An early gift was given to the Glory fans last weekend as David Williams scored the winner in a much needed win for David Zdrilic and his players.
The Glory avoided unwanted history by breaking an 18 match winless run; failure to have beaten Brisbane would have seen the club join the Melbourne Heart and New Zealand Knights for the league record of consecutive games without a win.
Now the first win is out the way, the attention shifts to winning at home for the first time in 10 months. The final visitors to HBF Park in 2024 are Macarthur; the team who kickstarted the Glory’s horror start to the season with a 6-1 smashing in Round One.
Retribution is on the cards for the men, while the women will aim to maintain their 100% winning record at HBF Park this season against the Mariners, who have never lost in Perth.
For the last time this year, the big questions leading into a glorious Friday night double-header.
Can Macarthur’s shining star be stopped?
One of the major strengths the Bulls have is the way they utilise the wide areas, and in turn getting the best out of their talented wingers.
In their opening round win, Jed Drew and Marin Jakolis had a field day against Kaelen Majekodunmi and Zach Lisolajski, two central defenders by trade who were played as fullbacks.
Jakolis in particular will be the player to look out for. The Croatian scored in three out of his first four this season, and while his goal contributions in the last month have been minimal, he is certainly good enough to take the game away from the Glory and will be eager to return to the scoresheet.
Josh Risdon and Riley Warland are better equipped to deal with the job at hand, but will need to be on guard. Keeping Jakolis and Drew from getting in behind and running at the defence will be pivotal if the Glory are to limit Macarthur’s attacking options, of which Jakolis is the most threatening.
HBF Park: Will it be Willo’s Wonderland again?
David Williams has become Glory’s resident gift giver in December. His goal was the difference against the Roar and the last time Macarthur came to Perth, on December 23 of last year, he scored a 93rd minute winner in front of The Shed.
The veteran hasn’t lost his touch in front of goal, with a finely controlled left foot volley to complement a solid all-round performance. He created three chances, the equal most on the pitch and the only Glory player with multiple.
If Adam Taggart is to return to the lineup, Williams has shown to the manager he can be relied upon to finish chances and can create opportunities for others. As an additional bonus, the pair combine well together.
With the Bulls missing captain and key defensive cog Tomislav Uskok through suspension, the Glory should look to exploit that weakness in the back four.
An experienced campaigner like Williams will make the most of it. He’s off the mark for the season; let him carry his momentum from Brisbane into tonight, he could be the difference maker the attack has been crying out for.
Predicted lineup
Williams – Taggart
Faisal – Pennington – Gomulka – Carluccio
Warland – Mrcela – Lebib – Risdon
Cook
And for the women…
Time for Wynne to Light It Up Like a Christmas Tree?
The Glory girls got themselves out of danger in Sydney, scoring a 96th minute penalty to earn a share of the spoils against the Wanderers.
The scorer of the equaliser, Kelli Brown, is out with a knee injury and could miss the next six weeks of action.
Her absence leaves a hole in the attack which needs filling, and will require others to step up their game.
Of the attacking options, Megan Wynne is the pick of the bunch to carry the load and be the main star up front.
The Welsh international was quiet last week, but has put in some good performances so far without getting her name on the scoresheet.
Central Coast hasn’t kept a clean sheet in five matches, and have conceded multiple goals in their last three outings.
Against an out of form side, this is the time for Wynne to elevate her game. Wins at home are a necessity, and she is the player with the most pedigree and ability to lift the team to another level and take them to a victory.
All images courtesy of Tom McCarthy.
