Ahead of Wanderer test, Popovic sees progress in Victory’s run of draws

The good news for Melbourne Victory is that after six weeks of the A-League Men season, they’re one of four sides that are still unbeaten. The less good news for Melbourne Victory is that they haven’t won across a month’s worth of matches. But according to Tony Popovic, that they’ve been taking points from these games is a clear sign of how far this side has come from their last, abject season. 

Heading up to Gosford to take on the Central Coast Mariners, Victory was forced to settle for their fourth-consecutive draw on Sunday afternoon; Angel Torres striking from the penalty spot to earn the hosts a point after top-drawer strikes from Bruno Fornaroli and Nishan Velupillay wiped away Alou Kuol’s early strike.

A ten-man Victory had been forced to stage a late comeback of their own to snatch a 1-1 draw on the road against Macarthur the week prior, a result which followed up home 1-1 draws against Wellington and Adelaide in the fortnight prior, games which were categorised by dominating performances without the goals to show for it.

Things, therefore, can’t be said to be going badly for the A-Leagues giants. But they can’t be said to going all that swimmingly, either. They’re just four points off the top-of-the-table Phoenix and if they defeat Western Sydney on the road this weekend, as well as have other results fall their way, they’ll finish the round in second. But they’re also in sixth place, just six points clear of 11th despite being undefeated. 

Yet given how this side performed last season, slumping to an eleventh-placed finish – the third time in four years they’d ended the campaign in one of the bottom two positions on the table – that this four-game run has been made up of draws, rather than defeats just as much of their own making as their foes, gives Popovic reason to see the bright side.  

“The away games are a real sign of that,” he said of the growth of his side. “And also, in six matches — it’s not something we’re proud of — we’ve had two games or we finished the last 30 minutes with ten men. And we’ve got results in both games.

“So there is a difference. There’s a real resilience about the group. A real belief. We want that to continue and get stronger. And we believe that we will throughout the year as our players get better match conditioning, players start getting more continuity and more minutes that haven’t played for a while. 

“We feel that that can only improve.”

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Under the guidance of Marko Rudan, the Wanderers are one of the other three sides in the competition yet to taste defeat in 2023-24. Unsurprisingly, they have done so by fielding the league’s equal-stoutest defence, shipping just four goals and keeping four clean sheets across the league’s opening month-and-a-half. 

And given that being able to put the ball in the back of the net has proven something of a challenge for Victory this season – Fornaroli and Velupillay’s strikes against the Mariners were notable in that they were fashioned from unlikely circumstances, contrasting with the relatively simple chances they and their teammates have spurned at other times this season – meaning they could be up against it at Parramatta Stadium. 

“They’re trusting the process,” said Popovic. “Of course, there’ll be some frustration of missed opportunities. We’ve just played two consecutive away games and got two good points. 

“We have to be calm and composed in good moments and the difficult moments where you need resilience. We need to show both sides of our game on Sunday.

“It’s a great test. Wanderers are going back to where that club needs to be, being a real challenger for titles. 

“At Melbourne Victory, the demand is always and the expectation is that they’re challenging for titles. So, two big clubs going at it, both undefeated, so we’re expecting a tough game but a really good match.”

Victory’s defence will welcome back Adama Traore from suspension for the trip to Wanderland, while injured duo Damien Da Silva and Jason Geria were said to be “progressing really well,” by their coach. 

Further forward, Jake Brimmer had no adverse reactions to starting his first game since tearing his meniscus last February in the Mariners clash, with the return to fitness from the former Johnny Warren Medallist giving the side even more options in attack. 

“There are many reasons why we could start different players,” said Popovic. “It’s a reflection on how we’re going, how the players are training, what we see tactically that we can get in a particular game. 

“We’re seeing that the group’s training really well. It’s very competitive for places and with the changes that we had at Central Coast and the backline also Jakey starting, you know, there are very good signs, positive signs from the squad, and we need that to continue.”

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_{Header Image Credit: Melbourne Victory}