Perth Glory captain Jacob Burns has identified the Queensland trifecta of games over the next three weeks as the time for his club to consolidate its position in the top six.
Starting with the Brisbane Roar at home this Sunday, the Glory then head to the sunshine state for matches against North Queensland and Gold Coast in what is shaping as a vital road trip just before Christmas.
In a particularly congested table, a three-match unbeaten run has seen Perth stay in fifth position for the last few rounds, but the club is just three points shy of second-placed Sydney and three points ahead of Brisbane and Newcastle in seventh and eighth respectively.
But Burns will be well aware his side has struggled against Brisbane in the past, having won just two of 13 encounters, while the last time the Glory did the Queensland road trip it lost both matches to Gold Coast and the Fury.
It’s no wonder then that the skipper is earmarking the next three weeks as a vital period in the Glory’s season, as any slip-ups will see the teams just outside the top six breathing down their necks, while a series of wins will set up the final few weeks nicely, where Perth enjoys five of the last eight matches at home.
“We’ve been strong at home but Brisbane are no pushover,” Burns said.
“They’re a bit up and down this season but I think that they’ve found their groove and a good result in their last game,” he said, referring to the Roar’s 4-1 victory over a 10-man Wellington side in new coach Ange Postecoglou’s best win since taking over from Frank Farina.
“So I think that it mightn’t be make or break (if we lose this weekend) but I think if you can win your home games and pick up some stuff away, then you put yourself in good stead.”
“Melbourne have started to pull away (at the top of the table) and it’s all bunched after that (but) in our position, if we can get a few more results over this lead in to the Christmas period then come January time, we should be up there and really pushing.”
“And, that’s where we want to be, finals football,” he said.
The Glory showed the type of steel needed to make their first Hyundai A-League finals appearance by holding the in-form Mariners to a 0-0 draw at Bluetongue Stadium in their last fixture.
It was a game Perth side possibly should have snatched after dominating possession and chances, marquee man Mile Sterjovski seeing an incredible first-half strike rebound off the upright with Danny Vukovic beaten.
But the Glory may be weakened for Sunday’s clash as goalkeeper Tando Velaphi is in doubt with a recurrence of the back injury that slowed him down during the pre-season.
Valphi was forced out of training last Tuesday and will have intensive treatment to get himself right for Sunday’s game, although understudy Aleks Vrteski will be eagerly waiting in the wings.
Vrteski has only played one match this season, coincidentally against Brisbane in a 4-2 result that went the Glory’s way.
Perth defender Chris Coyne has reportedly shrugged off a minor hamstring problem, while Brisbane will also be weakened for this clash, losing midfielder Matt McKay for three weeks with a quadriceps injury.
