Reading the score line, you’d think that the 2-1 result against the Central Coast Mariners was a tight contest at AAMI Park but City were dominant in possession and chances on Thursday night and Head Coach Michael Valkanis believes it will only be a matter of time before his side puts an opposition team to the sword.
The home side had 26 shots on goal with nine on target – the most in any of their matches this season – and were only hampered by an inspired performance from Mariners keeper Paul Izzo who was forced into seven saves.
Despite only winning by a one-goal margin, Valkanis is confident the signs are there for his side to dominate on the scoreboard, saying a time will come where they will wreak havoc on opposition sides.
“In the future, something is going to click and someone will cop a battering, because the team is playing very well. I’ll stick by it even last week, where we dropped points and played very well,” Valkanis said.
“I mentioned it last week, we’re definitely playing very well. We’re getting into the box many times and today we had many clear cut opportunities to score.”
“At the end of the day, I think there would be a problem if we weren’t getting into the box and weren’t scoring goals.
“[We] played well tonight and regardless if it’s 10 men or 11 men, the boys played the style we want to play, created many goal scoring opportunities and as I said, only one man stood in the way, and that was Paul Izzo.”
The Head Coach believes his side have the killer edge within them to continue pressuring sides while in the lead and feels it will be the next important step in their progression.
“We want the third goal as well,” he said.
“The boys want it, the coaches on the bench want the third goal. I’m going to lose all my hair if we don’t score the third goal.
“If we’re winning all the stats, and especially when we’re referring to our style and style of play we want as a club, the only one now we need to improve on is scoreboard pressure on the opposition and making sure we’re scoring goal.”
It was an emotion-felt win for City who were told hours before the match of the passing of John van’t Schip’s father and Valkanis said the win today was in part for him.
“We’re saddened by the news. We all know why John left and we send our deepest condolences to him and his family,” he said.
“Part of the win today will be for John and he’s an amazing person. A really good person and a person that is very important to this club.
“We’re here for him and he knows we’re here for him. The whole Club.”
City will look to go back-to-back on Friday night as they travel to the unfamiliar surroundings of Coffs Harbour to take on the Newcastle Jets, kick-off 7.50pm.
