Delusions of grandeur
Everyone’s worst fears were confirmed today with the announcement that Kevin Muscat would miss between four and six weeks with a hamstring tear.
However what is more worrying perhaps is the news that Gary Cole confirmed the club is looking at signing another striker, rather than a defender, with the spot left vacant by Jose Luis Lopez’s departure. Hello? We have just lost a key central defender for a number of weeks and we are looking at another striker.
The last time I looked, we have four decent strikers - Archie Thompson, Danny Allsopp, Ney Fabiano and Nathan Elasi - and far as I know all fully fit. In the aforementioned article, Muscat notes that last year he had a similar injury pre-season and returned fully fit and played every game of the season.
However, Muscat is now a year older and has that full season under his belt. Surely it would better for the Victory to sure up it’s backline and not sign another striker of which we appear to have a glut. Are we being a tad deluded to think that we can do with a makeshift central defensive pairing whilst Muscat is out injured.
Matthew Foschini, a Victory Youth League player, has been touted as a possible replacement and personally I would like to see him given a run early on in the season. Merrick has a pretty good record with young defenders with both Adrian Leijer and Sebastian Ryall being success stories in the past. Should be on the bench at the very least.
Tags: archie thompson, danny allsopp, gary cole, kevin muscat, matthew foschini, melbourne victory, nathan elasi, ney fabiano
August 11th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Really think another striker could be great, we play well with 3 strikers and a very attacking counter attack style, that noone does in the a-league, to my knowledge? We might let lots of goals in, but if we are scoring heaps doesn’t matter.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
If we buy another striker this gives us more options to play 3 up front, forgot to add that bit.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I always feel playing with three strikers robs us of a midfield presence. Don’t mind it towards the end of a game last 20-25 minutes or so but I wouldn’t start with three strikers. Even then, if we were to play with three I don’t think we need to look for another - as I said we have four fully fit strikers on our list and a number of attacking midfielders that add a significant amount of firepower.
August 17th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
where do you buy a defender? Michael Beauchamp?
August 18th, 2009 at 7:42 am
John,
I would be looking in the State Leagues for a high quality defender. No use signing a big name such as Beauchamp as when Muscat returns from injury they are not going to get any game time. Anyway I thought Gold Coast already had him lined up.
August 18th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Yes Neil, I was teasing. But as you suggest, Brisbane have just picked up a cover defender from the Victorian state league. Is there another Og-man waiting to be found?
August 18th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
By the way, most teams seem to be short a defender.