Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic believes an all-out attacking approach can keep the club’s stuttering AFC Champions League campaign alive.
Victory are bottom of Group E with one point from three matches, meaning a win is the only option when they host Chinese outfit Tianjin Teda at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Durakovic is well aware what’s required and has recalled Socceroos striker Robbie Kruse to be a key component of a 4-3-3 formation.
Veteran campaigner Tom Pondeljak is tipped to make way for Kruse.
Kruse was used as a super-sub in Victory’s 1-1 draw against Tianjin in China a fortnight ago after struggling to overcome the effects of jet lag caused by a mid-week excursion that saw him feature in Australia’s win over Germany in Monchengladbach.
“Robbie will be playing, he did quite well when he came on (in China),” Durakovic said.
“We’ll be going in with an attacking line-up with three up front. Basically we need a win and we’ll go out there to attack as much as we can to get the three points.”
“We’ll push Robbie and Isaka (Cernak) up alongside Archie (Thompson).”
But Victory aren’t the only side chasing maximum points with Tianjin Teda’s Dutch coach Arie Haan saying the Chinese visitors will adopt a positive mindset in Australia.
“I am only happy when we win the game and I’m very confident for tomorrow,” Haan said.
“We are coming here to take some points, that’s our option.”
Tianjin goes into the match without influential captain Marko Zoric who is suspended after being sent-off in the 1-1 draw against the Victory in China.
Not that the avuncular Haan seemed too concerned with the Serbian’s absence, rather challenging his troops to step up and fill the void left by the central defender.
“We have a very good group, you never will win the championship or champions league with 11 players,” Haan said.
“If you don-t have a good bench you don’t come far.”
Asked what he learned from the match-up between the two clubs from fortnight ago, Haan offered.
“Melbourne played very good in the second-half against us,” Haan said.
“It was not our expectation at home to draw, especially when it was 1-0 at halftime. The second-half we were not as good as the first-half.”
“The team is not stablised to say we are a big team, but we are growing. Sometimes you have a result which is not in your favour, but we learn from it.”
Stand-in captain Cao Yang re-affirmed his coach’s thoughts when asked about how Tianjin would approach the game.
“We are not here for sightseeing, we are here to take something away from home,” Cao said.
