While it might not exactly be a bombshell in saying that Melbourne Victory won’t be playing Finals football this season, what will remain more of a mystery is the circumstances of international Georgia Cloepfil’s departure from the club.
Left off the team sheet completely two weeks ago, she departed the country just before Christmas, with the Victorian community left in the dark about her unceremonious departure.
She was a natural athlete, as she displayed week after week on a WPL platform, offering pace and tireless running on the right wing for Ashburton United.
How that would’ve translated on a W-League platform is another story, but her ability to get into the right areas made her a natural goal threat, something that Melbourne desperately needed more of this season.
Her attacking flair would’ve given the Victory an extra attacking dimension in their search for competition points, as they now sit what is close to an unobtainable eight points adrift of fourth place Adelaide United.
While their form of recent weeks has been far from terrible, it’s a huge ask for the side – boasting just a solitary win and draw this season – to win their last three, and pray for a host of other results to go perfectly their way.
Their two defeats in the last month of football have come to first and second on the ladder, a 4-0 loss at the hands of Melbourne City and a 3-0 away defeat to Canberra United.
Littered in between was a 3-1 away win against Perth Glory and a come-from-behind draw versus Western Sydney Wanderers.
Tomorrow afternoon’s opponents Sydney FC were trumped 3-0 by Brisbane Roar in last weekend’s televised game, but still sit in third place, facing the challenge of holding onto their finals position.
A big crowd should pour into AAMI Park, as the women play curtain-raiser for the men; the equivalent fixture last season saw the Victory W-League break their attendance record.
Selection News
One change this week sees Kiwi Briar Palmer come into the side with no named omission yet, which will be made clear closer to kick-off.
Gulcan Koca once again sat on the bench last week; the utility may be getting closer to making her starting return after three weeks in reserve.
Of course as mentioned, Georgia Cloepfil is out of the country and the evidence points to a departure from the club.
Melbourne Victory squad: 20. Melissa Barbieri (GK, c), 2. Alexandra Natoli, 4. Melissa Taranto, 5. Briar Palmer 6. Annabel Martin, 7. Enza Barilla, 8. Jamie Pollock, 10. Christine Nairn, 11. MelindaJ Barbieri, 12. Whitney Knight, 13. Thea Slatyer, 15. Adriana Taranto, 16. Hayley Raso, 17. Gulcan Koca, 1. Cassandra Dimovski (gk), 27. Natasha Dowie
Key Players
Hayley Raso
The winger has bravely battled a foot injury for most of the season now, but has continued to put in a number of strong displays down the right wing. While at times she has struggled with her final ball, she finds herself in the right positions more often than not to provide service to her fellow forwards. If she can tee up a goal or two tomorrow afternoon, it’ll go a long way towards a maiden home triumph of the year.
Thea Slatyer
Slatyer has done a fine job in the heart of defence in the absence of an established defensive partner. Alex Natoli, Jess Pitts and Jamie Pollock have all rotated through that central defensive position, with varying degrees of success. Pollock has made that position her own in recent weeks and has supplied the movement to supplement Slatyer’s street smarts and aerial prowess. Sydney have struggled for goals this season, so Slatyer may fancy her chances at keeping a first clean sheet of the season.
Predicted Line-up
Substitutes from: Dimovski (GK), A. Taranto, M. Taranto, Palmer, Knight
Predicted Score
With no other reasoning other than a hunch, Victory to head into the New Year with another win under their belt in front of a bumper AAMI Park crowd. 2-1 Victory