Arzani's "most complete game" for Victory highlights Perth win.
Amidst what increasingly shapes as his best ever season, Tony Popovic has called Daniel Arzani’s star turn in Melbourne Victory’s 2-1 win over Perth as his most complete performance for the club.
Tony Popovic has labelled Daniel Arzani’s star turn in Melbourne Victory’s 2-1 triumph over Perth Glory as his most complete performance for the club, a shift that highlights what, by the numbers, is increasingly looking like the attacker’s best-ever professional season.
Returning to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in his side’s last two games, Arzani was integral to the securement of a three points that moves Victory back into third place on the table on Sunday; playing a pivotal role in the build-up to Bruno Fornaroli’s opener and the sending in an inch-perfect cross for his second.
The 25-year-old would end the game with that assist, an 89th-minute chance that came agonisingly close to making it 3-1, seven chances created, six successful dribbles, and ten duels won. No other player on the park had more than two chances created or successful dribbles, while the next best duels figure was six, a mark shared by three players.
"[Arzani was] very good,” said Popovic. “The most complete game [he has played for Victory], in terms of his periods of not being involved are getting less. They're not extending to long periods of 10, or 15 minutes when he doesn't really get involved, with or without the ball.
“The periods are getting smaller. He was involved in a lot of our good actions. He had that final ball for Bruno. There were many other opportunities where the final ball wasn't quite there but he seemed to be enjoying himself out there today.”
Starting 19 games across 23 appearances for Victory this season, the 1,519 minutes Arzani has logged so far in 2023-24 are already more than 500 greater than his previous best in a league season – 1,027 minutes back in 2017-18 with Melbourne City. They’re also greater than the 1,336 he managed across all competitions with Macarthur last season, and he still has four regular season games and finals remaining to add to this tally.
Across the 2023-24 A-League Men season, Arzani is now equal second in assists with six, has created more big chances than any other player, and created the fourth most chances overall. His 3.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, meanwhile, put him second in the competition.
On Sunday, he would also end the game with five successful recoveries of the ball and two tackles, which, unsurprisingly, drew praise from his coach.
“What we want is the all-round game and in the 90th minute when he runs back and makes a tackle on the edge of the box and wins a foul, that's football, that's how the game needs to be played,” said Popovic.
“He's getting better. What we thought of him in preseason is the same as now. Very talented. We love having him here. And we've got to keep pushing him to fulfil the talent he has.”