If recent history is anything to go by, there will be goals aplenty when City face Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday. With no shortage of attacking flare, we take a look at the key numbers between Daniel Arzani and Brett Holman.
Daniel Arzani and Brett Holman are at different parts of their respective careers with 14 years separating the two players when it comes to age but when they take to the field on Sunday night, both players are more than capable of changing a game.
Following a tremendous run of form in the Y-League, Arzani has taken his chance in Warren Joyce’s A-League squad and the 19-year-old hasn’t looked back since, taking the competition by storm with his dazzling performances earning him the accolade of Young Footballer of the Month for January.
Since joining Brisbane in 2016, Holman has played an important role for John Aloisi’s team and with over 60 caps for the Socceroos, the midfielder has added attacking class to the squad as well as wealth of experience.
To put the numbers into perspective Holman has played nine games for the Roar, Arzani seven for City, with both players coming off the bench on three occasions.
The brilliance of both players is best displayed in the attacking third, as their crafty skill sets paired with their football smarts makes them both difficult for defenders to handle.
So far this season, Holman has netted three goals for the Roar (five shots on target) and Arzani one for City (three shots on target).
In terms of distribution in the attacking third the City youngster has the edge over his opponent, registering two assists (Holman – 1) and eight key passes (Holman – 5). The winger is currently travelling at 78.2% pass accuracy, 5.4% more than Holman.
Arguably the most impressive element of Arzani’s game this season is his ability to take on and beat even the most experienced defenders in the league. His fearless approach paired with his strength over the ball has seen him complete 31 successful dribbles (Holman – 7), more than any of his City teammates.
Arzani’s ability to beat his opponents with ease has seen defenders panic under pressure – the City man has won one penalty and been fouled on 14 occasions.
Similarly, Holman has been fouled on 18 occasions, as his quick feet and attacking threat force defenders into action.
Brisbane’s attacking midfielder has showcased his willingness to work hard defensively this season, which is demonstrated by the five clearances he has made (Arzani – 0) and three interceptions (Arzani – 1).
For the City, Arzani has won five tackles – travelling at a rate of 83.3% for tackle success.
With both teams looking to extend their unbeaten runs, the attacking prowess of both Arzani and Holman will be a telling factor.
City takes on Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 7:00pm (AEDT), before returning to AAMI Park to host Sydney FC next Saturday night.
