Glory fans are in for a treat this weekend, with both sides playing at home for the last time this year, aiming to deliver some early Christmas cheer.
Tonight, the gift that keeps on giving in Adam Griffiths will want to hand out an early present to all Glory supporters by picking up three points at HBF Park.
Then on Sunday, Stephen Peters will try do the same thing at the Sam Kerr Football Centre, looking to build on last week’s dogged 1-0 win over Wellington.
It’s a double dose of Perth vs Adelaide during the holiday period. School is out and the football is on at the most wonderful time of the year.
Who steps up in the absence of Taggart and Kucharski?
The burning question of the week has been this one, without a doubt. When both were subbed out before the hour mark against Sydney with injury, the worst was feared.
In slightly positive news, Taggart could be out for just this week. Kucharski is looking at three weeks out. Not amazing, but encouraging to know they likely won’t miss many matches.
Goals have been hard to come by, even with the best personnel on the park. The challenge is tougher now, evidenced by the second half last weekend.
A few half-chances were squandered, but nothing of the highest quality was created against Sydney’s stringent defence, who were brilliant in defending their lead.
Options aren’t limited as to who could step up and take their opportunity. Arion Sulemani and Khoa Ngo could be in line for starts after sub appearances a week ago, Gabriel Popovic and Adam Bugarija have been named in the extended squad, and Trent Ostler could be back after serving his one match suspension.
Ostler and Ngo have put in the best body of work out of that prospective group. Whether they can fit into the system effectively together is a whole different equation. For me though, those two are the most likely to contribute on the scoresheet.
Where does Pennington play?
Eight games into the season, after some useful cameos off the bench, Nicholas Pennington finally got through a full 90 minutes of action.
Deployed on the left side of midfield, the 27-year-old wasn’t as effective as he has been, but still managed to win the most duels and have the most touches in the opposition’s box against the Sky Blues.
The good form of Will Freney and Rhys Bozinovski is impossible to ignore. They’ve bothbeen very reliable in the middle, and it would be harsh to drop or displace either of them.
Pennington is more useful in the centre. Therein lies the dilemma. If all three are selected, one has to play out of their best position.
Given the injury issues, I wouldn’t blame the manager for keeping Pennington out wide for this week.
His flexibility, and Freney’s too, is useful for the time being. Eventually though, when the likes of Kucharski, Lachie Wales and Seb Despotovski are back in the fray, some tough decisions will need to be made on the makeup of the midfield.
And for the Glory girls…
Are they sticking with the back four?
Right when they needed it most, the Glory girls found a way to get over the line in a game they probably shouldn’t have won.
Wellington had the majority of the game on their terms, possession wise and in the shot count. They didn’t take advantage, and they paid the full price for it.
One brilliant corner from Susan Phonsongkham separated the teams. In this game, getting the job done mattered more than how it got done.
Stephen Peters made the switch from three to four at the back, opting for a central pairing of Onyi Zogg and Mischa Anderson.
Together, they were brilliant, as was Teresa Morrissey, playing her first game for the Glory in between the sticks.
This should be the norm from now, at least formation wise. With the back three, goals were being leaked and control was lost in the midfield.
The back four looks to be more stable defensively already and allows Georgia Cassidy, Izzy Dalton and Emma Tovar to be the three in midfield. The best possible combination.
If they’re all 100%, it would be great to see them in action on Sunday. Adelaide are down towards the bottom; a golden opportunity for three points and increased momentum.
Predicted lineup
Lawrence – Ostler
Pennington – Freney – Bozinovski – Ngo
Shamoon – Wootton – Kaltak – Risdon
Sutton
All images courtesy of Tom McCarthy.
