Reds’ coach, Josep Gombau, has issued a statement of intent ahead of his side’s clash with Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park by declaring his side will be unsatisfied with anything but a win on Friday night.
“We need to win. The mentality is that we need to go there to win,” Gombau said.
“This is the aim that we need to have and what we need to have in our mind. In the end, it’s early in the season and it’s not a decisive game, but it’s very important.
“For us, it’s the type of game where were have nothing to lose and (everything to gain).”
And Gombau is completely confident in his squad’s ability to get the job done at AAMI Park on Friday – ignoring the fact that the Spaniard’s side is yet to beat our Victorian rivals since his arrival at the club.
“We can win – I have this feeling. I think that now we are equal teams, but a game is a game and it can change in two minutes.
“If you have a red card, or a penalty decision, or a player makes a mistake (everything can change), but we can have a good game there (at AAMI Park) and we can get the result.”
Gombau also said he is yet to decide on any changes to the squad that beat Central Coast Mariners last Sunday, but that if he decides there needs to be some made he will do so because it will be best for the team.
“What we need to do is to just try and think about the team we will (put out) to face our opponent – selecting and choosing the best players that can bring to us more things,” he continued.
“If I am honest, in this moment we haven’t decided yet. Today (in training) I want to try different movements and different things and after we’ll make a decision. In the end we are a team and every single player is important.
“Tomorrow will be an interesting game – it’s like a final. This game is important and is a game that all of us are here to play in (because these matches) are what football players and coaches aim to (be involved in) every week.”
Gombau’s squad looks set to welcome back the services of midfielder Marcelo Carrusca and forward Bruce Djite for the match, yet Gombau remains undecided as to how the pair will be used.
Adelaide Untied will face Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park in Round 8 of the 2014/15 Hyundai A-League season on Friday 28 November. Kick off will be at 7:10 ACDT.
Friday, 28 November 2014
Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 7:40 PM (Local) (7:40 PM AEDT)
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referee 1: Luke Brennan
Assistant Referee 2: Jonathan Barreiro
Fourth Official: Patrick Chaplin
TV Broadcast: Live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7.00pm (AEDT), Live Coverage on SBS HD & SBS One from 7.30pm AEDT and Sky Sport 2 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 774 ABC Melbourne, Local Radio VIC, 891 ABC Adelaide, Local Radio South Australia, Grandstand Digital, Grandstand Online/ABC Radio Mobile phone app
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #MVCvADL
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Nathan COE (gk), 2.Jason GERIA, 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Mark MILLIGAN (c), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Gui FINKLER, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 11.Connor PAIN, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 15.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Carl VALERI, 22.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 23.Adrian LEIJER, 24.Scott GALLOWAY **two to be omitted**
Ins: 2.Jason GERIA (returns from injury), 4.Nick ANSELL (returns from injury)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 17.Matthieu DELPIERRE (foot – tbc)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (c) (gk), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.Nigel BOOGAARD, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 5.Osama MALIK, 7.Pablo SÁNCHEZ, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergio CIRIO, 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 14.Cameron WATSON, 16.Craig GOODWIN, 17.Awer MABIL, 18.Jimmy JEGGO, 21.Tarek ELRICH, 22.Fabio FERREIRA, 24.Bruce KAMAU, 30.John HALL (gk) **two to be omitted**
Ins: 11.Bruce DJITE (returns from injury), 10.Marcelo CARRUSCA (returns from injury)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 20.Paul IZZO (gk) (calf – 3-4 weeks), 23.Jordan ELSEY (knee – indefinite)
