Newcastle Jets are hoping information provided by returning midfielder Zenon Caravella will help them in Friday night’s do-or-die match against Adelaide United.
Newcastle Jets are hoping information provided by returning midfielder Zenon Caravella will help them in Friday night’s do-or-die match against Adelaide United.
Caravella returns to the Jets line-up from a hamstring injury after missing the 5-0 loss to Victory and the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Perth.
However marquee man Emile Heskey is still sidelined for at least another week with a tear in his calf.
Jets coach Gary van Egmond said the return of Caravella will be crucial in the must-win clash.
“He’s got through a full training session today and had no problems with his hamstring, so he will come straight back into the starting line-up,” van Egmond said at the team announcement on Wednesday.
“Zenon helps with our build-up in controlling the game and getting the ball forward.
“His positioning is very good, he doesn’t turn the ball over very much at all and he really works well there with a good blend between him and Ruben (Zadkovich).
“He gives good leadership, not even so much from a talking point of view, but just by the way that he acts and dictates play and other players gain a lot of confidence with him being in that team.”
Caravella has been a fantastic mid-season transfer from Adelaide and van Egmond revealed that the playmaker had given some background info and important insight on the Reds players to the Jets coach.
“More so on their (Adelaide players) personalities and that is something you can’t always see through a camera,” van Egmond said.
“He obviously has some good memories from down in Adelaide and he made some good friends down there but I am pretty sure he is extremely keen to get the three points for us this week.
“He will enjoy playing against his old team like all players playing against his old team.”
In other team news, defender Taylor Regan returns from suspension as the only other change to the Jets squad.
Van Egmond indicated the starting side will be similar to the one beaten by Perth last Friday night at Hunter Stadium but he may look to include attacking players on his bench.
“It will pretty much be the same XI that took the park the other night, the are no secrets” van Egmond said.
“It is a game we have to win so we need attacking players coming off the bench.
“So it is more so the front third players who can come in and make an impact.”
