Victory Midfield To Beef Up Attack

The Age

Friday October 31, 2008

MICHAEL LYNCH

MELBOURNE Victory goes into tonight's crucial match with Adelaide without three recognised front men and will look to a handful of midfielders to augment Daniel Allsopp, as it seeks to hit the target after drawing blanks for the past two matches.

Victory coach Ernie Merrick yesterday described the game against the Asian Champions League finalists as a "six-pointer" and revealed that he would be including teenage youth team player Matthew Theodore in the travelling party to South Australia.

With Archie Thompson and Ney Fabiano suspended, Nathan Elasi away on international duty with the Young Socceroos and Carlos Hernandez out with a quad injury, Merrick admitted that his striking stocks were at their lowest ebb.

Nevertheless, he said, there could be no excuses against a side that is now shaping up as the benchmark not just in the A-League but throughout Asia.

"We have still got a rock-solid defence and we have got a very strong midfield. We can play a couple of midfielders up forward to support Daniel, and they are experienced players who will be able to do the job," Merrick said. "There are no excuses whatsoever."

Adelaide sits atop the A-League ladder with 17 points, two more than SydneyFC and three more than Melbourne.

"If they win, they go six points in front of us, but if we win, we go back to the top of the league, so we know it's an important game and the attitude amongst the players this week in training has been outstanding," the coach added.

Melbourne and Adelaide often produce incident-packed games. It was in the fixture earlier this season that Fabiano was sent off for spitting at Adelaide defender Robert Cornthwaite, yet the Victory dug deep and still managed to record a 1-0 win.

Since then, Adelaide has embarked on the amazing run that has taken it to the top of the table and the ACL final. And while it has had its injury problems - goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic, the former Melbourne Victory shot-stopper, and midfielder Paul Reid will not be available this evening - fatigue has yet to set in.

"We know their schedule has been tough but they are coping with it really well and they will be a strong team again," Merrick said. "They are playing at home and they are on a high, so I think this will be the first time we have been underdogs all season."