Star striker David Williams has called on his team mates to trust their instincts as Melbourne Heart FC prepares for the Melbourne Derby at Etihad Stadium this weekend.
Star striker David Williams has called on his team mates to trust their instincts as Melbourne Heart FC prepares for the Melbourne Derby at Etihad Stadium this weekend.
Williams believe the relative youth of the Heart side can be no excuse for being outmuscled by the opposition, citing a need to demonstrate greater self-assurance.
“We do have a young squad, there are young players out there and we do try and concentrate on playing good football. And when we do play football, I think it-s great to watch and exciting.
We try to concentrate on that more but then there-s that other aspect, where you have to use your own instincts and be aggressive. It really all depends on how the game is situated, and how it-s going.”
Opening his Heart scoring account in the first half of the Club-s 1-2 loss against Perth Glory at AAMI Park, Williams was one of the few shining lights in a disappointing display.
Although Heart-s attacking line-up appears to possess significant firepower, the former Brondby star says the team must lift its intensity, and couple the side-s commitment to fluid, attractive football with grit and determination.
“As a team, we have to be more aggressive. We give away free kicks, and they get up. We get free kicks against us, and our players are down,” he said.
“We need to be more aggressive and more willing to win the ball. That-s what we talk about a lot, winning your duels and winning your battles and I think we do that sometimes, but sometimes isn-t good enough.”
Young defender Curtis Good was one player who displayed a fierce desire to make his mark on Sunday-s contest, laying a series of crunching challenges which confirmed his status as a player to watch.
Displaying a composure belying his years in possession, Good-s star turn ensured he is likely to remain a constant figure in John van ‘t Schip-s starting eleven for the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, hopes remain that Captain Fred will assume his place in the starting line-up on Saturday despite limping off midway through the first half of yesterday-s match.
Fred underwent scans to assess the extent of his injury today.
