Melbourne City coach Michael Valkanis has foreshadowed changes in this team’s formation and personnel to defeat one of their bogey sides this season Perth Glory in Sunday’s Elimination Final.
Speaking the official pre-match press conference on Saturday at AAMI Park, the City boss didn’t want to elaborate too much but foreshadowed changes in his team’s set up in terms of personnel and formation to defeat a side they clearly struggle to deal with.
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And Valkanis tipped a physical Glory on Sunday.
CITY’S LEARNING CURVE
Glory had the wood over City this season, with two wins and a draw in their three encounters.
“Having played Perth three times this year and having a look at it, we’ll set up with a slight difference,” said Valkanis.
“In all [three] games, we’ve had so much of the ball and we’re in attack so much and we’ve got that many opportunities, it’s like we switch off.
“We either switch off on the counter attack or on set piece.
“That’s something we’ve worked on again this week,” he added.
When Perth and Melbourne City met last Sunday, it was a crazy game that ended 5-4 in Glory’s favour.
With the stakes far higher and seasons on the line, tomorrow’s Hyundai A-League elimination final between the two is set to be a lot tighter.
“Last week was a totally different proposition,” the City coach told media on the eve of the mouth-watering clash.
“We’ve gone into that game with something to play for, wanting third spot.
“Perth have probably gone into it a little bit freer knowing they’ll give everything they’ve got and may just get fourth spot, but if worst comes to worst they’ll get fifth or sixth and get an away final anyway.
“We took risks and they took some big risks as well.
“In the end you nearly got an AFL score which was probably very good for the neutrals but no so good for the coaches,” he said.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
And Valkanis has declared his team 100% ready for the Finals Series.
“It’s Finals football,” he said. “They’re ready and up for it.
“You can see it in their eyes. The rest is all history.
“We can only write history now,” he said.
