Perth skipper Jamie Coyne believes his struggling side has the firepower to expose the Melbourne Victory’s defence when the two side’s clash on Saturday night.
Although the Glory’s defence has conceded 16 goals itself over the first six matches of the new season, Coyne said Melbourne’s back four was probably the weakest element in the Victory line-up.
And, he feels the Glory’s front pairing of Eugene Dadi and Nikita Rukavytsya have the ability to show it up, despite Melbourne’s backline boasting former Socceroo Kevin Muscat and potential Australian international Rodrigo Vargas.
“The midfield and attack is so strong that the defence isn’t put under too much pressure throughout the game,” said Coyne after training on Wednesday.
“I know they haven’t conceded too many goals but that probably is the weakest area.”
“But we feel that with Eugene playing quite well and Nikita’s pace, we think we can expose them at the back,” he said, adding the Glory would be looking to pounce late in the game, using its pace up front to expose Muscat’s ageing legs in particular.
Coyne said the Queensland Roar had done this too good effect last weekend, when Tahj Minniecon and Michael Zullo secured the points for Frank Farina’s men with goals during the final 10 minutes, albeit against a 10-man Victory side that was without the dismissed Carlos Hernandez.
And, the Glory’s chances of repeating that feat were given a boost on Tuesday by the news that key Victory defender Michael Thwaite wouldn’t be playing on Saturday after suffering an ankle injury last weekend.
Thwaite joins a large group of players on the sidelines for the Victory as Michael Theoklitos, Ney Fabiano and Hernandez are all suspended, with Nick Ward (thigh) injured and Young Socceroos Nathan Elasi and Sebastian Ryall flying to Thailand on international duty.
The Glory will be missing several players of their own however, as Hayden Foxe (foot), Jimmy Downey (thigh) and Amaral (hamstring) are all injured while defender Dino Djulbic is also suspended.
But Coyne feels last-placed Perth can topple the highflying Victory with its current players, although he acknowledged the side still had to eradicate the mistakes that led to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat by the Mariners last Friday night.
“We had a couple of defensive mix-ups and they (Central Coast) capitalised on it,” Coyne said.
“We had four or five chances in the game and didn’t score. It’s just the little things that we have to tweak. We’re not that far off the pace but if you make mistakes people are going to punish you for it.”
“(But) a goal won’t be scored just before it’s kicked in, something happens some 10, 15 seconds before that which I think is the problem.”
“So it’s not just the defensive back four, it’s the defence of the whole team that has to be better,” he said.
