprisingly, none of City’s goals came from their Socceroos forward trio of Jamie Maclaren, Andrew Nabbout and Mathew Leckie, who played for Adelaide before a 10-year stint in Germany.
Their lack of goals last week points to at least one, perhaps two, or maybe even all three of them finding the back of the net this weekend unless Adelaide can produce a stoic defensive performance.
“They’re the strongest strike force in the league,” Adelaide coach Carl Veart said. “Maclaren’s goals speak for themselves and Mathew Leckie, I remember him when he first came to this club.
“He has that power, that aggression and is very direct. He’s got that experience now of playing overseas and he’s been to World Cups with the Socceroos. Then they’ve got Nabbout, who’s down the same path as the other two, so our defence is going to have their work cut out for them.
“If we give them too much space at the back then they’ll find those attacking threats they have, so it’s important we don’t give them that time on the ball and allow them to get that free-flowing game going.”
City skipper Scott Jamieson, a former Adelaide leftback, tipped his cashed-up, championship-winning side to receive a frosty reception on Saturday night.
“I understand the backing of this football club is well talked about but I also understand the perception this club gets in regards to being treated like spoiled kids, in a way, in the past,” Jamieson said.
“When I played against Melbourne City I wanted to beat them because I always saw them as the spoiled kids, so I understand (what) other clubs and other players have always thought of us.”