There has been no shortage of news off the field since the Glory were last in action against the Wanderers. As usual, some good in the form of new signings has been mixed in with some bad regarding ex-captain Mustafa Amini.
The focus for David Zdrilic will be on continuing the solid performances his team begun putting out after a well earned rest. Fresh off the bye, a trip to Newcastle awaits for the men while the women will look to turn around a spell of poor form when they take on Brisbane at home on Sunday.
As the busy month of January comes to a close, the talking points ahead of an important round of football for both Glory sides.
Do the new signings come straight in?
Fresh faces were promised and have been delivered as the transfer window swung open just over a week ago. At the time of writing, the Glory have announced five additions to the squad for the remainder of the season.
Defensive stocks have been bolstered the most, thanks to the Japanese duo of Yuto Misao and Takuya Okamoto and ex-Wanderer Tass Mourdoukoutas.
Additional A-League experience has been provided to the frontline in the form of Patrick Wood on loan and Western United premiership winger Lachie Wales.
Of the five, three (Misao, Wood and Wales) were included in the provisional squad for today’s clash with the Jets.
Zdrilic hasn’t had any qualms bringing players into the starting lineup straight off the bat, so expect to see at least one of those three in the pre-match graphic.
Wales is the most likely, but don’t be surprised if Misao sneaks in ahead of Zach Lisolajski at left back.
Will outside noise be a distraction?
Mustafa Amini’s exit from the Glory was far from smooth. The moment his departure was confirmed it was clear the story wouldn’t end there; it appears it’s just beginning.
Amini claimed his contract termination was unlawful and would be initiating legal proceedings against the club.
Yesterday, it was revealed the potential punishments for the Glory could be a points deduction or being barred from registering players.
Drama off the pitch is nothing new for Glory fans. From the salary cap scandal to Tony Sage relinquishing the licence and a new ownership deal falling through, it’s a familiar tale with this football club.
With the on-field displays on the up, the timing of this news is unfortunate. What happens off the park can impact what happens on it; the big task for Zdrilic will be to limit the effect it has on his team.
It could be the difference between walking away with something or nothing. An away win is on the cards, if the team can back up their recent showings and not let the off-field noise affect their performances on it.
Predicted lineup
Taggart
Freney – Pearman – Wales
Gomulka – O’Neill
Lisolajski – Lebib – Mrcela – Risdon
Sail
And for the women…
When will the wins come?
Two games in quick succession over east ended in the same fashion for the Glory girls, losing out 1-0 to the Victory on Saturday before a demoralising 4-1 defeat to Western United on Tuesday.
The absence of Georgia Cassidy and Tijan McKenna at Ironbark Fields was dearly felt; one shot on target, 61% pass accuracy and ten shots on target conceded compared to four shots on target, 72% pass accuracy and two shots on target conceded at The Home of the Matildas.
Stephen Peters admitted that points were left on the table in the first half of the season. As the next portion of the season begins, taking those points becomes more important than ever with the gap to the finals spots continuing to grow.
Being back at home this weekend should help, but Brisbane Roar is a tough assessment for a team who have leaked goals all season. Tameka Yallop and the Freier sisters could be in for a field day.
Both sides are out of form and could use a win for different reasons; Perth to keep off the bottom and get closer to the top six, and Brisbane to make up ground on the top three and go clear of the chasing pack.